How It's Made

On the Discovery Channel is a show called "How It's Made". Usually I find it very interesting, how they make the most ordinary object but tonight they had a very disturbing story on hatchery chicks. They are actually moved all through a conveyor belt system that has no dignity or regard for life. They are thrown and tossed along a belt, thrown through chutes, shook through screens and sprayed with antibiotics. I was appalled and Hubby was too, as he wandered through the room. I sure hope Murray McMurry doesn't handle the chicks that way.

One interesting thing I did learn was that when they sex the chicks they pull out one wing and if the two sets of feathers are uneven it's a pullet if they are even it's a rooster. I watched several people do it and wish I had baby chicks to test it out. I wrote it down so I would remember next year. I wish I knew that a few months ago when I picked out my chicks.

Maybe I wouldn't have gotten two Roo's.

Nature's Recipe

After work on Friday I took a journey across the bay to a farm of two students at my school. It was really only a car ride around the bay. Their mom and dad had ordered chicks for me and then brooded them while I was gone. What a beautiful farm. I drove up a long drive with pastures full of sheep on either side. On one side of the drive was the original log cabin and on the other was a beautiful Frank Lloyd Wrightish house. I wanted to live there. When they told me their cabin was for rent I had to think twice about going home.

I had ordered 3 Light Brahmas and 3 Speckled Sussex. The Brahma chicks were easy enough to spot but the Speckled Sussex blended into the Americanas. So I would say to the little girl, "See that small one with the specks and white legs? Get that one." And she would dive into this flock of about 50 chicks and come out with one every time. She is normally shy but around the farm she opened right up. Now at school we share a special bond. Funny how animals do that.

On Saturday Cora Belle and Filbert's goatfarmer came by to drop off her papers and see the herd. I was anxious to have her look at my little bitty buck that is no bigger than a minute.
Ruckus has hardly grown. He is smaller than the two new babies and he is 9 months old.
Well she thought he was the cutest little thing, but there is something not quite right with him. He doesn't seem to be developing into much of a buck. He appears to be a bit light in the loafers.....not that there's anything wrong with that. I call him my micro buck. Trust the does!!!! They never did liked him, in that way.

Saturday afternoon my mom came out with my nephew, who is 8. He wanted to spend the night. I would like to think it was the farm but really it's the motorcycles. He loves to ride with his uncle. He only does the farm stuff with me when we have to give hubby a rest. We had a bonfire and roasted hot dogs and made smores. He was thrilled to have farm fresh eggs in the morning and even more thrilled when he found one in the nest. I let him dissect it. He's a city boy. He needed convincing that it was the same thing that he bought at the store. He also wore me out. What a smart, capable little boy that loves to talk......about everything. We went to get our tomato plants from Farmer Dick and planted them with potatoes. One thing that kept him really busy was a sprayer filled with vinegar. His job was to spray the weeds in the driveway. I taught him how to pump it up. It kept him busy for ever and the weeds are dying as we speak.

It reminds me of another nephew that loved to come stay. He would get a feed pan and fill it full of all the things a goat loves and called it Nature's Recipe. While the goat ate he would brush its coat and sing.
So the weekend was a little of every thing I love. A Nature's Recipe

