Red Cross called

I finally got the call last night and leave this morning to volunteer in a shelter. Its my first deployment with them. The Red Cross was good to us when our house burnt down so this is my way of giving back. Its gonna be wierd not being home for 2 weeks cause I can go for days and not leave here. I will worry about my critters but I am leaving them in capable hands ( hubby ). I just feel like I'm putting alot on his plate with him working full time. Well I'm off, gotta finish packing, be safe, catch ya in a couple weeks.

Wacky Weather

Not much been going on around this homestead, just watching the Tv with all the storms. We got some heavy winds that blew a few things over but nothing drastic. I started training to volunteer for the Red Cross about 6 months ago, got a call Wed saying be on stand by to get deployed out to what ever area needs help. This is Sat. and 2 storms later, I finally get an mass email saying for all volunteers to be packed and ready in the next couple of days to be deployed. Shoot, I been packed and ready and carrying the phone with me everytime I walk out the door since Wed. Its driving me nuts knowing so many plp have been effected by these storms and I'm sitting here babysitting my phone. I don't know what else to do  but keep doing what I am. Most areas won't let you in to help unless your with an organization. So waiting, waiting, waiting.  

 The baby goats are getting so big, we love just sitting and watching their antics. They are wondering farther and farther out back  in the pasture with their mommas then run as fast as they can back to the barn, just a bucking and kicking their little hearts out. Oh and the rock we put out in the pasture last year for the big goats has been overtaken by 6 little mini's. they are so darn cute.

Went to Lowe's today to check to see if they had potatoe starts and strawberry plants out yet. Well they do and their crazy if they think I'm paying those prices. I guess they forget that some people get plant and seed book in the mail and know what that stuff costs at other places. They can bite my back side.
I'm getting to where I hate that store almost as much as Walmart. Oh well. Thats why we have options.

Seed Find

Last night we went to Walmart, Which I hate that store but I needed a script filled so off we went. I thought I would see what they've got in the garden center and I found a great deal. They have a bunch of seed pack of veggies, herbs and flowers for .20 cents and .50 cents each. American Seed brand. I got 23 packs of seeds for the garden, all I need to get now is potatoe starts and I ready for planting. There was another couple looking at them the same time we were and I looked at the lady and said " this is like Christmas". She laughed and commented well I guess for garden people, it is Christmas in Feb. And that started a conversation that lasted for almost an hour. We swapped ideas and stories, talked about good info web sites and local places to get things that are hard to find. All while standing in the middle of Walmart. I guess Walmarts good for something. lol I told my hubby after we left, see there's other people around that has some of the same crazy hair brained ideas like I do. He just laughed and told me my ideas aren't all crazy. I love him, he backs me on everything I come up with.

Not enough hours in a day.

The last couple of weeks around here has been crazy. All the goats birthing and trying to get the incubator ready for eggs, Spring fever hitting early which is causing me to not get the things done that I need to do now before spring hits. Hubby's been sick, company from out of town for 5 days. Not mention the everyday stuff we have. I have been out of straw for a couple of weeks and the animal beds ( gross) finally got cleaned out and new straw put in yesterday. That task took most the day to complete which today I am paying for ( the back is screaming at me ) but we are good for a couple of weeks.

I have my list made out for garden seeds but thats as far as that has went. I'm behind on ordering seeds. This year I have alot of plans for gardening, I want to go all raised beds and large tub planting for potaoes. And I haven't even broke ground for any of it. GGGGRRRR. Theres just not enough hours in the day and to many other things going on.

 This is my first year with goats in milk and I so want to try goat milk and try making goat cheese and yogurt. Been searching for more canning jars with out much success. I'll end up having to buy new one but I'll at least have them for future use. We have an animal flea market near us that has started up for the year and I've been getting stuff ready for that. Plus the huge yearly Mennonite sale April 7, here in Scottsville Ky, which is an all day event but so much fun. Peope come from all over the United States for this sale. Well I need to get busy with my day. I have a break in the nasty weather they are forcasting for us today, So everyone have a great day.

Oh the babies just keep coming

+M
Well we are blessed with babies for our first year of goats. In one week we have had 6 new additions to our herd and all are little doelings. Besides Shirley delivering 2, Cinnamon had 1, Saturday night Butterscotch finally had her babies, only 2 but she was big enough to have 4 in there. Today Laverne had 1. Now we are done til April then we have 2 more does due to birth. WWWWHHHHEEEEWWW. Its so much fun watching these little sweethearts jumping around, expierencing the world and driving moms crazy. Its funny how they don't mind thier mommas.  I have pics of Butterscotch's little ones but I don't have pics yet of Laverne's, I'll get those tomorrow. Have a great day.

We had a little nubian buck at our house for a couple days, didn't think he was old enough to do anything plus he wasn't going to be here for very long. Well when Gizmo girl came out we where more then a little baffled. ( Where did those ears come from. ) It actually took us a couple hours til it registered, Mavrick the nubian buck. To look at these two babies you would never think they were both born to the same momma, and the same pregnancy. One more thing, Gizmo girl was born breech and upside down. Wild.

Babies, Babies, Babies

Hello world, We had another doe birth last night. She is Lamancha Alphine cross breed to a Lamancha buck, her name is Cinnamon. She birthed a pretty little girl but had problems getting her out. The babies legs were not out straight, she had them pulled up to her chest. I ended up having to go in to help get her out. Whew  that was wild. The baby is also really big and that didn't help matters. Cinnamon is pretty swollen today but she's out and about in the sunshine, baby wants to stay in the stall, I don't think she is impressed with the world on her first day. Now if Butterscotch will just birth already, with not knowing when she's due it makes it nerve racking.

