Down-Sized Goat Herd

The last 5 goaties getting new zip codes are gone to their new homes. What a relief.

 

The 2 Nigerian Dwarf does (LadyBug & JuneBug) have gone to help get their doelings (Mosey & Maddy) settled in.

 

So I'm back down to 9 goats and it was definitely faster, easier and quieter doing chores last night with only 7 of the 9 here! I'm milking the 2 Alpines, Claire & Jewels. The 2 Angoras, Delia & Daisy (twins), are about ready for their September/Fall shearing. What HAIRBALLS they are. You can see their eyes, horns, ears and muzzle. Their hooves look like they have no legs attaching them to their bodies! The LaManchas are still the people-orientated love bugs and buddies that they've always been. Sugar never kidded and has an udder and wide belly. I don't know what to think about her. I sure hope she gets bred this year or I'll have to find her a pet home. And, as I mentioned, LadyBug and JuneBug are off on a goatie, working vacation.

 

And, there is Kernals, my ND buck who is busy with being in full rut and has turned back into a blubbering, stinky boy who wants to spend his time with the does and not in his pen. He's got a long wait though as he's not breeding the does until November. I don't want kids born in the winter. I don't want to milk in the winter. It's too cold here and the cold really makes my hands ache.

 

And my beautiful Patches, the buck who decided to demolish the pen, is gone. In a way I miss him and I really liked him, but he sure decided to be a snot. as soon has his twin, Wrapper, left. Wrapper was being destructive and would just bash and bash on the gate until he'd break out. That meant all the boys got out, Tom T Turkey and the geese. The geese are there temporarily while I'm working on their new pen. Anyway, Patches was bad enough, but when the girls started coming in heat he really changed and so did his attitude! The pen is one of the older (and heavy) chain link dog pens. The corners are secured with t-posts. He managed to rip 2 panels and the t-post up and off/out of the ground and everyone went their own direction! I really wanted to breed him to a couple does this year, but I wanted to deal with so much damage to repair even less. Then the price of hay has escalated and is hard to find; so that really tipped the balance to down-size as much as possible. I have still have the easy-going Kernals and he can easily cover the 8 does and would have been the buck to have the most does any way.  Kernals is from the same farm as Nipper was and has the same desire to be a buddy and just be easy to be with and have around. That is such a PRICELESS thing in a buck IMHO! I really liked his kids from this year too. So Kernals is staying!

 

All that being, my base herd is now down to 9. I've had time to enjoy trying out some other breeds and had some really nice kids who I bred. I'm still getting lots of positive comments on them which is sure a feel-good moment! I really have enjoyed it and is a LOT of work. It's also interesting that a goat is so much harder on equipment, the barn, fencing and my time, patience and stamina than horses! A goat at 80-90 # or less compared to a horse that is 1200# makes the work and repairs way out of balance!

 

Now, I need to get a new avatar pic in my profile. That cute Patches grew up and is moved out. I think the new owner is going to enjoy him. He has a different set up and he knows what I've had to deal with from both, Patches and Wrapper. Who gets to grace my profile now? It sure won't be a picture of me, so don't get excited there!

Surprise Surprise!

What a WONDERFUL surprise it is too!
Sugar Baby IS pg and IS going to kid! Sugar is a "red" LaMancha doe and a FF (first freshener). She's BEAUTIFUL, SWEET, a JUMPER :( , and exceptionally well-bred.

(Sorry if I've used this pic before. It was taken Aug 2011. Guess I better take some new ones!)

 

I was sure looking forward to her Mini Mancha kidlets and sooooo hoping for doelings! I expected her to kid back in April and then May and then gave up. She had a precocious udder and at first I expected she was bagging up. I was having trouble with her gate jumping and needed a good buddy for June Bug. June Bug has kidded with triplets and her first live birth. She was losing her kids in the pen with her twin and there was too much commotion there. So to keep June with her kids to get them all bonded and a functioning doe with her own kids to tend, she went to the horse trailer for peace and quiet. It is also small enough for the kids to not be lost. Dinky was only a pound when born and June was confused and stressed with 3. So this worked so I could work with her and make sure the kids were tended. But she wasn't contending well with her twin no longer velcroed to her from nose to the tip of her tail. So I gave her the 2 FF does (Sugar & Jewels) as she ranked higher than them in the herd and they weren't annoyed with the triplets. All was calm and cozy.

Then Jewels kidded and boy was that a shock. I hadn't expected her to kid that soon. She had to be moved back to the barn. Back to Sugar!

So that left Sugar with JuneBug and her triplets. They quickly settled down and life was calm. Sugar started to bag up (I thought!) Then she let "Dinky" nurse her a bit so she ended up very lopsided. :(

Then no progress. Then I "gave up" on her kidding this year! Yet wondered what the problem was, and kept wondering about her. I asked her and she didn't tell me anything other than she was ready to eat and she LOVES grain. So I kept thinking and staring at her. I knew she was running from the buck with her rear tucked and jumping gates, fence, etc to escape his attention. I kept track of her heat cycles and then when she wasn't coming in I started counting! I guess I missed a heat cycle and the buck didn't! I also moved her to the non milker pen of does and told her she was officially dieting as she was getting to be quite a piggy little chunk. (My fault and she IS pudgy. I have NO room to talk so 'nuff said.)

During all this pondering about the Sugar status, I had the thoughts of free-martin, hermaprodite, etc. kicking around in my brain. I also have spent considerable time researching the free-martin and hermies.

Free martins occur when and female and male offspring (cows and goats, I'm not sure if other species have them and which if they do. From my researching and info from very knowledgeable individuals and articles, the testostorone is too high for the female to correctly develop their female anatomy. They also don't grow the external look of the vulva and tip after birth. They stay smaller. They do have heat cycles but the anatomy isn't fully attached correctly in the various parts. The hermies can be checked internally for a small penis inside the vulva. But the hormones allow some growth of the vulvar area. Neither of these "fit" Sugar's status. She showed heat related and breeding related progress.