Here's to Family and Friends.......Especially If They Will Feed The Animals

hey, down in front

We have just returned from a long weekend in Los Angeles where my son's girlfriend graduated with a ton of honors from Loyola Marymount University. We are so proud of this smart, funny wonderful young lady that has entered our lives. We got to meet and spend time with her family. I felt like I had known them forever. The brothers are a bonus for my "only child" son. I told him that I love his girlfriend and he agreed and said he loved the whole package. Family and all. What a blessing.
We stayed at a very strange hotel that was right next door to my son's apartment and the university. It is brand new and considered a "boutique hotel" but I think it was just strange right down to the contents in the mini bar. Here is an example.......pink duct tape, radish seeds, red socks, a balsam airplane, and a large dog show rosette. We did have a lot of fun trying to figure out what the pink duct tape was for. But radish seeds? What the heck is that all about? That is taking the "eating local" a bit too far.
We had a great dinner at Downtown Disney on Mother's Day. I hadn't spent a Mother's Day with my boy in 4 years so enjoyed every minute. We toasted new beginnings as these two are off to the University of Colorado, Boulder for their graduate work in molecular biology. If everything goes as planned I will be calling them Doctor in about 5-6 years.
Meanwhile back at the farm, my neighbors had tag team animal care game going on. My neighbor fed in the evenings and on weekends and my friend had mornings. The friend was a bit scared of the llamas so they had to be locked up only to be let out later when the neighbor came over. The pigs got a bit bored with their confinement so tipped their water over every day so they could watch the neighbor fill it up again. They never do this when I'm home. Then the neighbor accidentally fed the pigs some beet pulp I had left over from my horse days. She thought it was the pig food. She was on her way with an armful of hay for the goats when she heard an awful choking sound. Running back she saw the pigs , what appeared to her, getting sick, so the dedicated farm girl jumped in the middle of Fiona and Daphne and scooped up all the remaining food. I said, "Weren't you scared?" She said, "Not really, but it's hard to do with a new French manicure."
She had a baby goat jump over the wall of her stall and get into the feed room. Hmmmm I wonder who that could be, Cora Belle? She had the whole herd let themselves out when she didn't tighten the chain enough. Luckily my good friends and neighbors know what my motto is......
As Long As They Are Still Breathing When I Get Home I'm Good......Takes a lot of the pressure off.
We arrived home to happy healthy animals and many fond memories of graduations, a university that was a home to my boy and his girl, laughing with new friends.......and pink duct tape.

What a Tragedy

My friend is a big horse racing fan. She worked at a local track during college and has followed racing ever since. But two years ago she watched Barbaro give his life for the sport. She watched greedy men use animals for their entertainment and was disillusioned. So last year she had no interest in the Kentucky Derby. But today when I stopped by her house on my way home she was watching the run for the roses again. She held her breath as all the horses got out of the gate. She worried as all the horses ran in such a large pack. She breathed a sigh of relief when it appeared that all made it across the finish line safely. She had her favorites but I was rooting for the lone filly, Eight Belles. Eight Belles finished second. Quite an accomplishment. Then she fell down with both ankles broken only to be euthanized minutes later. While the winners celebrated their victory she lay on the track shielded by two ambulances so the crowd would not have to witness the downside of racing. What a tragedy.

When will man stop using animals, pushing them beyond the limits of their bodies, for their entertainment? And when will people say "Enough"

You Can Take The Boy Out Of The Farm, But You Can't Take The Farm Out Of The Boy, And He Brings His Girl Right Along With Him.

We had a very busy weekend with the arrival of our son and his lovely girlfriend.
Along with feeding baby goats

and convincing a llama it wants to be petted,


we got down to some serious hoof trimming. We decided to take advantage of the extra sets of hands and try out our pig flipping technique. My son practiced a few times on the dogs with good results so was ready to give the pigs a try. My hubby and I stood outside the pen trying to come up with a plan of action. Our son just jumped right in and flipped Daphne gently on her back. She screamed her head off but held very still while I trimmed her hooves. The tin snips I bought wouldn't touch it but my horse nippers worked just fine. Before she knew it she was upright again with a mouthful of wormer. Fiona was not so easy. She heard one squeal from Daphne and shoved past me and out into the pasture. It took a fair amount of convincing and a bit of pig food to coax her back in the pen. Her flip was much more difficult. She gave it a good fight and a few times struggled on her back, which according to what I read rarely happens, but we sent her on her way with a spring in her step.......and a mouthful of wormer.


Our Family Portrait

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree

I am totally in love. Cora Belle and Filbert are the most darling pair of baby goats. They have settled in quite nicely. Cora Belle has been taking the bottle from day one but Filbert put up such a fuss I stopped trying. The other day I gave Cora Belle her bottle and then thought I'd try Filbert one last time. They had spent their first night in their stall and he was feeling a bit sorry for himself. I put the nipple in his mouth. He didn't protest, thought about it a second, took a sip and has never looked back. He loves his bottle and now he is putty in my hands. He loves me. Bottle babies are great. While they are drinking I pet them all over to get them used to being handled, everywhere. Besides there is nothing cuter than a baby goat, tail wagging, and drinking out of a bottle. I purposely wanted them to bottle feed. My son and his girlfriend are coming home for the weekend. I think part of the farm experience has to be bottle feeding a baby goat, don't you think? And I have noticed that it comforts them to have a bit of milk.

