Posts
Well, not that I think my children would call it a vacation, in fact they seem pretty psyched to be moving on to "real life"!
You see, in the past year we have had...
*a new baby
*a grandfather in hospice care here in our home (and the subsequent loss of that grandfather)
*loss of dad's job (that led to the dairy being built)
*a trip to Colorado to return the other grandfather to where he wanted to be
*designing and building the dairy
*a trip to Montana and Idaho to pick up new goats for the dairy
*getting our license
*starting selling in farmer's markets
*started kidding season with a boatload more goats than ever before!
*two of the older and more essential daughters gone for two months to Europe
Suffice it to say, things have been in crisis mode for a while, now. Thankfully, with homeschooling, we had the luxury of flexibility; we could do school when it worked best and limit it to the bare essentials required. Also thankfully, we have a good team here in our family that pulls together well under pressure. Despite these facts, the house is a disaster, we haven't read to the kids in who knows how long, we have been cooking survival meals, not family feast and fellowship type dinners and living off paper plates. (How green is THAT?!) It is time, now, to look ahead and say "enough, time to move back to normalcy". So, this is the week that we buckle down.
We have our schedule ready to be printed up and posted. We have checklists for me to use to see if everyone is doing their jobs. We are working on menus and commensurate shopping list for the month of May. We are going through clothes and culling those outgrown/stained/holey clothes and packing away winter coats. Who knows, we might even finally get those boxes of Christmas ornaments out of the front room and into the shed!
Life looks good, rich and full. Now we just have to get it whipped into shape!
Pray for us!
Apr 29, 2009
Apr 23, 2009
They just keep coming!
Lightnin' had our first ever totally healthy set of triplets! Two bucks and a doe.
Prada had a buck and a doe.
We are now currently at 24 baby goats here on Swede Farm. Y'all ought to come out and see them sometime, there is nothing cuter than a baby goat no matter if their ears hang down, are upright or, in the case of LaManchas, totally missing!
We have four more does due to kid--one alpine, three nubians, the lamanchas are all done!
And the puppies are getting fatter by the hour.
Prada had a buck and a doe.
We are now currently at 24 baby goats here on Swede Farm. Y'all ought to come out and see them sometime, there is nothing cuter than a baby goat no matter if their ears hang down, are upright or, in the case of LaManchas, totally missing!
We have four more does due to kid--one alpine, three nubians, the lamanchas are all done!
And the puppies are getting fatter by the hour.
Apr 20, 2009
Oh! How could I forget?!
Besides all the baby goats being born we also had a litter of nine Great Pyrenees puppies born!
And yet more...
On Monday evening Nueces kidded--a girl and a boy.
Friday morning Bee kidded--two boys.
Mid-day Friday Miss. Muffet kidded, a girl and a boy.
Today, Monday, Arabella kidded--a single girl.
The second wave of kidding has, obviously, started.
Four down, seven to go!
Friday morning Bee kidded--two boys.
Mid-day Friday Miss. Muffet kidded, a girl and a boy.
Today, Monday, Arabella kidded--a single girl.
The second wave of kidding has, obviously, started.
Four down, seven to go!
Apr 15, 2009
Happy birthday Emma!!!
Today Emma is eleven. WHERE did the years go? We celebrated with friends over the weekend. Today Emma ran errands with her dad and I, to enjoy some special mom and dad time. Then she went with me to the farmer's market in Bryan/College Station. Now we are waiting for the dinner of her choice--barbecue stuffed baked potatoes, followed by icecream cones. Yum!
More importantly is the lovely young woman that Emma is becoming. She is a hard worker with a quirky sense of humor who loves spending time with people even if it is during a difficult job. She loves to serve. She works hard and plays hard, still having the best of both worlds; child and young adult.
Apr 14, 2009
What a way to wake up!
I woke up this morning with Liberty snuggled next to me. She does this a lot and I am not complaining or concerned. I figure soon enough she'll be grown and gone and not interested in cuddles.
She was still asleep. Liberty is NOT a morning person, she is definitely a night owl. Left to her own devices, she would happily go to bed every night at 2AM and get up at 10AM. To test how soundly asleep she was I quietly said "Liberty, we had baby goats last night."
Instantly her eyes shot open. "We did? From who?"
"Nueces."
"Oh! I thought it would be from that other one...um...what's the one who broke her leg?"
"You mean Hallie?"
"Yeah, her!"
"No, from Nueces."
"What did she have?"
"Go look for them and see!"
"No, wait...a girl and a boy?"
"You got it right!"
"Who was she bred to?"