So I wondered if she just wasn't old enough and then the season was over. I've been disappointed. I even got to the point that I debated the cost of keeping her if she didn't settle and kid. I decided she'd get this Fall's chance and if she didn't kid next Spring I'd just have to decide then what I want to do. And I decided IF IF IF a perfect home opportunity occurred I could then place her. BUT, I LOVE this doe! She's just a SWEET HEART and so loveable. She's a huggy goat too. I can love on her all I want and she keeps saying she LIKES it and DESERVES it. She does think she's pretty darn special and I tell her she is. It would be hard to part with her. BUT, they need to be paying their way in some manner to be here. We can't afford expensive pets and I just can't do a full-time, forever house goat. The ND's and kids do fine and their time is limited and they are confined to the play yard/play pen. NOT enough room for a goat and I'm NOT doing hay in the house, not to mention the rate of a standard sized doe peeing! So I have pondered on....

But, now Sugar's truly bagging up nicely, but still somewhat lopsided. :( Now I guess I can get excited again other than I hope we get a break from the heat when she decides to come due. The heat would be just horrid for a laboring doe, and especially a chunky one. I do have ice packs in the freezer.... we do have super cold well water.... so we can work with it but it's still rough on an animal to labor and birth in the hottest summer weather.

But, I'm going to have Sugar-sweet kids! I sure hope she's going to give me twin doelings! I mean after all the mental "stress" of her breeding - now period.... I really am "owed" healthy, successfully kidded doelings! I had tooooo many bucklings again this year!

It's amazing how a mere goat can take one thru such "emotional" ups and downs! So, I've had to make a fast transition from up to down and giving up to back up!

My fingers are crossed! I'm envying Sugar's udder attachment - just beautitul so far. I'm wondering if I'll get my asked for and hoped for doelings, and of course I've now started trying to convince her that's what I'm owed. I'm concerned about her hefty stature and the heat..... Come on, Sugar Baby! Bless me with doelings and 2 or more!!!!

 

Cross your fingers with me for a successful kidding and twin/trip DOELINGS!  Gosh I'm excited and even more from all the thinking here to post some good news!

Acquisitions!

How's that for a subject line?

In the middle of all the coming and goings, I have a new doeling coming. Unfortunately she half and half and but she should be able to fill her milk bucket too!

She's by a LM buck and a Saanen doe. It was an oopsie breeding but the genetics from both are outstanding so for a home milker, she's DEFINITELY coming. She's a sister to my LM doe and I love this doe so hope the new will be a lot like her!

One of my goals for this year was to add a Saanen so I'm meeting half of a goal! I did give up on that for this year as I got the 2 Angora's so that was all I was going to do for adding to my base herd for this year.

Now I'm trying to think of a name for the new girl! I like their names to be distinctive because they do learn them. I like to have them different enough that they KNOW if I'm talking to them. I've got a list of potential names for her started but need to see what fits her.

 

It's sure fun to be bringing home a new doeling and even if she will be a grade! I do hope she'll be able to produce a good amount of milk because of losing Kendra's daily bucket full. Losing Kendra, I've been real short on milk and have had to buy milk for the house.

I bought a couple more stainless milk buckets when the feed store was closing so I can milk everyone into their own bucket. I have a big bucket already for the new girl so I hope she'll be able to do it justice! lol More on her when I get her home (soon)!

Farm Report for June 4th

Why am I still amazed every year that the barn gets sooooo much calmer and quieter when the kids start leaving? It was soooo much more peaceful to do chores last night and milk.

I finally made up my mind on which 2 bucks to keep out of the 3 and Wrapper left. The other 2 remaining boys better BEHAVE and not be destructive. I just don't have the energy or desire to deal with destruction. If they are going to be a buck, they MUST cooperate to be lead, and ESPECIALLY if they are going to ram the gate open and knock me down! If they are going to make things difficult for me, as much as I like them, I just can't do it. I guess I'm getting too old and I can tell you, getting up isn't getting any easier either. He was not mean at all, but not easy enough for me to manage with my health and disability.

Along with Wrapper leaving, Kendra's orphan bucklings left. They've not done really well without their momma. They were pretty cooperative even though with momma and being dam raised. When Kendra passed, I left her with them and her fav bud for the better part of the day. The 2 boys didn't take it well and even though just short of 2 months, turned "wild". I had to catch then and get them on a bottle for a couple weeks. One took to the bottle right off and would suck. The other only wanted to chew. But I did get milk in them and more in the willing-to-suck boy of course. The willing boy got to the point he'd come to me and take the bottle but he had to see the bottle to come or he didn't want any part of it. They will end up being 4H show wethers and I think they should do well. They are going to be pretty striking looking boys and stout.

 Also leaving was Boomer, Jewel's first kid and a buckling. Now I get the milk! I've been so waiting for this! I love this doe! She's also Kendra's daughter which has made Kendra's death easier to handle. I've been milking Jewel some and she's very easy to milk. She does squirm a bit but I think she'll quit soon. I hope her next lactation will up her production. Boomer was doing an excellent job milking her out so I hadn't gotten much from her so I'm not sure how much I'll end up getting from her. I sure hope she milks like her momma! She does have better udder attachment and that was the one thing I needed improved. The little rascal was getting so he could sneak out and get to the little doelings. I'm not sure what he was doing to escape but I kept trying to "shore things up" to prevent it and he was still finding a way!

Two ND's also left. JuneBug's buckling and LadyBug's white doeling left. I hope I made the right decision in letting Jitterbug go as he was a striking looking boy and a real sweetie. Had I kept him I'd have been back to 3 bucks. I don't need 3 bucks for 8 does!

So, 6 less to feed, and there are still 4 kids here, Sugar still to kid and a doeling I need to go pick up. Claire has her 2 bucklings who are spoken for and will leave when they are ready to wean. JuneBug and LadyBug still have a doeling they are nursing. I'd like to get a little more time on JuneBug's doeling. Her buckling was the largest of the triplets and I lost Dinky a couple weeks ago. Maddy is still a bit small so I want to give her a bit more growing time and to mature a bit more too. The two are going to the same home so Mosey can spend a couple more weeks with LadyBug.

Sugar, my adorable LaMancha doe, needs to get with the program. I thought she was due before this. She evedentially had a precocous udder. Now she's actually getting some bagging up done.

I'm getting an oopsie half sister to Sugar. The new doeling is half LaMancha (Sugar's sire) and half Sanaan. I had a goal for a Sanaan this year. Then I got the other twin doelings and decided it would have to wait. But I got offered this "La Sanaan" or "La Manaan" and quickly said yes! Now I need to go get her! I hope she has the same disposition as Sugar. What a love Sugar is. Oh, and I hope she doesn't have the need to scale tall walls that Sugar has!

