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.........................
Friday, April 13, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
It MUST be spring!
Ok , I know this will jinx us weather wise but here goes ............ our first kid of the year was born this morning at 4:30. A nice little buck. He is just the beginning we have another 8 does due within the next week or two. This is the first attempt to bottle raise our own kids and get the milk from the does. A new journey, a new adventure I'll keep you posted.
We also have some goose eggs in the incubator, only 3 so far but hopefully there will be many more. It is so great to see the grand kids interacting with the babies just another perk to this crazy life on the farm!
Oh yeah................... bring on the snow!!
We also have some goose eggs in the incubator, only 3 so far but hopefully there will be many more. It is so great to see the grand kids interacting with the babies just another perk to this crazy life on the farm!
Oh yeah................... bring on the snow!!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Ok so I'm not good at that!
Ok so now everyone knows............................ I AM A POOR communicator!
The idea was to write this blog every few days just something simple. Well.... I haven't been too good at that, obviously.
We are starting to gear up for what we hope will be a good year for goats. The does are due in February. The plan is to milk the does and bottle feed the kids. It will let us keep a better eye on how well they are eating and acting. We have always left them with their mothers before so this will be at least interesting. Anyway I will try to keep a better blog detail going.
The idea was to write this blog every few days just something simple. Well.... I haven't been too good at that, obviously.
We are starting to gear up for what we hope will be a good year for goats. The does are due in February. The plan is to milk the does and bottle feed the kids. It will let us keep a better eye on how well they are eating and acting. We have always left them with their mothers before so this will be at least interesting. Anyway I will try to keep a better blog detail going.
Friday, August 26, 2011
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.
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.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Corn and ducks and tomatoes and more.
It's been a very hot summer here but the heat has broken somewhat. In the 80's to low 90's right now so it is more bearable. My husband has been working his tail off in this weather too. It is easy to let the heat take you down, literally!
We finally got some corn in July and have been able to harvest more for the freezer this past week. The earworms are in full force so we are loosing part of many ears. Also running into smut with this batch. All in all we have had a good crop though. The tomatoes are just starting to produce due to the wet spring. We just couldn't get them in the ground. Will be making salsa this weekend.
We have watermelon coming in now too. The pumpkins have been great although we are in a major battle with squash bugs as I type! MAJOR invasion! We will not be defeated though.
Finally have some baby Muscovy ducks. Mail order eggs just don't remain very viable but hopefully the few we got to hatch will supply us next year.
We do have 15 young guineas running around the place. The are pretty funny because as you go down the hill the run right up to you. Guineas are suppose to be semi domesticated. Hmm these guys are pretty mellow.
Another typical summer too hot and too short.
We finally got some corn in July and have been able to harvest more for the freezer this past week. The earworms are in full force so we are loosing part of many ears. Also running into smut with this batch. All in all we have had a good crop though. The tomatoes are just starting to produce due to the wet spring. We just couldn't get them in the ground. Will be making salsa this weekend.
We have watermelon coming in now too. The pumpkins have been great although we are in a major battle with squash bugs as I type! MAJOR invasion! We will not be defeated though.
Finally have some baby Muscovy ducks. Mail order eggs just don't remain very viable but hopefully the few we got to hatch will supply us next year.
We do have 15 young guineas running around the place. The are pretty funny because as you go down the hill the run right up to you. Guineas are suppose to be semi domesticated. Hmm these guys are pretty mellow.
Another typical summer too hot and too short.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Vacation time!! I think??
Well here it is, vacation time. Time to get ready for a week of doing absolutely nothing! The girls are going to take care of the farm while we are away. They don't even have to mow because with the heat it has stopped growing. We will be going to a far away land to be waited on by those happy go lucky high school and college kids just wanting to make a few extra spending dollars. Ahhhh................. I can feel the cool breeze now. Smell the fresh air..............what a great time.......................
Screechhhhh.......... whoa............. wake up!
Vacation time. The hottest most humid week of the year. It doesn't matter what week it is on the calendar from May through October it will either be oppressively hot (115 heat index this week) or raining. We got the heat.
That's OK though, we have still been able to get some things done around here. The garden weeds always seem to get ahead of us so they are always on the to do list.
OK, so that was LAST WEEK! We accomplished a lot but it went by way too fast and I didn't finish this. Garden looks really good thanks to my husband and his crazy work ethic. He doesn't sit still just goes till he drops. We built some really cool looking pyramid sprinklers for the garden. The corn is going to ready this weekend finally. We have gotten some cucumbers and zucchini. The pumpkins, watermelons and cantaloupe are going crazy!
