The Secret to White Pants and Getting Skunk out of the Dog!

 OK. Its not a secret as I am about to share an article with a recipe. Strangely enough it is close to the recipe I have for getting skunk smell off a dog, cat or human!

I didn't change the amounts from the article, but the last time I used this recipe it was for a 10 pound cat so I made about a gallon in a milk jug. The Dawn portion was about a tablespoon. Proportion to the size of the offended animal or person!

Skunk Smell Removal

• 1 five-gallon bucket or a large bowl
• About ⅓ cup of Dawn dish soap
• About a quarter of a bottle of hydrogen peroxide
• Something to scrub with (a sponge or just your hands)
• Water to rinse, and rinse and rinse!

Pour the ingredients together and mix. Gently pour or sponge over the animal/person till every bit of them are sudsy and slimy.  Let it sit as long as you can stand it and then rinse away. I had luck with one good wash.

NOTE: The green pants I wore to do this have fade patches from the recipe, so be careful what you wear. But they didn't smell!

So back to the article. Here you go for white pants for Fair showing and your basic summer attire! 

How To Get Stains Out of White Clothes

There are many different tactics to achieve a pristine pair of white pants, but some tactics work better than others

GREENWICH, N.Y. — "Keeping white clothes white can be a difficult task regardless of whether you are an adult or a child. Whether it is a pair of white jeans you are wearing in the dairy show ring or a pair you are wearing on the baseball field, they are going to inevitably get dirty. Leading us to the question, how do you get stains out of white clothes?"

See link for the recipe and more: How To Get Stains Out of White Clothes | Morning Ag Clips

A New Kid - Owen Riley

December is a big month for our family, as it may be yours, with all the holiday madness. In the past few years its gotten even bigger and busier here, with grandson Jacob's birthday on the 4th, mine on the 11th and between the two of us now is Jacob's baby brother Owen Riley, born December 9th. With the hereditary lack of promptness, Owen was able to spend his extra time growing to 21 inches and weighing in at 8lbs. 3 ounces at 8:27AM when he was delivered by Cesarean section.

Once again the labor and delivery area was a madhouse, and the nursery short staffed for the flurry of activity that morning. I was lucky to be waiting in the visitor's room when Owen was rolled up the hall for a visit before he went to the nursery for his "bath".  Because of the lack of staff to prepare and supervise the rooms, I felt like I was at the airport with three peoples worth of "carry-on", sitting there with bags and cameras and reading materials.

Jacob holding his brother for the first time.

My daughter Kristin and son-in-law Andrew were able to bring Owen safely home during one of the warmest December days in history. All the grandparents and Auntie Jess have taken a turn at burping and changing, with some cooking and big brother entertaining on the side.

Now that I have these two December birthdays around me, I am planning my future getaways with my boys. Oh! What fun we will have!
(And I am dreaming of the next little goat farm for the future 4-H duo!)

Westmoreland Fair 4-H Animals And A Bit More

 Celebrating 100 Years of 4-H in Pennsylvania 

Ali - 4-H Red Ribbon Winner, 19-24 month Crossbred Breeding Meat Goat Doe

A lot of work goes into the fair and much of it is volunteer.

Farmers take time from their fields and barns to make sure the kids get an opportunity to have a well run nine days.

Parents camp out with their kids after months of training and practice.

Or they drive back and forth twice a day making sure the animals - and kids - get fed, cleaned, and medicated if needed.

In this video, Adeline is drinking her electrolites from the bottle to wash down her Pepto.

 As you can see, Adeline is a well trained goat! Or maybe she just likes all the attention.

The kids become showmen and women for all the people coming to see their animals,...

Julia with Adeline - 4-H Red Ribbon Winner, 12-18 month Crossbred Breeding Meat Goat Doe

...as well as for when they compete. 

 Angus being "set up" by Hattie in preparation for showmanship.

 Julia and Adeline (third from right) in competition.

 Philip(third from right) did well with one of Zola's twins during the Showmanship,

and Market Goat sale.

Even the Fair Queen Rachel Sheffler, participates in the Market Goat sale - crown, sash and all.

(Rachel won the On the Pond Farm sponsored Breeding Meat Goat Supreme Champion Trophy)

 You've possibly read about animal identification.

See the tattoo in the ear?

 These hens are dyed with vet approved coloring (according to the sign).

Clyde is a naturally colorful guy.

I found this information a bit CSI-ish.

Is this Hydrographic(Camo Dipped)?

 Lots more food than this - trust me! Got to keep the audience fed.

The sun setting over the fair.

Westmoreland Fair 2012(More to follow)

Fun and Work

If there was a trophy for goats with personality, I think we all agree at our farm, that Adeline would be a winner. She is always first at the stall door demanding to get out and get the day started. No lingering in the background for her.

Julia has her entered in the Westmoreland Fair again this year, and we hope they can do well again. 

Trixie had been an entry all along, since the day she was born, and was a very big girl until she had a bout of pneumonia about two months ago. We almost lost her, and to save her, started bottle feeding her again. Lucky for us, we have 4-H friends who traded us goat milk so that we could nurse her to health. Of course, now we will have to wean her again, but it was worth the effort. She is not as robust as she was, but passed her fitness vet check and will show at the fair.

Each morning, when she can, Julia helps get the goats out, fed and watered, and helps with any special tasks, like shots, where another pair of hands is helpful.

To get the three goats she is taking ready, she has tried washing off those dirty knees and grooms them at night. With her mother and brother helping she gave all three a major bath yesterday while we had a nice warm day to dry them up. No need to have them catch a cold now.

 There's a lot of fun in all this work.

Today I even LET Julia dump the manure!

Its a bit of a walk up the hill, but I remind her of what a good work out she's getting to keep her in shape for running (yes - she runs races with her dad).

 Jock helps of course!

 Can you see? She's still smiling!

So tomorrow the animals go to the Westmoreland Fair, and a busy nine days begins.

Good Luck Julia, Adeline, Ali and Trixie!

Derry Fair 2012 - 4-H Goats

 Recognize these two buff boys?

How about now?

 And here at days old with their triplet sister on the left.

Yes! Its the former Bingo and Boris, now winners Geo and Cash, at the Derry Ag Fair with their 4-H owners Elizabeth and John Clark.

Congratulations!

I am so impressed with how these goats look!

 Elizabeth and "Cash" won first in showmanship.

No wonder why. 

Enthusiasm alone!

 We still can't agree who looks better in the hat.

 Tough call.

And why are small dogs in the goat pens?

I had to wonder.

Then I moved to take another photo and realized that these are 4 month old Angora goats. 

I think I have a new love!