Friday, May 2, 2008

The Lawnmowers

Josh had prom last Friday night. He looked so handsome in his tux. He forgot to bring the camera along to the pre-prom photo session at one of the guy’s homes, so I had to check out this friends’ MySpace pages to see pictures of him and his date. But, he had a great time and won a blockbuster gift pack at the after-party. He was sick again this year. Last year he had a 103 temp, but went anyway. This year it was just some cold symptoms.

I picked up two pregnant does Sunday. Milking goats, woohoo! Clover is a 2 year old tan-colored Alpine Spanish cross. Although I doubt she is a true Spanish cross as I understand Spanish are pretty hard to come by. People often refer to mixes as Spanish, so she is probably more like a Heinz 57. Piglet is a 1.5 year old white Alpine Saanen cross. Piglet is due maybe early July, Clover probably a month later. Either way, I see goat milk, cheese and soap in our future! I told Rachael they are my new lawnmowers. I had to revise that to mulching mowers when I brought one into the house to show her via Skype and it "mulched" on the floor. She thought it was hysterical, I did not. I have an 8x8 pen I move around the place and allow them to graze down the grass & weeds during the day. So far they are doing a great job!

I fixed up a pen in the coop for them to use at night. I think the hens have finally adjusted. Its definitely confined quarters, but the gal I bought them from insisted they like that. She had dog igloos in her sheep run and she said they sleep 3 or more to an igloo, so I guess they must. I need to cut a hole in the side wall and put a door in there so they can access the pen without waking though the hens’ area. Everyone will be happier the day that happens. They have a spot about 4x7 inside and a fenced run about 16x27 on the outside with a 4x4 doghouse so they have a choice of homes. They get locked up safe from the lions at night.

I’ve been selling eggs and processed broilers. It’ll be a nice little bit of income for my efforts. Once I’ve covered feed costs over the past year and the coop and the fencing, and….sigh. The eggs I donated to the kindergarten classes are hatching. From what I understand they have had a good hatch rate. Guess its time to move the latest babies out of the garage and into the coop to make room for more. I also had a hen go broody and she is setting on a clutch of 13 eggs. She is one I hatched out last summer. The nest box has 15 holes, but the hens all seem to prefer the box she is setting in, so her clutch has been growing. I finally got wise and numbered the eggs when she was off the nest. Now I know if there are extras and can pull them before they begin to develop. As it is, I will have to pull the incubator out and finish off those that were laid later in the house. Hopefully I can slip them under her at night after they hatch and she will take them as her own. Hopefully!

Well, the peas are up as is the spinach. Good thing they can survive a frost, as it has decided to snow. And it came down fast and furious. Wednesday it was 76 at our place Thursday they were forecasting 7-15” here. I hope its winter’s last hurrah. I never thought it would stick, but it did, we got about 5 inches on the ground total. Hopfully it will melt today.

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Josh ready for prom

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Piglet. My Alpine Sanaan cross.

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Clover. My Alpine Spanish cross.

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Nice picture of the snowfall. Ironically, this is the wagon I use in my garden.

1 comment:

  1. I love your blog - I read it all the time, and then I call my mom and read it to her. Keep up the good work!

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