So, it's sure a lot more quiet and calm to feed and milk! I'm all for it even though I LOVE the kids! Last Winter, my core herd was down to 9. This year it will consist of the 10 following:

Claire (aging Alpine)

Jewels (FF Alpine)

Sugar (LaMancha - FF if she gets to it)

LaMancha x Sanaan doeling to come

Deliah (Angora doeling)

Daisy (Angora doeling)

JuneBug (ND)

LadyBug (ND)

Kernals (ND buck)

Patches (ND buck)

That will keep me plenty busy with the goats over the winter.

Mohair!

Do any of you remember mohair yarn and wrapping a boyfriend's class ring with it so it would fit your finger and be all fluffly and soft?

 

We are now "manufacturing" mohair on the hoof! As of today, I'm the ESTATIC owner of 2 Angora does (yearlings). I am so excited and LUCKY!

 

They have had their Spring shearing but have some long curls on their undersides that need trimmed to have their whole coat the same length so I'm looking forward to have a handful of their soft locks. I'm not sure what I'll do with a small handful, but if nothing else I can start to learn about the feel of fiber! I should be able to shear them this Fall just before breeding season.

 

I'll try to get some pics tomorrow. They are twins and just adorable!

I Spy Udders!

LadyBug (below right) and JuneBug (below left), ND's, are bagging up nicely! They are both making a significant difference in their udder daily. These girls are 2 of triplets. I usually refer to them as twins being I have the 2 but reality is trips. They actually look like a 2-headed goat but there are really 2 bodies here:

This is JuneBug's 2nd pregnancy. Last year she aborted fully developed quads who were getting their hair and appeared perfect. She had a TERRIBLE time over it. I had to leave her with them for a while so she could process it. My commiserations and attention weren't making any difference and she just needed the time. So I came to the house to get my camera and shed a few of my own tears. It was really sad listening to her crying over them. It was actually a wailing type cry and just a heart breaker. I so so hope she has healthy kids, an easy kidding and DOELINGS! Trips would be AWESOME!

This will be LadyBug's 3rd kidding. She had twin doelings the first kidding, twin bucklings last year and this year just HAS to be a doeling year again. (Hey, there were 13 bucklings and 1 doeling born last year! Then the lost quads were 3 bucklings and 1 doeling.) LadyBug is the doe who was badly injured when pg with her first pregnancy. She is disabled but kidded with no problems last year. I just worry a bit about her because of her severe injuries and the wear and tear on her body.

I still have LadyBug's twin bucks from last year. I really like them both. Patches is to the right with my info. He's a colorful fella! Wrapper is the chamoise (brown w/black trim) buck who broke his leg last Summer and spent 2 months in the house with hubby and I getting it healed. I hope I don't have to pick amongst them as I don't think I could. I like them both immensely. They have a LOT of similarities and yet also have some uniqueness that I really like. They are both very handsome dudes!

Kernals, the new boy is the sire of LadyBug's and JuneBug's kids. I can't wait to see what they produce. Kernals is gold and white. JuneBug is a broken buckskin and LadyBug is a broken, spotted chamoisee (polka dotted according to non goatie people).

After 13 bucklings and a doeling last year, I am DETERMINED that I DESERVE a doeling year! I'm POSITIVE I should never have so many bucklings ever again. That was beyond ridiculous! I don't even want to see any little bucklings this year. They just aren't in my plans!

I guess I better get ready! Being they'll be March kids, the weather can be pretty cold yet. So they'll need some little goatie coaties to wick the moisture away and help while they adapt their body regulators to keep them warm. I'll need to have all the towels, kidding supplies, etc ready for a moment's notice. After all, these 2 girls live life on their own terms and to their own drummer so they won't be thinking of what is convenient for me! Neither does the goat stork!

Fond Memories and Chores with the Boys!

I could look up the date that I lost Nipper, my ND buck, but I have already been thinking of him a lot the last week. I'm thinking that it was a year ago that I lost him. He's not forgotten and sadly missed.

On days like today, I'm very thankful to have his twin sons. They are very different in their antics and yet have many similarities too. Wrapper, the boy who had broken his leg and spent a lot of time inside healing, often reminds me of Nipper. Today Wrapper was doing his daddy's (and his) thing while I did chores. He runs along with me, races past me, and when I get where we're going, he's off to where I'll be going next. Then he races back and forth while waiting for me, all the while, demonstrating his athletic ability with his side-winder running moves, boink-boinking along, and that flat out run with a leap into the air. What a hoot!

Meanwhile, Patches (Wrap's twin) and Kernals (the new buck) amble along with me, usually RIGHT BEHIND me! Yes, if I stop unexpectedly, I often get rear-ended and then given the innocent, "Why did you stop here?" look.

Wrapper has to jump up on an old steel garbage can (froze down and wish I could move it) and leans over the edge of the stock tank for a tepid drink. Patches and Kernals patiently wait for me to scoop a bucket of water and place it in front of them. ALL new water MUST be taste tested before it can be taken to the barn! it's a goat rule! Wrapper scares me that he may fall in the tank, which would mean I'll have to bring the stinky fella to the house to get dried and warmed. Then back to the barn we head with water for the does. All the while, Wrapper is still showing me his moves.

He sure reminds me of his daddy! Patches and Kernals remind me of a couple old souls who are just plain happy to be under my feet and waiting for their being loved on.

Update!

Hello friends! Yes, friends. I've had this blog long enough that I have you WONDERFUL readers who seem like friends - virtual friends who I'd love to meet in person! Thank you for being here and following my blog and my crazy life! I GREATLY appreciate that you have all stuck with me during this rough patch I seemed to collide with.

Good news! I'm finally doing some catching up and getting some where! I still have just a couple projects that MUST be finished up asap. I hope to have them completed this week. I've sure pulled my hair out over these last few! Well and plumbing issues are NOT in my area of "expertise" or just plain know-how. They have been becoming a hands-on job though. :(

Another good news item is the critters are all doing well. It's been a rough year with some of them and far too many injuries. I do need to trim all the goatie hooves and finish de-burring the 2 horses. They all seem to be content with winter so far and are adapting well. The bucks are losing their stinky aromas so I am suspecting that the 6 does are all bred. I've not seen anyone in heat for sometime. So kidding will start in March if no one has pulled some sneaky will stunt. Goats will do that if they get a chance!

I have my sewing machine ready to use and the beginning of some sewing projects ready to start. Now I need time. I guess I need a new hat. I think I've pulled all the magic out of the ones I have!