I let the kids out with the big goats yesterday and much to my surprise the herd was quite nice to the babies. It is fascinating watching animals respect the babies of the herd. Cora Belle and Filbert were very comfortable with the big goats. Semi Sweet acts like they might even be hers, she just can't remember.

When I get home from school I let all the critters out in the common pasture. Not Cora Belle and Filbert though. They are just too little yet. So imagine my surprise when I went to put everyone away tonight and meeting me at the gate is Filbert and Cora Belle. I couldn't imagine how they got out.But when you put two Belles together it means TROUBLE. They put their two Belle heads together and pushed the dog crate across the stall and jumped on that into the other goat stall that was open to the pasture. So they were free to join in the herd fun. Out came the dog crate and Hubby swears there is no way a baby goat can get over that wall. I don't think he has heard the stories. I told him that these are not ordinary goats. These are super athletic goats. The likes of which we have never seen. He looked a little concerned.

Now if I could just get him to stop calling her Clara Belle.

Filbert and Cora Belle's Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day

Taking babies away from their mommas is traumatic any way you go about it. Cora Belle and Filbert have spent the first full day away from their mom and they don't like it. Filbert has been trying all day to get back to her. He is sure he is late and needs to get back before he gets into trouble. Cora Belle is pretty much content to stand by my side and be adored, she is in no rush to get back. Cora Belle will climb right in your lap for a snuggle. Filbert will climb in your lap too but only because he has noticed that your head is closer to the top of the stall wall and that is where he wants to be. I feel bad for him and tell him that some day, very soon, he will be happy at our small farm but right now my words fall on deaf ears. He has fought me on everything. No way on the bottle! You want to put WHAT around my neck! He has spent the day giving the fencing a good look over. Body slammed it a few times to check for weaknesses. This is one smart goat. It's in his genes. I have read all the stories about his family's talent of escape artistry but didn't quite believe it until I experienced it for myself. I have been content all these years with my not-so-bright herd that only could get out in the usual ways. Filbert has raised the bar. He is now known as Herron Hill Don't Fence Me In.

He just can't go anywhere with out his beloved Cora Belle. She is his strength.

Penne takes a look.....
Penne likes the babies and Koo admires from afar.

New Kids on the Block

In between April snowstorms we brought Cora Belle and Filbert home, along with some milk and a bottle. I am going to bottle feed them for awhile so that we can bond. Now they have never had a bottle but we decided to give it a shot. Cora Belle took right to it but Filbert acted like we were fattening him up for the kill. He has heard stories in the goat yard about what happens to some wethers. Eventually he decided that he was a bit hungry so he gave it a sip. Cora Belle sucked hers down in nothing flat. But these two are as different as can be. Cora Belle will let me touch her all over, Filbert won't let me touch him anywhere. He is very cautious. She is very curious.

Filbert was kind of overlooked by me. I only had eyes for the lovely Cora Belle. Now that I have been able to spend some time with him I can see he is a very pretty boy. He looks just like a miniature French Alpine. So it is my mission to get him as comfortable in his own skin as possible. I will do the TTellington Touch on him. It is a series of movements that you do, with your fingers, on their little bodies while they lie on your lap. I have done it before on babies that are just a little shy and it gets them very comfortable with being touched.

We have them in a dog crate in the "old" bathroom/mudroom because we are having some freakishly cold weather and they were cold. They are all snuggled in getting lots of attention......and I don't have to go outside. Now I just have to get Hubby to stop calling her Clara Belle.

And because I still think I need another doe, I put an order in for a MiniMancha doeling.

Saturday

Saturday morning I will climb the hill to Herron Hill Dairy and bring home Cora Belle,and her brother Filbert!

