# MuldrowHomeFarm-Our journey into Farming (little did we know this is where we were going....)



## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 30, 2020)

1999 is the year we met......I will merely highlight what has brought us here......but suffice to say, a lot of love, patience, forgiveness and so much grace, it cannot even be measured.
I am assuming that the initials, "DH" stands for Dear Husband......at least, I am hoping they do.  If not, then please know that DH here does stand for Dear Husband.....because to me, my husband, is a very Dear man......
I met DH at Hollywood Video, where we both worked.  Our marriage is a 2nd marriage for both of us and he has 4 boys, one of which, I claim and he calls me Mom.  I came into our marriage with a daughter and son. Both my kids were younger than his youngest by about 2 years.  So....we had a blended household of a 15 yr old boy, a 13 yr old boy, a 10 yr old girl and a 7 year old boy.  I didn't have teenagers, so I had no idea what I was in for......
Fast forward through all the drama of having that household incurred........the oldest boy that lived in our house, JM, joined the Air Force upon graduation and that was wonderful and terrible at the same time.  He is now 36, medically retired after 15 years in the AF, survived a kidney transplant 2 years ago in February and is back home with us at the farm, with his incredible wife, who we absolutely adore!  They have been married for 8 years and she is our angel! 
Our daughter married an incredible young man, who joined the K9 unit in the Army and they are out East finishing up his contract so they can move home to the farm in a couple of years.  We are praying for a baby in 2021, as they have suffered 2 miscarriages in the last 2 years.
Our youngest son joined the Air Force when he turned 24.  A little slow out of the gate, but he loves it and is up North "living the dream", as he puts it.  He plans to finish his contract, maybe do a couple more years and then come home to the farm.  We shall see what God has in store for him and us!

DH and I decided very early that we liked each other, as well as, loved each other enough to work together.  From 1999 to 2006, we were lucky enough to have jobs that allowed us to be together all the time.  In 2006 we had a financial set back that required us to move from South Texas to Midland, Texas, or as I like to call it.....HELL.  Please, I know that many people love West Texas and I was born in Houston, Texas so I am Texan, through and through but to me, Midland, Texas is HELL. If not for the fact that it is a desert, it is because of the family members who resided there that were trying to "help" us, all the while trying to destroy our marriage behind the scenes.  We endured 2 years there until I said, "I am going home, to South Texas." And so we did.....we ended up in South East Texas about 20 minutes from Louisiana and 40 minutes from the Ocean....which is why I moved as far South as I could.....(we cannot afford Galveston or I would live there). Also, Galveston is where we met........
Anyway.....in 2008 when we moved to SE TX, I found out that DH grew up as a beekeeper, with his father and grandfather and they once owned 4000 hives.  He RELUCTANTLY agreed to teach me how to keep bees and we currently run between 400 and 600 hives locally.  We had not been able to work together since 2006.  DH took a job that he enjoyed but hated to be working without me, as I hated to work without him so we set out to do what we could to work together again as soon as possible.  2018 looked like we would be able to do it but it ended up being 2019 before we made it a reality.
2017 JM moved home with MM and had his kidney transplant.  He has blossomed.  We bought 56 acres of uncleared land and went to work.  Little did we know that uncleared land would be so difficult to make into a farm of any kind......but we are loving it!  Now, because we are in SE TX, we have endured Hurricane Harvey and Imelda.  Both have dumped so much water on us that we keep floaties on all our goats.  Thank God we did not have animals in Harvey and we did not get the goats until the week after Imelda.
Another notable event is that a young friend of mine, that is the same age as our daughter........I met her when we worked together from 2009-2011, gave birth in 2018, to an amazing baby boy.  Her family is out of the picture and we have adopted them as ours.  We went through her pregnancy and his birth with them and now he is 2 and a half.....the absolute light of all our lives......we couldn't love him more if he was biologically ours. He will never know that he is not ours! They live with us and will build a house at the farm when the time comes. 
We timbered the majority of the property and divided it up.  38 acres for our son and our precious MM.  18 acres for DH and me.  At our age, we thought 18 acres would be just about perfect.  Wow....18 acres is HUGE.  So, we gave an acre to CS and our baby boy.  Henceforth, he will be known as The Super Hero, Captain Spiderman.  He loves Captain America and Spiderman.  A picture will follow so you can see what I mean.......please, feel free to laugh, as he thought this outfit up all by himself.
Then we gave 2 acres to our daughter, AG and 2 to our youngest son, JE. Thus reducing our land to 13 acres.  We might just be able to take care of that!
I did make sure that we left about 60 feet of brush on the front and side of our property to block any potential neighbors.  I can safely say, it was not enough brush......
I grew up on a farm, 330 acres and we farmed soy beans, cows, horses, goats and chickens.  That, of course, was 1000 years ago (I am 52 now) so I thought I had enough knowledge to do what we needed to do.  I learned to drive a tractor when I was 6.  I could saddle my own horse at 6,  Even though I had to stand on a 55 gallon drum and jump of to cinch the blanket on her, I did it.  I left the farm at 18 and SWORE I would never go back.  Well, I didn't but at 40, I couldn't remember why I left.  I love farm life and surprisingly so does DH, even though he is a Pirate at Heart, he was just born 200 years too late.
2018 allowed us to start our dream by putting in a 75 foot driveway.  We then started fencing in the outer perimeter of the first portion of the property.  We chose the best fencing for goats we could find, which means it is fairly expensive and now damn near impossible to get......we have to order it by the pallet.  About $2k a pop.  We get a slight discount by buying a pallet.  We had the front and the sides fenced but the back was not fenced.......but it was a long, long way to the back of our property and we back up to the LVNA canal, which is right next to the RR tracks so we figured any livestock would just stay up front, which, thank heavens, they did...we went to auction.
DH decided that it was time for natures lawn mowers, since I refused to buy him a Cheeta Lawmower for $10K.  We took $1500 and went to see what we could see at the auction barn.  It was exciting and sad.  I will not go into the auction scene but I hate the thought of going back.  I will, mind you, because I am a rescuer at heart and DH knows this and accepts it.  In the last 10 years, we have housed, vetted and rehomed over 40 dogs.  This year we have had 2 litters of little black puppies dropped at our gate at the farm.  All vetted and rehomed.  I am proud of this.  We never refuse something God puts on our doorstep.  The auction wasn't put on our doorstep but now that I know what it is......well, I will go rescue from there again but now I know how to quarantine, thanks corona, and that is helpful.
We walked around the pens and wrote down all the numbers of the goats we wanted to bid on.  We were given specific instructions by our leader.  DH would be doing the bidding.  Only Nannies and NO PREGNANT GOATS.  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.......
Everything was going well, right up until DH started bidding on an OBVIOUS Billy Goat.  He was beautiful but he was a BOY.  I am on one side of the room, JM (son) and MM (dil) are on the other side of the room.  We are frantically looking at each other and the back of the room, where DH is now in a bidding war for this boy.  I am gesturing wildly and JM is mouthing to me, "What is he doing?" DH never, NEVER, looks at us...his trusty spotters......he just goes right on bidding......and winning this boy.  After he finishes, he glances at me. Noticing my STUNNED face, he mouths, "What?"  I mouth, "It is a BILLY."  He says, "What?" I make the hand signs for LARGE COJONES and say very loudly, "HE HAS BALLS! HE IS A BILLY!"  Everyone around me busted out laughing, of course and DH looks down and says out loud, "The number shows it is a Nanny." I shake my head and DH looks over to JM who mimics my hand gestures.  Just then the auctioneer says, "Hey, sorry about that, I gave the wrong number on that last goat." But by then, we had already bought him so.....oh well.......no, they would not go back and re sell him.....so we took him home.  At the end of the day, we ended up with one nanny with twin billy kids, I just couldn't let them be split up, 1 billy and 14 nannies and 2 wethers.  As we were leaving, the boys were already out back loading up our herd, we girls went to the potty.  I got stopped by a little goat that was being sold with no bids.  I asked the auctioneer if she was a nanny and he said yes.  The bid was $40.  No one bit.  They were about to move on so I bid $35 on this little thing.  I couldn't believe my ears when some dude from across the room bid $40.  I just stared at him and said, "Seriously?  He asked for $40 900 times and you never said a freaking word." I turned to the auctioneer and said, "$50" then just stared at the Dude.  He remained silent.  And this is how I ended up going outside to my wonderful DH and saying, "We have one more to load.  I'm sorry. No one wanted her and I couldn't leave her."  DH just shook his head and sent JM to find my last little girl.  Imagine my shock when JM brought me a goat that stood about 14 inches tall.  My son said, "Here is your goat, Mom."  He looked at his Dad and just started laughing.  I had bought a teacup goat.  OMG.  She was precious.  I loved her so much and DH said, "Honey, we are buying goats to clear our land.  What exactly, is she going to do?"
I had no response but I loved her.
DH and JM, along with me and MM, had built a surround that was about 40x40 with a temporary loafing shed *pics to follow* for our little herd.  We brought them to the farm and put them in our "pen" with the loading shed and set a round bale of hay in the center.  We thought we were set.
A friend said, "Do not name them if you intend on eating them." So, I promptly named all of them. I know we will be eating some of them this winter and I am ok with that.  As a matter of fact, I am looking forward to devouring Jane.  She is quite a little B*tch.  She will taste lovely.  She does have beautiful babies and we will get one more kidding out of her before we send her to freezer camp but she is terrible.
I have always loved to write but I have never had a subject that I could just latch on to and write that felt so right.  I would apologize for the length but this is my journal so I won't.
Since we were so uninformed about goats and had no frigging idea what the hell we were doing, we ended up losing a few before we got the information we needed.  I am not sure how much I can type without it booting me out so I will post this and start another post, just in case.....


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## Baymule (Jul 30, 2020)

I’m loving it! I was born in San Benito, family moved to Longview when I was 2. Moved to Houston when I was 8 and I graduated from Bellaire High. Left home, moved to Baytown, Dibol, Huntington and back to Longview. Moved to Livingston and stayed there for over 30 years. We bought this place 6 years ago, here in Lindale, to be close to our DD and family. They just moved to ODESSA!!!! WTH. DSIL took an assistant principal job, it is a good move for them, but we sure miss them. 

So fellow Texan, I’m with you all the way. I like it that you are using your land to build a family compound. That is awesome. 

Y’all have a LOT of bee hives! Do you scatter them around? Lease places to put them or do people pay you for the bees pollinating their crops?


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 30, 2020)