I've been relearning to knit and crochet. The bad news is I never knew enough to have it easy to just pick back up. I seem to have forgotten everything but what the yard, needles and hooks are. I also remembered that getting knots in something is a whole lot of entertainment and sometimes VERY frustrating - enough so to grumble and stuff it all back in the bag! I don't throw tantrums, but rather get frustrated and upset that I'm not getting it better/easier. But, the good news is that I spent 4 hours at the dental clinic and FINALLY made progress and was able to actually knit. I was slow, but I was knitting and got somewhere! Since then, I have found a pattern for some baby booties that only take 4 inch squares! I'm really psyched now! I can finally see it coming to fruitation.

Along with everything else in life, I've been dealing with some medical issues. I am heading to the oral surgeon next for some surgery. I also have a lump at the back of my jaw to my ear that needs addressed. Hopefully I can soon get the rest of my health status improved and get back some "forward motion" instead of being stalled!

That being, I have more to share later but need to get back to work for now. I've just felt pretty guilty not posting here and on the 2 new food related blogs I'd just started. So I wanted to hop on in and give you all an update and thank you for staying with me. We'll all be back in business soon!

Vintage Goat Carriages Photo

I received this photo thru a graphic/photo share group on yahoo and WOW, was I excited to see this! It was definitely a "sit up and take notice" event! (click on it for the larger copy to show)

Photo Caption: "The picture above was taken in 1904, and shows children in Goat Carriages in Central Park, in New York City."

I immediately knew I'd need to make sure Sue Weaver, published author, would also be estatic to receive a copy. I also know she'll immediately wonder where it came from! I'm with her!

Has anyone ever seen this before? It seems it might be more traceable with the date taken and being in Central Park, NYC. But then again maybe that was just a notation on the back and we can't find a source.

Was it a goat show or some other type show? Was it a "Sunday get-together" situation? The kids are all finely dressed and everything looks to have been cleaned, groomed and done up for this get-together.

In spite of all that, I LOVE this photo. Isn't it neat? It just makes me want to know all about it and more about working goats! Inquiring minds want to know!

Did You Know?

The pashmina shawls of Kashmir are made from the wispy chin and belly hair of Himalayan goats. Since the goats themselves are inaccessible, the hair is gathered in strands and tufts from bushes in which it has become caught.

Wow! We always take the little things that matter for granted. And yet there are many in this huge world who need the little things for survival. I am very blessed to not have my existence depend on finding stray fibers!

I LOVE fiber crafts. I really enjoyed a few "adventures" to a llama/alpaca show near me when I use to show my horse. The yards and the products produced from them are just so lovely and they are indescribably luxurious.

I belong to a Corgi group which has collected shedding hair from our Corgis that someone voluntered to create the spun fiber from. The resulting fiber was then auctioned off with the proceeds going to Corgi rescue. I've wished that we could have gotten pictures of the resulting items that were made. Corgis have a very soft undercoat that lends itself well to becoming fiber.

I've always been intrigued by carding the freshly shorn fibers and whole process of turning it into yarn. I've always wanted to learn to do this and then to create items from it. I should probably put this on my bucket list!

Weeding Season

That's such a non-descript title, isn't it? Well, I've done more weedingj. I am weeding in the garden to, but that's most likely not of great interest so not worthy of posting, nor worthy of your time to read!

This weeding was from the goat barn and not the garden! Yesterday 3 more goaties left. About a month before 3 bucklings left.

My weeding at this point now has my core herd of goats back down to 9 and below my goal of 12-15! I've not been this low for some time! I was up into the 30's with kids only a year or so ago. Kidding season is always a big number explosion due to multiple births. This year we didn't go over 30 due to loss of 7 kids!

I now have the following goaties who I REALLY REALLY like and plan on keeping for some time:

Claire - Alpine doe
Kendra - Alpine doe
Jewels - Alpine doeling/Kendra's daughter
Sugar - LaMancha doeling (pictured above but she's sure grown lots!)
LadyBug - ND (Nigerian Dwarf)
JuneBug - ND

As to the bucklings, 2 would be adequate but I couldn't decide amongst the boys initially. I decided I'd keep the bucklings I had and would weed them out as they grew. One left and now I need to see what these 3 mature into and produce come 2012. At this point, the line-up consists of 3 boys I REALLY REALLY like and enjoy:

Kernals - ND buckling (unrelated to all the other ND's)
Patches - ND buckling/LadyBug's son
Wrapper - ND buckling/LadyBug's son

After the 2012 kidding season, I'm planning on keeping a couple of the kids for a while. I'd like to keep a couple doelings and I'll have 3 Alpine does to choose a buckling from. I've not made a lot of decisions yet for the LaMancha breedings.

I'll be breeding Mini Alpines and Mini LaManchas. I'll need a buckling who is 50% first generation mini and then the following year 2nd generation mini @ 75%. The Alpines will be easier as I have 3 does and more breeding possibilities. The LaManchas I'll have to make more decisions on as I need the % of the LaMancha bloodlines but I also need to keep the gopher ears a priority. The first generation kids will most likely have elf ears and I'll then need to have a buck who can give the elf ears (meaning he'll have to have them!) Hopefully I'll be able to trade kids to get a gopher-eared Mini Mancha buckling.

I now hope that I have the weeding I needed to do done until 2012 kidding is done! Wish me luck and success!

In the meantime, it was sooooo nicely quiet and relaxing to go do milking last night with only 6 does/doelings in the barn! The boys are now in the outside pen. They did some talking and I visited with them a bit too. Kendra and Claire are the only milkers now and it was fast and easy as they both get on the stand get to business. AKA, stand there quietly and let me work! It was also very easy to go out and get the girls out today for some browsing and sunshine.

Now I need to get Waddles and Munchie, LaMancha bucklings, banded and off to their new home. I'm behind on getting them moved! They are out with the ND boys and have been behaving very nicely. They are not escape artists either so that helps!

I'm also studying and debating as to which buckling will be bred with which doe. Kernals will have "the Bugs". I'm now debating the other 4 does with the other 2 bucklings.

Does this all make for I've done the weeding needed and now I'm looking at planting season?

Tomatoes!

We had to go to town Monday to pick up prescriptions, a few groceries and the usual.

