GO(a)T MILK?

So, many years ago I sold my beloved goat herd because of milk allergies stemming from MY TICK BITE and the subsequent contraction of Alpha-Gal.  Then, this year, through a great blesssing from the Lord, I discovered CULTURED FOOD.

This led to my milk allergy (among MANY other allergies) DISAPPEARING!!

So, I tried some goat milk kefir from the health food store: LOVED IT!!   Then this week it dawned on me to find a local source of goat milk.  It didn't take long to find a goat dairy only a few miles from my farm.  And, they keep the very breed of goat that I'd been thinking about buying.  NIGERIAN DWARF.

So, since we are all in quarantine (COVID19), I made arrangements to pick up the milk via a cooler on the porch!! (Entrepreneurs are so innovative.)  I sent my husband on this errand with instructions to keep an eye out for the GOATS!!!  I'd seen their videos on the dairy's Facebook page:  CUTENESS PERSONIFIED.

Now, just let me say: there's goat milk and there's GOAT MILK!!!   Some milk is horrible.  In fact, most milk I've had the displeasure of drinking is horrible.  Smell and Taste.  Milk from my goat herd was sweet and delicious.  So, my standards are high.

FarmBoy Gary brings home the milk; I'm waiting with glass in hand.  I take off the lid and sniff. Ahhh....sweet!   I smile.   I raise the milk to my lips trying not to get my hopes up.  I sip. Realization slowly dawns. Excitement sparks within!!  The milk is delicious!!!! :)   FINALLY, after years of abstinence, goat milk begins to nourish me.

A huge shout out to CLM Premium Goats & Goat Milk Products.  You can find her on Facebook.  My husband did not see any goats but he proudly snapped a pic of a PLAYSET --originally for children, but works great for goat kids.  He said it was one of several.  Now, really.  In my mind anyone who sets up"toys" for their goats is GREAT!!!

Winter In The Valley

Buffy Penny is pretty new to the farm.

Farm life slows down a bit during cold months.  Bed time is earlier--5 pm.  Not for me, but the chickens and rabbits call it a day at dusk.  Well, truth be known I think the rabbits have gab sessions in the wee hours, but haven't caught them at it...yet.

Millie trying to decide if she wants to go out in the snow.

Tilly likes catching a ride...plus she has a better vantage point to see in the feed bucket.

 

Pepper snuggled in her apartment.  Let the wind howl, she's warm in her Angora coat!

Cherry Blossom, Nutmeg and Thumbelina chowing on the seasons last comfrey.

My beautiful Button and Daisy.  They've been gone almost a month and I still miss them.

I don't let them out on really cold days but when the sun is out and the temp is up they really don't mind the snow.  Yes, they still lay eggs in the winter!

Eye Opener

The sky is just getting light above my mountain...so I know the sun is there.  It's like the whole world is just waiting for me to step outside and welcome the day.

The goats are still sleeping.

Newborn.  Always precious.

I would accuse them of being lazy, but how can I do that in good conscience when they give me such wonderful sweet milk day after day, week after week, month after month.

I'm milking two does right now, Betty and Becky.  They give about a gallon a day each depending on the amount of feed I give them.

Straining milk.

The Saanen herd.

Betty in the foreground; Becky in the back.

Becky telling me a tall tale about finding a chicken nest of eggs in the barn.

Daisy...she loves to dress up.  She's taking this year off from child rearing and milking.

 

Shivers and Livers

Woo hoo...14 degrees yesterday morning and 16 the morning before.

(I spent all of yesterday trying to get a cute pic of Daisy--the Queen Bee of the Goat Yard--downloaded. Don't know if the problem was sun spots or alien pranks, but I finally got it to work.)

For the first time EVER my goats were shivering during the morning milking. I felt bad for cleaning their udders. The water was warm, but once it hit that cold air...well say no more.

I gave them a vigorous rub down to try and get that circulation going so they would warm up quicker. Once they downed their grain and started on their hay they seemed to warm up. My barn is pretty cozy and warm, but when the temps drop below 20 it's just cold that's all there is to it.