Once we got them home, they had those terrible auction numbers stuck to their sides.  Let me tell you, that glue is worse than the glue traps for rats.  We tried to let them wear off but it would have been weeks and I just didn't have the heart for that. DH and JM set about cutting the hair so the tags would be free.  That worked well, but they had bad haircuts on their sides for a few weeks.  Better that than those numbers.  And what about those numbers?  If we didn't name them, we called them by their numbers?  Or tried to describe them?  "Hey, you see that brown goat?  No, not that brown one, the other brown one."  I mean, they are all different looking but still....names are the best way to go.  And their personalities justified the names.
We learned that wethers were good to have because they cannot get the girls pregnant and act as a calming agent for them.  Wethers are boy goats that have been castrated and are basically big dogs.  At least, our 2 were.  Finnegan was the wether we lost.  He died on day 5, after going down hill, due to worms, but we had no idea, at that time, what the problem was.  We could not find a goat vet or a vet that knew anything about goats, nor could we find anyone who would talk to us about goats.  We spent almost 2 weeks trying to find people with goats or a vet that would help us.  Finally, we found both.  The Goat Spot is really what saved us.  That forum (along with this one) has a true family spirit and is beyond helpful with sharing their information.  We would not have made it this far without the advice we received from The Goat Spot (TGS) and a new friend from TGS that lives near us, who was willing to teach us and mentor us in our goat journey.  She invited us to her farm and taught us what to look for, taught us how to do our own fecals and offered her friendship.  We will be forever grateful.
I also found a lady at Agrilife in a different county that was willing to talk to me about goats.  She is the one that told us what we needed to vaccinate them with and de worm them with and that we needed to do hoof care regularly.
Hamilton is our 2nd wether and he is absolutely precious.  He has learned to be a billy goat because we moved him into our Billy herd.  He is doing very well with all the boys and they love him.  More on that later.
Our herd consisted of the following:
Finnegan, wether, lost to worms day 5
Hamilton, wether, doing wonderful.  Thought he was a dog but learned he is a boy goat.  Doing boy goat things.
Scarlett, our herd queen.  Partial Boer and something else.  Solid Red and beautiful.
Jane, 2nd in command.  She is terrible.  White with some tan coloring. 
Emmy Lou, 3rd in command.  She is aloof and still is. White with black markings on her face
Hazel, she is fat.....and aloof, black and white
Lizzy, aloof, black and white
Olive, friendly "ish" brown girl
Buttercup, friendly, Momma, black and white, had 2 little bucklings with her
Boots, baby boy, died week 2, worms
Justin, baby boy, alive and kicking......2nd in command of our buck herd. Beautiful black boy with white
Lucy, our blue eyed girl, gave birth to preemie doe we lost, week 3
Lace, Lucy's sister, died week 3, worms 
Thistle, miscarried day 3
Sadie, brown, one horn broken
Primrose, tricolored 
Mae, white with brown spots
Calamity, my hot mess
Snickers, my littlest goat, died in labor (who would have bred this tiny girl?) week 3
And finally, Barbacoa, the Billy that DH bought by accident
We brought 20 goats home.  We lost 4 the first month.  I was devastated.  So very devastated. I couldn't go to the farm because I found a dead goat every time I was there.  I was on the phone for days and could find no help.  Finally, at the beginning of November, I found TGS.
I neglected to mention that we only had our Billy for a week.  DH decided to return him to the auction house the following week.  He had STRICT instructions to not buy anything else.  However, JM drug me out to the goat pen where there was only one other goat for sale.  A nanny with a 2 day old baby doe.  DH couldn't buy anything but apparently that did not apply to me.  They came home with us.  Zoe ( the Mom) and Faust (the kid) joined our little herd and we said goodbye to Barbacoa.  Little did we know he only needed a week to knock up several of our girls.  If they weren't pregnant when we bought them, he knocked them up during that one week he was their Sire.
We ended up with 16 of our original goats.  We brought 2 new girls home.
We began to do fecals regularly.  We began to do hoof care monthly.  It made a difference.  We feed them "the good stuff" and they browse.  They began to get healthy.  We treated for worms.  We learned all about the worms they get and what the dewormers are about and how to give them.  We created a monthly hoof day that includes hoof care, FAMACHA, handling goat from stem to stern and kopertox on all feet, deworming anything that rates a 3 or higher.
We had 18 goats from October until January.  That is when we began to try to decide who was pregnant.  It was a hoot with all of us trying to figure out who was preggers and who wasn't.  We were wrong, right, wrong, right, wrong.....I was watching videos of what to do when your goat kids and all these videos showed these prepared women, helping their goats give birth.  They had BIRTHING KITS.  They were helpful.
DH said, "No."
I said, "But....."
DH, "NO."
I hung my head.
DH put his hand on my shoulder and said, "They have been doing this without you for a long time. We will watch and see what happens and help IF we need to.  We will not let them suffer.  But we will NOT interfere.  Got it?"
I nodded.
I brooded.
I watched.
I waited.
GOO!  WE HAD GOO!!!!
Hazel was huge.  We called her Triple wide.  4 kids.  Surely, she has 4 kids.  So we built a birthing pen.  The next day, no goo.  We did not know about THE DOE CODE.  How could we have known?  We had no idea that if we spoke the words out loud that the pregnant does automatically added 3 days to their gestation.  Or how were we to know that if we dared to guess that they would give birth this week that they were sworn to wait a week and give birth on the COLDEST, WETTEST day of the year.  How could we have known?  But the Does knew.
Hazel was living her best life, in the birthing pen, getting private food.  Staying in and laying around......why give birth?  Not when I get this life.....oh no....birth can wait......
And wait it did.
Then we had GOO again.....wait, that's not Hazel.  That's Lizzy......and Jane......
Ok, so 2 more birthing pens....
Lunch time......put Lizzy and Jane in pens.....go to lunch.....come back.....Lizzy has TWINS.....perfect little goats.....one girl, Lil and one boy, Phil.  OMG.  We are goat grandparents! Jane just turned her nose up at us.  But she still had goo.  Hazel just laid there and rang her dinner bell. Sigh.....ok...
Next morning, Jane had TWIN bucklings!  Gorgeous boys!
Hazel just grunted and asked for breakfast.
Next day, no new babies.....
I kicked Hazel out of the Suite.  Made her go browse and walk. At the end of the day, she was back, requesting entrance to her Suite.  I let her in.  I'm a sucker for a fat girl....being one myself, I understand the struggle.
Next day, no babies.......
Next day, no babies......
Emmy Lou had GOO!  Hazel got kicked out again and Emmy Lou went into the THE SUITE.  Next morning, DH happened to show up as Emmy Lou was pushing out twin number 2 and she was hung.....so DH gave a little tug and she came right out......TWIN does!  Yay!  One white, One black.
Hazel came to the Suite and stared.....unbelievable, she was just so put out.  She held her head high and waddled away.
At this point, our 2 first sets were big enough to meet the herd.  So we let Momma's and kids out into the big pen but not out-out.  Just out.
GOO again! But this time, we didn't catch it so Olive gave birth mid day in the loafing shed.  When we got back from lunch, you'd think we'd learn to go hungry, we had to move her little doeling and her little buckling into a birthing pen.  She happily followed.  Hazel just stared at us.
The next day our herd queen, Scarlett, delivered 2 stunning bucklings with moonspots.  She also delivered in the loafing shed, when we went to lunch.
Hazel went out to browse, giving us a dirty look as she waddled away.
Now we have 3 full birthing pens again and we have let our first littles go out to browse with their Mommas.
THAT WAS A MISTAKE.  Jane came back with no babies.  NO BABIES.  Lizzy has her twins.  Jane's babies are NO where to be found.  Are you kidding me?  No pun intended!  I was beside myself.  I called in all the troops, as Jane just stood there and screamed at me to find her babies.  I am yelling back, "You lost them!  You lost them!  You lost them?????  What do you mean, you lost them?????"  So troops arrive and we fan out.  No babies.  2 hours go by.......no babies and Jane has laid down because the Minions are working on it so why should SHE worry?  DH says......"You know, she knows where they are so they are fine.  But.....is it possible she took them out the gate and across to our neighbors field?"  We all but ran to unlock the gate and cross the road (small, dirt road) and cross his fence (illegal but we do not care) and search for babies.  Jane, no worries, lays there chewing her cud.
DH went one way, JM went the other.  MM and I just stood in the road, wringing our hands and me chastising Jane for being a terrible Momma.  20 frantic minutes later, DH yells, "Got 'em!"  And he carries her 2 sleepy, content, full bellied, sun warmed, babies to the fence and hands them over to us.  We kiss and cuddle them.  We take them back to Momma who huffs at us as if to say, "What took you so long?  I hid them in plain sight."
I immediately went on to TGS to tell of the adventures and lambaste Jane for being a terrible Momma.......only to learn she is a good Momma and did what all good goat Momma's do.  So......lesson learned!
Next day, Jane AND Lizzy hide their babies.  This time, I do not panick.  JM and I fan out into the forest behind the pen and I happen upon both sets of twins, well hidden and being patient.  We left them alone.  2 hrs later, after much yelling from their Momma's, neither set even moved.  We did have to go get them because we were locking them up for the night.
Next morning as we are letting everyone out, we count them and Hazel was missing....then I heard her bleat.....from the loafing shed.......we run and she is just starting to give birth!  I yell, "I need a towel and some hot water!"  DH says, "No"  I say, "But....." DH just shakes his head.  I step back and pull out my phone.  Oh well, if I can't help, at least, I can get it on film!"  It was a perfect birth.  She was perfect.  The twin does she kidded were perfect!  We watched the whole thing.  Once she had them cleaned up, dried and nursing, we waited for her to finish the nasty birthing business and clean up.  Once that was done, we moved her and the twins back into THE SUITE.  She had earned it.
We thought we were done!  6 nannies, 6 sets of perfect twins.  We had no other pregnant girls.  Life was good!
Next day, we went to lunch........
Calamity, my sweet, hot mess......lowest ranking girl, so much wrong with her......her horns look melted.....she is obviously over 6 years old and had never had hoof care until we got her.  Her ribs show.  Her hip bones show.  We feed her.  I cheat and give her treats.  I love on her, as she tolerates, if I have treats.........Calamity has given birth....to a single kid......Calamity is stunned.  The kid is stunned.  We are stunned.  I'm not quite sure who was more stunned but the kid stood in the same spot for an hour staring at a tree after I made sure she was ok.  DH finally let me get involved!  Calamity gave birth in the forest but close to the driveway.  I went and checked.  "It's a girl!"  I iodized her umbilical cord, made sure she latched to nurse and then backed off.  Once she finished nursing, she turned around and just stood there, staring at a tree (pic to follow) for an hour.  I stared at her and Calamity.  FOR AN HOUR.
And that was our first kidding season!
I was recently asked if these were our first goats.  Yes, we dove off the deep end.  We had no idea that goats are the most difficult livestock to rear in South East Texas, due to the worms.  We just knew that is what we wanted so that is what we started with.  Looking back, I wouldn't do it any different.  The rest of our group, however, would......but we are where we are and things are looking up!
Our kidding all happened in January and February.  At the time, we didn't know that the little buckling, Justin, that was born in early September and was just turning 4-5 months old........was able to "be a buck"..........now, here we are, 4 1/2 months later.....and we are getting ready for our 2nd set of kiddings to begin......Justin will father at least 4 sets of kids.....maybe 5..........hence the reason we now have a buck herd......that will be included in the next part of my journal....for now.....dinner has to be made!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 30, 2020)

Introducing Captain Spiderman


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 30, 2020)

The Spiderman is his Easter Basket.....


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 30, 2020)

Hazel, aka, Triple Wide......looking Glam!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 30, 2020)

Hazel, enjoying The Suite


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 30, 2020)

Baymule said:


> I’m loving it! I was born in San Benito, family moved to Longview when I was 2. Moved to Houston when I was 8 and I graduated from Bellaire High. Left home, moved to Baytown, Dibol, Huntington and back to Longview. Moved to Livingston and stayed there for over 30 years. We bought this place 6 years ago, here in Lindale, to be close to our DD and family. They just moved to ODESSA!!!! WTH. DSIL took an assistant principal job, it is a good move for them, but we sure miss them.
> 
> So fellow Texan, I’m with you all the way. I like it that you are using your land to build a family compound. That is awesome.
> 
> Y’all have a LOT of bee hives! Do you scatter them around? Lease places to put them or do people pay you for the bees pollinating their crops?



I love your story! You have lived all over Texas! Awww, I hate that they moved to Odessa. I understand it being a good move for them but it still sucks!
We are very excited about the Family Farm (compound). We all agree that we want to be together so we are making it happen!!
Yes, to putting hives on other people's land but we don't charge for it. They use it for pollination and ag exemptions and we don't have to own a bunch of land and pay taxes so it is mutually beneficial!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 30, 2020)

Calamity and Rockette......being stunned


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 30, 2020)

Our lost boy, Finnegan


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 30, 2020)

Our little herd the day we brought them home


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## thistlebloom (Jul 30, 2020)

I'm loving your journal! Looking forward to the next installment.


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## farmerjan (Jul 30, 2020)

I am not a goat person, but bless you for getting all of them, with no experience, and trying to do right by them.  And, even if you had known what to do, no guarantee you could have saved the ones you lost because they might have been past the saving point.  So you gave them a "happy place" to pass on to the next life. 
Love the baby that Calamity had.....
Yeah, as with sheep, you learn that the boys start to feel their "Cheerios"  at a very young age.
Like with our cattle, sometimes the girls start being "young ladies too early.....we have had heifers to surprise us with a calf at less than 20 months old.... not ideal, but it happens.

Love the Spiderman/batman costume!!!!!


