warm weather!

Well, time for an update. Yesterday (Sunday) I wiped myself out moving over 200 bales of hay (with help, of course) and then going swimming. Below are some photos from the past few days.

The goats are watching something very closely. . .

the new pig. My brother got a boar to breed his guilt (the boar is the red one).

the new trailer of hay. . .

the pond,

peas in the garden,

tiny cucumber plants! Cucumber plants grow SOO fast, it's crazy. I "inspected" the bigger plants earlier today and found several *tiny* cucumbers growing, yay! I think it'll be a week or so by the time we get cucumbers, Mom thinks it'll be longer. . . we'll see who's right ;).

Today I made an udder balm/salve for the does. First, I chopped up some fresh peppermint leaves (the recipe called for them to be dried or wilted, but they weren't, and it called for a few other things that I didn't have so just left them out).

a chopped up comfrey leaf,

then I covered it in olive oil, added a few drops of tea tree oil, and put it on low heat for a few hours.

I then strained the herbs out and added enough bees wax for it to be thick. The way to check if there is enough bees wax is to dip a metal spoon in the mixture and then put it in the freezer for a few minutes. If it comes out how you like it, good. If not, add more olive oil or more bees wax as needed.

The finished product. . . probably will use it on some of the does' udders tomorrow!

Well, lots of photos, but I don't have much else to say! Anyone looking for some nice milkers. . . I have a few and know of others for sale.

Have a good night!

Suriyah

photos

Some random photos.

cabbage,

produce from the garden and eggs from the chickens,

wild flower,

more flowers,

marigolds,

a small change

As you have probably noticed, I put a new background on here - actually, I made it and had to have my sister put it up here - thanks Q! I hope it is easier to read on.

Just got done unloading some moldy hay (from the trailer that had leaks). . . and moving moldy hay is no fun, especially in the heat.

Let's see. . . yesterday I made rice pudding, maple pudding and cheese. Not much else going on. Just awaiting the truck load of good hay, which should get here in about 1 1/2 hours.

Have a good day!

Suriyah

a new addition

Yes, it's another goat! The new addition to the herd is an "earless wonder" named Cricket. She is from Mercy Farms, thank you Joanne! Cricket is registered and a yearling first freshener. She has a beautiful udder and I think her face is very cute, but she has one big thing to deal with - she self-nurses. Joanne talked about selling her, and my Mom said she'd like the "challenge" (of trying to make her not self-suck anymore), so we decided to get her and picked her up yesterday. She is a bit shy, but that'll just take a bit of time till she is friendly. Her registered name is MercyFarms MG Cricket.

Well, here's a few pictures - not the best though.

The other day we dug 9 rows and planted potatoes. . . hopefully we'll have lots and lots of potatoes!

The grass is growing and the goats really can't keep up with it. Oh well. . . I guess that is a better problem to have then having not enough grass! It is weird to think back to California - there our goats had pretty much no grass. They were kept in little dry lot pens, and almost everyday we'd take them out to graze but would still have to feed at least a hay bale a day - and at the time, the hay was about $15 a bale (115 lb bales or so)! There wasn't much feed for them to graze on besides sage brush and bushes, except during the spring, all the flowers would come out with some grass and it was very pretty that time of year! BUT, I'll take Oklahoma over that any day ;).

What I do in my "spare time". . . trim hooves.

Well, have a great weekend!

Suriyah

the week in photos

Some pictures from the past week or so.

We traded 2 unregistered Boer kids for 2 sheep, an ewe and her baby ewe.

Molly. . . she is getting big!

Bridget,

Honey Bun. . . she's a funny goat,

a chicken,

a pretty petunia in the garden,

a soccer ball,

and yes, this is me ;),

Suriyah

the past few days re-cap

Well, it's definitely time for an update. Let's see. . .

Late Thursday night Abigail (from Camo Ranch) and Melody (her mom) got here. Abigail looked at Prissy's feet for me. She's (Prissy, that is) had some trouble in the past - several months back she got a swollen knee (me thinking CAE, I tested her and she was negative), then about a month ago she started limping. I looked at her feet and they didn't seem all too bad to me, but I don't know much about goat feet after all, at least compared to the professional Nannycurist. So I emailed Abigail and she offered to stop by and take a look.
Well, she looked at her feet. She "fixed" Prissy up, her feet were not that bad but she had a bunch of bruising in her front feet. From looking at the grow lines, they were wavy and Abigail said that (plus much more info, too much for me to go into right now) shows that she foundered sometime in the resent past. That would explain the swollen knee, the limping, etc. This might sound funny, but I am excited to find that out - at least I know what is/was wrong with her and how to keep her on good feet! Once a goat has foundered, they will always have feet problems - but Abigail told me I can keep those in-check by keeping her feet properly trimmed (keeping the heal down).
Anyway. . . again, I've learned so much from you, Abigail! Thanks!