I give my goats dandelion on occasion, they aren't crazy about them but will munch at their leisure. Dandelion is sooo good for animals and people as well. Everyone here gets a regular dose: cats, Cassie (dog), goats, chickens and rabbits.

The rabbits LOVE dandelions and always scurry and scamper to be the first to get a bite. Dandelion, among a host of other things, is good for cleansing the liver. Your liver works hard: over 500 functions, so it needs a boost to keep it in good working order. It's packed with nutrients that help keep my animals in optimal health.

I use dandelion in my FIRST AID SALVE and also make a tincture from it. Spring leaves are good in salads, blossoms in fritattas and pancakes just to name a few culinary uses.

And, let's not forget that all important "making a wish" component.....

Men Cook Dinner Day

Woohooo, ladies. It's the national day for men to cook today! I am one of the chosen ones in that my FarmBoy Gary loves to cook. HERE IS a recipe from our website that even the culinary challenged men can do. It's right up their alley GRILLING.

Don't make the mistake of thinking grilling is only for warm months. We grill 12 months out of the year. This recipe for Grilled Onions is super easy and super good.

It's a beautiful day here at the farm. We've had several cloudy, windy, rainy, muddy days so the sunshine is soooo appreciated. FarmBoy Gary is working on making goat stalls in our barn. Yay! I wanted them to each have their own space. It's an old barn, but FarmBoy works wonders with his handy dandy hammer and yellow power tools....of which I am banned from touching.

Becky's spot where Daisy gored her is healing quite nicely. One day when I'm not talking about food I'm going to post pics of wounds and expound on my triple whammy herbal first aid protocol. IT"S GREAT. In the meantime you can read about it HERE

Yesterday I did battle with my sewing machine (Asian beetles invaded us during the hot spell last week and apparently they thought they would winter over in the mechanics of my Singer)and my serger (missing screw). However, I persevered and am almost done.

DRATTED BEETLES...THEY WERE EVERYWHERE!!!

We have a what I refer to as a mountain behind our barns. It is goat heaven. They always come when I call. Here is a short clip of their stampede down the mountain and into the barn yard in response to me yelling "GOAT" at the top of my lungs. Cute, huh?!

Rainy Day

Oh I'm so happy---Daylight Savings Time is OVER. Whewww. Made it through another summer. I'm a lark, you see. Larks love mornings. This lark loves doing chores in the daylight. This lark loves having more time in the a.m. to get things done. When daylight is delayed, chores are delayed, tasks are delayed. And, don't even get me started on evening snaffus because of the extended daylight. Enough on that subject.

So, it's been a while since I've been here. My little fingers have been busy with other farm related stuff; but I'm going to make a valiant effort to journal my journey. After all, I know a lot of you keep checking and checking to see what's new.

Milking is full swing. Customers just love my sweet sweet goat milk. I have four fresh but until this morning I was only milking three and letting my darling little Chloe (4 months old) have all she wanted. She is a twin and was super tiny so I didn't mind her drinking her fill every day. But, she's a fine little future milker now and has to grow up a little bit. I will still let her nurse all day, pen her mom, Polly, up at night, milk Polly in the mornings and let Chloe run with her mom all day. I learned this neat once a day milking procedure from Molly--a delightful lady who shares all she knows on her website.CLICK HERE TO CHECK HER OUT

Chloe-one hour old. Isn't she a beauty?

Yesterday I cleaned the chicken house, goat barn and rabbitry or as I like to call it Briar Patch. I have four gorgeous Angora rabbit does--Cherry Blossom, Nutmeg, Thumbalina and Pepper, one buck, Paddy, and one adorable little male of unkown origin--S'mores. Brair Patch is an ingenious creation of my farmboy husband, Gary. It has apartments, sunporches and ramps down to the yards. The rabbits love it.

So it's raining this morning so I am going to make my grand daughter a birthday dress, make a Master Tonic CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE and do up the rest of the pears a friend of mine gave me. The Master Tonic is similar to the Fire Cider I used to make. I'll let you know how much of this to do today list I actually get done!

Have an herbalicious day.

Snappers!