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## Baymule (Jul 31, 2020)

Does your property flood in hurricanes? If so, how much of it and how deep, does it get in the house, barn? I lived in hurricane country most of my life and know that is a concern. My sister lives in Conroe, not far from the San Jancinto river and she got 7 feet of water in her house in hurricane Harvey. It washed the bricks off the walls, nothing left but the 2x4's. She had flooded several times before, but nothing like that! She'll be moving to the Rio Grande Valley and will be looking for high ground.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 31, 2020)

Yes, the property did flood in Hurricane Harvey and Imelda. Currently, we do not have a house there yet. We have a tiny home/building that we are working on. The old RV  was given to us by a friend but it is not livable.  DH is a jack of all trades and a Master of many. By trade, he is a custom home builder. He can build a house from bottom to top. He doesn't like to lay brick or hang sheetrock, but he can. He has taught me all of those things that I am willing to learn and both our son, JM and our dil, MM, have learned right along side me. The appliances from the RV are all gas. It is pretty hard to find a gas refrigerator and ac unit. Our biggest issue is that the property we bought doesn't have electricity on the road yet. Every road around us has poles and power, but ours doesn't.  We are the first to clear and build out there. There are 2 other people clearing but not out there. One is right next us. It is a 22 acre piece that we talked about buying but the guy wanted twice what we paid per acre. We didn't think anyone would be stupid enough to pay it.  We were wrong.  Entergy wants $40k to put power in. It is roughly 6400 feet to power in either direction,  so we are about mid way down the road. Here we have Farm to Market roads aka FM 1132, FM 1135, FM 518 and so on. Our road is located between 2 FM roads that are pretty busy.....why we don't have power is beyond me. We do know that the guy on the corner at one end has power but has promised to block power to everyone else because he wants all the land for his cattle. So, if we had the $40k, we could come from the other direction and just avoid him. We built our bee business with cash and we are not in debt to anyone. We both drive paid off vehicles so no car notes. We have a small Toyota tacoma that is a 1999 and has 326,444 miles on her and she runs like a top. Sweet, cold Ac and great gas mileage! We have a Chevy 2500, 2002, with over 300k that is our Farm truck, runs great, good AC, which in SETX is a must in Summer! We have excellent credit and very little cc debt. We are trying to pay as we go but $40k is a bit out of our reach!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 31, 2020)

Girls from today


Calamity and Rockette today


She is so proud of her daughter!!

The Alpaca from today. This is at our back fence. The field behind the fence is the back half of our property. It is a long way to the back.... so much fencing to go!!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 31, 2020)

This was a week before Harvey




This was a week to 10 days after Harvey. The truck tried to back into our drive and racked our gate but denied it. They abandoned the truck and the water moved it down about 50ft from our driveway.




That is Captain Spiderman but that is NOT our truck. You see where he hit our gate and in person you could tell that was what happened.  Oh well! Life goes on. All other pics have our new green gates. And a trail cam.
This was from Imelda


Not our property but that was as far as we could drive down our road. DH and JM had to wade in.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 31, 2020)

Since our kidding season had gone so well, we ended up having several bucklings.  They were all so adorable that we couldn't decide what to do.  We all agreed that making wethers was not for us.  For one thing, none of us wanted several overgrown dogs that we tripped on.  We already have Hamilton.  He is too adorable but he had to learn to be a boy goat.  Not a dog.  Who we tripped over because he was forever under us.  He is our only goat that has a permanent collar that has his name embroider on it with our phone number.  He is too friendly to be without it.
Now it was just a matter of time before we had Justin, Phil, Staubach, Landry, Ashe, Rhett and Kelley to deal with before they became "big boys".  We decided that we needed a bigger buck to lead our buck herd and we found Tuffy.  He is magnificent!   He is fairly friendly but he does challenge you, if he gets it in his head.  He has figured out that I am not that easy of a target, even though I am only 4' 11", I learned a long time ago that the hardest thing I can hit you with, in a fight, is the ground......and I ain't afraid to go down as long as you are on the bottom!  I twisted his head by holding his horns as we went down and he decided I was nothing to mess with unless he had to.  JM hasn't taken him down yet, which cracks me up, so he challenges him regularly.  I have told JM to put him in the dirt but he hasn't yet so......I will let them figure it out.
We decided when the time came, we would build our buck herd and left them grow.  We can make decisions as we need to.  Tuffy is definitely in charge but Justin challenges him regularly.  Pics to follow of the boys.  The little boys, who are all now about 5 to 6 months old, all just hop on and off Tuffy as he tries to manage them.  He did ram one little one and we thought for sure he was dead but he just hopped up and shook it off.  Staubach then learned to MOVE.  So far, so good but we watch them closely for problems and we are able to move any issues as we need to.  Separating the boys from their Momma's was hard.  It got easier because the girls could just walk down to the boys pen and see them through the fence.  Time has eased the parting.  We can also control who mates who so we do not have inbreeding, which was a concern for us.
After JM built the Buck Barn on his property, we had a friend of a friend offer us 3 donkeys.  I have always wanted donkeys but knew very little about them.  We went and looked.....and took a trailer, just in case.  It was a definite hording situation.  She had about 2 acres in a neighborhood and on that property there were 13 goats, 7 donkeys (1 standard Jenny and 6 mini's.  We did not want Mini donkeys.   We wanted 3 Jerusalem Donkeys.  We got 1 standard Jerusalem Jenny (Mai'zee) and 2 female mini donkeys-Mavis and Aspen and one mini jack, Branson.  Oh....and one goat that was being bullied by the other goats. They were calling the goat Twin so I renamed her Honey.....because she is like a Honey Badger......I will let you figure that one out.......anyway, I named all the donkeys because they were just calling them things like "Little", "Jack" "Big Girl".......we were also told that the 2 older girls were pregnant.  Aspen, the smallest girl, was only 9 months old and we took her because she needed to be weaned.  The lady we got them from told us that they were on a strict feeding schedule and at 7:30 am every morning, Big Girl, now know as, Mai'zee, would let us know it was time for sweet feed.  DH and I just looked at one another and smiled.  She would not be getting anymore sweet feed.  Nor would she be making the schedule.  They were all pretty rough looking and when we were trying to catch them to load them, it was obvious that there was some mistreatment going on.  I knew that Donkeys are smart.  They also have long memories.  Very good, long memories.  The way you befriend a donkey, any donkey, is TRUST.  You actually have to build a trusting relationship with a donkey.  One thing that is different from a horse to a donkey is that horses choose not to hurt humans, for the most part.  They don't realize they are big enough to do a lot of damage.  Once in a while, you will get a horse that learns they are bigger and can be in charge but for the most part, horses follow humans, once they are tamed.  Donkeys know they are bigger.  Donkeys know they are stronger.  Donkeys know they can be in charge and that is where the stubbornness comes from. They also remember.  If you can teach them to trust you, they will love you forever.  These donkeys do not trust.  Well, now 2 of them do.  Mavis and Aspen have learned we are friends.  Mai'zee and Branson are tougher nuts to crack but we will in time.  We were told that Mai'zee (the Jerusalem donkey) was pregnant and that Mavis was also pregnant. 
We brought them home at the beginning of March 2020.  We heard all the warnings about baby goats and we knew that these donkeys have been with goats all their lives.  We were also bringing one of their goats with them.  We could not have asked for an easier transition into our herd.  For the donkeys or the new goat.  We separated them for 2 weeks and had them vetted and tested......all the while, they walked the middle fence and nosed the girls and babies on one side and the boys on the other side.  In week 2 we found 4 little kids in the donkeys pen, running around playing and the donkeys were just watching them.  The little kids, Daisy, Minnie, Rockette and Skye all came under the temporary fencing, like they were made of paper.....they dropped and flattened themselves out, slid right under.  I am sure my face was hilarious.  I was so surprised they could do that.  Oh well.....
We decided to remove the temp fencing and release the donkeys and the new goat.  Sweet, long legged, Honey had a rough first week.  She wanted to be herd queen and that is why she was getting picked on in her original herd.  No one was really in charge.  Our herd has a definite queen.  Scarlett understands her role and she takes it very seriously.  Her 2nd and 3rd in command understand she does not tolerate mess and they watch and move as she directs.  She is a wonderful herd queen and doesn't hesitate to intervene when needed.  She corrects adults, kids, donkeys, alpacas......she has learned that the Alpaca do not recognize her authority.  It is one of my favorite stories to tell.  Scarlett watched from a far but she learned......and she learned well.  You do not mess with long necks.
Honey was put in her place several times during the first week.  By week 2, with the herd, she settled down and figured out that she didn't have to do anything but be a goat.  She is precious and she is loved by our herd....her herd.
At some point, I will go back and tell you about the melding of our little auction herd.  It was such a hard thing to watch.  So heart breaking and heart warming at the same time.  Anyway, the donkeys were brought home in early March.  March and April were good, busy months in which we did a lot of work  at the farm.
This part of my journal gets kind of personal, because it will show you why my husband, my DH, is the leader of our family.  I have been in love and been loved but when I met DH and we began to court one another, he said to me, "I am in this for the long haul.  If you are only here for 5 or 6 years, get out now.  I am looking at the rest of my life.  I will never give up.  I will never give in."  My father was one of "those" men.  The kind of men that are rare.  He could be dropped off in the middle of no where with a q tip and a match and build a shopping mall, fully functioning and ready to shop.  He was born in 1925.  He quit school in the 3rd grade to drive a dump truck to earn money for his family because his parents had 9 kids. He became a 32nd degree Mason Welder.  In 1982, my Daddy was making $2500 a week working for a company out of Houston that is now Halliburton.  He worked there 33 years.  He could figure welding angles in his head.  One of THOSE kind of men.  My DH is also one THOSE kind of men but he graduated 3rd in his class and is an Eagle Scout.  
I say all of this to say this:
On May 1, 2020, during a normal conversation about future plans, I mentioned that one day, I would like to have Alpacas.  You can see where I am going with this, as you already know, I have Alpaca.  But.....on May 1st, I did not have Alpaca.  I simply would like them, one day, before I die .......
I would say "long story short" but I am not going to do that here.  Here I am going to tell the long story.  On May 3, 2020, DH woke me up and said, "I'm tired.  I need a few days off.  I would like to take a road trip. Alone. Just to clear my head. OK?"  I looked into his tired eyes.  I knew he was tired.  I knew he needed a break.  I mean, just 4 short years ago, we had an empty nest.  We were alone.  No kids.  Just me and him.  Then, BAM, we had 2 kids home, another "kid" pregnant and needing help.  Then another son, wanting to make a life change.  So within the last 4 years, we now have a household of 7.  We love it.  Truly.  But a 2 year old waking us old folk up every morning, climbing over "Granna", snuggling between me and "Poppa" to hid from Momma because he doesn't want to get dressed for school......is wearing.  We wouldn't change a single thing but I could see he needed a break.  "Ok, my love."  I knew it would be good for him to get away.
The following morning, at 3am, my DH got in our little truck and left.  I had no idea where he was going but we have a strong marriage and more trust than I have ever imagine possible.  JM and MM had no idea he was gone for 2 days.  Finally, JM asked where Dad was and if he would be at the Farm today.  I said, "No, Dad is gone for a few days."  Stunned would be mild to describe their reaction.  They couldn't believe I didn't know where he was or what he was doing.  I often wonder why more marriages are as secure as ours.  You trust your spouse enough to marry them and live with them.  You are at your most vulnerable, sleeping next to them.....but they cannot be out of your sight, on their own for a few days without you knowing where, what, how and when....every more they make.  I don't know....maybe I am weird.
Throughout those 5 days he was traveling, we spoke several times a day.  I never asked where he was or what he was doing.  The last night he was traveling he did tell me he was stopping by his cousins house to visit and spend the night.  He would be on the road home at daylight, home by 6pm.  Meet him at the Farm.
JM and I argued where said cousin lives......I said, "Colorado" and JM said, "Oklahoma." Turns out, we were both wrong.  It was Arkansas.  Oh Well!
The next day, at 6 pm, we all arrived at the Farm to wait.  5 minutes later, DH pulls into the driveway, hauling a livestock trailer, borrowed from a friend, and en capsuled in this livestock trailer are 3 beautiful Alpaca girls.  All the way from Minnesota.  Yes, Minnesota.  Can you believe that?  He had searched and found these 3 older girls, pretty cheap, on a Farm in Minnesota.  Texas to Minnesota and back in 5 days with 3 Alpaca. WOW.
DH is such a man.  He is the Leader of our Family.  I will follow him off the end of the Earth and into Forever.  I think our journals can be anything that we want them to be but I also think that they are meant to teach us about each other.  Who we really are.  I do not believe that we, as a society, will survive without a basic bond.  Friendship.  The ability to reach out and know that their is a true friend ready to grab our hands.  That is what we need in America now.
As I have said, DH is one of THOSE men but I am one of THOSE women.  One of my top 2 pet peeves is when someone quotes a famous saying but they only quote the part that they like or that they approve of.  For example, "Curiosity killed the cat".  That is not the full quote. The full quote is, "Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back."
My other pet peeve is walking around unnecessary stuff stacked in a clean walk way.
As one of THOSE women I feel obligated to explain what I mean.  A specific mis-quote that always sticks in my craw is from Ginger Rogers.  It is said that she said, "I did everything that Fred did, only I did it backwards and in high heels."  Thus saying that women are better than men.
By saying that I am one of THOSE women, I simply mean that I think that God's greatest creation is men.  Not them human race but the actual male of our species.  Men.....and men are meant to be, are the go getters.  They leave the cave and go kill a bear and bring it back to feed their family.  That is the kind of man DH is. 
The actual full quote from Ginger is this:  "I did everything that Fred did, only I did it backwards and in high heels.  However, Fred is my Leader.  I am the picture, he is the frame.  If I did not follow where Fred leads me, I would be pulling away from him and we would be going in separate directions.  There would be no beauty."  She made it clear that she understood she was as important as Fred but that he was the leader.
I have veered off topic, sort of......so back to the Farm.
May 6th, We have 3 Alpaca, 4 donkeys, 100 chickens, 32 goats and am a bit overwhelmed.
May 7th, We have 3 Alpaca, 4 donkeys, 100 chickens, 31 goats and....wait, 31 goats?  Where is our 32nd goat?  Who is missing?  1, 2, 3............31........recount.....31.......start with the kids......wait, SKYE....Where is Skye?!?  2 hours of searching turned into 3 and 2 additional people show up to help look.  We walk the road, the LNVA canal from end to end, we call, we yell, we search......nothing.......and to this very day......nothing.  We have never found her or anything to indicate where she went or what happened to her.  No buzzards.  Nothing.  We can only assume that she, being little, got out under the front fence and someone driving by saw her and "rescued" this abandoned baby goat.  At least, I hope that is what happened.  Well, time to run to the store and get groceries!
Pics to follow of boys!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 31, 2020)

New Green Gates after Harvey



Hidden babies.......


