Through the goat grapevine I got the news last night after Allison saw their home on the 10pm news broadcast. I turned on the telly just at 11pm to see that everyone was safe, but their restored historical home was without a roof, and their SUV now had two roofs.
After an email to offer help was returned, Steve said the goats were out grazing afterwards like nothing had happened. Meanwhile I hope their two young boys can carry on the same way after time passes. They are counting on the goats to be a distraction. We are so glad to see everyone safe.
If it hadn't been for another storm brewing and a call to warn me, these two would likely still be outside. When I found them, the little guy was slipping in the mucus from his birth and making a nice little mud patch. The flies had found him also. A problem in warm weather. Never in February!
Adeline did me a favor and had her buckling by the gate. A favor you ask?
Well, this is the first time our goats have kidded this late in spring, and the browse and hay are very tall. Just as a precaution, I walked through the field and around the sheds in case there was another kid laying somewhere else. None was found.
Here's the little guy working his way to his feet as he looks for Mom's teat.
With fresh hay and grain, what do we eat - paper from the floor. Well its clean for now.
Already trying to get out and make trouble!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
We have spanned the seasons this week.
My garden was all tilled and ready for planting when the snow storm came. It looks like I am growing a fine crop of the white stuff.
The week remained cold and raw, but the week-end began to bring back Spring and so we took the whole herd up to the field below the pond for some maintenance.
Boots was in deep.
Anakin really gets into his work eating the roses.
I was heading up to move some fences, and stopped to check on the babies, outdoors for the first time.
They were sunning themselves against the back of the shed. A favorite spot it seems.
As I was leaning on the fence, Saba started snorting and acting quite odd.
I'd never seen a goat "sit" like this.
She was doing all she could to put her body over and around her babies as she tried to stare down the cats. Even her ears were pointed at the cat.
Here's more of the action and the sounds of Saba snorting.
That's one thing about goats, they confront. They don't run away. We find it very curious that the goats seem to be most afraid or disturbed by the cats. Only one goat had gone after the dog when she had new kids. Makes you wonder what they fear.
Beatrix has become quite a screamer, especially for the afternoon bottle.
She'd be through this fence if it weren't for the electricity.
As soon as I(or anyone) step though the gate, she is butting my legs to get between them to line up for her bottle.
We use this larger black nipple and I try to put one with less of an opening on hers to slow her down just a bit, but as you will see in the VIDEO, she really goes to work.
I have to really hang on because she gets impatient if the milk doesn't flow fast enough, and tries to butt it like she would the udder to let down the milk.
Claire is home for Spring Break, and came over for some goat duty.
4-H started this month and Julia is getting ready with some early goat work too. She also helped with the kid weigh in Sunday. There IS math in goat herding!
Our other bottle baby Becka is still supplementing her bottle by stealing from Trinity, and is here in the middle of her foster brothers Pip and Squeak.
This is the pile on at night. Becks is in the corner, almost out of sight. Trinity has no hope of getting rid of her.
The newest little guy, Britches(middle right), joined the herd this week-end after a short two days of fence training, and tried to be a tough guy from moment one. He isn't a shy one, and at three and a half weeks on Sunday, already weighed in at 19 pounds.
Back to dry fields and blue skies for a week-end.
After all that prancing and running all over the field, Britches is one tired little kid.
Adeline and the rest of the herd might not be the youngest, adorable goats on the farm, but they still get some love from Julia.
Layla's twin does are becoming quite the acrobats.
And they are just so healthy and adorable too.
These pictures a couple days old, as today we are back to "Mudville". You can see why the kids are looking so healthy. They are all chowing down like champs.
Finally all the kids come out with their moms in the mad rush for breakfast. One or two might still sneak back to play in the barn, but at least its only one or two to carry to the gate. They are all getting quite heavy, so it can make for a lively work out.
The latest in the fence training is the kids are now exposed to horse tape. They have seen all the types of fence that we have here in our fields, and this week-end, I hope to have this group join their one year old half sisters. That may require rearranging of stalls too, but it needs to be done. It looks like we may have some new arrivals in a month or so, so we have to get ready.
The blog is really notes to my friends, old and new, to let you know what's going on in our lives. Its also a diary of sorts for myself. It started at the farm in Ligonier, PA, hence the name, but now life and work has moved us back to Connecticut,
I've always taken lots of photos and sent postcards from everywhere we travel, just to keep in touch. Email took over and then the digital camera.
Instead of me plugging up your email, you can check in when you have the time.
And yes, another town with the same problems as any other!!!
Please enjoy and let me hear from you...really~
Storm Exposure
A crack in the storm clouds spotlights the farm
Twin Bucklings born 12 31 11 and Triplet Bucklings born 1 8 12
Adeline, Shown by Julia, 0-6 Month Doe 4-H Blue Ribbon Winner
I know a lot of people know English much better than we know any other language, but for those that want some help, me included, I'm trying this translator. Please leave a message to let us know where you are viewing from. Ciao!
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