The Earth Turns, the Days Pass

(Rear left, Sasha; middle ground Starbuck, already gone to his wonderful new home -- added to the herd of some lovely people that bought dairy goats from us last year.  Foreground Rommey. )

Sometimes things that seemed like a wonderful idea yesterday are obviously not today.  The lovely Nubian Alpine does we got, big girls, are apparently part pogo stick.  We have sent the two adults off to another farm with higher fences, as they stand, look at the fence, scrunch up their eyes and go, "It's not there!  It's not there!" and leap over it with aplomb.  4 or 5 times into the chicken lot followed by 3 or 4 times out of the pasture and across between pastures as well, all within 24 hours.  Sudden discovery:  this is NOT a good place for them!  Although the baby would follow them, once I separated them the baby (Okay, 9 month old, nearly grown and considered old enough to breed in most goat communities) seemed content to stay behind the fence with the other goats.


Friend Chris accomodated us by releasing two of the calves we've been raising together to go to another farm.  It will lighten his load, and help the other friend as well, as he'll get a share of the meat.  Chris has done the hard part of the work, and the other two calves will be his to sell or harvest as his share.  I imagine he'll sell them, as he doesn't like to eat babies he has hand raised and kept close to him. 

Miracles!  He is going to be the new host for our naughty Morgan gelding, Rudy.  He has pastures where Rudy can be kept away from the baby goats, which seems to be the object of his jealousy.  And he and Chris will very much enjoy each other's company.  Tina will love him, too, but I think he is an especially good fit for Chris.  We cannot keep him, as the goats are our business. 

He sent me the young Boer doe and the Boer/Nubian doe he has been keeping for us.  They are hornless and cannot be placed with the horned herd, so I will take one into the dairy herd, and friend Sandra has agreed to take the other.  She is also getting a buckling, and two baby Boer/Nubian doelings when they arrive.   Both girls are tiny, and seem too young to have been bred already.  It takes Boers a goodly amount of time to mature to the size and strength needed to sustain a baby.  He also sent the pair of beautiful, silky, mini-rex rabbits that belong to another friend, and I will keep them for her until she can come to take them home.  That may not be until summer!

Another bottle baby that found its way to his farm came along, to go to the same lovely people as the boy I'm holding here for them -- a big place in the country where they are destined for love and life. 

Pam made a trip to Chatham today to facilitate the beef calf pickup, and worked with Chris to disbud a baby goat for a customer that needs hornless ones.  "Never again," she says, more because of the awful smell than the goat's reaction.

Hildy and her twin doelings, on their first day outside.

And poor Fawn--Still no babies OUTside.

Nikki, the puppy, has exotic tastes and will eat nearly anything -- something she ate today didn't agree with her at all.  After a few hours of being under the weather, a tablespoon or so of yogurt fixed her right up and she's as mischievous as ever tonight. Now, with puppy asleep in the chair, Chica asleep at my feet, Tootsie asleep on her couch, Simon sharing the chair with Nikki, and Chessie braving the sleet outdoors for her nightly romp, and all goats safely tucked into their barns and shelters, I wonder -- why am I so tired?

While eating bacon with farm raised eggs, and later hamburgers on home made rolls with home made butter and a touch of mustard, I reflect on how good it is to participate in sustaining my food supply.  I so appreciate the richness of this type of life.  Money and "stuff" isn't everything;  actually, it's hardly anything.  Peace.