CAN YOU SEE THE HIDDEN BABY GOATS???


Our Big Boy.....TUFFY comes home


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Jul 31, 2020)

Buck pen and all our little boys.....and, of course, our big guy, Tuffy


The pen


Hamilton, front right. Ashe, brown with moonspots and Rhett, black with moonspots


Little boys


Peek a boo.....give me some hay!


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## Baymule (Aug 1, 2020)

Flood land would make me very nervous. I am guessing that all of it doesn't go under water. Harvey was pretty bad, but hurricane Rita and Ike were pretty hard on that area.  Sounds like you have a bad neighbor who wants it all for himself. Keeping electricity away is a rotten thing to do.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Aug 1, 2020)

MuldrowHomeFarm said:


> Staubach, Landry,



Named after Roger Staubach and Tom Landry?

What a heart warming story about you and your husband!  I am so happy for you two!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 1, 2020)

Yes, DH named those boys. He originally named Landry Danny White but then changed it to Landry. Both boys are super cute!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 1, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Flood land would make me very nervous. I am guessing that all of it doesn't go under water. Harvey was pretty bad, but hurricane Rita and Ike were pretty hard on that area.  Sounds like you have a bad neighbor who wants it all for himself. Keeping electricity away is a rotten thing to do.


We were here for all of those. We have run from many Hurricanes but haven't lost homes or livestock,  except Imelda. We lost 15 baby chicks because the water rose so fast. They were out of the water but then it crested the pen and they were too little. We couldn't get down the road to move them so we just had to wait and see. We had 25 in the pen and we saved 10. Blow dryer and cuddles. It was sad and we made a lot of changes so it never happens again. That is the hard part of building in a new area. Never know what the pitfalls will be. We have built UP so all our animals will be high and dry. We have put in food storage and auto dispensers so if we cannot get here for a day or 2, they are fed. We have boats so really, we can always get in now but had to learn those hard lessons. We lost an Alpaca due to the rain but not from the rain. She had gone down and we got her back up after 6 hrs at the vet and $1000 but it began to rain and rained hard for 3 days and it was impossible to walk her in it. If we had our barn built, we could have walked her under cover but pneumonia set in and we lost her. I was so heartbroken over it. That morning, in the pouring rain, under a loafing shed, one of our mini donkeys gave birth to our precious boy, Rum River. We named him in honor of our beloved Maia of Rum River. Water is a very unforgiving environment but we don't want to live anywhere else. Also, our property is NOT in the flood plane. Our problrm is that we have 2 bayous that the State knows need to be dredged and they won't.  10 years ago both Bayous were over 40 feet deep. Now they are around 17 feet deep. It is an ongoing battle with some of the neighborhoods. We plan to maje our pond deep enough, our property high enough and our house up enough that flooding won't be an issue for us or the animals.


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## Baymule (Aug 2, 2020)

If you can convince the state to dredge the bayous, I bet you could sure use that dirt! Are they wet weather bayous or do they have running water all the time? We had property in Livingston that had a dry wash running through it, when we got huge rains, it went out of banks and it turned into a river. I finally ran across a deal on one of those old steel underground gas tanks with the ends cut out, it was 7' tall and 22' long. We bought it and had it hauled to our land. Later on a neighbor across the road got a bulldozer and he put it in for us. It was so exciting to me to be able to access our property in torrential downpours and floods.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 2, 2020)

Baymule said:


> If you can convince the state to dredge the bayous, I bet you could sure use that dirt! Are they wet weather bayous or do they have running water all the time? We had property in Livingston that had a dry wash running through it, when we got huge rains, it went out of banks and it turned into a river. I finally ran across a deal on one of those old steel underground gas tanks with the ends cut out, it was 7' tall and 22' long. We bought it and had it hauled to our land. Later on a neighbor across the road got a bulldozer and he put it in for us. It was so exciting to me to be able to access our property in torrential downpours and floods.


Apparently,  this battle has been going on for years. The bayous are huge so I am sure they have moving water all the time. The other part of this equation is when the Dams open after the storm. Over the last 4 years, it has been a real nightmare, with the flooding being due to thw dams release and not the actual storm. Deweyville and Mauriceville are 2 such cities that have suffered. We aren't in either City but still we are close enough.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 2, 2020)

Today was interesting. Bought carrots and apples for donkeys. This is their monthly treat. One Alpaca, Midnight, loved the carrots but turned her nose up at the apples until Pearl tasted the apples and loved them. Pearl would have nothing to do with the carrots though. None of the other 4 Alpacas would touch either apples or carrots. Go figure.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 2, 2020)

@Bruce I noticed you have solar panels. How much if your property do they run?


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 4, 2020)

Finally, some Sunny days ahead. July is supposed to be one of our driest months but this year has been almost 3 weeks of rain. Not posting much due to actual work getting done! Along with 2 days of babysitting Captain Spiderman.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 5, 2020)

Found some pictures of the gates the day before Hurricane Harvey and several days after


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## B&B Happy goats (Aug 5, 2020)

Oh my goodness, that  was horrible  for you...sure hope it doesn't  happen again ...have you considered building a ARK ?


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 5, 2020)

Yes, actually, we have!!


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## Baymule (Aug 5, 2020)

Did your whole property go under water? I have a vision of your home up on poles, with a wide porch with railings, in a flood event and all your animals on the porch!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 5, 2020)

In Harvey, yes the property was completely flooded. Thank God we had NO animals at that time. For Imelda, we were going to Auction on the 28th of September and Imelda hit us on the 17-18th. We had a lot of clean up to do before we brought the goats home. We have built burms so the animals will always be out of the standing water and we plan to have loafing sheds built by next summer. We do have a way to transport everyone and a place to take them that doesn't flood so we do have that covered, just in case....


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## Baymule (Aug 6, 2020)

Got to have a Plan B!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 9, 2020)

It has been too hot on the farm lately! A few small showers made the humidity soar! Chicken coop is almost finished! Baby Guineas are getting big!


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## Baymule (Aug 12, 2020)

I love the baby in the water trough! That is classic redneck fun! Earlier this summer, we bailed out the horse trough to scrub it and our two little grand daughters went mud swimming. Then they got sprayed with the water hose, made pools in the mud for more mud swimming and had a wonderful dirty time.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 17, 2020)

When last we met, I was regaling you with the story of our lost goat....Skye.  We have never seen or heard from her again and we pray that she merely got out and was "rescued" by someone who thought she was lost or dumped....though it would hard for her to be "dumped" in front of a fence with goats on the other side.......but oh well......not much we could do.  I did post it on Facebook (which I do not participate in but my DH does).  There is a community page so I listed her on there but to no avail.  So.....we have one missing goat......and 31 present goats, 3 Female donkeys (one standard and 2 mini), 1 male donkey (now gelded), 80 or so chickens.....and 3 Alpaca.  So DH brings me 3 female Alpaca, all the way to Texas from Minnesota.  They are older girls.  The oldest is Miss Gwen, she is 14.  The other 2 were 10, one being, Cass, Gwen's daughter (cria) and Maia of Rum River, who sadly, we lost 3 days after shearing.  We believe it was a combination of travel sickness and shock, then she developed pneumonia.  I believe we could have saved her if it had not started raining for 3 days and we couldn't walk her around in a dry space.  The girls arrived home on May 5th.  We had them sheared on May 13th and we lost Maia on May 15th.  It was raining so hard that our property had 4 inches of standing water on it.  And our beautiful Maia crossed Rainbow Bridge......it broke my heart.  I felt such guilt.  If I had never wanted her.  If I had not asked for her.  The pain was terrible.  I knew I did not deserve this beautiful soul and yet, just moments after she left us, River.....our dear little donkey came into the world.......souls crossing over the bridge.
I stayed home and grieved our loss of Maia, claiming that I would never get out of bed again.......and an hour later DH sent me a photo of our newly storm born boy.  Baby Donkeys are just too precious for words.  They are so gangly and long.  So sweet faced and fluffy!  DH said, "God wants you to come to the farm, my girl. He has sent you a gift."  I cried and said, "I do not deserve it."  DH said, "Oh but you do. Come see." So I went and saw.......and God did indeed send me a gift.  DH said, "It is a girl.  What shall we name her?"  Of course we all thought of Maia (which I would have spelled Mya but what do I know?) and it just didn't seem right....but Rum River......yes, that sounds just right and we will call her River.  So there she was..........and just 2 weeks later, I was sitting down with River and "she" produced a little wiener and peed on my leg.  So........River was a BOY.....NOT A GIRL, AFTER ALL!!!!  I laughed and laughed and laughed.......when the family came upon me, laying on the ground, next to River, who was attempting to roll for the first time, they were astonished.  Why was I on the ground?  I proceeded to explain to them what had just happened and JM (son) picked River up and said, "Yup, penis!" And set HIM back down. We all had a great laugh about it but then I remembered, we will have to geld Little River one day.....so I stopped laughing.
River's Mom, Mavis, has been a true joy to us.  She has let us touch and play with him from the first day he was born and we love on him often (daily).  He is too precious.
We were told at the time we brought the Donkeys home that both Mai'zee and Mavis were pregnant but we had not really seen any signs until River was born.  Now we were on baby watch with Mai'zee, who is a standard donkey.  And not friendly.  River is now 3 months old and just 3 days ago, Mai'zee gave birth.  She did not come when called and did not show up for food.  DH and JM went in search of her and low and behold, BABY!  All cleaned and perfect!  However, Mai'zee did not believe that we should be shooing her into the pen at the front of the property.  She was in the farthest back corner she could get.  DH received a solid kick when he tried to check the sex of the new addition.  We believe it is a girl but we shall see!  They did get moved into a birthing pen for the last 3 days and all seems to be very well with both of them!  We are very pleased with our little family.
Here comes a time jump.......
Once we lost Maia, our other 2 girls seemed very lost.  We have been told that Alpacas need a herd and 3 or more is considered a herd for them.  I contacted a farm much closer to us, one here in Texas and found that they indeed had several older girls for sale.  We drove up (a quick 4 hours, instead of 22 hrs) and took the trailer, just in case.......what we found was wonderful and the couple we met were just awesome.  Older and downsizing. Cut us a good deal as I only had money for 2 girls but he needed to rehome 4.  He dropped the price if we would buy 3 and gave us one for free, because she is 18.  Honestly, she was the one I really wanted.  I know.....an 18 year old?  But seriously, this lady is misnamed.  Although her name fits her......Sihu (Pronounced SHE WHO) , Kopavi Sihu, which means Flowers in Japanese, does fit her....but to look at her face, she should have been called Cleopatra.  Her make up is divine!
We brought 4 new girls home on May 26th and it was magical.  We had penned up our 2 original girls and led the 4 new girls into the pen, they immediately ran to the gate and reached over to our girls and began to rub necks and hum to one another.  Almost like they were saying, "Hey, you guys are Alpaca!  We are Alpaca, too!" They all rubbed and hummed for 20 minutes.  We decided to keep them separated overnight but they could reach each other.  The next morning, our 4 new girls were still standing by the gate where the other 2 girls were locked in.  We released them and they were very affection to each other.  It was very interesting to see their immediate bond.  I admit, I was surprised.
Well, soups on, so more later!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 18, 2020)

Our newest addition and Mom, Mai'zee


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## thistlebloom (Aug 18, 2020)

That's a good looking foal, gotta love the Longears!
Have you discovered the gender yet?


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## Baymule (Aug 19, 2020)

BAby donkeys are so cute. Donkeys are brilliant smart and you will get to see your baby grow up.