Who was she bred to?! The girl is six years old!!! I didn't have a clue about anything like that until I was over ten and it took serious conversation and a special book bought for the occasion and a mom who was very open, really, but had a hard time looking me straight in the face when she named the pertinent body parts! I guess there are no stork illusions left at Swede Farm!
Anyway...
Liberty pops out of bed and traipses off to find the newest additions to Swede Farm. Less than two minutes later she is back, and she urgently tells me "Big goats are out!" It takes me a few seconds to even come close to comprehending what she is saying. "Wha...?" "Big goats are out!"
Sure enough, When I open Katie's door to tell her to come and help I can see a small herd of goats running and playing across the South side of the house. We all run out in our jammies and herd the goats into the holding pen o await milking time. I am amazed at the number of ears I see milling about in the pen so I do a quick count...every single Alpine milker went on walkabout and one lone lamancha. I have told people that the alpines are the most curious of the breeds that we have and this seems to confirm that.
Now to go find out what they were eating while on walkabout. Sigh...
She was still asleep. Liberty is NOT a morning person, she is definitely a night owl. Left to her own devices, she would happily go to bed every night at 2AM and get up at 10AM. To test how soundly asleep she was I quietly said "Liberty, we had baby goats last night."
Instantly her eyes shot open. "We did? From who?"
"Nueces."
"Oh! I thought it would be from that other one...um...what's the one who broke her leg?"
"You mean Hallie?"
"Yeah, her!"
"No, from Nueces."
"What did she have?"
"Go look for them and see!"
"No, wait...a girl and a boy?"
"You got it right!"
"Who was she bred to?"
Who was she bred to?! The girl is six years old!!! I didn't have a clue about anything like that until I was over ten and it took serious conversation and a special book bought for the occasion and a mom who was very open, really, but had a hard time looking me straight in the face when she named the pertinent body parts! I guess there are no stork illusions left at Swede Farm!
Anyway...
Liberty pops out of bed and traipses off to find the newest additions to Swede Farm. Less than two minutes later she is back, and she urgently tells me "Big goats are out!" It takes me a few seconds to even come close to comprehending what she is saying. "Wha...?" "Big goats are out!"
Sure enough, When I open Katie's door to tell her to come and help I can see a small herd of goats running and playing across the South side of the house. We all run out in our jammies and herd the goats into the holding pen o await milking time. I am amazed at the number of ears I see milling about in the pen so I do a quick count...every single Alpine milker went on walkabout and one lone lamancha. I have told people that the alpines are the most curious of the breeds that we have and this seems to confirm that.
Now to go find out what they were eating while on walkabout. Sigh...
Deja Vu...all over again
Weren't we just here a few days ago?
Kidding season has begun again, and like last time, with a goat deciding to surprise us.
We made it for this kidding, unlike last time. I had just snuggled down into bed, exhausted, when a reassuring thought crept into my mind...at least I wasn't going to be called out of bed in the middle of the night for a goat labor! We still have almost a whole week to go, the very earliest anyone was likely to be kidding wasn't until the 19th.
Just as I was sliding into sleep there came a sharp urgent knocking on my bedroom window "Goat kidding!" (Kate and Chris were in the dairy working on bottling milk for tomorrow's market--well, make that today's market, I guess! They had heard the tell-tale sounds of a goat pushing.)
As I jumped out of bed and into my clothes (who says dropping your clothes on the floor isn't a good idea?) I ran through my head...we are 6 days from earliest due dates, that must mean that it is one of the lamanchas kidding, for they are known to deliver earlier than the nubians or alpines, as a rule. (Though earlier this year the alpines decided that they didn't like this rule and we had several going early.)
Lamancha it was, Nueces. Last year Nueces had a single buckling. This year she had a big boy and a petite little girl, both black and white, very striking. I wish they would be old enough to bring to Tuesday's farmers market, but in truth they will be too early for me to feel comfortable bringing them.
That is OK, though...we have 11 more due to kid in the next 5 weeks. There will be plenty of babies to bring to market!
That is the benefit of staggering breeding tomake sure that you have a consistent amount of milk all year round...kidding season doesn't really seem to end!
Kidding season has begun again, and like last time, with a goat deciding to surprise us.
We made it for this kidding, unlike last time. I had just snuggled down into bed, exhausted, when a reassuring thought crept into my mind...at least I wasn't going to be called out of bed in the middle of the night for a goat labor! We still have almost a whole week to go, the very earliest anyone was likely to be kidding wasn't until the 19th.
