After a warm start and not much snow, winter arrived the day after Christmas with a pretty messy snow storm. Late that morning, we actually got on the road to visit the new grand baby, and didn't even make it beyond the township limits before we realized our mistake. So we turned around, only to see snow plows going the other way, and for a few minutes the snow even stopped pounding down.
Do we keep going?
No. What's the rush.
There wasn't one, aside from getting back to our favorite new boy.
The next day was a better experience.
So when we got back home, Christmas trees were starting to pile up, and phone calls and emails were coming in asking if we needed trees again. I love our friends and neighbors for this. Not only does this keep the goats happy, it also cuts down on feed costs. I'm sure even the citiest city folk have heard about the price of corn and grains. Wasn't it just last week that I read about huge round bales of hay being stolen. Crazy!
Until the last couple of days of warmer temperatures, we had a field of snow and ice. Of course, now we have boot sucking mud. Where is the middle ground? I think we can hope for that three days in May if we're lucky!
I know that the goats on pasture is nothing new here, but after the ten dismal days of Sandy, it felt new.
Smiling Speckles
This past week, their personalities are starting to show through again with their cozying and curiosity, when I spend time in the field with them.
Post Sandy gloom and rain had them hunkered in the sheds way too much, and hay was becoming a larger staple in the evening meal.
Brianna at six months old
Now with the newest rotation, they would likely burst with more hay.
As a matter of fact, I had one close call on Election Day with a bit of bloat, but a couple hours of attention with baking soda "shots"(oral), and the crisis passed.
Twee
I think Vinegar, here in the background of her first daughter Twee, got into something the third day they were in the corral. She came into the barn looking five months pregnant(that's full term for those new here), but luckily was not foaming at the mouth. After that day, the girls ended their corral clean up.
Adeline
VIDEO of the goats at breakfast
Today I took a walk in the lower field, partly to inspect the fences, and partly to get the girls to the far end of the field.
When all else fails, I am the leader and they easily follow. They'd still be by the barn, had I not led them today. Its an important job, being the Herd Queen!
And here they have two acres of pasture, but four of them have to try and eat from the same square foot. Herd mentality.
When the nannies have young kids, they each get their own cube in the maternity ward. It helps make sure the kids stay fed and warm.
Twee's trips are right next door. They get to have the rest of the stall when I'm in mucking and the twins go outside.
The twins have been going outside for a week now.
The trips got to go outside for a short while yesterday afternoon.
Its getting difficult to tell who is who. Angus sticks out with his size and speckled ears. The rest??!!
And this is amazing. All three triplets nursing at the same time. In the Boer goat world, people look for single teated does, but with triplets, that would be a significant disadvantage. Many of my does have two teats on each side. Some more dominant than the other. Twee has three large teats and a smaller one, but they all have milk and they all get used. Sometimes imperfection works!
The triplets have kept things a bit busier, but things are well.
Twee has plenty of milk and seems to be able to take care of all three. I was always warned that trip meant bottle feeding because one would be pushed aside. That doesn't seem to be the case here.
Check out the VIDEO from a couple days ago now. At a day and a half, they were amazing.
We feel very lucky and are just loving seeing these three grow.
Today at 1pm I had a commitment to be at the Ligonier Valley Trail for a walk for some publicity we are doing after a successful fundraiser. I really had the feeling that I would come back to kids, as this morning Twee's ligament at her tail was completely loose. A sign that birth will come soon.
As we drove up the lane I could see a small white thing and we could see Twee looking along the side of the shed, so we planned on finding the other kid there. Twins are the norm and she had been huge. Even the other does were interested in the goings on by the shed, and gathered round when we came to check things out.
There were three and just born - a doe and two bucklings.
The whole neighborhood answered to the call of "Babies in the field!". After drying them a little, and letting them attempt to nurse, we brought them into the barn.
Dave had the heat lamp going and bedding down, so after a lot of yelling and nursing starts, they all fell asleep exhausted.