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## Mini Horses (Aug 19, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Donkeys are brilliant smart




Yes, they are!  Often given a bad rap as "stubborn" but, in reality, they are just extremely cautious.  So patience in training gets the job done.  Once they accept the experience, you will not need a lot of effort on the job at hand.  Memory of an elephant!   Plus, when they accept you, you will have a BFF.   They can become quite attached.

An uncut jack can be ornery -- just plain mean sometimes.   They are way stronger than they look.  If a donkey kicks and misses, it's because they didn't WANT to hit you.   Handle those legs from day one and get then to accept all over touching from day one.  Trust comes when you do.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 19, 2020)

Yes, SHE is beautiful! DH got a good touchy feely session with her, while I fed Mom hay and some grain. It didn't last too long, as Mom went to drive him away from the baby but he loved on her and determined the sex for sure. Her ears are so precious!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 25, 2020)

Here comes Hurricane Laura. Will let y'all know if we survive it.......


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## Baymule (Aug 26, 2020)

Been thinking about you. Please check in with us and let us know what’s going on. Laura is going to be a direct hit. Are you able to load up your animals and run for it, or you riding it out? I pray for your family and farm, that y’all come through this safely.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 26, 2020)

We are going to ride it out. We shored up pretty well so we will just have to see what she brings. This will be our 6th Hurricane so DH is pretty good at reading them. Thing is, they are unpredictable, at best so just pray for us.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 26, 2020)

As of right now, light rain and cloudy is all we have. Laura is supposed to hit land about 5pm.


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## B&B Happy goats (Aug 26, 2020)

Be safe


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## Mini Horses (Aug 26, 2020)

How far are you from where it's predicted to make landfall?


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 26, 2020)

Hope ya'll do well w/this storm.  I'm west of you a bit...south of Alvin, TX.  We've been worried, but looks like we're going to be spared.  Praying that you and all your critters will be safe!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 26, 2020)

Mini Horses said:


> How far are you from where it's predicted to make landfall?


We are about 46 miles West of landfall. Now it is supposed to hit at about 10pm.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 26, 2020)

frustratedearthmother said:


> Hope ya'll do well w/this storm.  I'm west of you a bit...south of Alvin, TX.  We've been worried, but looks like we're going to be spared.  Praying that you and all your critters will be safe!


You guys might get some rain but not much. We are on the rain side and will catch some wind. So far it is pretty light but she hasn't made landfall so we will have to she what she brings.


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 26, 2020)

MuldrowHomeFarm said:


> You guys might get some rain but not much.


We've had a couple of really light showers not lasting more than a few minutes.  Wind is blustery, but less than 10mph right now.  Ya'll keep your head down - you're in for a long night.


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## Baymule (Aug 26, 2020)

We just had some hard rains. But we are on the outer edges on the west side. While we need the rain, we don't wish hurricane damage on anyone. Damage is coming to many people on this one. The storm surge is supposed to be 15-20 feet high. 

Y'all hunker down and stay safe.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 27, 2020)

1:50am, we just lost power. Wind is at about 65mph. Fan and AC going off woke me up. Going to get toasty but only because we are spoiled. It is 77 degrees outside.


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## Baymule (Aug 27, 2020)

Y’all hang in there. Hope it doesn’t get too bad. Keep us posted.


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 27, 2020)

Hoping for the best!


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## Baymule (Aug 27, 2020)

We exchanged cell phone numbers so she would have a "text buddy" outside the range of the storm. She and family are all safe, no damage at home other than power being out. They are at the farm now, no flooding, animals are all safe. A tree came down at the donkey pen and shelter, but it fell away from the donkey shelter, so no damage there either. They have some cleanup to do and won't be online for several days. 

For us, hurricane Laura is skirting the edge of the county, all is calm and still here, not even any rain.


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 27, 2020)

Awesome good news!


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## B&B Happy goats (Aug 27, 2020)

Thanks for letting us know they are ok, I couldn't  wait  to find out the great news


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## farmerjan (Aug 27, 2020)

Always glad to hear that damage was not as severe as it could have been and that all are safe.  Power out is a pain, no doubt.  Hope they have a way to keep any freezers powered up enough to keep frozen, and water to the animals (yeah, in the midst of a hurricane, and we have to worry about water....drinkable water.... for our critters.) It is supposed to be fairly fast moving, so should leave their area quickly....headed up and then a fairly hard turn east.... Think that @Mike CHS  may be in line for some of it???? We are supposed to get rain, some wind and a potential for tornados....


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 28, 2020)

Hi guys! Thanks so much for Baymule for updating you guys while we weathered the storm and suffered power outages. We finally got power back about 30 mins ago. I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to have your prayers for us and our BYH. We were very lucky that Laura was as far East as she was. We missed the brunt of the storm. All animals did amazing! Our rain barrel system worked perfectly so the animals never ran out of water! I will post pics of how we penned the little chicks up because it was very cool and they did great! Below are the pics of it and they are not that bad!

















It could have been so much worse. We cannot tell you how grateful we are to have come through this with such good results. We pray for those who had it worse than us! Thank God for power being back on though! Texas heat is awful!!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 28, 2020)

We did freeze 2 cases of bottled water so our freezers stayed frozen while the power was out! JM (son) came up with the idea to freeze them and line the freezers with them to maintain the cold. It was great!!


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## Baymule (Aug 29, 2020)

Watching the flattened neighborhoods, destroyed businesses on the news in Lake Charles this morning........ I praise God that you and family came through unscathed. Lake Charles isn't too far from you and took a direct hit. I am glad that you and yours are ok. The heat after a hurricane is oppressive and I swear the mosquitoes are as big as mockingbirds. Glad power is back on for you.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 29, 2020)

Amen. So many lives upended and changed forever. If you have never experienced a storm or the devastating effects of it, before and after, it is quite terrible. We have been asked so many times why we don't move. I have thought about it. The Gulf Coast is quite lovely, although our water is usually brown on our beach, the community is amazing. Weather is everywhere and none of us want to do snow or tornadoes. I am much more nervous about Earthquakes than Hurricanes and cannot even fathom going West of Texas. If I were to ever cross the Ocean, I would not come back! So I stay here in Texas and visit all the States I can! I haven't found anywhere I'd rather live yet so we have set down roots here! And, we love it!


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## Baymule (Aug 29, 2020)

That’s how we feel about east Texas. I love the trees and green. Daughter and family moved to Odessa, we aren’t going!


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## B&B Happy goats (Aug 29, 2020)

Sure am happy to read you are all ok...hope that porta potty wasn't  full  🤭


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 29, 2020)

They had just placed it! Thank heavens!
@Baymule can't do any place West of Houston or North of Dallas......unless I go to OK. (TO VISIT, ONLY) We did 2 years in Midland and it was simply the worst place I have ever lived. I would never do it again!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 31, 2020)

Enjoying the farm and the fact that we did not flood!


Pearl, enjoying the random chicken feed that she and her buddies are finding, while drinking out of the chicken feeder and not the 5 gallon bucket of fresh water we placed for them (Alpaca).....


Silly girls.....squeeze your lips into that feeder and ignore the full bucket....yeah, that makes sense....


23 "baby" guineas (9 weeks old) inside the pen, day 2 of them being out of their coop but still penned in, one grown male or female guinea that just showed up at the farm 6 months ago....out of the blue, so we guess this is now home......we pen the adult guinea at night with the adult chickens in the big pen, we lock the baby guineas in one coop and we have 120 baby chicks in the other coop with an auto door that we removed the battery from until they are bigger.



And Captain Spiderman joined us in bed at 3am because he was afraid of a bear in the house.....there was no bear that we could find and HOW does someone so small take up so much bed space?!?!?!?!


Much of the clean up has been done in the Alpaca pen and we started by the chicken coop today, well, we thought about starting.....mostly we just sat in the camp chairs and watched the animals and chatted about how much work we weren't getting done. Then we went to lunch.
Then DH got a swarm call so we went home, loaded up bee boxes, he went to get them and I went to do laundry! Well, tomorrow is a new day!


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## Baymule (Sep 1, 2020)

Sounds like a lovely day to me. I loved for my kids to come crawl in bed with us when they were small. Those years are gone all too quickly. Our youngest grand daughter insists on sleeping between us, enjoying it for as long as it lasts!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 2, 2020)

Oh, yes! Very lovely! These easy, quiet days.... even at 3 am, Captain Spiderman is welcomed to cuddle! He always has the a sly little grin, as if he knows he is getting away with something.....



Him and Poppa, playing with their tablets....such a doll!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 11, 2020)

Well, lots of goings on here!! DH teaches a year long Beginning Beekeeping Class and 2 of our students lost their homes during Laura. Please say a prayer for them and their families.  We have 2 other students who have Churches that have Disaster Recovery teams nearby so it has worked out for them to get experienced help and on the road to recovery.
We cannot say enough about how grateful we are for the lack of devastation we experienced,  as we were truly thinking we would lose so much. God is Good. We have recovered from the downed trees and cleaned up the minor branches.
Health wise, all is well, with a few minor exceptions. 1. Our Alpaca, Cass, had several ticks in her left ear and made a major ordeal of us removing them. She is still favoring that ear and we check it every few days to make sure we haven't missed anything but what a fuss she puts up! She whistles very shrilly and long, she whines and hums very loudly. Of course, she pulls away from us but thank heavens, she doesn't Cush while we are working on her. Unlike Sihu (pronounced She Who) who immediately tries to CUSH in all caps, when we touch her. Of course, Sihu is 18 years old, so I can't blame her for not wanting to be touched. She is in excellent shaoe and we just love her but what a DIVA!!
2. Our Alpaca, Midnight has mange on her legs.  She doesn't appear to be bothered by it but the hair falling out is unsightly and makes me think she is uncomfortable.  We give her monthly Ivermectin shots for Mworms and that is supposed to take care of the mange, as well.  I don't see it working so far.  Other than that, she appeared to be a bit hunched and her neck was being held low. In a long necked species, this can be a big deal. Along with that, she had a droopy lip. Much more to come but work calls!


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## Baymule (Sep 11, 2020)

Midnight May not have mange, she may have rain rot from her legs staying wet. Heat, humidity and wet cause bacteria to multiply and hair falls out. On my horses I used Pine O Pine mixed with water and sponged it on. It usually took a couple of weeks. There are other products, just google rain rot and see what you come up with.


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## thistlebloom (Sep 12, 2020)

Diluted household bleach also kills rain rot, and works on thrushy hooves.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 12, 2020)

Good to know! I will re evaluate tomorrow and see if we can determine for sure what is what! Thanks!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 12, 2020)

Midnight's missing hair


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## thistlebloom (Sep 12, 2020)

@Beekissed had recommended a product called Nu-Stock somewhere on this site. I got some to keep in my vet bucket, ordered from Amazon. I just used it yesterday on my mares eyebrow where she had ripped the hide off. It's been around for a long time, the label guarantees satisfaction, and says it will grow hair back even on old scars. Might be worth a look. I hope you can find the key to helping her out.


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## Baymule (Sep 12, 2020)

She looks like she has a skin infection, bacterial or fungal. Either the Pine O' Pine or the bleach solution should clear it up.


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## Beekissed (Sep 12, 2020)

Definitely could use some NuStock....if you visit their online site, try to read the testimonials as they are incredible.   The before and after pics are impressive.


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## Baymule (Sep 13, 2020)

Beekissed said:


> Definitely could use some NuStock....if you visit their online site, try to read the testimonials as they are incredible.   The before and after pics are impressive.


looks like good stuff.









						Nu-Stock, LLC. Topical Ointment
					

Nu-Stock, LLC



					www.nustock.com
				




And you can go to Amazon to read the reviews.






						Amazon.com : Durvet Nu-Stock Ointment, 12-Ounce (3-Pack) : Pet Supplies
					

Amazon.com : Durvet Nu-Stock Ointment, 12-Ounce (3-Pack) : Pet Supplies



					www.amazon.com


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## Beekissed (Sep 13, 2020)

It appears the testimonials page on the NS website is no longer there, which is a shame.   It was comprised of~literally~thousands of testimonials of satisfied customers with great before and after pics of affected areas.   Those pics were worth a thousand words in and of themselves.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 14, 2020)

No worries! I will order some to have it on hand. We are giving her a shot of LA200 for 5 days and see how she does.

And now Pearl has pinkeye again!

We are going to work on expanding their shed and prep them for winter.

We did hoofcare on the goats yesterday and it went very well! Since we have been doing it for a 11 months, we have a good rhythm going!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 14, 2020)

2nd photo, other front leg......