We have moved the baby goats from Michigan in with the others and so far so good. I thought we had lost all of our Guinea keets because they were coming up whenever I went to the barn. I couldn't find them anywhere but my husband found them when he came home. Something must have tried to get them though because momma wont let them out of the tall grass.
We lost all of our Muscovy eggs so we are trying again. I candled them and most look good so far. Hopefully this batch will hatch! It's the first time we have ever had a complete loss.
My son in law and grand kids saw the doe and fawn the other day so they are doing fine . The heat is crazy but there is still plenty of water available for them.
The icing in the cake so to speak was staining the deck we had built. That went up this spring to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. It looks awesome!
Any way my vacation may not be what most people envision but I enjoyed it. Too bad it had to end.
Screechhhhh.......... whoa............. wake up!
Vacation time. The hottest most humid week of the year. It doesn't matter what week it is on the calendar from May through October it will either be oppressively hot (115 heat index this week) or raining. We got the heat.
That's OK though, we have still been able to get some things done around here. The garden weeds always seem to get ahead of us so they are always on the to do list.
OK, so that was LAST WEEK! We accomplished a lot but it went by way too fast and I didn't finish this. Garden looks really good thanks to my husband and his crazy work ethic. He doesn't sit still just goes till he drops. We built some really cool looking pyramid sprinklers for the garden. The corn is going to ready this weekend finally. We have gotten some cucumbers and zucchini. The pumpkins, watermelons and cantaloupe are going crazy!
We have moved the baby goats from Michigan in with the others and so far so good. I thought we had lost all of our Guinea keets because they were coming up whenever I went to the barn. I couldn't find them anywhere but my husband found them when he came home. Something must have tried to get them though because momma wont let them out of the tall grass.
We lost all of our Muscovy eggs so we are trying again. I candled them and most look good so far. Hopefully this batch will hatch! It's the first time we have ever had a complete loss.
My son in law and grand kids saw the doe and fawn the other day so they are doing fine . The heat is crazy but there is still plenty of water available for them.
The icing in the cake so to speak was staining the deck we had built. That went up this spring to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. It looks awesome!
Any way my vacation may not be what most people envision but I enjoyed it. Too bad it had to end.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Happy July 4th!
First off I want to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July!
Things around here have been pretty busy. I have been watching the grand kids and had some extra work commitments so it's time to catch up.
The garden is finally starting to come in pretty good, pumpkins, watermelons and cantaloupe are doing really good should have some flowering before too long. We had some fried zucchini last Monday, it was good! First veggie this year. We had a good soaking rain this week so it all got watered well. The heat has been crazy though. ( I can't comment on it anymore because it is now officially the HOT time of the year!)
Our additions to the implements for the tractor have been amazing so far. The rows were so much easier to plant and the weeds have been much easier to "control", wish we had come to our senses years ago but it just proves that you can teach old dogs new tricks!
For the first time ever we have had a total loss at hatching something. The Muscovy duck eggs we purchased have failed to hatch. We have had a number of power outages but I really don't think that is the cause. The letter that came with some of the eggs said to incubate at 85% humidity our incubator said 50%. We have hatched many varieties of foul and never had to go as high as 85%. Not sure what caused it yet.
The goat kids got to move into their new pen. Much more room but they got to meet the electric fence for the first time. There is a learning curve for them.
Things around here have been pretty busy. I have been watching the grand kids and had some extra work commitments so it's time to catch up.
The garden is finally starting to come in pretty good, pumpkins, watermelons and cantaloupe are doing really good should have some flowering before too long. We had some fried zucchini last Monday, it was good! First veggie this year. We had a good soaking rain this week so it all got watered well. The heat has been crazy though. ( I can't comment on it anymore because it is now officially the HOT time of the year!)
Our additions to the implements for the tractor have been amazing so far. The rows were so much easier to plant and the weeds have been much easier to "control", wish we had come to our senses years ago but it just proves that you can teach old dogs new tricks!
For the first time ever we have had a total loss at hatching something. The Muscovy duck eggs we purchased have failed to hatch. We have had a number of power outages but I really don't think that is the cause. The letter that came with some of the eggs said to incubate at 85% humidity our incubator said 50%. We have hatched many varieties of foul and never had to go as high as 85%. Not sure what caused it yet.
The goat kids got to move into their new pen. Much more room but they got to meet the electric fence for the first time. There is a learning curve for them.
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