Celebrity Spotting on the Key Peninsula

About a year ago I was surfing the web for Nigerian Dwarf breeders when I came upon a website for Herron Hill Dairy which led me to the blog of Baby Belle, a Nigerian with an interesting point of view. It is creatively written with a quirkish sense of humor. I do think Baby Belle has a book in this, not unlike James Herriot who happens to be one of my favorites. The great thing is is that Herron Hill Dairy is 20 minutes away from me. So this morning I set off to look at baby goats and to find the famous Baby Belle.

I have been wanting to add a doe or two to my herd and I love the pictures of Herron Hill's goats, especially Boxcar Betty and the Minimanchas. Low and behold but a twin to Boxcar Betty was born this year and that is the one I've set my sights on. Trouble is the goatfarmer doesn't know if she wants to part with the lovely Cora Belle. That's okay, I understand, she is scrumptious.

Herron Hill Dairy sits up on a hill. It has a beautiful big white farmhouse and a big white barn that over looks a lovely valley. It is one of those classic barns you drive by and say to yourself, "I want a barn like that." Well, at least I do. I saw baby goats galore. Darling Nigerians and cuter than cute Minimanchas. I met all the goats but was on the lookout for Baby Belle. I still hadn't seen her. The goatfarmer left me to look at goats when another lady stopped by to pick up her new babies. I wandered around and recognized a few faces but I didn't see Baby Belle anywhere. Then I heard a noise in the manger in front of me and peeked in...

This is what I saw.

Baby Belle is that you?

She wouldn't answer but I think it is........what do you think? I told her she should write a book, that really she already had a book. Her postings being publish worthy. She just kept silently picking the alfalfa out of the grass hay. This goat does not talk with her mouth full.

What an enjoyable outing. A beautiful old farm that is being preserved, the goatfarmer is extremely funny to chat with and the goats are just as Baby Belle tells it.

My first choice is Cora Belle. I have some arm twisting to do here. I even said she could bring her brother, Filbert. Now Cora Belle comes with the stipulation that she is to be shown. I can do that. I used to show goats as a kid and most recently showed dogs for many years. I just got tired of showing dogs because it is a lot of work and traveling. I think it would be great to get back into goats but being that I am competitive and would like to think I have a good eye for conformation I want a really nice goat and Cora Belle is that.

Here is Cora Belle and her brother Filbert.

My second choice is this lovely little MiniMancha, I think her name is Augustine. She is Cora Belle without ears.

Or I will take both!

Twelve Good Looking Chicks

My biddies are growing by leaps and bounds. I swear one day I was taken aback on how they had changed overnight. I had to do a double take. I am very pleased with my choice of hens. Ramona the Brave, the Red Star, remains my favorite. She and I have a bond. The Black Star, whom I call Black Star, is proving to be very friendly too. The Americaunas are quite a colorful bunch. Beautiful sable browns and golds with one a powdery gray color. They aren't as social as the other girls so I haven't really named them yet but that will come. The Wyandottes are now hard to tell apart. So my special chick is a Wyandotte, like fellow blogger DCV said, just with more white.

I can't wait to get them out of the brooder. Hubby too. He keeps asking when we can put them outside. You see he has flashbacks of a first grade class he was in that raised chicks but never cleaned the brooder and he said the smell was terrible. Every day he had to sit in that class and smell chicken smell. So he is a bit paranoid about chicken smell. I am here to tell you I clean out my brooder. But it is time. This weekend it is suppose to be nice so out into the coop they go, ready or not. No really, they are ready. All feathered out and no heat on them anymore.

Here are some pictures of the girls...

A few green legged gals and a Wyandotte

Ramona the Brave, the Red Star future egg laying machine

Powdery gray Americauna

Three's a crowd.......
No modeling hands available. Had to use my old farmer girl's hand.