It looks better but this is day 3 of LA200 shots. She does appear to be feeling better but then again, she is an Alpaca, so one really never knows how they feel......at least, I don't.....


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## thistlebloom (Sep 14, 2020)

Looks very uncomfortable. Poor thing.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 14, 2020)

Yes, I've ordered Nu Stock so it should get here in 5-7 days. I will post pictures if it hasn't cleared up by then.
We are working on a tiny home at the farm. Here is the series if photos so far.

The Tiny Barn arrives


DH and JM (son) built stairs and installed double screen doors and screened in porch, which goats promptly destroyed........



DH and I cleaned interior of building and planned flooring



Will post as we finish stages!! Very excited!


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## thistlebloom (Sep 14, 2020)

That's great! Who will be living in it?


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## Baymule (Sep 15, 2020)

Haha you will have to put up a yard fence to keep the animals off your porch! Looks great! How exciting!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 23, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> That's great! Who will be living in it?


DH and I are running away to the tiny house every chance we get! Of course, we plan to have Captain Spiderman stay often. He has recently been introduced to Forts, Thanks to me, his Granna! We build a fort almost every night and we are pirates hunting for treasure so we sneak out and return with treasure, with Poppa and Momma being none the wiser (they are obviously blind as we crawl right past them to steal the booty).
We have lots of obstacles to overcome at the farm before we move full time but we are loving it!


Cap and River (boy donkey)



Leelou's first rolling in the dirt that Cap saw



Flooring is being laid!


Freshly mowed field


A few of our girls checking out the mow job


15 years of friendship, a man and his trusty dog.


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## Baymule (Sep 23, 2020)

Captain Spiderman is growing up with so much love, his cup runneth over!


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## thistlebloom (Sep 23, 2020)

I love your pirate adventures with Captain Spiderman, so cute!
Good times like that are better than riches and irreplaceable.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 24, 2020)

Well, Captain Spiderman had a bad day at school yesterday. Another child hit him in the head with a tractor. Being 2 1/2 is hard. Poppa and I picked him up early, as we were taking him to see Minions, at our local theater (we were the only ones there). The school called just as we pulled up in the parking lot. Cap came out with a big smile and said, "Jaxon hit me in the head with a tractor. He was mean."  I laughed because they are not supposed to tell us who else was involved. The Owner just smiled and said, "I'm sorry." Sweet lady. Well, what are you gonna do with a room full of 2-3 yr olds?
Captain Spiderman was really good at the movie and he remained interested until the last 10 minutes or so, when he wanted to walk around. The popcorn helped!
It has rained just enough to create a huge mud puddle at the chicken coop, so today we are cleaning the forest floor and making a "carpet" that will hopefully help us not slide around so much. This mud is the worst I have ever encountered.  If I had enemies,  I would wish this mud on them!
The Pac Pack are enjoying laying in the forest near where we are cleaning. It is in the low 80's with a cool breeze and they are thrilled.
We have 3, possibly 4 goats that should be kidding about now but none of them are showing any signs of impending birth. This is our mean girl click that we were sure got bred in March or April. They had a little buck that was about 6 months old running with them for several weeks until we realized he was old enough to get the job done.  Our mean girl click is all of our skinny girls. 3 of them are definitely pregnant and showing. I've bumped tested all 3 and can feel a baby, maybe 2 but timing is unclear. We just knew they would Domino during the Hurricane but we were saved and they didn't. Now it is a waiting game.
Our little chicken flock has contracted and upper respiratory infection and are receiving antibiotics in their water. Nothing like 160 little chicks, in a mud hole with an upper respiratory infection. We are on day 3 of 10 with the antibiotics.  We lost the first 2 that we noticed were sick. Everyone else seems to be ok, but 2 have an icky looking eye. I catch them and clean their eye each day with plain water and then sanitize my hands very well. I have thought about putting a drop of LA 200 in their eyes but not sure if that would help or hurt so I have resisted. Attached is photos of our mud hole and many animals! The white Alpaca laying down is Pearl. She is the main one that lays her neck all the way on the ground. It has freaked me out more than once.




This is our skinniest girl, Sadie. This is a picture of her now. The picture above and below are her today. 



The picture below is how she has always looked before.


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## farmerjan (Sep 24, 2020)

LA200 burns sensitive tissue.  Do not use it in the eyes... if you really want to use something, get a tube of mastitis medicine that is put up into the udder.  Either  Today or Tomorrow  will work.  One is for daily treatment of mastitis, tomorrow is for use at dry off. but either will do the trick.  We use it in the calves eyes for pink eye and it does not burn.... the formula is more soothing with antibiotic in it.  Couldn't burn or you would never get it up a cows teat and live to tell about it.  If you give LA200 under the skin (sq).  you will often see the animal upset and mad, trying to rub it as it burns.... some don't have that reaction but most do.  
Have had muddy lots like that so I can feel your aggravation.... and concern.  Using the forest litter is great and the birds will have a nice chance to pick through it to see if they can find anything interesting. 
Hope you dry up a bit


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## Baymule (Sep 24, 2020)

Mud! You got a lot of MUD! I don't wish that on anybody. Hope you dry out soon


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Sep 25, 2020)

Miss @MuldrowHomeFarm, Miss @frustratedearthmother, and Miss @Baymule,

How did tropical storm Beta impact you rain and flood wise?  I saw where Houston had some flooding but have not read from you three about it  except for now where you, Miss MHF, talked how bad it is.

Senile Texas Aggie


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## frustratedearthmother (Sep 25, 2020)

We had roughly 5 inches of rain over several days and hardly any wind at all.  According to our weather station our worst gust was 17mph.  Pretty much a non-event.  However, we have one horrible side-effect of all the rain and that is swarms of mosquitoes...


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## Baymule (Sep 26, 2020)

We got 1 1/2” of rain and the cool down effect. Nothing bad for us. No mud here, the sand soaks it up, when full, it runs off.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 27, 2020)

We might have gotten 3", but I doubt it! It was a blessing to not have had more but it all pools in the chicken coop. We got no wind, at all. Thank you for asking!


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## Baymule (Sep 28, 2020)

Poor chickens. I am raising a tractor of meat chickens now. Over a few days, we got 7 1/2" of rain and those poor chickens were in some nasty slop! Even throwing in pine shavings didn't help. As soon as I could, I moved it over. I call the meat chickens dirty birdies for their ability to poop enormous amounts in a very short time. And once they get dirty, they stay dirty. They do not groom themselves like normal chickens do. I am moving their tractor every 2 days, using their poop in a small pasture, to enrich the lousy sand soil. 

Since your chicken pen doesn't drain, keep mounding up leaves, sticks and other matter to create a high spot. Eventually it will be higher and hopefully run off.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 28, 2020)

What a mess! What kind of chickens are you using for meat? We currently have Americaunas. White Leghorns, Barr Rock, Production Red, Rhode Island Red, 238's, and Buff Orpingtons.
DH has layered the pen floor and it looks pretty good. Nice to walk on. I am beginning some concrete bag projects and the chicken pen door way is the first. I am excited to see how it works.



This weekend, Captain Spiderman and I went with my DIL to her SIL'S baby shower in San Antonio.  We are all family by marriage but you wouldn't know it! Our DIL is Filipino and they are so close knit. Captain Spiderman loves having dozens of Tita's and Tito's to run to. Along with a couple of cousins his age! 







Cap even talked us suckers in to a cool dip in the pool!


All in all, it was great! But we are glad to be home......


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 28, 2020)

An updated view.....


I cannot tell you how much this has helped so far already



Walking in the pen now without drowning in mud!


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## Baymule (Sep 29, 2020)

It is fall lawn raking time! People will rake their yards, bag the leaves and set them out on the curb. You can pick them up and use them for the mud. Just look at the trees the leaves come from, you don't want to plant those darned Chinese tallow trees!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 29, 2020)

Ah, but you are wrong there, my dear! I am a Beekeeper! Chinese Tallow is our BIGGEST nectar flow here in South Texas! What once was a trash tree and a terrible invasive, bad tree has become my very best friend!!







Jalapeño honey


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 29, 2020)

Beekissed said:


> It appears the testimonials page on the NS website is no longer there, which is a shame.   It was comprised of~literally~thousands of testimonials of satisfied customers with great before and after pics of affected areas.   Those pics were worth a thousand words in and of themselves.


So I ordered NuStock and waited and waited......finally got package pictured below





USPS deemed it Hazardous Material. 
I contacted NuStock and they said they would ship me a new package. Hopefully,  they wont put 2 tubes in a flat rate envelope this time. It obviously got crushed. I used it on Midnight anyway but what a mess!!
I will post a before and after pics!


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## thistlebloom (Sep 29, 2020)

Ooooo... jalapeno honey! Did you just slice fresh peppers on top and let it "steep"?


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 29, 2020)

Yes, ma'am! We make all kinds of infused honey!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 29, 2020)

This is what her legs look like currently 


We have liberally applied NuStock but it was feom the crushed tubes so it may have lost some effectiveness but I wanted to start the treatment.


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## thistlebloom (Sep 29, 2020)

Yes, infused, that's the word I meant!
I'm harvesting my jalapenos soon, before the frost can cut them off, and I am so doing this!


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## thistlebloom (Sep 29, 2020)

MuldrowHomeFarm said:


> This is what her legs look like currently View attachment 77876
> We have liberally applied NuStock but it was feom the crushed tubes so it may have lost some effectiveness but I wanted to start the treatment.



Oh dear. Poor alpaca girl. 
I don't see any reason why the Nustock would lose any effectiveness. 
But I'm sure the package was a mess.
I'd love to see progress pics if possible, please and thanks.


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## Beekissed (Sep 29, 2020)

The NS tends to separate in the tube and it needs a good mushing to get the ingredients well mixed prior to application, so I can see what you mean by wanting it to be effective.   I can't believe they shipped it like that!   I can get NS much cheaper than from the company by buying it at my local feed store/mill, so you may check out your feed store for it if you buy again.   

I've even made my own NS, as the ingredients are pretty simple and easily found.  Love that stuff!  It's goopy, messy and smelly but it's great stuff.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 29, 2020)

It does smell! I think that was why USPS deemed it Hazardous. The lady behind the counter put gloves on and brought it out in a container with a lid. You would have thought it was a snake the way they acted. I picked it up and figured out that the tubes had been smashed and the flat rate paper envelope had soaked up the liquid and it had been squeezed out of the crushed tubes. Strange way to ship tube meds. I expected a box, not an envelope.
Poor Midnight is being ostracized or is ostracizing herself. I think she doesn't feel good. Do you think I should give her anything else? Banamine or LA200? Maybe Vitamin B?


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 29, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Yes, infused, that's the word I meant!
> I'm harvesting my jalapenos soon, before the frost can cut them off, and I am so doing this!


Just remember to turn your jars every few days! We infuse for 30 to 45 days!


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## Baymule (Sep 30, 2020)

I also love the honey from Chinese tallow trees. But happily send your bees to OTHER PROPERTY to find those darned tree WEEDS, not on YOUR property!! LOL

Infused honey! What a great idea! Do you have a web site or facebook page? If you do, you can post a link to it at the bottom of your posts. People might want to buy honey and you could ship it.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 30, 2020)

Baymule said:


> I also love the honey from Chinese tallow trees. But happily send your bees to OTHER PROPERTY to find those darned tree WEEDS, not on YOUR property!! LOL
> 
> Infused honey! What a great idea! Do you have a web site or facebook page? If you do, you can post a link to it at the bottom of your posts. People might want to buy honey and you could ship it.


Awwwww! That is so cool! We do have an online store and a website! Thank you!
www.muldrowbeefarm.com 

And I will try to figure out how to make a tag line......


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## Bruce (Sep 30, 2020)

MuldrowHomeFarm said:


> Hopefully, they wont put 2 tubes in a flat rate envelope this time. It obviously got crushed.


Pretty poor packaging on the part of NuStock. I wonder if they dropped the envelope in the package shipping box or took it to the counter. If the latter the clerk would (should!) have asked a lot of questions about what sort of material is in the envelope. No way DW would have allowed that sort of thing to be shipped without having them change it to a box or WELL padded envelope.

One person brought her a box, she asked her questions including "any liquids?" The answer "No it is maple syrup"


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## thistlebloom (Sep 30, 2020)

My Nustock was delivered in a box. Maybe there are different vendors selling it on Amazon (if that's where you got it).