Just as I was sliding into sleep there came a sharp urgent knocking on my bedroom window "Goat kidding!" (Kate and Chris were in the dairy working on bottling milk for tomorrow's market--well, make that today's market, I guess! They had heard the tell-tale sounds of a goat pushing.)
As I jumped out of bed and into my clothes (who says dropping your clothes on the floor isn't a good idea?) I ran through my head...we are 6 days from earliest due dates, that must mean that it is one of the lamanchas kidding, for they are known to deliver earlier than the nubians or alpines, as a rule. (Though earlier this year the alpines decided that they didn't like this rule and we had several going early.)
Lamancha it was, Nueces. Last year Nueces had a single buckling. This year she had a big boy and a petite little girl, both black and white, very striking. I wish they would be old enough to bring to Tuesday's farmers market, but in truth they will be too early for me to feel comfortable bringing them.
That is OK, though...we have 11 more due to kid in the next 5 weeks. There will be plenty of babies to bring to market!
That is the benefit of staggering breeding tomake sure that you have a consistent amount of milk all year round...kidding season doesn't really seem to end!
Apr 13, 2009
The best toy ever.
As a parent I have long thought that the best toy is the box that the really expensive, long awaited toy (or refrigerator) came in.
I was wrong.
The best toy ever is the 12 cubic yards full of sand that just got delivered to improve drainage in the goat pen and is piled in one huge (to a four year old, anyway) mountain.
I may never get all of the sand out of their clothes, or hair, or noses or toeses.
But they don't care, so why should I?
I was wrong.
The best toy ever is the 12 cubic yards full of sand that just got delivered to improve drainage in the goat pen and is piled in one huge (to a four year old, anyway) mountain.
I may never get all of the sand out of their clothes, or hair, or noses or toeses.
But they don't care, so why should I?
Apr 10, 2009
Happenings at Swede Farm
1)We are going to a new farmers market! We will be at Grogans Mill in the Woodlands...check out the website for more information.
2)He's here!!! I fell in love with this doe when I saw her online and it was confirmed when I saw her while on a trip to Colorado...we bought a son of hers back in 2006. Bandit was all I hoped for (even being named a Qualifying Young Sire by the American Dairy Goat Association) and promptly bred a goodly handful of his does that first year. Before his first kids were born, he died, one of those odd flukes that you hope never to have to deal with. Necropsy (an animal autopsy) was unable to explain why he died so we just held our breath and waited to see his kids. They were wonderful, but still...
So we were thrilled when we had the chance to buy his half brother! Alamo arrived safe and sound via Continental Airlines on Wednesday at exactly one month of age. He was introduced to the pen of girls his own age but they tried to beat him up so now he is in with the older guy on the block, Ulysses, who is a much more laid back and mellow kinda guy than those girls! Sheesh! You'd think they never saw a boy before! Like some bad movie about an all-girl's school! (and I know whereof I speak, having graduated from one!)
Alamo is the handsome goat withOUT ears or spots. Ulysses is the dashing guy with ears and spots.
3)We are getting ready to celebrate birthdays this weekend! Seth turned one on the 7th, Emma turns eleven on the 15th so we are having a joint shindig for both on Saturday the 11th. Not that we are gluttons for punishment, or anything, we only have two farmers market in the morning followed by the party. I would say that we kept it small, but truth be told even if we don't invite anyone from outside the family it can't be "small"!
2)He's here!!! I fell in love with this doe when I saw her online and it was confirmed when I saw her while on a trip to Colorado...we bought a son of hers back in 2006. Bandit was all I hoped for (even being named a Qualifying Young Sire by the American Dairy Goat Association) and promptly bred a goodly handful of his does that first year. Before his first kids were born, he died, one of those odd flukes that you hope never to have to deal with. Necropsy (an animal autopsy) was unable to explain why he died so we just held our breath and waited to see his kids. They were wonderful, but still...
So we were thrilled when we had the chance to buy his half brother! Alamo arrived safe and sound via Continental Airlines on Wednesday at exactly one month of age. He was introduced to the pen of girls his own age but they tried to beat him up so now he is in with the older guy on the block, Ulysses, who is a much more laid back and mellow kinda guy than those girls! Sheesh! You'd think they never saw a boy before! Like some bad movie about an all-girl's school! (and I know whereof I speak, having graduated from one!)
Alamo is the handsome goat withOUT ears or spots. Ulysses is the dashing guy with ears and spots.