I found the goatie kids a new little tykes toy for clambering all over. It's like a toy box (probably was one) but no lid ($1.99). They'll be able to crawl in it or on it. They tend to like places to crawl into for a snooze. We're getting quite a playground going in the big stall in the barn! I also found a short but very sturdy table for $1.99. I want to see if I can find a piece of rubber (old car mats?) to gorilla glue on top as it's pretty slick. I want to glue some around the edges too so the corners are less dangerous. I'll use my dremel to take a bit of the sharpness out of the corners too. I don't want a bruised udder or such from someone clowning .... goating around. The design of the legs is "all stability" and they are a good-sized, heavy weight material (metal/steel) that won't tip or such.

I found the mark down section at the Meijers garden center and, OH MY, I was sunk! I bought a bunch more tomato plants CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP! I also got quite a selection of pepper plants that I didn't have. Then I found packages of asparagus and strawberries even CHEAPER! I've not seen them near that price for YEARS!

I was really really hoping to find a few more rhubarb plants, but no luck there.

I LOVE to look at all the yard toys in the garden centers. Have you seen this year's watering cans that are pigs and roosters? They are a dark metal and so cute! They are also still there on the garden center shelves though. I just "drooled" a little with a smile on my face while "examining" them workmanship and design. CUTE!!

I'm going to have a new asparagus and strawberry bed! I'm estic! My old ones had seen better days and had been so aged they couldn't revitalize themselves. They were also too far from the house and the wildlife did too much damage. The strawberry shoots had reverted to the tiny little bits of a berry and loaded with tons of seeds. Next year we'll have fresh, new plants producing! The asparagus will need an extra year though.

I better be doing a whole lot of tomato canning late summer! And I'll have green tomatoes to "spare"! I discovered green tomato pie that is remarkably like apple. I also had never heard of freezing some green tomato slices for later frying or roasting. Roasted green tomatoes are good too!

I'm behind on my gardening and now I need to get myself back in gear! I have my work cut out for me! It's raining right now though, so I get to take a break and share with you!

I also bought a heavy-duty, outdoor electric cord at WalMart (pricy). Upon getting home, hubby noticed it is NOT grounded! I read all the front of the package how it's useful for all the outdoor needs, including electric tools like trimmers and such. But, WHY IN THE WORLD isn't it grounded? I actually wonder if it's a legal requirement (all the UL "mumble-jumble" that they be. What ever, I'm returning it. I don't want to fry myself or the horses or goats on the stock tank, etc.

All in all, it was a good trip but TIRING! And I found gas 20 cents a gallon cheaper then here our little rural village!

Bring on the strawberries!!!

Emergency First Aid Applied!

My goats did GREAT for a long time with NO vet bills, nothing major that I couldn't handle, etc. Now this year seems to be my "BAD luck year"! Why? Geez, I need to end this stroke-of-BAD-luck and get back on the even keel of homesteading! When will it end? It won't be soon enough! I'm seriously and closely looking at my management!

Yesterday we went for a picnic/BBQ at hubby's best friend's as he's (the friend) going back in for more surgery Tuesday. It's major (kidney and bladder) and he's having some trouble dealing with it. (Prayers for Gaylord would be appreciated!)

When we got home I saw my little buddy/buckling, Wrapper, outside of the barn and 3-legged. I immediately drove out to see what was up. It's not good. He's got a broken hind leg that was flopping. The good news is the bones didn't penetrate the skin so there's no major infection risk. Wrapper is a ND so not very big. Finding splint materials for a little guy isn't easy. Once I was looking I realized that not only is size a consideration, but so is WEIGHT for a little guy when I want the leg imobilized and the muscles to not have to go into major weight-lifting mode. I want the leg to be "quiet", still and rest.

The good news about leg breaks with goats is that they seem to heal better from them then a lot of species and these youngsters tend to heal quickly. Also, I UNFORTUNATELY, have too much experience with goats with breaks and bad injuries to their legs! That experience gives me confidence that this may heal well and his life be spared, but it also leaves me with some cringing internally after LadyBug, his momma, was so badly injured last year and ended up losing part of her hind leg.

Why is it also the same hind leg? Is it a right-handed vs left-handed type of thing? So I'll have to tuck that aside until I'm talking to a vet (which may be REAL SOON)!

Am I going to be destined to be the crippled goat ranch?

Anyway, Wrapper is here in the house and seems to actually be enjoying it! He is my velcro buddy outside and likes nothing better to be in my lap and helping me with milking, trotting along with me as I do chores, etc. It's a part of him that reminds me immensely of Nipper, his sire, who I lost late Winter/early Spring. Unfortunately, Wrapper is also a jumper/climber like Nipper was. They have/had the same view in life! A gate is simply a way to keep their girls confined so they know just where they are and can return to them to make sure things are fine! I suspect that Wrapper decided it was time to find me as I was half an hour late showing up to the barn with his supper bottle of milk. I have a chain link gate in the door of the barn to help keep escapes in, roaming dogs and such out, etc. I suspect the climbing of the gate wasn't successful this time. I'd been telling Wrapper I was going to dip his feet in cement to keep him grounded. Now it's too late!

Hubby helped hold Wrapper while I splinted him up and did a closer exam of his little body and all legs. I gave him a shot of bananmine and thiamine before going after splinting materials so it could kick in and make him more comfy during the procedure, if possible. He was also grinding his teeth which is a sign of significant pain in a goat and should be dealt with. He's now splinted and has a pretty blue vet wrap bandage. He also appears to have a broken rib but is not showing any signs of shock or anything indicating it punctured anything. It's just a good-sized, hard lump on his side, low and close to the belly/chest area that is painful to the touch and uncomfortable to lay on. I'm watching that very closely and his behaviors. Wrapper was a very good boy in laying on his side, being held down and getting splinted.

The game-plan is to give a daily banamine and thiamine shot for today and go from there for pain. He's staying in the house so I can monitor him, keep him relatively quiet and still, and avoid jostling from the other goats which could cause increased damage. Then tomorrow morning (or sooner if he shows any problems) I'll carefully unwrap some of the bandaging so I can check the status and then I'll call the vet and get him in if needed. I've seen steady progress so far so it's telling me I'm on the right track. He's even chewing his cud at the moment and laying quietly beside me, contented. I know from too much experience (unfortunately gained) that the vets (and human docs) do the same (but have xray machines in some cases) do the same as casting is done after the swelling is down. Wrapper did have swelling so we are at the splint and imobilize point and in a 2-day wait-n-see situation with this particular break. This game-plan is also a moment-by-moment type plan that allows for immediate change if there is need or I feel out-of-my-abilities.