Oliver

We brought Oliver home almost 17 years ago. A Christmas present for our then 6 year old son. Oliver was a red toy poodle of questionable parentage. He was friendly and athletic and so good with kids that he was the perfect companion for a gentle boy. He went everywhere with us and had many adventures and just as many close calls. We used to say he had 9 lives. He has been attacked by a wild pony. Had his ear pierced by an angry raccoon. Fallen over the bank and caught in a tree. He has driven the motor home, ridden on horses and motorcycles all the while looking stylish in his fancy red coat.
It is hard to remember that Oliver because in the last few years he hasn't looked so good. Too fragile to keep well groomed he looked like a little sheepdog. His hearing was bad, he couldn't see much and had accidents all over the house and was reduced to wearing a diaper. Every time I thought it was time to put him down he would rally and show a glimpse of his former self putting off the inevitable for a little while longer. What a hard decision to end a life. But in the end we took him in and said good bye. As hard as it was I wasn't really that sad. This dog had never known a day of want or suffering. He was the cherished companion of a family that treated him like a king. We all should be so lucky to have a life like that.
God Speed Oliver

All the Dog a Person Needs

We got lucky when we adopted Solomon last Halloween. I had wanted a Chihuahua for some time but I didn't want a shivering shaky freak of a dog. I wanted a big dog in a small package. And it had to be black. So when Solomon's family had a new baby, he was out. I truly don't get it because he is so easy and loves children and people. Even babies! He is impeccably housebroken and a funny happy guy. We keep saying to him "Why would anyone give you up?" (I don't know, maybe he licked his bottom and then the baby:) Dogs do stuff like that. But they are young and did a wonderful job with him in his puppy hood. This is no shivering, shaking and scared Chihuahua we all think about. Oh no, he is the most fearless (in a nice way) little creature I have ever seen. Able to leap off and on beds in a single bound. He has never met a stranger and loves to run around the farm herding goats and chickens. He would make the perfect agility dog if he had someone that was motivated to get off her behind and do it! And I know if he could he would retrieve a pheasant for Hubby if he could just go hunting too.

We now say, all the time, to anyone that will listen, "This is all the dog a person needs."

Here is Solomon on a quilt that my grandmother gave me. I love this quilt because it was made by a blind woman and the colors are outrageous.

Gearing Up

It is time, once again, to trim the pig's hooves. I dread this job because it was such a fiasco last time. We had screaming and struggling and hastily trimmed hooves. I have tried to think of an easier way to do it that doesn't involve the vet and a 300 dollar bill. I have even entertained the idea of giving them some beer and getting them drunk (please don't judge me until you have tried to clip the feet of an eighty pound hunk of solid strength that is screaming in your ear) but my hubby reminded me that they could be mean drunks. And since we have never been drinking with the pig sisters we have no way of knowing this. So I did what I always do, Googled it. I found the California Pot Bellied Pig Association. They had a few articles on the subject so I emailed a lady there and asked her about sedation and trimming. She answered back with some very helpful suggestions.

1. You can use Benadryl.......lots of it.

2. You can wrap them in a blanket.

3. You can do the pig flip.

The pig flip consist of grabbing them by the front legs and picking them up, rolling them up on their bottom and flipping them over. Once they get on their back they stop struggling. We were doing our own version of this but were flipping sideways instead of backwards. She was kind enough to send me pictures and videos of this in action. She must have sensed I was a visual learner. Here is one of the pictures. Note the protective ear wear........and is she really kissing that pig?

I haven't shown these pictures to hubby yet but he will have to be the one doing the pig flip and holding them between his legs. He's the one that wanted these pigs so he has to assume some risk. I guarantee there will be no kissing going on.

Maybe I should give him the beer.......or the Benadryl

Peaceable Kingdom

Nothing to write about so I will just post some blurry pictures of the beautiful animals that keep me sane.

Here is Dottie. She was dumped along with her brother and her mother in front of my house.

Here is Ruckus at 7 months. He has hardly changed a bit since I got him. He is tiny tiny tiny but as friendly as can be. I love his sweet disposition.

All the goats together

Penne's new hairdo with Koo admiring from afar.

Penne carefully eating around the nettle shoots that I want her to eat.

