Still here!

I know it may be hard to believe but ......... we are still here! Haven't disappeared or been abducted for long periods of time by aliens.
 We have been pretty busy though. 16 new baby kids this year some look really nice. hatched out geese and chickens too. The garden has been expanded (no surprise there) and the corn has been blown down (no surprise there either). It will recover and we sure needed the rain it has been hot and dry here. Had a number of weeks of beautiful weather and then bang, hot and hotter!
 We have done some improvements this spring too. New door for the chicken pen makes it so much easier to get in and get eggs. New automatic waterers for the dog, kid pen and one pasture now they always have water and cant tip the bucket. We also ran a waterline closer to the garden to keep from having so much hose in the hot sun all summer. Speaking of watering the garden Bob and Noah came up with a great sprinkler system. Using PVC they raised the sprinklers up about 10 feet in the air allowing for broader distribution of water and easier watering of the corn as it gets taller. Really effective solution. I think there are some pics on the website www.possumridgefarms.com check it out.
 If you know anyone that is looking for some nice lamancha goat kids send them our way!

Spring is here (and so are the kids!)

WOW...... it has been crazy here. We have a dozen new baby goats and as if that weren't enough we drove up to Michigan to get 3 more ...and....... returned with 4! Beautiful does though. Only had 1 goose hatch so don't know what's going on there....we are trying to hatch chicken eggs now.               
Sorry but I am too tired to write anything else on here right now. Busy time of year.........................                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Things I have learned.

This summer has been a learning experience. I guess they should all be learning experiences so I won't complain too much. It has been extremely hot as it has in most of the country. The humidity has been brutal ...but that's what you get in this area.

 I have learned that wilting pumpkins don't mean more water but more bugs (arrugh)
 I have learned that it is great to finally have a water supply closer to the melon patch. (we installed a water hydrant there this spring.)
 I have learned (again) that purchased eggs for incubation are VERY iffy. We had basically no luck with this endeavor. (1 survivor)
 I have learned that Guineas can be very friendly if you work at it. Guineas also love cucumbers!
 I have learned that goats bottle raised are indeed more people friendly. They even come when you call them which is useful when they have gotten out of the pen.
 Roosters that strut around all cocky become too cocky and need to be kept penned up for their safety.
 Little kids will actually OFFER to help in the garden and be disappointed when they can't always be there to help.
 AND When you don't have a drought the chances are far less that your pasture will catch on fire due to the electric fence so you will have pasture into the winter.

 By the way we have another guinea sitting on a nest. Of course it is in the middle of the beans but that's OK. We will see if this one goes as well as the earlier hatch.

I will keep you informed of other things I HAVE LEARNED.