We’ve had a lot of rain and that always signals the snapping turtles to begin. Walking, crawling, prowling, courting, stalking. I was doing chores day before yesterday and as I went through the goat yard gate I noticed something by my poo bucket. I keep an empty 5 gallon bucket looped over a fence pole to help me clean out stalls. (It doesn’t do much.)

Huddled down into the grass was this “small” snapping turtle. His shell was about the size of a dinner plate. He hissed and carried on like a two year old when I scooped him up in the bucket and dumped him in a galvanized tub in the back of ZuZu (farm truck). My thought was to show him to H2…my grandson. (Henry #2..actually he’s #3 but he’s #2 in his household!!) He relates to any wild thing. It brings out his own internal wildness and I mean that in a most natural good way.

This is H2 several years ago..he still fishes and he still has that big smile. Oh, and he has teeth now.

I went to town and when I got back to the farm the turtle had not only escaped the confines of the tub, he had managed to get out of the truck bed and continued his walk-about. The creek borders our property so I imagine that’s where he came from and whence he returned. I’m thankful he didn’t get one of my cats or chickens in those jaws.

Today PT Patti Petunia and I were cruising down the road and this gigantic snapper was right in the middle of my lane. There was oncoming traffic so swerving was out of the question. So I slowed down to a crawl and straddled him so as not to hit him with a tire. He was so large as I went over him the back of that prehistoric shell clunked all along the underside of PT Patti. It sounded like I was going over a boulder. In my rearview mirror he stuck out that long neck and stared at me. If looks could kill.

I’m counting the days till two of my does, Polly and Becky, have their kids. I separate them at night from the rest of my herd. This morning I was just certain I had a baby because neither of them were up yet. But, no. They were just sleeping in, which my goats do often. They can be such sleepy heads. I’ve had to wake them up to milk! So, not like chickens—I hear that cockadoodledoo every morning just before daybreak. It’s so nice to smile before your eyes are even open. I love the farm.

Last Week...

Canned beans...

Spread manure on the gardens...

Watched the goats during playtime...

And observed Mother Nature dressing for autumn. Life is Good.

Baby-A-Coming

Tessa and Charlie sittin in a tree

K I S S I N G

First comes love

Then comes marriage

Then comes Tessa with a baby carriage!

Tessa is one of my milk goats; Charlie is my little boy goat. What a stud.

This is my first ever experience at breeding goats so I am super excited....and praying for GOOD WEATHER on March 1! But, even if March comes in like a lion, I have a plan B.

It involves heat lamps and garages!

I took some cute pictures of them yesterday (Tessa and Charlie) but I just realized my camera is over in the herb cottage. And, it's still dark outside (No thanks, Ben Franklin) and I'm still in my jammies. So, pics to come later.

I've been feeding Tessa a special diet in preparation for motherhood. (More on that later) She is fresh now and this baby will be her second.

Gotta run, but just wanted to share the news.....

Today...

Farmers talk about the weather and the weather. When it's HOT and DRY like this summer, they talk about the WEATHER. Everyone at my farmers markets is trying to just keep the garden alive until the heat lets up by watering as much as they can. We are fortunate to have a well, plus I hate putting chlorine on the plants. The stuff in all my raised beds is doing quite well--here's a photo of the French Tarragon.

Here is an excerpt from Jungs Seeds newsletter that explains WHY my beans have no beans and WHY my tomatoes are not ripening: "Tomatoes are the most widely planted garden crop, so many of the calls we receive relate to them. First of all, an abundance of blossoms on tomatoes doesn't always result in a bumper crop. Temperatures above 85 degrees F. can affect pollination and fruit set. Studies have shown that daytime temperatures in excess of 95 degrees and night time temps of over 75 degrees may cause flowers to fall off. Temperatures over 100 degrees can make the plant go into survival mode, causing red pigments in tomatoes to stop forming, while the yellow and orange ones continue. If this is the case, it's best to pick the tomatoes when they begin to turn red and allow them to ripen indoors at cooler temperatures. It takes about 5 weeks for a tomato flower to become a ripe fruit - the first 3 weeks to get to full size and the last 2 weeks to fully ripen. Temperatures above 90 degrees will slow fruit growth and ripening, so if you've planted a large-fruited variety, you probably won't harvest the big tomatoes you are expecting. This is not the fault of the variety - it is a result of the heat. Once the excessive heat is over, it will most likely take five more weeks to begin harvesting tomatoes again. Tomatoes that have developed to full size in spite of dry weather may suddenly grow again if watered or rained on, and the result may be split fruit. " You can see the entire article here: http://www.jungseed.com/GardenLibrary.asp and click on Hot Weather and How It Effects Your Garden.