OK! Not all of you are going to hop in a truck, train or plane to bring me your tree. However, there most likely is a good place nearby to give your tree another purpose.
Over at Brooklyn Feed , Martha blogs about Mulch Your Christmas Tree! (On the Pond Farm is mentioned. Yay!!) and has the link for the NY Mulchfest this week-end. We have the same thing locally through our Loyalhanna Watershed Association (drop them off in the designated area at the Country Market field), so don't let those old trees blow around and rot when they can have one more purpose.
Here, of course, we use them for goat entertainment. Speckles is very happy!
First they are eaten and then they become hay racks.
We are already well into our second or third tree per field.
I just had to haul this nice big one over this morning, and the girls were most pleased. Do you see Twee's nice udder(on the right)? We are watching for her to kid in the next few days. Her belly is down to her knees!
As you can see, we have a bit of snow on the ground. Even more of an issue is the wind chill although the sun has taken turns coming in and out. See the ripples on the pond?
I will admit to being blown around in the alley this morning, and I am no feather!! But Jock loves this weather and he needs his walks. Yes. Even when its 19 degrees out side and feels like -2.
Quick update. Twee had her twins tonight. One didn't make it. We have a buck now. Pictures tomorrow.
The furnace was out again when we got in from the barn. Its temporarily back. Hope it makes it till the service guy gets here tomorrow. The roads are terrible from all the snow today.
The twins are four days old and picking up speed. They still have a while to catch up to their half brother, but they're giving him a run for his money.
Brees on the left at 3 1/2 weeks old, with one of the 4 day old twins.
The twin's mom, Vinegar, is a bit anxious about it though. "Don't play with him. He's bad news!"
Do you see how they listen?
Amazing!
VIDEO OF TWEE WITH BREES, AND VINEGAR WITH THE TWIN DOES IN THE BARN.
Ah! The warmth of the sun. We are surrounded by FEET of snow that we can't traverse, but we are adoring the sun today. We took the goats out for recess, but the snow is so deep, and getting heavier as the day gets longer and warmer, so they can't stay out all day. We don't have another gate cleared that we can open to a field. Even if we could, the kids are just too short and light, and someone would get stuck or hurt. There's been no way to get a surface cleaned. By doing the routine we have, I'm hoping that we work a large enough space down with traffic, so that soon there is room for them to mill around and play.So we took the kids outside to feed them their grain, and get some air. Same routine that we have been following since getting snowed in two weeks ago. It makes for a longer chore time, but probably worth the healthier air in the barn, and healthier animals down the line.
BELOW: VIDEO OF THE KIDS COMING UP THE ALLEY WITH DAVE
VIDEO OF THE TWEE AND BREES AND THE KIDS FOLLOWING AROUND IN THE SNOW
Brees and Twee are the first goats you see. Brees gets put up on the spool. Two week old Brees doesn't hold back, now that he's gotten over the shock of the cold. His mother Twee really doesn't ask anyway. She definitely has stall fever, and longs to get outside with the other adults.If you're light enough, like Brees, getting stuck isn't an issue. You just have to make it up ON the snow.You can make all sorts of adorable little hoof prints on top of the snow......and chase your own shadow.
And if you are bigger, and stuck up to your chest in snow like Kato, chasing a twig of fir is an issue, but worth the struggle.Later this evening, Jock was guarding the wheelbarrow, while it waited to go to the barn for a load of firewood.Just past the barn, we noticed a hint of color in the clouds. Another warmer day tomorrow?
Our new little buckling is so social and handsome. He poses like he's ready for showing already, and its months away from fair time. Likely he will become a 4-H project. He is fun to watch, and surprised us all this evening by getting out of the stall on his own. The step is pretty high, and he managed to hop out to explore the rest of the barn, chasing a chicken, and Maggie the neighbor's dog. But can he get back up? Maybe tomorrow. He is going to be a fun kid, I can see that already.
VIDEO OF TWEES BUCKLING AT TWO DAYS OLD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll16AFqdizs
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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