We are the Champions!

I'm a pretty competitive person. I like to win and when I don't I'm not very happy. Just ask the goatfarmer. She's been on a few ride homes with me when I ranted about never showing again.
Then I had an epiphany. I was ruining it for myself....and the goatfarmer. I decided that I was going to go to shows to simply enjoy myself. Shows usually involve driving to beautiful countrysides with a tall cup of coffee. I would enjoy just watching and learning. That was the plan. I'd wear my Life is Good shirt and read the tag-Do what you like. Like what you do. That would be my mantra.
So when Cora Belle entered the first ring at the goat show in Stanwood, we were very pleased with our Reserve Champion and the judge's complimentary comments.
Then Cora Belle entered the second ring and I could tell the judge liked her. That was good enough for us! But not for the judge. He picked Cora Belle as Grand Champion and Best of Breed. He couldn't say enough nice things about her and her dairy character.
As we entered the last ring I was pretty hopeful. This was the wife of the judge that liked Cora Belle. They looked like they had been married long enough to develop the same likes in goats.
But the judge only looked at Cora Belle a little bit and looked at a few other goats a lot longer.
It took me by surprise to have her ask me to take Cora Belle to the head of the line and once again Cora Belle was Grand Champion and Best of Breed and finished her championship.
The ride home was filled with rehashing and sudden outbursts of We are the Champions, that is until I saw the flashing lights in my rear view mirror and a big voice boomed over a loudspeaker for me to pull up past the guardrail of the very, very, busy Interstate 5.
Apparently my tabs had expired....6 months ago. The nice state patrolman told me a ticket would be very expensive so he would just let me go with a verbal warning.
As a truck slowed to let me back onto the very, very, busy freeway, the goatfarmer said,

"Today is the day. The day you buy a lottery ticket".

Rooster!

When is a hen a rooster ? When it is a rooster. Where did he come from? We have a strict no rooster policy. I don't want my neighbors losing any sleep.

Coffee Break

Every day at the same time I take my coffee break. I walk by the health room to pick up my friend so we can talk horses and goats for 15 minutes. So I was a bit surprised yesterday when I showed up around the same time and my friend was on the phone and said "Oh you're here already? Can we wait a few minutes?"
Then when she did come to break a few minutes later she was nervous as a cat. As I talked to her she kept looking over my head out the window and would say "Uh huh".
I could tell she wasn't really listening.

And I was talking about horses and hay....her favorite things!

She all of a sudden jumped up and told me to come with her. We went out on the front porch and I saw this....



Then this.....



Coming for me!



As my principal watched out the window, I crawled into the seat of the cart alongside Molly, horse trainer extraordinaire, and she took me for a little drive.



We went down the street past my little farm, turned around, and then this happened.



I got to drive!



I have never driven before and I tell you it is much harder than it looks. But what a feeling.



A few minutes later we were back at school, Molly dropped me off and went on her way.



Thank you Breeze. Thank you Molly.



And most of all, Thank you Gail. I should have known you'd have a very good reason to not want to talk horses and hay.

Testing

Cora Belle is on milk test. This is where you milk the goat under supervision of a certified herd tester. Then the tester weighs the milk and takes a sample to send to WDHIA for analyzing things like butterfat, somatic cell count, etc.
Luckily I have a really smart herd tester, Cathy, who I like to call the goat judge. I'm a herd tester too and even after taking the class several times my paperwork comes back all scratched out and corrected. Not my tester. Her paperwork comes back with everything in the proper place.

And there is a lot of paperwork to keep it all official.



Then under the watchful eye of the milk tester, Cathy, I milk every last drop out of Cora Belle in the morning and exactly 12 hours later in the evening.



That means Cathy must come all the way back and watch me milk and collect the second sample.

The milk is weighed. Blurry picture, good weight!



A sample is drawn, filling the container half way to leave room for the evening milk sample. Then it will be sent to the lab. In a few days I will receive a breakdown of her milk and the amount will be recorded. When she dries off, WDHIA will send the information to ADGA and hopefully she will earn herself a star by her name.



At the end of the day, Cora Belle milked 6.4 lbs of sweet candy milk so tomorrow I'm making cheese.

And I Got Paid To Do It

Imagine going to work every day and not knowing what you may be doing at any given moment. That's my job. Sometimes I'm dancing and singing or diving under a parachute-ouch that one hurt. Most times I am teaching math but could then ten minutes later be chasing a goose around the playground. Lots of days I tell Hubby about the wonderful adventure I had at school and always follow it up with "And I got paid to do it"
So imagine my delight when I pulled up in front of the school and saw this......



And this........


( The sign was just a tease. I don't know about you but the fresh morning air, the smell of sawdust and alfalfa makes me want a scone and a big cup of coffee.)

The Puyallup Fair Traveling Farm traveled to our little school yard and set up farming. They pulled a huge trailer in and unloaded goats and a sheep into nice sturdy pens. There were chickens and ducks and even a few baby goslings.



The children were taught how to pet animals. Chickens are a two finger pet.



So are goslings.



Luckily goats are a whole hand pet.



Or two or three hand pet.



After seeing the animals and a good hand-washing it was into the trailer for some interactive farm fun. Displays lit up to help kids learn about where their food comes from and what tools and equipment it takes to run a farm and take care of the different species of animal.



