Tag Archives: goats

Farm Trails

Posted on February 8, 2009 | Leave a comment

Today we walked the goats’ new path onto a neighbor’s property. They have permission to clear the brush out of the woods.

Here are a couple of photos Margie took last week that I didn’t get to post as yet: some of their Angus “baby bulls” and the first litter of baby goats and mama Bossy.

Last July, when the first batch of goats was brought to the farm, Margie named the big female “Bossy.” Bossy’s now the mom of the two kids on the left. Two other little ones at the time (about three months old) were being head-butted by Bossy so I gave them strong female names, Rosa and Eleanor. Today they came up to me for the first time and sniffed my hand. It’s the closest they’ve ever come to me.

Yesterday morning I saw a dog across the street by the barns. Before long he was by the house scrounging for food. Smart pup, hunting dog about 4-5 months that was probably just dumped down the road. He hasn’t been far from the door ever since. I’m hoping he’s adopted because he’s not going to last long out here with the coyotes, and he also has a swollen knee from a bite. Nanny bought him a bag of food today and we fed him. Starving little guy. Very sweet. I can’t imagine tossing a puppy out of a car and driving off.

We’re headed home tomorrow after a quiet weekend. Our dog Zoe certainly sleeps well at night after guarding the house (she’s an inside dog) all day long! I’m sure she’ll sleep in the back of the car all the way home.

Hope you had a great weekend! More from home base, where I can type on a real keyboard and not make nearly as many mistakes… Cheers, Dee

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Goats

Posted on January 19, 2009 | Leave a comment

The kid in the igloo is the new baby girl born yesterday, in the “maternity ward.”

Last week’s crop has joined Mom with the other goats in the pasture. See them trying out their springy legs by the pile of hay.

They are adorable to watch. Dee

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The Little Cowboy

Posted on August 2, 2008 | 3 comments

When we last visited Jim’s folks ranch a couple of weeks ago, their grandson Joseph helped them pick out goats. During his summer visit with the grandparents, he is bonding further with the goats and informs us that they like overdone peanut butter cookies. Sorry, Grandma Margie!

When we visited a couple of weeks ago, every morning the sounds of country singer Marty Robbins wafted through the house… “Out in the west Texas town of El Paso, I fell in love with a Mexican girl….”

So this five year-old is now a country singer, cowboy (don’t want to see him with cows as he’s an expert at locking up our Zoe with our smart dog being none the wiser) and has a future in animal husbandry if he doesn’t go into something silly like physics.

We’ve some news for this future rancher. “Don’t tell anyone the only protein you eat is chicken fingers! Have some veggies and starch, an egg and maybe even beef so you can grow up into a big cowboy. After all, you loved my festive coleslaw. That’s a start. Love, Aunt Dee”

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Joseph and the Goats

Posted on July 11, 2008 | Leave a comment

This was probably taken by Grandma this morning before work. This is our oh-so-cute nephew with Eleanor and Rosa in the foreground on the left.

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My Goat Names

Posted on July 10, 2008 | 1 comment
Eleanor and Rosa

Eleanor and Rosa

Everyone was being messed with by “bossy” goat so my silly names for the babies went out the window. In the back, brown and white is Eleanor, for Eleanor Roosevelt. At front in brown and grey and white is Rosa, for Rosa Parks. Two great ladies. Here they are.

Having strong people around, men and women, really helps. Keep cooking, I’m working on a recipe for you but have to make it first. Dee

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Zoe and the Goats

Posted on July 9, 2008 | 2 comments

Zoe’s instincts as a herder kicked in and she went in looking like a scared pup, barked fiercely a couple of times, ran around the goats with no purpose and was sent out of the gate scared once again by baby goats.

Last night she saw the goats through the fence in the pen, and barked fiercely, once.

This morning we packed up to go home and she hates being left behind. Our car was right in front of the goats. Even for a couple of days we pack heavy to go to the farm, with extra clothes in case of a business trip, food and other items.

Well, before we had the car packed, Zoe zoomed out of the door, and ran to the car, no goats in mind at all though she was running right to them. She jumped into the back seat, paws in between the driver and passenger seats with her tongue out. She stood there and would not be moved for anything.

It’s good to know that she gave up her 20 second career as a goat herder to herd her family back home. As to that, it took us all day to get back home. It’s all work from here.

Jim’s Mom is growing tomatoes and many herbs. I made Boursin (this post) also Cuke Salad (same) with her herbs, and pickling cukes with my grandmother’s recipe. There’s nothing like fresh cukes.

I love picking out fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden, so that’s what I did with my FIVE year-old nephew (I was corrected as to his age), picking tomatoes and cucumbers together with a basket to catch all the goodies. Joseph is such a joy to spend time with, and a handful!

Where we live, we can go to a farmer’s market but on the farm one uses what one has. That is a philosophy unknown to urban wanna-be growers.

My heart goes out to all farmers for what you do to feed this country. Not to mention other countries. If you want to have an eco-tourism adventure ask about going to a farm. Before you book at a picturesque one in Tuscany, consider your own country.

Learn how they live, because they’re making you breakfast, lunch and dinner. Every day.

Eat low on the hog,
Dee

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Goats on the Farm

Posted on July 8, 2008 | Leave a comment

Jim’s parents and our nephew Joseph went to buy goats yesterday. They wanted two and came back with seven Boer goats, anywhere from about five months old (the kids) to mature, pregnant females. They’ll go and get a billy goat in a couple of weeks.

I’ve seen slides of me petting goats at a petting zoo when I was two years old. Well, I haven’t been near one since. These ones are afraid of humans and it’s not surprising as since the great goat enterprise began yesterday afternoon, they’ve already been wormed and “Bossy” who gets all the food and pushes all the others around, just a few moments ago got de-horned so she won’t hurt the others.

Sounds like fun being on a farm! Four year-old Joseph loves it. He’s got his mini John Deere ‘dozer hooked up to a Radio Flyer wagon. I’ll have to get a photo of him, if he stands still long enough for me to take it!

Home to the big city tomorrow so we’re enjoying our last day here visiting family.

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Solitude

Posted on July 6, 2008 | Leave a comment

When I was single, people always asked me if I was lonely. I lived alone with my dog and two cats but was never lonely because I always had good friends around.

Tonight there’s the city in my windows, the occasional hum of traffic and the A/C, my husband’s snoring and dog too – she’s taken over my side of the bed. We call her The Usurper.

I’m at the command post ready to move out in the morning and enjoying solitude. It’s that state of mind married people can get if they’re up in the middle of the night, alone, writing.

Solitude isn’t lonely. It’s not really alone. I know my loved ones are next door sleeping and are here for me as I’m here for them. OK, Zoe’s never here for me, I’m here for her. Got me on that one.

We’ve had a stressful few weeks and I haven’t spent this much day-to-day time with Jim for five years. First it was tough then when things did get tough we banded together and it’s us against the world. Still, I’d like him to go back to normal life and work as we’ll both be happier.

We don’t know what part of the country we’ll end up in but I’ll try to keep up the blog for you, with potential interruptions, wherever we go.

So with husband around 24/7 solitude is forgiving, calm, re-energizing. We’re off to the farm tomorrow and working with his Dad will help Jim focus and calm down. He needs his solitude, too.

His folks are getting goats on Monday so we’ll see how Zoe does with them. Let’s hope goat’s not on the menu Monday evening! Enjoy the weekend, Dee

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