This is my spearmint and elecampayne in April BEFORE the drought. Our 2 year old Alpine doe that we acquired a few weeks ago "June Bug" had perked up quite a bit. She was feeling poorly when we got her as she had a stillborn this spring. Then this weekend she took a turn for the worse. FarmBoy Gary nursed her with hourly carrots/apples while I was at farmers market; she was weak, lethargic and off her feed. I dosed her with herbs and the goat-keepers Miracle Cure of molasses, corn syrup and corn oil, a high dose of vitamin C and pro-biotics. She snapped out of it this morning, ate all her breakfast and even when up on the mountain to forage with me and the rest of the goats. She still is not up to par, but at least she looks like she will live. I had my doubts on Saturday. June Bug as a baby. Isn't she adorable?

Wiley Coyote has been visiting us each day. He is straggly, skinny and looking for chicken dinner. Rocky has been great at chasing off the Miss Foxy so we haven't seen her for weeks. And, he chases Wiley when he sees him. Today he was so cute he ran up and down the mountain trailing the coyote in the high heat of the afternoon. When he finished he just collapsed in the shade. Anatolian s are not known for their stamina in a race!

My egg customers have been disappointed for a few weeks, but my little hens are starting to lay again. Guess they decided the heat was here to stay so they might as well get with the program.

This morning I was preparing pots for rooting some perennials and a hummingbird landed on my work table. She just sat there for a minute watching me. It was one of those delightful moments when one forgets the heat, forgets the coyotes, forgets the egg problems. For one minute it was just she and I alone. Bliss.

When The Cow Comes Home

One moment it's all jack o' lanterns and pumpkins and turkeys and the next it's tinsel and shopping and reindeer. I've always said once Halloween arrives, the year is gone in a flash.

FarmBoy and I can't believe we have lived on our farm a year. Wow. We just put the gardens to bed and are already planning next year's crops; my shelves are filled with new and exciting seed catalogs.

I'm planning something new in the way of planting: WINTER SOWING. I'm pretty excited and am collecting "planters": cartons and containers of all kinds. Planting time will begin on Winter Solstice-- December 22.

Emma


Our miniature Jersey cow, Emma, is home. After a couple of delivery snafus she arrived before the turkey on Thanksgiving. What a difference in the barnyard dynamic. We knew Rocky, our Anatolian, would be all stressed and confused and that the goats would wonder what the heck?

We isolated Rocky in another pen so he wouldn't spook Emma. Sure enough he went hyper as soon as Emma stepped out of the trailer--barking and pacing the fence. Emma took advantage of her size and stature by intimidating the goats and promptly took over the barn and the barn yard.

Willie and Coco


FarmBoy built the goats--Belle, Coco & Willie--a ramp to the barn loft so they could get away from Emma when they chose to. They exercised that option immediately! Don't let the "miniature" fool you; Emma is hefty and round and knows how to throw her weight around.

Emma discovered the zap in the electric fence so we have not had to retrieve her from neighboring pastures but she has made a cow path parallel to the fence circling the entire enclosure. The grass is long and lush so she takes time out from her travels to munch.

Rocky and Cassie


Thanksgiving evening we left for a while and when we got back home we discovered Rocky had gone to the "rescue" of his goats. He had either jumped or climbed the fence in his isolation pen and joined his little darlings. I have no idea how he managed to get inside the electric fence as he has never tried to get out of it.
That night the goats went up to their loft and Emma promptly lay down in front of the doorway blocking Rocky outside to bark all night.