A medical background and 40 YEARS adult, homesteading experience with a former vet who use to encourage me to do-it-myself mentoring has proven a tremendous education. Then there is all the human experience that I have unfortunately garnered from my severe accident in 1993 and hubby's issues. Then there are the raising 3 daughters on a farm and with horses too!

So, I do feel in control at this point in time and hope & pray it stays that way! Wrapper, my precious little buddy who I ADORE, is stable, and I have the vet's phone number, emergency call # and pager #.

Prayers for a successful healing are greatly appreciated!

It's Been a Long Week

You probably didn't even miss me! It's been a long and busy week. Our electricity went out for a day from all the storms. Considering the tornadoes, storm damages, injuries and deaths, I'll not complain. It does however cause added work and can make things difficult. We've had rain EVERY DAY for over a week too. What a yucky, muddy mess all over the place! I've also been quite sick which was sure the wrong time for it!

As usual, even without electricity, the critters still "live on" and could care less. In spite of storms and incessant rain, they still need fed, managed, milked, etc.

I also ended up with a doeling that I just love who was "down" and either ill or injured. I had no place to keep her safe from the rest of the traffic so back in the house she came. She's not been out to the barn all that long so quickly settled right back in to inside life. She mostly laid around the first couple days anyways. She only got up and moved to potty or follow me around. She went right back to using her papers at the door as long as she was near. Once she started perking back up she was better at getting to them. I'm still not real sure what the problem was. She was in pain as she was grinding her teeth a lot. She also acted like it hurt to walk and be moving around so she just laid until she absolutely had to get up. I had found her in the pen with the big does the day before and a few days before that. So one possibility was she was head butted pretty hard and hurt. She was peeing and pooping normally. She was drinking and nibbling hay, wanting to eat paper, and taking her bottle. She didn't act like it was a digestive issue and no clumpy poop to indicate over eating. Clostridiums can kill a goat quickly though so I wasn't ruling it out. I ended up giving her shots of banamine for the pain, thiamine because goats have issues with it in times of stress, clostridium antitoxin and had to repeat them a few times. Hubby started calling her pin cushion. She was also getting probiotics to help her gut if it was a digestive issue. Fortunately she has pulled through without specifically "telling" me what the problem was. I do think it was an injury though. She did act stiff in the front legs and moved away from gentle strokes along her shoulder and sides. I sure wish they could talk human or I could hear goat!

I also am now wondering if my incubator hatches will produce any chicks after a significantly long power failure and temp drops. I'm still keeping them going though as I've heard some folks have the same situation and have chicks hatch. That being, I'm not expecting much but still hope that some will hatch! Last year I had fun with incubating and this year it's been a bummer. I think I have a fertility issue going on too.

My turkey hens were setting in the large dog shipping crate and in all the storms and rain, even with a tarp over the crate and the opening away from the driving rain, they got very wet. They looked like a couple drowned rats and were soaked totally through all their feathers. They stoically stayed on the nest though. One hen did come out and was cold and shivering. I put her in the barn as she'd not have made it if she stayed on a wet nest. I did use a LOT of shavings in the box and kept taking out wet but the hens were also wet so it was a lost cause. There were also 2 chicken hens setting with them. I got the crate moved inside the barn and one T hen stayed on it with the 2 C hens. I don't know how they could have maintained a good temp to hatch during this. I'm not expecting much success there either. Another bummer of a hatching season. I don't know if the turkeys will start laying again this season or not. Right now they just need to get their weight back up and lots more feather grooming.

Things are returning to normal but it's STILL raining and suppose to rain tomorrow too. We're suppose to go to a bbq tomorrow but I really don't want to go if it's nasty out. It's a friend of hubby's, so he wants to go of course. I'm not sure how so much time has passed, but tomorrow is also our anniversary. It's the 40th! I can't believe it. If a birthday doesn't make one feel old, that realization can!

I thought this was going to be a real short post to appologize for being AWOL and to let you know what's going on. I think I've written a book instead!

I hope you all have a good weekend and some fun too being it's a holiday on Monday!

Warm Weather! Farm Projects!

Wow, we all of a sudden went from the 40's and low 50's to yesterday and today the low 80's! We've had some Tstorms and the rain and warm temp has the trees leafing out with a noticible change daily!

I still have my milk stand sitting outside of the barn so I'm milking outdoors. I can enjoy the scenery changes while milking the 5 does. It also gives me time to observe the does as I've been letting them loose while I'm milking. It won't be much longer before I'll have to move the stand in the barn to the spot I have ready where I won't have the direct evening sun roasting me, the mosquitoes and flies being so bothersome. I'll still be able to gaze outside, but only through the door way and not a wide area.

I've also been able to observe the chickens which can be entertaining! A worm or bug are cause for the chicken derby and around and around they go. In observing them, I've decided that I will put something down that I can periodically move or life to all them access to worms or such that they so enjoy. It might be a good use for a busted pallet. They won't get hurt on it like they would metal and the size and weight won't be an issue for lifing or laying it down and not harming hens who want to be right there to help by snatching goodies. I've had to move the smaller stock tank they were drinking from as a hen fell in and was in bad shape when I found her. She was too far gone and I couldn't pull her out of it. Exposure in cold water isn't good for all those feathers! THe tank is there for the bucks but I don't have Nipper (still miss him) or Bandit now so it's not necessary to have it there. I had debated moving it before but it was froze down and full of ice. It took a while to melt as that's a shade spot 24/7. It's done now, but not soon enough. I had been bucketing some water out of it to move it but with the frost melting off the ground was so horribly muddy and wet I was afraid the excess water was going to enter under the side of the barn and cause problems there too. My timing was off though and I lost a black Cochin hen.

While sitting outside the barn to milk I also have time to observe and enjoy the 2 horses, Summer and Grace, who are reunited and enjoying each other's company. Being a buckskin and palomino, they are pretty with the fresh green background. Grace has gotten her long mane full of burrs. I have a bottle of spray to help get them out and now need some time to work on them. She wasn't happy about me taking a few out last week. I do hope the neighbor is able to mow the pasture for me this year as he's said he would. The last 2 years he's gotten ill and not been able to do it. It's getting close to time to mow it. I like it done in June, before the burdocks sprout their flowering burrs. Then I can later in the year give a 2nd go over of those spots to keep them from a late summer re-effort. It use to get done a couple times a year and it sure eliminates a LOT of weeds! I'm also going to get the back fence line enlarged back further, and closer to the woods. That should aide them in having more to graze so I have less hay to buy. I use to have good fencing for them to the woods but the wire has rusted and the deer ripped it out too while I wasn't physically able to keep up fence work. It's time to get that fence line in a new spot so where the woods has come further forward I won't have to wade through 6' high briars and thorn bushes. It's a must do project as the current fence needs some serious work. So I may as well put that energy and time into the fenceline move.