3)We are getting ready to celebrate birthdays this weekend! Seth turned one on the 7th, Emma turns eleven on the 15th so we are having a joint shindig for both on Saturday the 11th. Not that we are gluttons for punishment, or anything, we only have two farmers market in the morning followed by the party. I would say that we kept it small, but truth be told even if we don't invite anyone from outside the family it can't be "small"!
Apr 5, 2009
Chocolate Passion
Just the title is yummy!
I love living out here. There are many interesting and intriguing places to eat and shop in Houston...after all, it IS the fourth largest city in the United States and it does boast a large international population. It seems, sometimes, that in Houston, though, the forest gets lost for the trees and the neat places are either commonplace or easy to miss.
That is not always so out here in the hinterlands.
So, I decided that I would periodically share some of my favorite places.
Chocolate Passion is a new one. A friend introduced me to this wonderful coffee and chocolate shop on our way to Bordens to pick up the plastic milk jugs that we use to bottle our milk. (so far they haven't seemed to mind that goat milk is going in their cow milk bottles. All they care is that they get a check for their bottles. Oh and they seem to get a kick out of the "GOAT MILK" sign on the van.) Anyway, we were having a frustrating and stressful time at Swede farm, so my sweet friend took me out to let me drown my cash flow concerns in the best place possible (besides to God in prayer)--a cup of hot chocolate! Specifically, Venezuelan Spiced hot chocolate. Yum beyond description! Lunch was good also, muffaletta and soup. Dessert was incredible, a cake named "chocolate explosion" and dark chocolate covered baklava. Topped it off with a small box full of hand crafted chocolates for Tim (that miraculously made it home) and it was a trip worth remembering...for the wow factor of the food as well as for the heart melting kindness of my friend.
I took Tim by there last week to share it with him and he agreed. Chocolate Passion makes going to Conroe for bottles something to look forward to.
I love living out here. There are many interesting and intriguing places to eat and shop in Houston...after all, it IS the fourth largest city in the United States and it does boast a large international population. It seems, sometimes, that in Houston, though, the forest gets lost for the trees and the neat places are either commonplace or easy to miss.
That is not always so out here in the hinterlands.
So, I decided that I would periodically share some of my favorite places.
Chocolate Passion is a new one. A friend introduced me to this wonderful coffee and chocolate shop on our way to Bordens to pick up the plastic milk jugs that we use to bottle our milk. (so far they haven't seemed to mind that goat milk is going in their cow milk bottles. All they care is that they get a check for their bottles. Oh and they seem to get a kick out of the "GOAT MILK" sign on the van.) Anyway, we were having a frustrating and stressful time at Swede farm, so my sweet friend took me out to let me drown my cash flow concerns in the best place possible (besides to God in prayer)--a cup of hot chocolate! Specifically, Venezuelan Spiced hot chocolate. Yum beyond description! Lunch was good also, muffaletta and soup. Dessert was incredible, a cake named "chocolate explosion" and dark chocolate covered baklava. Topped it off with a small box full of hand crafted chocolates for Tim (that miraculously made it home) and it was a trip worth remembering...for the wow factor of the food as well as for the heart melting kindness of my friend.
I took Tim by there last week to share it with him and he agreed. Chocolate Passion makes going to Conroe for bottles something to look forward to.
Apr 2, 2009
We have babies!
Tim and I went to buy animal feed on Wednesday, like always. (Nothing like buying a ton of feed every week to get your juices flowing!) When we drove down our street we saw Kate, Grace and Linnea across the street at our neighbor's fenceline with two feed buckets.
"Berry picking?" Tim wondered...
"Too early for that" I commented as my eternal worry gene started trying to figure out what could possibly have gone wrong that could be fixed with feed buckets.
The girls saw us and started waving toward the bushes "We have turkey babies!"
A few days ago I realized that I hadn't seen our second turkey hen in a while. I had concluded that it wandered off, got lost, and became some dog's turkey dinner. (That worry gene thing again. I am working on it, but it is pretty firmly entrenched by now.) Apparently rather than serving herself up as dinner she had been sitting on a nest made in the bushes along the neighbor's fenceline. She now had herself a nice batch of poults (turkey babies) that kept running away from the girls into the neighbor's pasture--not a good thing as his anatolian shepherd dogs would have seen them as hors d'oeuvres, I am sure. It wasn't a good idea to leave the chicks and their momma where they were because on one side of their nest was the neighbor's pasture with the dogs, on the other side is the road. The girls waited patiently and the babies followed momma back towards the girls (thankfully she was our friendly turkey hen) where they were able to scoop them up and move them to a recently vacated chicken tractor (a portable chicken shelter).
So now we have nineteen Bourbon Red babies! They are so cute!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)