The last two weekends’ work has broken us out of a jail of our own making. Because our animals were free-ranging over most of our property, we had (until now) put up temporary cattle panel/t-post fences right around the perimeters of the pole barn, temporary barn and house. Every time we went in or out, we had multiple gates to open and close, poop to try to avoid, and animals to keep from jumping on us out of curiosity (why do goats always think you’re carrying food?). We’ve got some big projects to accomplish this summer ~ plus we were fed up with animals lounging on gravel instead in green pastures (does that make sense?)! So we put up a temporary fence that casts a wider net all around the people areas ~ driveway, barns, and house ~ locking the lovable creatures out and giving us some more room! That’s why we feel we’ve just been set free. 
Here are some pictures of all the work and fun we had doing it.
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- Temp fencing goes up to create pastures for the animals, getting them out of the driveway.
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- Jeff takes down the cattle panel fencing around the pole barn, now that the animals are out of the “people” areas.
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- Mikah and Haniya extracted the t-posts of the pole barn fencing.
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- Jeff carried the panels we took down into storage.
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- Naomi got the glorious job of scooping up all the poop in the driveway and walkways
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- Temporarily, the barn, where feeding and milking take place.
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- Soon to be the permanent barn, when we close it in and create stalls and give it access to the pasture
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- In the pasture, many of the goats are gorging on kelp!
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- Daisy and Buttercup lounging in their new pasture
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- After all the work is done, Jeff and the kids try to identify a tree with berries. Honey may look interested in the field guide, but what she really wants is to eat those leaves!
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- Mikah trying his first choke cherry ~ from the tree they identified.
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- Naomi tries a choke cherry.
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- Some silly conversation caused that grin!
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- We are walking to show me where the choke cherry tree is.
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- Ripening berries up in the branches of the choke cherry tree.
Wardeh, I just never thought I’d see the day that you have 18 kids!
Mom ~ Well, aren’t you funny! I never thought about it that way! But yes, that adds up: 3 people and 15 goats under my care! If you count Jeff (who is somewhat under my care, too) that makes 19! Wowsa. Love you!
Mom ~ I forgot to add Trouble the steer! And what about the turkey hen and her chicks!
Wow…you really are a busy mom! Great photos of the process! I love family affairs.
The kids are too funny about tasting the chokecherries! If they were tasting the red ones, I’d make a face too because they aren’t ripe yet.
They are almost black when ripe. Still they have a ‘dry’ taste to them. They’re poisonous to the goats but you probably knew that. 
Will you pick some when they are ready?