My Barn

Yes, I'm getting a barn. My very own barn. I am not letting any animals in. Maybe to be milked but then straight out.

A few months ago, my mom and I went to the Home Show. I followed her around not really seeing anything I was interested in and we turned a corner and ran smack dab into my barn. A mini barn for my mini farm. It even has a loft...a big loft. The only hay that is getting up in my loft is the couple of bales I arrange to sit on....right under my skylight roof vent...in front of my little window.
I have plans to line one wall with old dairy scales.

There has been a lot of work to get ready. Stumps to pull and ground to smooth. I had wanted to get rid of the stumps and old motorcycle jumps/yodeling hills for a long time so this was motivation to get it done.

I think I'll paint it green with white trim. What do you think about curtains?

A Surprise

A surprise is coming to the farm next Thursday. I'll give you a hint....it doesn't have two legs or four and it doesn't eat or poop. I have been waiting for it to get here for about 40 years.

Some of you already know because I have been telling anyone that will listen. The rest of you guess.

Poor Riot

This afternoon I was giving the goats their dinner and noticed a black and white hump down in a depression in the pasture. It was the same color as my older wether Riot. I took a quick look around and he wasn't munching on the hay I just thrown down so I knew it had to be him.

I clapped my hands. Nothing.I clapped harder. Still no response.

I opened the gate and walked up to him with dread in my heart. He was curled up just like he was sleeping. He wasn't breathing.

What could have happened to him in just the few hours I saw him last?
He looked so peaceful.
I bent down and petted his head and said "poor Riot" several times.

His eyes flew open and he jumped back just as fast as I did. I could tell he was fine the minute his eyes opened and I saw the look of someone who has just been woken from a very deep sleep.

He stood in shock for a second (while my heart pounded)then noticed the other goats eating the choice green orchard grass. He ran over, butted a few heads, and I knew we weren't digging any graves tonight.

Just an old goat sleeping.

I'm in Love

A Little Experiment

Early in the fall, my son and daughter-in-law were down at the farm and we were discussing how to get a clone of Cora Belle (my favorite goat ad nauseum). They, being both scientists and well-versed in genetics, suggested I breed Cora Belle's daughter Wedding Belles to her son Easter Island. They have different fathers so it wasn't a straight brother to sister breeding. I know it sounds Yuk but it's called line breeding in the goat world.
That was exactly what I did then waited the five months to see what we would get. Wedding Belles wasn't very big and I expected a single buck kid.

Here is Cora Belle as a kid. My goal.



When Wedding Belles went into labor last Tuesday, I was pretty pleased to help her deliver a lovely little doeling that is almost a carbon copy of Cora Belle.





And if that wasn't enough...an almost (a little more black) carbon copy of Cora Belle's full sister, Boxcar Betty.



Here is Betty as a kid. She lives and works at Herron Hill Dairy .



I'd say our little experiment was a success. I love science.

Airing Out Babies

It was a beautiful day in Western Washington. After church and an all you can eat Easter buffet it was time to open up the gates, grab a lawn chair, sit in the sun, and watch the show.

Follow Me

We are now on facebook. Everyone is doing it so why not us? I'll tell you why.
I am really bad at facebook.
Minter Bay Dairy Goats

Today

Today was one of those days when everything was agin me. I am now milking two goats and that is one too many for my getting ready for work schedule. I barely got to school on time, throwing on just any old thing. I forgot it was class and staff picture day. I had bad hair and a tired old shirt on so I spent all day dodging class pictures and just happened to be outside at staff picture time. The day didn't get any less hectic.

So on this hectic day Wedding Belles presents me with two darling doelings and one looks awfully familiar.

I'm never too busy to welcome a couple of babies into the world. They didn't give a rip about the state of my hair.

Good to the Last Drop