Getting To Know You

When ever you get a new animal there is a bit of an adjustment period. Not so with Penne. She came right in and made herself at home. She is in with the goats and likes it just fine. In fact she is very much like a goat. A huge goat. She is curious, friendly and pushy about food, which I think accounts for the first two traits.
When Kate brought her to my farm she was concerned that Penne would be afraid of the pigs. I assured her I wouldn't let them out for a few days. So a few days later I decided to let everyone out into the big pasture. I walked over to let the pigs out with Penne on my heels. She was curious and thought what I was doing may involve food. I opened the pig's gate and out they came. They ran right under Penne and she didn't bat an eye. They looked at her, she sniffed them and everyone went on their way. I put some hay in the pasture and everyone was settling down for a snack when I heard the warning sound, a llama warning sound. Penne had her head up and wouldn't eat. Now I knew something was wrong. Coming through the trees were my neighbor's peacocks. She was afraid of the peacocks. This I do know, if a crazy peacock comes out of the woods to attack my livestock, Penne will be all over it!
One unexpected added benefit is feeding Penne with the goats. She eats half their food. I have a problem with fat goats so it is Penne's job to eat part of their hay to help slim them down. They don't even know they are dieting.
I have even given her a bit of a haircut. She had this clown collar thing going on around her neck so I sheared that off. I brushed out her beautiful fiber, that's llama talk for hair, trimmed her tail and brushed out her head. She looks much more elegant now.
I told my hubby that I trimmed the puffy collar off and he said, "Oh no, I liked that."
To each his own.

The Good Good Pig

From the pages of The Good Good Pig by Sy Montgomery

Christopher Hogwood knew how to relish the juicy savor of this fragrant, abundant, sweet green world. To show us this would have been gift enough. But he showed us another truth as well. That a pig did not become bacon but lived fourteen years, pampered and adored till the day he died peacefully in his sleep - that's proof that we need not "be practical" all the time. We need not accept the rules that our society or species, family or fate seem to have written for us. We can choose a new way. We have the power to transform a story of sorrow into a story of healing.
We can choose life over death. We can let love lead us home.

I loved this so much I wrote it down. It spoke to me.

Itty Biddies

In every group a leader emerges and the chicks are no exception. There is always the one that takes the chance and comes out first, leading the way for all the sheep, or in this case chicks, to follow. That would be Ramona the Brave my Red Star chick. She is the brave leader of this small band of biddies. She is lovely and golden and stands out in a crowd.

I have one chick that is very lovely but...............looks nothing like the Silver Laced Wyandotte she is supposed to be. What could she be?

Here is the Wyandotte chick....

And here is Miss Lovely........

modeling hands courtesy of my hardworking hubby

Here is Proof That a Llama Can Ride in a Van

And yes she left presents

A Day in Oregon

My son left for college in Los Angeles 5 years ago and we don't get to see him that often so when he calls and says that he is visiting the University of Oregon and could we buzz down and visit we decided , definitely we can. He is interviewing for graduate schools and Oregon is one that is in the running. His lovely girlfriend is interviewing also. They are a package deal.

We jumped in the car at 4 in the morning, that was really 3am, and drove the 5 hours to spend the day. We arrived in time for breakfast and then we walked around the campus, which was beautiful, ate at a small cafe and had a very good visit. It must be a bit warmer in Oregon because I saw a forsythia in bloom. After dropping them off at the airport to fly back to L.A. we drove home.

Now I have to tell you that Lane and Linn Counties in Oregon are, so far, my favorite part of the country. Especially this time of year. Rolling green hills full of sheep with new lambs. It is really hard to drive when 15 lambs are running and bucking in the field next to you.

I must admit I have a farm fetish. When I drive along I lust for a real farm. One that has a farm house. One that you can set out your back door and through the fields with dogs running after you. And an old (but in good shape) barn. A proper barn. So as we are rolling along I am looking at all the farms and thinking.......Oh, Oh I could live there! I am jealous of people with family farms. I have told my family that if I die before living on a proper farm my life would not be complete. I really feel this. Right now the Dixie Chicks song "Wide Open Spaces" should be playing in your head. So someday I will move to a proper farm with a proper barn, God willing and the creek don't rise. And until then I will just lust after somebody else's.

So a day with my favorite people in one of my favorite places, without rain, was most enjoyable.