While we were doing the goat's feet, my Mom and Melody were out in the garden with flashlights (it was 10:30 or 11pm) checking the garden out. . . why not :)! Then it started to storm so we all went in the house and got our storm education ;). It was a late but good night!

Friday was a normal day, and we went to the Leach livestock auction to look for a boar for my brother's little pig, but they all went a bit high - we'll have to go back next time.

Saturday. . . played soccer in the morning and had fellowship all afternoon, and danced as usual ;).

Then today we sold and loaded a lot of hay. Thank you to all of you that came today, it was nice to meet you (or see you again)! Whenever you need more hay, let me know!

Well, that was my past few days. It's late now and will be time for bed soon.

Here's a few funny pictures. . . I have a few more but those will have to wait till another day.

Lizzie reaching for the leaves,

and Ace, also reaching for the leaves,

Have a good night!

Suriyah

Mini Nubian does for sale

We have 4 Mini Nubian does for sale. Here's some info on them. If you'd like pictures and more info, feel free to call (918-598-4007) or email me - I am open to offers and making package deals, just need to move a few does out.

PawPawNin Willa - Willa is about 4 years old. She kidded in February to twins and is being milked 2x a day right now. Willa is blue eyed and polled, and is a small doe with airplane ears. She has a nice and soft udder.

PawPawNin Vivid Bridget - Bridget is a very nice, colorful, medium-sized doe. She kidded in January to twins and is being milked 2x a day right now. She is very colorful and produces very cute kids. Her udder is nice and soft and easy to milk.

Good Goats QW Princess Piggy Pants - I know, funny name, but this is a funny little doe! Princess is black with a small bit of brown. She is a yearling, born 2009. Her ears are long, but I did not leave them taped long enough when she was a kid, so they are folded funny. She is also polled. Princess comes from great milk lines with good udders - I've milked her dam, grandma and great-grandma - all wonderful milkers.

Good Goats JM Toasted Marshmallow - Toasty is a cute little doe. She is grey/white swirl with a bit of brown, and she has pretty good ears. She is a yearling, born 2009. She comes from good milk lines, I have milked her dam and sisters and they all have nice udders.

HAY!

The first batch of 2010 first cutting hay is here. . . a big huge truckload right in the front yard! It smells great and the goats like it so much.

If anyone would like any hay or more info on it, email or call me (918-598-4007). Thanks!

Alfalfa/Orchard grass hay,

alfalfa/orchard,

Straight Alfalfa, has a bit of grass in it.

alfalfa,

Suriyah

new buck!

For an update. . . well, we've been busy, as usual! We got a new Alpine buck, thank you to Abigail at Camo Ranch for this handsome boy! He is a yearling buck and his name is Summer Gold Lord O The Dance, aka "Dancer". His great-grandpa, CH *B Willow Run Chevalier Ruffian was the highest ever selling goat at the ADGA Spotlight Sale - $16,000! (By the way, there's no way I'd pay that much for a goat, LOL!). Ruffian's dam, SGCH 2*M Willow Run Armand Rishona, was a beautiful doe and a 4 time National Champion.

So, all that to say, Dancer should give us some nice kids that'll put a lot of milk in the pail!

Dancer

I *tried* to shear the white llama girl the other day. . . it did not go so well! I was using scissors. I got a lot of her matted hair on her neck off, which helps. And then I was done for the day... no more! It is definitely not a pretty hair cut and there is still a lot more that needs to be cut off, especially her barrel. All that and the other llama will have to wait till another day, and I think I will use clippers instead of scissors.

Friday there is a local auction, and we went to it this time. There just happened to be a working, nice pair of the big Oster clippers that are so expensive! The only thing wrong with them is a part of the blade is broken, but it'll work just fine without that and it can always be fixed. So anyway, I won them for $17.50!

trying to shear the llama....

Well, I better finish this up. A big load of Alfalfa/Orchard grass (1st cutting) hay is suppose to be here almost any minute. If you would like some hay, it's beautiful hay and is $6 a bale. For more info, email or call me (918-598-4007)! Thanks!

Have a good day!

Suriyah


P.S. - Happy Mothers Day to all you moms out there!

Doctoring calves

Just a real quick post to show you what we did this afternoon. . . doctored some calves (7... not that many!). Here are a few photos.

my brother and cousin roping,

my other brother,

going to tag and worm the calf,

my brother and me (worming the calf),

That's it for now!

Suriyah