This was my personal favorite....



It even has a proper barn.



I got a little cranky when the kids put my silo in the river.

The trailer was also filled with photos and vintage farm tools.



After managing to spend as much time at the traveling farm as possible, I came home tired and happy. When Hubby asked about my day I told him it was wonderful and told him about the farm in the school yard and of course followed up with...

"And I got paid to do it."

A Mother's Love

Boots and Bliss

Meet Bliss

Boots had her baby today. I knew she would probably have only one and I thought it would probably be a buck even though I ordered a blue eyed doe with wattles I just didn't expect it today. So like her mother, Boots showed no signs of labor but when I went down to check on the goats this afternoon this little cutie, a doeling with blue eyes and wattles, was there......



Born on our 30th anniversary I give you Minter Bay Wedded Bliss. Although anyone that has been married for 30 years knows it can be anything but bliss.



Are you seeing a pattern?

Cora Belle Wins Pet of the Week

If you are local, catch Cora Belle on Q13Fox at 8:40 a.m. tomorrow May 20th. M.J. McDermott emailed me. I love her. She looks like she could be part of my family so I feel like I know her. And now I do because she emailed me right?
Anyway, Cora Belle has won pet of the week with the help of all her internet fans. If she knew anything about this I'm sure she'd thank you.

Vote for Cora Belle!

Our local TV station, Q13 Fox, is having a contest. I don't remember what the prize is but a vote for Cora Belle is a vote for all working mothers everywhere. You have to register to vote which takes a minute but to see a goat win a pet contest will be well worth it. She may even make the news.
Vote over on the sidebar----------------------------->

My Mom

My mom and I are so very much the same and so very different. She is short and petite and I'm tall and gawky. She is Nordstrom and lunch and I am goat shows and chores. We both enjoy reading, poking around antique or thrift stores, and flowers. I was always a bit of an oddity in my family but they embraced my animal craziness. My mom let me bring home critters and have them in my room (ok maybe not the snake). She drove me to goat and dog shows all summer long......with either a goat or a very big dog in the back seat. My mom supported me in anything I wanted to do but didn't hesitate to tell me when I was off track. I am so lucky to have her for my mom.
So on this Mother's Day we will meet for church then go to lunch and maybe a movie.....then next weekend I think I'll make her drive me to the goat show.
Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Milk Test

Cora Belle has done her first milk test ever. Cathy, a certified milk tester, came out one evening and then early the next morning to watch me milk. The milk was weighed and then a sample was drawn. It and all the necessary paperwork was sent off to the lab for testing butterfat etc. Cora Belle milked 5.5 pounds with 5.39% butterfat. That's pretty darn good for her breed. She gives more milk than we need so I'm making cheese right and left to the delight of all my friends and co-workers. She has converted many a non-goat cheese eater with her sweet candy milk and creamy, white cheese spreads.
Milking Cora Belle adds one more thing to do in my busy morning but it is a chore I look forward to. Sitting on a stool in the early morning with your favorite goat munching on her grain while she fills your bucket with sweet white milk that feeds your family and friends.....It's a good thing.

now if I could just get my mom to try it

Making Cheese

Cora Belle and I made cheese today. I am very excited because it is my first time making cheese. Well almost the first time. I made cheese years ago when my son was in kindergarten and his class took a field trip here to see the goats and horses. We had babies of each at the time. I made a nice soft cheese and offered the kids crackers and even a cold glass of goat milk. That was "back in the day" when you had a bit more freedom with kids. The kids loved it, and the teacher poured hers out behind her back.
Anyway, I made cheese again. It turned out pretty good. I made a honey chevre and an herb one. The honey was my favorite....until I tried the herb. Sweet or savory?



I can't wait for someone to come by so I can give them a taste.

Several people came by yesterday and left with a trial sample of cheese. Hubby and I ate cheese and crackers all night. We like the savory herb the best.

Lucky

Cora Belle's boy has been named Lucky. Lucky I was there to get his big head out. His full name will be Minter Bay's Easter Island. His sire is Easter Jackpot born on Easter so it is only fitting that Lucky , also born on Easter, will also have Easter somewhere in his name. It was suggested I name him Easter Island after the blocky heads that inhabit the island. I liked it. If you could have seen his big head trying to be born you'd like it too.




Lucky is much larger than Button's three week old kids.

He's a big galumph of a guy right now but I see a stunning boy in the future.....whenever he can get control of those tree trunk legs.

and if you squint just right that might be a heart on his knee

Goat Boy

When is a Hen a Rooster?

That is the question. Yesterday I was walking past my hen Cedar when she threw her head back and let out a crow. Not the crow of a hen that's laid an egg but a throw back your head and crow....like a rooster.
She then proceeded to crow a few more times for good measure.
I stared at her. Was this Cedar or a rooster posing as my hen Cedar?
I went on with my day and never gave it another thought until this morning when I went out to open up the coop . As I approached the door, there it was again.

Crowing. Morning crowing?



Who are you and what have you done with Cedar?


I have looked long and hard at this bird and still can't figure out if it is Cedar or someone's cast-off rooster. And if it is, where is my hen Cedar?

On A Happy Note

Meet Cora Belle's strapping son.



I swear he's not part Nubian.





Cora Belle is quite taken with him.


She thinks he's the prettiest goat she's ever seen.