My son ordered some engine oil additive and it was delivered in an oil stained box to our house (he has most things shipped here for security - he lives in a tri-plex). When I opened the box one bottle's lid was loose, they hadn't put tape around the top to secure, which I thought was standard, the bottles were just loose to roll around in the box and there was a little bit of wadded up brown kraft paper stuffed in. For appearance maybe, since it sure wasn't doing anything to keep the bottles secure.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 30, 2020)

I bought directly from NS. I didn't even think to look at Amazon. I should have though. I ship honey all the time and when they ask if it is liquid I say, "Liquid gold!" Some get it, some don't.......but I seal the lids and bubble wrap the snot out of it and then put each jar in it's own zip lock bag. I ship glass so if it breaks,  then yes, it is going to be a mess.......


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 30, 2020)

If you look back at the picture of the NuStock package, you can see it is a 3 day Priority package and the date sent on top is 9-15. I received it on 9-28. It went through a trial and tribulation, for sure!


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## River Buffaloes (Sep 30, 2020)

What a wonderful thread!!! It's the cutest little thread I have been through on BYH. I thoroughly enjoyed it. @MuldrowHomeFarm you and your family are such a nice group of people. I wish you were my neighbours (not that my neighbours are bad). I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I hope you will keep posting often.


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## River Buffaloes (Sep 30, 2020)

It does look like it is raining everywhere except California. Your mudhole looks like something my buffaloes would enjoy. 

We are also having the first excess monsoon in twenty-five years. We went through a horrible flood this year and lost 90% of our rice crop. It stopped raining less than a week ago and we are expecting thunderstorm and rain again on Saturday. Monsoon type climate is terrible. You get virtually no rain for eight months and then it rains cats and dogs for four months and all of a sudden all the rivers start swelling up and overflowing their banks.


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## Bruce (Sep 30, 2020)

MuldrowHomeFarm said:


> If you look back at the picture of the NuStock package, you can see it is a 3 day Priority package and the date sent on top is 9-15. I received it on 9-28. It went through a trial and tribulation, for sure!


Once it got mushed, likely by a machine I would guess, it got put on the "slow boat" - all manual processing.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 30, 2020)

Today's projects:
Water Tower















Bead Board for inside of tiny home:
Painting the primer


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Sep 30, 2020)

River Buffaloes said:


> What a wonderful thread!!! It's the cutest little thread I have been through on BYH. I thoroughly enjoyed it. @MuldrowHomeFarm you and your family are such a nice group of people. I wish you were my neighbours (not that my neighbours are bad). I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I hope you will keep posting often.


I have a feeling many of us on here would make good neighbors for one another! Thank you for the kind words! We work very hard at being good folks but I tell ya.......it is getting harder every year! I am just beyond thankful for finding this group! I have enjoyed sharing and reading everyone else's threads. It is nice to have a common group of buddies to share life with!


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## Baymule (Sep 30, 2020)

MuldrowHomeFarm said:


> I have a feeling many of us on here would make good neighbors for one another! Thank you for the kind words! We work very hard at being good folks but I tell ya.......it is getting harder every year! I am just beyond thankful for finding this group! I have enjoyed sharing and reading everyone else's threads. It is nice to have a common group of buddies to share life with!


Isn't that the truth! Where else can you find people that understand what your passions are?


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 1, 2020)

Today's progress:



And a new friend some low life abandoned on our country road......don't worry lil guy, in a couple of days when you let us catch you, we will vet you and find you a good home! For tonight, you are safely locked on the farm. Please don't hurt any animals......


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## Baymule (Oct 2, 2020)

I hate dog dumpers. Out here, they usually wind up as coyote snacks. Coyotes killed a dog one night almost at our gate. They were growling and snarling, the dog was screaming for it's life, it must have gone on for 5 minutes, then all went silent. Coyotes scored a meal to feed the pack. Too bad we can't get a video to show what REALLY happens to dumped dogs.


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## Bruce (Oct 2, 2020)

The dumpers wouldn't care, after all it wouldn't happen to the dog THEY dump, only other dogs.


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## River Buffaloes (Oct 2, 2020)

Baymule said:


> I hate dog dumpers. Out here, they usually wind up as coyote snacks. Coyotes killed a dog one night almost at our gate. They were growling and snarling, the dog was screaming for it's life, it must have gone on for 5 minutes, then all went silent. Coyotes scored a meal to feed the pack. Too bad we can't get a video to show what REALLY happens to dumped dogs.




Oh my!!! this is incredibly heartbreaking!!! Why didn't you say the poor dog!!!!


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## Baymule (Oct 2, 2020)

River Buffaloes said:


> Oh my!!! this is incredibly heartbreaking!!! Why didn't you say the poor dog!!!!


I do feel sorry for the dogs that get dumped out here. I will call the county animal control, they come out and set a trap. They adopt out unclaimed dogs for free, just have to show proof of rabies shots and spay/neuter in 30 days. Local animal shelters will take the dogs that don't find a home to keep them from being euthanized. Every one of the county animal control officers I have met, care deeply for the dogs and they like their job. 

When there is a stray, my dogs go nuts. They are Livestock Guard Dogs, it's their job. If a stray got in, my dogs would attack it. If a dog has a collar with tags, I will contact the owner to come get their dog. I have to pen up my dogs and pen the other dog until it's owner gets here. 

Sometimes the coyotes get them first.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 3, 2020)

Last night was our first night camping with Captain Spiderman.  It was a moderate sucess. His tummy was upset and he pooped in his sleep at midnight.....he was fine until I wanted to change his diaper and then it was all hell breaking loose. He settled down after Poppa took him outside to look at the stars at 1am......then he calmed down and went back to sleep. We sat by the camp fire and made toasted marshmallows and had Smores! Cap loved all of it but not enough to eat the marshmallows. It has been a full day of work here and we are beat!














Tomorrow, IBC tote raised and plumbed.....possibly filled!


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## thistlebloom (Oct 3, 2020)

Great pics of Captain Spidey, he's looking like a farmer in his overalls!
How will you be filling the tote with water once it's installed?


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 4, 2020)

We are going to pump water up to it.....we hope.....currently,  we fill a 250 gallon tank that is in the back of one if our trucks every 3 or 4 days......we pump it into a big black tub at the farm then carry it via 5 gallon buckets to its destination. Our water well is a year or so out, unless things work out better than hoped.....
At the boys pen, we have a rain gutter system that works very well....will post photos soon! We will set one up at all pens before winter.


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## Baymule (Oct 4, 2020)

Y'all are giving that boy the best time of his life. Aren't kids great!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 4, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Y'all are giving that boy the best time of his life. Aren't kids great!


Nothing like having only one grandchild! I am begging for more but so far, I am being ignored,  refused and down right given dirty looks. Cap's Mom is a flat out NO.......my Oldest daughter is on the fence but has had 2 miscarriages in the last 3 years so I don't push now......and JM says, "If it's God's will......", which, of course, I can't argue.....and our youngest is in his 3rd year of a 6 year contract with the Air Force and although I hope he stays in, he says he plans to move back to the farm with us and he can meet someone here and start a family.  He is currently in NJ. SOOOOOOOO......Captain Spiderman is it for now........and I have vowed to enjoy every moment since I may not get another one! Poor kid!





Our first picture together......I was there when he took his first breath and I was the first one to see him besides the medical staff. I'm  a little bit enamored. I cannot believe he will be 3 in February.



I think he knew what was coming!



That is our little Wether goat, Hamilton. He is so sweet. That is the first day we brought the goats home. Cap and Ham have been buddies from that moment. Hamilton has a collar with his name and our number embroidered on it. These 2 are pretty inseparable at the farm.



This is exactly one year later. Cap was eating an apple and Hammy wanted it!
Thank you guys for encouraging me! He is such a great part of our adventures!


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## farmerjan (Oct 4, 2020)

Cap Spiderman is sure growing.  Yeah, love him in the overalls.....I hope he will treasure the live and love you are endowing him with....


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## Bruce (Oct 4, 2020)

MuldrowHomeFarm said:


> and our youngest is in his 3rd year of a 6 year contract with the Air Force and although I hope he stays in, he says he plans to move back to the farm with us and he can meet someone here and start a family.


With so many family farms not continuing because the kids don't want to farm, I hope he DOES come back


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 4, 2020)

MuldrowHomeFarm said:


> Cap was eating an apple and Hammy wanted it!



What an adorable young man!   And what a joy that the goat likes him so much!  Maybe the goat can be like a pet dog that goes "BAAAAAAH!"

Regarding that tower you have built to hold a water tank, you can't fool me!  That is really an oil derrick and you plan to have another Spindletop!

Senile Texas Aggie

For those not familiar with Texas history, Spindletop is where they first discovered oil in Texas.  It is located not far from where Miss MuldrowHomeFarm is located.  See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spindletop


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## Finnie (Oct 5, 2020)

MuldrowHomeFarm said:


> I am just beyond thankful for finding this group! I have enjoyed sharing and reading everyone else's threads. It is nice to have a common group of buddies to share life with!


Yes, and this is WAY better than Facebook!


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## Bruce (Oct 5, 2020)

I don't do FB, I've heard WAY too much bad about it.


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## Baymule (Oct 5, 2020)

I have a FB, but I don't do much with it. People post so much crap, it's the new email forwards.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 5, 2020)

Ok, so IBC tote is up!! Now.....to fill it......






More updates as they happen!!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 5, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Regarding that tower you have built to hold a water tank, you can't fool me! That is really an oil derrick and you plan to have another Spindletop!


I love that you know that!!


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## Baymule (Oct 6, 2020)

How are you going to fill it? This is interesting!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 6, 2020)

Our plan is to fill another IBC tote on the ground and then pump the water up to the one on the platform. I will video it and post it here! We are very excited about this project. It has been in the design stages for almost a year and watching it come to fruition has been so wonderful!
Honestly, everything seems to move so slowly on the farm but DH taught me a long time ago that everything is a function of time or money. And sometimes both! We usually have more time than money!


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## Bruce (Oct 6, 2020)

I am a little confused. Unless you have a windmill powered pump to get the water up into the tower, where is the value & time saving in filling one tote, carrying it to the tower then pumping it up to the tower tank so you can use gravity to use the water? Would you not be "cutting out the middleman" by just pumping from tote #1?


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 6, 2020)

We currently have no water on the property.  We plan to dig a well but it is about $8k. We have to bring water via a tank or an IBC tote every 3 days. So cutting out the middleman would be the digging a well.......but then again, there is no electricity out there either but the solar systems are working well so far. They are small but we plan to expand them. Long term the water tower will be set up as a rain catch.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 7, 2020)

I can't recall if I shared that Rooster Cogburn has learned how to crow!



He is a big, beautiful Production Red and he just turned 6 months old. He has 11 fat and sassy hens of different varieties that he claims as his harem. He really wants all the littles released from the run but maybe another week....


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 7, 2020)

Filling the tank!


Thirsty girls!


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## Mini Horses (Oct 7, 2020)

Agree, it does look like an oil thing 😁.   It works, so it's all good!  

I keep a few containers at the drip line of roofs in a couple areas that are just a pain to pull a hose.  Since only a few chickens to supply from them it works great....young birds or couple extra roos,  etc.  Fortunately I do have water available but, this saves some steps!

Hey, I find I always have more time than $$.  Especially of late.  I'm scavenging now for unused wood here and free pallets from other places for my winter hay stacking and some repairs.  It's what we do!  Eventually it gets done.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 7, 2020)

Last winter, our goats had a tarp and pallet shed. This year it will be a bit of an upgrade. That is our next project. Our Alpaca pen will be lengthened 2 feet, from 10 to 12 qnd we will build the next section for the goats on one side and the donkeys on the other! Pics to follow so you can see what I mean!


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## farmerjan (Oct 7, 2020)

Shelter that does not leak is shelter from the elements and most animals will be grateful.  There are always a few.... and then  there are the bullies that will not share... but stand guard at the doorway and won't let others in even though there is plenty of room.... That gets my dander up.  Horses are famous for that.....


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 11, 2020)

Well, Hurricane Delta came to town. Not much damage but another 2 days without electricity. Todat was a bee class day so not much going on at Farm except that we emptied the chicken coop! All birds outside all day! Everybody was relatively easy to wrangle back in but we have this one Production Red hen that wants to stay out all night.....and we finally found the clutch of eggs! 16 in all! What a boon!







And, of course a dose of Captain Spiderman.......who got a new Batman mask from Granna!


But, Cap had to eat his cookie from yesterday so he took the mask off......for a few minutes!



All in all.....a good day!


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## Baymule (Oct 12, 2020)

I was wondering if Delta slammed into y'all, thanks for checking in and letting us know!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 12, 2020)

Miss @MuldrowHomeFarm,

Thanks for the pictures and the update.  Yesterday I intended on asking how hurricane Delta affected you but forgot.  I am glad to know you suffered no wind damage.  I saw where it affected Mr. @Mike CHS, Miss @farmerjan, and Miss @Mini Horses, providing them with a good bit of rain.

