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.
Can you tell how smushed and eaten everything is getting?
There are still a lot of thorny brambles and roses to go, and this corner is quite thick.
MORE VIDEO of the goats at work.
After last nights frost, I waited a little to let the ice melt before we came to the hill to eat. Always worried about bloat with the first frozen field of Fall.
The goats are definitely making headway with all sorts of paths on the hill.
Its still quite thick and high at the top.
No worries about running out of browse yet.
The leaves came tumbling off the trees this morning.
Some days it is a real chore to get the goats to follow to an exterior browsing area. Any factor can be a distraction. Rain is the worst. A cat - second! At least within the high tensile area they can't get outside the alley.
When we just go out the barn door, they are totally free and can go wherever they want. If they see a rather succulent blueberry bush or weed, off they go. And usually, someone follows.
This morning I got lucky. It just shows you how good these animals are. It also shows you that they know there is a good chance of good browse where I am fencing them.
They are well fed goats!
If you remember the last time they were here, this faucet was pretty invisible. We can see the ground again, and I can finish mowing safely now. Thanks Goats!
With some dry air and warm sun, I imagine the farms nearby are gearing up for their first cutting of hay.
In our case, with rotational grazing, we just let the goats have at it.
The machinery alone makes it too costly for us to bale hay as we don't need that much to get through the winter(To compare - one horse needs as much as 15 goats).
During the Summer and Fall the goats have absolutely no interest in it anyway.
Why would they when they come in with round bellies every night after getting lost in this.
And get lost they do.
The kids actually cry to find their mothers because they loose sight of them. The screeching is pathetic sometimes.
But you have to laugh, because they are RIGHT THERE - in the hay.
Meanwhile, the nanny is so absorbed in her munching, it takes a while to register.
"Whose kids are making that racket? Oh! OOPS!"
Well, at least we are confident no one will starve to death!
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.
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.
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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