I've written a long post and haven't even touched on the garden work I've been trying to accomplish! I do think I will get to pick a few stalks of rhubarb today though! I need to cut the flower buds from one of the plants too. It also means I need to try to find the few remaining asparagus plants and see if there are any starting to peek through. I've decided where I'm moving them too and need to mark them for now so I can dig them after they have time for "feeding" their roots for winter. I think the goats may have grazed them off last year and I didn't realize what happened soon enough to spare them. They all need to come up closer to the house in the main gardening area.

Sitting on the milkstand and milking sure does give me a lot of time to look at all I want to get done this summer. I so need more energy and a few clones of myself to help me get it done! Maybe I should move the stand inside so I don't see so much that needs done! But then I'd just be looking at what I want to do inside the barn and closer out the door! What ever I do, it's a reminder that living in the North means that one has much less time to get farm work done. It needs done early enough as part of summer ends up being planning for winter!

Another Day on the Homestead

It might be just another day on the homestead, but this one is only 43* so far! BRRR! How easily I get use to temps in the 50's. We have frost warnings for tonight and I hate that as my apple trees and lilacs are in bloom or budded. A heavy frost does them all in. My daffodils are done for the season. I hate that short daffy season! At least the trees are a greenish tinge in the distance and the grass near to needing mowing.

I've been pulling weeds from my garden plots and tossing them to the chickens. They LOVE that. If I walk anywhere near the pen they are all at the fence begging and looking at me with hopes for a treat. After all, grab some grass and run and the chase is on. Get a bug out of the dirt and roots and the whole gang is on your tail chasing you. It's a regular chicken derby! They seem to realize that it's also milk season and they are at their gate watching me and hoping I'll give them a bit of milk too. Being the 3 bucklings left, I did give them about a cup of milk poured on their grain yesterday and they were estatic about that too. The nice thing is that it helps the adhere to the finer particles of the ground feed to the whole grains and makes it easier for them to swallow. I've always wondered how they can stand to eat all the finely ground feed. It would leave my mouth terribly dry while trying to swallow! So I like when I can give them some milk to wash it down.

Patches has moved out to the barn with the rest of the kids. He seems very happy to have them to run and play with. I was hoping to get the other 2 bucklings to their new home this week. I'm not sure I can get that done as I've not caught up with the gal. She's quite busy helping hospice with volunteer home respite care for some families. It's very quiet without any goat kids in the house. In a way it's nice, but then I kind of miss them too. They are just out to the barn and yard so it's not like I have far to go to visit them!

Being the beginning of May, it's almost time for me to start planting. I need to finish up the weeding and preparing the garden beds to get that done. I'm hoping to get some planting started this week! I want to get my squash, chard and some spinach seeds in to start with. That usually makes getting the rest going easier for some reason!

The last incubator hatch was only 3 chicks. One hasn't been doing well and will be put down. The other 2 are going to the barn tomorrow. I've been leaving the light off now but the house is warmer as I still have to start an evening fire. So I'll take them out tomorrow which is suppose to be warmer out and the night temp better too. I'm sure they are both little roos. I have chicks starting to hatch now in the incubator and they need the brooder. I sure hope I have a much better hatch this time!

My 2 turkey hens have gone broody but they have mostly chicken eggs under them. The chickens keep going in and laying with the turkey hens in the crate! There will only be a couple turkey eggs there and I hope they are fertile being the tom was injured and moved in the barn so the hens would quit pecking on him. I sure hope some of the turkey eggs will hatch in the incubators as there won't be many, if any, out side! If nothing else, it maybe quite cute to see a couple turkey hens with the chicks instead of them having poults!

I also have a couple hens who have gone broody and are sharing a nest and eggs!

Yes, it's a busy Spring time on the ole homestead!

Good Sunday Morning!

Good morning! I think we're going to get some rain today. I may get some time indoors to sit here at the computer more!

In the meantime, I'm drinking the last bit of coffee. Then I'm hitting the ice tea. There is the saying, "Pick your poison!". Coffee first thing in the morning for me won't last much longer. During the winter I drink hot beverages or plain water all day. I'm about to the point that I return to my preferred morning drink - fresh goat milk! Sometimes it's with SF (sugar free) chocolate syrup and sometimes plain. Then it's ice tea or water. I use to enjoy lemon and sugar or sugar in my tea but now it's plain. No more sugar for me. There's plenty of milk sugars in that goat milk though! What's your poison? Is it seasonal or year-around?

The 3 bucklings are leaving today. They are on their way to come get them. So I'm off, back to the barn to give them a bottle and try to take a couple pics. I hear I'm about to help put ear tags in them! Scrapie tags are another thing coming at me that I need to learn. I have a tattoo kit and need to learn that too. One never gets too old to learn and one never quits learning!

After that, I need to get the turkey eggs moved to the other incubator and the main one put on lock down for the hatch! The date just "hit me" and I should have done that yesterday!

Have a great day and I hope it makes your weekend to have been a good one!

It's a BEAUTIFUL Day

It's 52* out and SUNNY! The grass is GREEN and growing. The tree leaf buds are swelling my and lilacs have a tinge of green to them! I picked a few daffodils and brought them in. THIS is Spring! I LOVE IT!

I'm getting some things done outside today! Yesterday I had to take hubby to the dr, pick up prescriptions, get a couple groceries, etc.

We made our regular trip to GoodWill too of course! I found a JUICER! It's a cheaper one as it's one of the dark blue with speckles on it type like the water bath canners, but it's a jucier and they are expensive new. This looks to be practically new. Unfortunately the booklet is not with it, but I belong to a couple canning groups. I'll try to find a few blog articles with photos too. I found a couple neat cookbooks too! Sometimes I get too excited over such little things!

The laundry on the line is dry too. I love to hang my laundry out to dry. I miss that over the Winter. I'm thankful I don't have rules telling me I can't do this!

Back to work. It's time to fill some milk bottles and get the disbudding done! Everyone gets a bottle to help comfort them through the drama.