Senile Texas Aggie


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 12, 2020)

Yes, we got more rain from Delta and more wind from Laura. We lost the same amount of trees in both.....go figure!


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## farmerjan (Oct 12, 2020)

All we got was 3 days of rainy, showery, drizzly  weather out of Delta.  Still misty drizzle today.  Haven't checked the total rain yet.  We were on the more northern end of it, as it was pushing as much east as it was north.... which is fine.  Ground got a good drink of water;  grass is as green as ever.  Trees are all losing leaves fast, don't think there will be as much color as I originally thought if they keep falling so fast.  Hoping to get a couple batches of them off the maple at the other house "swept up" for the chickens for the winter.  Then the maple here.It is not losing leaves much at all yet.  Possible 30's at night after the next real front comes through on Friday....


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 12, 2020)

We had hoped that winter was here but we are back to high 80's during the day. Now granted, we will take that over 90's....or at least I will. DH LOVES to sweat and hates winter.
Today was pretty good. We burned a lot of limbs and clean out for the expansion of the Alpaca pen. We will start it on Thursday!
Will update with before and after pics!
But for now......Chickens!!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 12, 2020)

Also, replacement NuStock came.....same packaging but not crushed this time!
Here is a side by side comparison of Midnight's leg.
Top was Sept 14th. We didn't start NuStock until Sept 29th and honestly, it has been hit and miss to put it on her due to the crushed tubes. We have applied it 2 times 3 days apart, as directed.  We should have applied more yesterday but will do it tomorrow. 
I personally see improvement.......


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## thistlebloom (Oct 13, 2020)

MuldrowHomeFarm said:


> DH LOVES to sweat and hates winter.



That's funny!
Good to hear that Midnights leg is healing. I wonder why they ship the NS in such a flimsy package. 

Your honey jars are beautiful! And the frame with the bees too .


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## Bruce (Oct 13, 2020)

MuldrowHomeFarm said:


> same packaging


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 16, 2020)

Once again, we have dropped puppies at our gate. This is really getting old but my heart and DH's heart won't alliw us to do anything but vet them and start the exhausting search for good, safe homes. I hope anyone that every drops an animal goes straight to hell. I get that it is hard to take care of them but there are so many ways to get help before the animals get pregnant and many ways to get help after.
If I could, I would keep all these abandoned babies but I simply cannot. Here are the sweet faces from this dump. AND the update on the Alpaca Shed!





Obviously these 2 are siblings......



And this little Lady was with them.....so....3 babies about the same age....possible litter mates. 2 girls and one boy. Cooper, Bindi and Lady are currently being vetted and will hopefully find homes asap. Anyone want puppy or 3?!?!


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## Bruce (Oct 16, 2020)

Maybe you need a game camera to catch the people who are dropping the pups off. MIGHT get lucky.


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## Finnie (Oct 16, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Maybe you need a game camera to catch the people who are dropping the pups off. MIGHT get lucky.


THAT would be great! I wonder if there’s any way to aim it so it captures their license plate.


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## frustratedearthmother (Oct 16, 2020)

MuldrowHomeFarm said:


> Anyone want puppy or 3?!?!


They are really cute and look to be in decent shape.  Bless you for taking care of them and looking for a good situation for them to land in.


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## Baymule (Oct 16, 2020)

Pet dumping is so wrong. At least they are well fed and not starving. Poor puppies, they are cute. I hope you can find them good homes.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 17, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Maybe you need a game camera to catch the people who are dropping the pups off. MIGHT get lucky.


We have 6 game cameras and have caught their license plates but there is nothing we can do. We give the info to the local PD, but they say there is nothing they can do.


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## Bruce (Oct 17, 2020)

Or nothing they CARE to do.

Carry some spray paint with you and if you spot their cars paint "PUPPY DUMPER" on them


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## thistlebloom (Oct 17, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Or nothing they CARE to do.
> 
> Carry some spray paint with you and if you spot their cars paint "PUPPY DUMPER" on them



That would probably get them jail time!


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## Bruce (Oct 17, 2020)

Um, unless you mean @MuldrowHomeFarm then


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## Mini Horses (Oct 18, 2020)

I really like the pup in the 2nd pic.   Nice face.   But we are waaaay far apart.


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## Baymule (Oct 18, 2020)

There is www.southeasttexas.com for that area. You could always post pictures of their car and scold them for dumping puppies. Word gets around in small towns......  And you could post the pictures on your web site and on FB.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 19, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Um, unless you mean @MuldrowHomeFarm then



Yeah, I meant the good guys.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 22, 2020)

Well, this week, Cap and his Momma have been on 'Cation......meaning, vacation.  They left last Friday, drove to Florida to see a friend and then on to South Carolina,  where Momma dropped Cap off to spend the week with Aunt Allie (my daughter). Aunt Allie has no children yet and she adore Cap.....it has been a hoot and a holler, getting phone calls, asking, "Is this ok? Should he do this or that? Why is he doing this or that? Can you talk to him about this or that?" Momma got back to South Carolina last night and boy was Aunt Allie happy! Lolololololol
Our house, on the other hand, has been a Tomb without Cap.  He has a few little gifts for when he gets home.  We've missed him bunches and bunches!
The Alpaca Shed, Donkey Shed and Goat Shed is coming along nicely!
The chickens are growing and seems to have fought off the round of Foxy Poxy, with us only losing 9 of our 145 chicks. We still have one with eye issues but she is getting better daily, if we can keep the others from picking on her.
We are still working on Midnight's legs with NuStock and they are looking much better. She has hurt her back left leg, we are unsure what happened but she doesn't want to stand on it. I have given her Banamine and B12 along with a dose of Thiamine to help her feel better. We will be watching her with her new leg problem.










Cap running around on 'Cation in Aunt Allie's backyard, South Carolina......he was saying, "I got to go, Granna. I'm playing with Koda!" (the dog)


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## thistlebloom (Oct 22, 2020)

Awww, that Cap is a keeper! What fun that you get to have so much time with him. You're very blessed.
Looks like you guys are making enormous construction progress too!


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## Baymule (Oct 24, 2020)

I know you are missing him! Too quiet around there! LOL The sheds are looking good!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 25, 2020)

CAP IS HOME!! Not that I am excited or anything.......

Poppa and I took him to Dairy Queen for lunch and you can see how that turned out!

It rained a bunch yesterday, so it is a gooey mess but I do have some lovely pictures to share!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 25, 2020)

Oh! And the boy puppy got adopted at the adoption event today! 1 down, 2 to go!!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 25, 2020)

Oh! And an updated picture of the loafing sheds!!


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## Bruce (Oct 25, 2020)

Looks like you are still on the egg laying side of the annual moult. 18 of my 20 have or are currently moulting. Some look truly awful.


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## Baymule (Oct 25, 2020)

My 8 non-laying molting 3 year old EE's were slaughtered and given to a neighbor. My 9 red sex link pullets haven't started laying yet, but we have plenty of eggs. 2 neighbors are keeping us supplied.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 27, 2020)

Well, I am sorry to report that we lost our big gorgeous black rooster and 6 guineas to raccoons penetrating our coop. DH is LIVID and set a trap, caught and dispatched a racoon this morning.  I hated it but we hate losing our beautiful birds.

If it is not one thing.......

Much work done on the winter shed. I will post photos later.

We spent the night at the farm last night without Cap and he was not happy.  Maybe we will stay out there again tonight and bring him with us.......or make we will go home and sleep in our comfy bed, snuggling with Cap!


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## farmerjan (Oct 27, 2020)

DO NOT FEEL SORRY FOR THE RACCOON.  If they would only kill one and eat it, you could have some sympathy.  They will wantonly kill and for that they do not deserve any sympathy.   

I have no feelings of remorse for killing a raccoon.  Even the possums will kill one and eat it or just eat the food and eggs.  I had coons get into the meat birds; over the top of a 6 ft dog kennel, after 2 years of never being bothered by anything.  In 2 nights they killed over 25 birds and left them lay.... the third night they got under the cover and killed more.  I then used a heavy panel with small openings, and tied it down.  Set the live trap.... got 5 coons and 2 possums and 1 young red fox in 9 days...... 3 coons, 1 possum, 2 coons, 1 possum, then the one red fox. The fox I took and turned loose about 10 miles away where they have foxhounds and they ride to the hounds in an area of over 1,000 acres.  They don't kill them, and it was my concession to allow the fox to have a life since it was a young fox and i think it was a matter of it just coming and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  
The coons and possums were dispatched ..... and I have since gotten 2 more possums.  The joke is that all the predators had moved into our area..... for Jan's chicken buffet......
So not one bit of sympathy.....


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## Mini Horses (Oct 27, 2020)

No sympathy here either!    This skunk here isn't after the chickens, just their feed.   Eggs are collected or they'd go for them.  Still want them removed.

Molting looks???  I have one hen that looks like she's been plucked ... Like worst one I have ever had this bare.   Poor girl.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 30, 2020)

I am beyond thrilled with our shed! 



We still have to put the metal on the roof so we went with a pallet wall in front.....next year we will redo it with wood. However, I really do like the way it looks!



And, of course, Cap is in the House!!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Oct 30, 2020)




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## Baymule (Oct 30, 2020)

Nothing wrong with pallet walls! Looking good.


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## Mini Horses (Oct 31, 2020)

Looks like some nice hay!   Like the shed but, see what catches my eye?     

The carriage display is quite nice.  What is the building in the background?  Looks like an apartment building.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Nov 1, 2020)

The carriage is at a Pumpkin Patch in town......not at our Farm.....maybe next year we will have our own Pumpkin Patch but this year we had to visit one!


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Nov 1, 2020)




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## Baymule (Nov 1, 2020)

A lady came over yesterday to buy chicken, we were visiting and she told me about her pumpkin patch. They have a U-Pick blueberry farm, for the last 38 years. So they have established customers and she uses Facebook to announce what they have. She and her father planted 3/4 of an acre in 3 different pumpkins and sold over 500! From $2-&5 each, they sold out. She built a square bale display, put out a locking mailbox and Honor stand, for when they weren’t able to sit out there all day. Her parents live there and her father was around most of the time, but couldn’t stay right there all the time. 

They considered doing a U-Pick but quickly rejected that idea. The stand she built served its purpose. I think you would do well with pumpkins. Even sitting on the side of a busy highway with a flatbed trailer or just in the back of the truck with a plywood sign, people would stop. 

For that matter, try the side of the road sales with watermelons. July 4th is a big weekend for watermelons. Have jars of your honey too!


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## Bruce (Nov 5, 2020)

farmerjan said:


> DO NOT FEEL SORRY FOR THE RACCOON. If they would only kill one and eat it, you could have some sympathy. They will wantonly kill and for that they do not deserve any sympathy.


Agree 1000%. And you don't know they are there until they kill one or more of your animals. I once caught a coon when I had the trap out for woodchucks. Boy was I surprised.



MuldrowHomeFarm said:


> next year we will redo it with wood. However, I really do like the way it looks!


Pallets ARE wood  
Given where you live it seems like having some gaps for air movement is a good thing.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Nov 11, 2020)

Of course, I realize pallets are made of wood but usually not meant for long term use in the weather, atvleast, not our weather. I meant matching wood for the look of the thing. That is the only place I am perpetually ocd.
Well, NuStock has done an excellent job on Midnight's legs and the fur has already begun to re grow. Thank you guys so much for that info!
We have had several minor issues to contend with so I haven't been able to muse about our little life recently.
The goats are becoming a much bigger annoyance (only because they want to be involved with every move we make) recently and we are thrilled their pen is almost complete.  That way, we can call thwm up, put them in the pen, give them treats and then feed everyone else in peace! Oh, the thought makes me giddy!
We have also been so excited to have had our Peacocks join the fold. They are barely 5 months old and still penned up for another month or so.
Working hard and fast.....


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Nov 11, 2020)




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## Baymule (Nov 12, 2020)

Starting with raw land and building a farm is a lot of work to get the infrastructure in place. I think y'all are doing a fantastic job.


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## farmerjan (Nov 12, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Starting with raw land and building a farm is a lot of work to get the infrastructure in place. I think y'all are doing a fantastic job.


Agree with @Baymule .  You have made some very impressive strides.


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Nov 16, 2020)

More progress!! A dutch door for the Alpaca!


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## Finnie (Sep 9, 2021)

MuldrowHomeFarm said:


> More progress!! A dutch door for the Alpaca!View attachment 79062


Was just thinking about you and hoping everything is going well. I miss reading about your farm progress. Hard to believe it’s been almost a year since you posted!


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