So now we have a 3 ring circus: Rocky and Emma barking and butting (Emma usually the instigator) and Belle, Coco and Willie just trying to stay out of the way. It really gets hectic when I go through the gate at feeding time. Since rain was in the forecast FarmBoy and I put up a hasty shelter for Rocky, but that night Rocky got into the barn first, so Emma spent the night outside. Ei yi yi.

It rained all day yesterday and it looked like everyone was dry so they must have worked it out to their mutual satisfaction. Emma has been home 3 and a half days and the barn seems to have quieted down somewhat. She is due to calve in April...FRESH MILK A COMIN'! The goats go up and down their ramp like it was the Himalayas, Rocky does his best to stay between Emma and his goats and Emma is still searching for a break in the fence. I am looking forward to the day when the lion (Rocky) lies down with the lamb (Emma). After all we have entered the season of PEACE; a FarmGirl can hope you know.

Fences and Roots

I hate, hate, hate to see animals penned up, cooped up or otherwise crammed into small spaces. I like them to be able to free range as much as possible. In the wild west, I would have been one of those fighting for no fences!

When we brought our goats home we separated and isolated them for a while until we managed the parasite situation. Then I moved them into the new barn and holding pen along with their guard, Rocky, and kept them there for a day. Then, I tested the new electric fence, held my breath and opened the gate. They love it. LOVE IT. There is lush pasture, thick brush, hanging limbs still filled with leaves. Goat heaven. I was afraid they might head for the hills, literally, as there is a LOT of land on the OTHER side of the fence. But, they graze and browse for awhile, then they always come back to the barn and holding pen to relax and hang out. The "browsing" ...eating tree leaves and brush adds so much to their natural diet and contributes to their over-all health.

In the evening, when they hear me calling the chickens in, they come flying into their pen for supper, Belle's bell clanging in the cold air. I lock them in the holding pen at night for safety. We have coyotes running out our ears and a couple of bobcats for good measure. Cougars, too. They nestle in their straw bed in the barn. I couldn't be happier with the fence. It only took a couple of little zaps for the goats and Rocky to learn to keep away from it. I test it every morning before I let them out to make sure it's working. One day a sycamore branch had blown across it but that was an easy fix. Now my beauties can roam to their little goat-hearts content.

Rocky (Anatolian puppy) is learning not to chase and nip at the goats hind legs. He has a log and chain attached to his collar for an anchor. It sounds awful, but it slows him down just enough that he tires easily and gives up the chase. We are on day four. The man where we bought him suggested this treatment. Rocky's mother also had the idea to chase and bite the goats and this remedy worked like a charm.

Tomorrow is HERB CLASS. The Herbalist is in....the field. Come on out and we'll DIG herbs! Increase your knowledge of herbalism. You can take the herbs you dig home and we will also make a remedy in class. FIRST FROST HERB CLASS. Tuesday 11-1 10 am to noon. $20

New Additions

We are gradually adding to our farm family. We've been looking for goats and a guard dog and finally found some. We purchased three goats, two of which are home on the farm. Two little mixed breeds for fun (Alpine/Toggenburg/Nigerian?), Coco, the little girl and Willie the whether. They were wild as March hares when they arrived via dog kennel in the pick-up but are taming down nicely. They actually let me touch the sides of their faces and yesterday when Coco escaped the goat pen (twice) she followed Farmboy Gary right back in through the gate. Guess they are loving their new diet!

Farmboy went to a conference and stopped en-route to check on some Anatolian/Akbash puppies I found on Craig's List. Sure enough, one male made the Rocky Creek standard! And, of course, his name is Rocky. I've never had a guard dog before...they are so different--in a good way. He made his escape twice his first night home and once the second night. At least he came right to the back door and woke me up. Both nights I put him in the dog kennel for the rest of the night until I could find the escape hole and fix it the next day. Now he seems content and is bonding nicely with Coco and Willie.

Tomorrow is class day for home schoolers. Life Science: PUMPKINS! We will be studying, carving, painting and tattooing! With a few games thrown in. It's $5 a kid, come on out and enjoy the fun. Call to register. 816-853-0440.