Patches is now able to be done too! He's able to jump for joy and cause havoc. Hubby is calling him a guppy - goat + puppy. He flies across the living room and into hubby's lap now. He's traveling in leaps and bounds. It's time to see if he can be incorporated in with the rest of the kids again. There aren't any goats in the isle of the barn now so IF needed, I can pull the 2 biggest boys out so that it's more of a fair situatio to all who are left between size and being disbudded. Hopefully that will work or I'll adjust the situation and find what does!

I'm working on getting the pics of Patches and Lady's trip to the vet done for a post.

Yesterday

...was one of those days that left a lot to be desired! It started out to getting up, looking out and what did I see.... SNOW! LOTS of snow. I wasn't expecting snow. I was expecting GREEN! GREEN GRASS! It's SPRING. I'm still TIRED of Winter and COLD. Cold comes with snow. YUCK! Unfortunately that set my mind frame. And another quick thought was I hoped the babies in the barn weren't too cold. It was sure cold in the house! Anyway, time to feed the kids and dogs and the cats and I needed coffee! Like in the Winter, my coffee didn't stay hot!

Yesterday was an "action packed day". I had lots of things on my "list of to do's". Too many things. Just regular, every day type things.

I had to go to town and get feed. When I got home to unload they'd not included the beet pulp I'd paid for. I'll have to go back and get that. I REALLY miss having had the mill here that closed. I miss them greatly and I miss the couple who had it greatly too. They were very special people.

I had to finish dealing with taxes as I diddled around til the last minute and KNEW BETTER of course.

I'm heat treating milk for all 11 kids and that's a lot of keeping a close eye on the milk! They're now drinking more than I'm milking so I'm always just behind on that and wish I had milk ahead. I'm buying milk and at the price I'm hating it so not buying but 4 gallons at a time.

With a few days of HEAVY rain before the snow, it's been slick clay and muddy. I was NOT a happy clucker when I slipped and fell on my fanny in the chicken pen and got my hands in it too last night! I'm always happy to know there was NO CAMERA there so at least I don't end up on utube with a million viewers laughing at my mishaps and antics. I just have to know that the poultry are laughing their feathers off. YUCK! The best part of the whole thing was I had just sat the egg basket down so I could try to get the eggs in the dog crate that is there for the turkeys so no eggs were harmed. But the eggs are sure dirty from all the dirty birdy feet! The bedding is dry!

And, the does weren't too happy with me either. They complained about my cold hands on their delicate anatomy parts they wanted to keep warm! Becca (bratty yearling Alpine) had been a jerk (before I put her on my nice new milk stand) was beating the tar out of June Bug (ND) with her trapped in a corner with no escape. She managed to kick the milk bucket out of my hand with almost all 3 quarts of milk dumped.

And, unfortunately, today is very much like yesterday. Geeezzz! I want the REAL Spring back! The happy-go-luck type one!

A Beagle!

Yes, you read that right! Went out to milk this am and the guy was coming this afternoon to get the 2 pg does and buck he called asking for.

Giving the 2 Boer does their breakfast and there, laying by Mo'Nique is a little BEAGLE! Macey kidded twins last year as an FF and this year she had a singleton (who was cuddled with Auntie Mo, not momma!). With his long droopy ears, size, shade of brown and SPOTS, he looked like a beagle. Did you get the HE? ANOTHER buckling! Yes, I got a couple quick pics but I need to crop and resize them.

This is the 4th doe who is NOT an FF who has had twins every year who had a singleton this year. What's with that? Young buck? That rascal (Bandit) was ALMOST 7 months when he bashed in the barn and had his way with the does in heat!

The guy also wanted the 2 Lady Bug (ND) daughters from last year. Domino, bad girl, is pg and due soon. She's bagged up and swelling in the rear so she shouldn't be long. He's very experienced in kidding out does so will do fine with a doe kidding at a young age. He'll be taking the other 2 bucklings that I don't want to keep as soon as they are weaning age. I am bottle feeding them right now.

So that leaves me with every one sold that I need to sell for the year plus a couple I hadn't expected to sell and yet had no big reason to keep. I also have an awesome load of hay and a new milk stand. My trailer is full of hay and there's about 15 bales in the barn - BEAUTIFUL hay. I never lifted a bale!

There are also some teens that know how to work and use a bit of muscle in farm related jobs. The 2 boys that came along to work and help out were AWESOME young men. I bet their folks are really proud of them. Not a lot of teens want to do farm labor so it's really nice to see a few that know how to work and are responsible. The guy who bought my goats had the guys along to unload the hay.

My kid count for the year:
June Bug aborted the quads - 3 bucklings and a doeling.
The rest kidded out 7 bucklings & 1 doeling. That is just plain WRONG! NOT FAIR at all!

I am now at the point with the goats that I had decided I was going to need to get to in order to concentrate more on the mini Alpines and now mini Manchas. I have my standard Alpine does and the La Mancha doeling and an Alpine doeling for producing the first generation of the minis and for the milk production I need. I want to have milk and all the goodies from it such as yogurt, cheese, etc. I also have the bucks that I can breed with the standard-sized does to. Then I can "cross over" to the other bloodlines so I should have well bred and vigorous successive generations without using one so heavily that I can't breed out or at least improve upon what I need to. I also still have Lady Bug and June Bug who are ND's and I'm really attached too. Go figure... I have 4 ND bucks and 2 ND does! I'm not going to be keeping 4 ND bucks but at this point I don't know which of Lady Bug's boys I'll most want to keep. Wrapper will be larger than Patches at maturity as they are now. I'm very pleased with my herd now.

I'm very happy how this all turned out between kidding and sales - just not that many bucklings!!

Now I can work on comparing improvements needed in the does and strengths in the bucklings as they develop. I can then make breeding plans for Fall. It may seen a long ways off, but it takes time to figure it all out being the bucklings are young and 2 of the doelings are too. I know what 3 of the standard sized Alpines produce and what Lady Bug produced from last year.

It's been a BUSY day. All the poultry have been moved to their "Summer digs" too. I was able to give away 9 unneeded roosters today and boy am I glad about that. All the chickens from the barn are now outside except 2 hens that I couldn't catch yet. The turkeys are also in the outside pen. The Bantams have been in the trailer since I got them and they are now in the big double stall area in the barn. They were very content in the trailer but they are sure happy in the barn too.

I am worn out.... plum tuckered out!