New Babies

 

We had our first baby goats born this morning, Valentines Babies. Two little girls who are doing wonderful and new momma did a great job. The second one had to have help out cause she was breech but she is great. Heres some pics if I can get them to attach.





Goat Stalls

Well on the coldest day we have had this winter, my hubby and I worked out in the barn ( unheated ) all day building 2 more birthing stall. We had one already but my girls are due so close together, we thought adding 2 more would be a good choice, Well as of this moment we do not have any babies but with the barometer dropping as low as they are calling for tonight and tomorrow night, It will probly happen. Shirley is due the 14th and Laverne and Cinnamin are due the 18th. It was pretty funny trying to do all this construction with the goats in there with us. They are the most curious monsters. They would knock the box of nails over or try to chew on the board I was cutting, Not to mention climbing on everything including us. Then when I tried to put fresh straw in the stalls, they ganged up on me wanting to eat everything in site. Lord we are so tired and its going to be hours before I warm up. Its 26 degrees outside with the windchill at 16, suppose to get down to 14 degrees tonight, its cold.

Now

Time to get my incubator on. Sweet.

SCORE

I am so excited, I just scored big on Craigslist. A lady a few miles from me posted she had 40 fertile chicken eggs she needed to find an incubator for ( for  free ). Well you bet your snickers this girl was all over it. They are Buff Orphingtons, Leghorns and Silkies. Her girls have been laying alot this past week with the warm weather we have been having and she has already filled her own incubator but didn't want the rest of the eggs to go to waste so she posted them on Craigslist for free to good home. I got home and put them into cartons for safe keeping til tomorrow when I can get them into my incubator. There are 52 eggs, thats possibly 52 free chicken . WWWWWOOOOOOWWWWW. Did I say I was excited. Happy Valentines Day to me.

On goat news, No babies yet.

Long Night

Last night was a long night. Two of my goats ( both first timers ) was loosing their plug. They are both due mid Feb. so I figure its about time to do night time trips to the barn. Cinnamon is Lamacha/Alphine mix and she is a small built goat. Shirley is boar cross and very stocky built. This is also my first time with birthing goats and I am a ball of nerves. Just before dark I checked on the goats and noticed the stuff leaking and their back side swelling and I knew it was going to be a long night. I stayed up all night checking on them every hour with nothing happening. I layed down for a while today and when I got back up its like everything was normal with them except the puffy rears. I guess things are not ready but close. I hope it happens soon. Today is our 27th wedding anniversary and I was to tired to even think about doing anything but my sweet hubby said thats ok, the goats come first, he is so awesome.

Burrrrrrrr

Well up early this cold morning. We have had very nice weather for Jan. and so far in Feb. Day time up in the 60s. This morning its below freezing and very crisp looking outside. I am sitting here drinking a nice hot cup of cocoa, thinking about the stuff I need to get done today. We have cold nights coming in for atleast the next week so bedding changes are the biggest task of the day. Still waiting on goat births, boy do they take their time. A doe we purchased ( breed ) last summer was suppose to be due mid Dec. well its Feb. and we are still waiting. Apparently she didn't take before we got her but got a bun in the oven once here from our buck. Which is fine except not knowing when she is going to have the little monkeys. Also got 3 more does due very soon and 2 more due in April. I can't wait. Have a great day.

My smokin hot fencer.

Last year when we got goats we had to get a electric fencer for the pasture. We went to Lowes and pick up the cheapest fencer they had, only $23.00.  This little fencer is killer hot, literally. In one year it has killed 9 chickens, a squirrel and a full grown red fox. I accidently touch it with my elbow and it felt like sparks were coming out the sides of my feet. Wow. It doesn't pulse it is a steady current. My hubby put a light tester on it and it lite up the whole bar to 420 volts. That is messed up. I don't know if something is faulty with it or not but that just doesn't seem normal. We are expecting babies soon and I am worried about them accidently touching the fence. I think we might go get another fencer.

Eye Pecking Chicken

Yes you read it right. My chicken flew up on my shoulder, which I thought was so cute, til she grabbed my earring which made me turn my head. Then she pecked me in the eye. It happened Sunday and by Thursday I had to go to the doc cause it was so swollen and sore. I have a small chunck out of my cornia and abrasions on my eye ball and inside my eye lid. Lesson learned, chickens sitting on your shoulder is not good .

Its been a while.

I thinkI fell off the face of the earth for a while. Everything in my world is coming along slowly. See our house burnt down Dec. 23, 2010 so we are living in an RV. Someone was nice enough to give us a 12x65 1974 mobile home that needs alot of work to make livable. We have put alot of work, time and money into it and are almost there. I hope we can get moved into it soon, this camper is closing in on me.

All the animals are good. Chickens are free ranging which I let them do in the winter. My chickens that hatched out early last spring was hatching out their own chicks by fall. I even had a batch hatch in Dec. which I thought was a little strange but their doing great. All my goat girls are breed by my buck and due starting in Feb. I can't wait, but I am nervous cause this is my first time with goat births.

I started my breeding for my rabbits in Dec. Out of 6 does only 3 gave birth. The 3 that didn't are first timers and we have had some crazyness around here so I'm not surprised they didn't carry.

I am going to try raised garden beds this year. I have been thinking on what I'm going to plant and getting seeds ready. I still have to prep the ground and make my beds , I hope I can get everything ready intime. My plan for this year is to grow alot of our own food and do alot of canning. I started learning canning last year and loved it. I made salsa and different kinds of jam. This year I 'm going for gold if everthing work out.