This wild turkey hen in this video doesn’t have any babies. She hangs around and even comes in the barn during milking to scrounge for spilled food. The goats are notoriously wasteful – and this hen has figured it out! She’s scared of me. If I come in the stall where she is, she will run in circles, frantically, looking for her way out.
Jail Break
June 23, 2009 By 6 Comments
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.
Cutting Out
June 2, 2009 By 5 Comments
I finally got in some sewing time yesterday. Boy, it has been a long time in coming! I sewed two of the tank tops I cut out a few weeks ago and I pre-washed (about time) the bamboo jersey I bought for more of those. Then I…
Shipping Fever Complex In Our Goats
May 29, 2009 By 6 Comments
I’m going to recap some of the things we’ve learned and done in the past three whirlwind weeks of having goats! About three weeks ago and for more than a year, our goat herd consisted of eight Nigerian Dwarf goats (who are our darlings). Since then, we have acquired seven Nubian goats – 4 milking does and 3 doelings.
Gingham and Paisley
May 26, 2009 By 1 Comment
The last few days have been so up and down, with hardly any time at all for me to write anything. We brought home two more milking Nubians last week. You probably think we’re crazy. Well, we might be. But we want milk! But my daughters have had time to write. Lucky you! And they did a great job sharing about how we got Gingham and Paisley, two very beautiful, healthy, lovable Nubian milking goats.
New: Goat and New: Fabric
May 21, 2009 By 7 Comments
The owner of Honey called yesterday while we were headed out for the day; her kid (Bunny) has been miserable without her mom – wouldn’t eat or drink and had been wailing for 2 days. She offered to let us buy Bunny and of course, we said yes. Honey has been lonely, too, and we like to keep family units together.
I received some bamboo jersey via UPS yesterday. Click the post title to read more…
Honey
May 19, 2009 By 10 Comments
We May Be Getting Another Milking Doe Today
May 18, 2009 By 7 Comments
Last week, I posted an ad on Craig’s List asking for a raw-milk-raised milking doe. During that time, one person responded. It happened to be someone in our homeschooling community who was a potential source of raw milk for us, with whom I’d corresponded already. She put us in touch with her aunt, who has a milking doe available – naturally raised in general, and in specific, nursed on raw milk from her mom.
How the Milking is Going
May 17, 2009 By 6 Comments
Ups and downs would about explain how the milking is going. On day three, Belle, the milking doe, decided that since we were being too timid, she might as well try to refuse milking. It worked. Naomi and I were too timid to force her. She was boss that day.
Milk Stand and Baby Nubians Nursing (Video)
May 12, 2009 By 5 Comments
My brother worked hard all day yesterday building a milk stand. It was great to have him pitch in with enthusiasm and support what we are doing here. He did a great job and should be proud of the stand! He says he’s just glad to do something with his hands that doesn’t involve a computer, but I still think we got the better end of the deal! In the evening, we had a picnic dinner by a fire on the hillside and I caught a cute video of the new baby Nubians nursing.
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