# RainySunday-Twin goaties!



## RainySunday (Mar 8, 2013)

1.    What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?

Washington state, the wet side...The climate is wet, very wet .  Right this moment, it is 50F, sunny, and a bit breezy...same forecast for tomorrow, but then we get over a week of rain.  We are also the land of "if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes," especially in March.  My husband's birthday is Sunday, and it is not uncommon to get sun, rain, wind, fog, snow, and hail all on his birthday, in different orders.

2.    How many people are in your family? Marital status?

Married, 2 kids (5 yr old girl, almost 3yr old boy), 1 baby on the way (in May-ish).

3.    How would you define your farm?

Small farmette/ranchlette.  We have chickens and goats, and a dog, but he's only good for entertainment value 

4.    What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?

Spare time?  What's that?  I am pregnant, raising two kids, homeschooling the kindie, have goats/chickens/dog, run my own business and manage a farmer's market...oh, and garden.  I do love to read, but if money was no issue, I would love to run either a small dairy, and/or camp/conference center to teach kids and adults more about farm life.

5.    Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building? Do you want to?

I designed our chicken coop and goat barn and helped hubby build them.  I actually really enjoy building.

6.    Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?

uh...no.

7.    Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?

I honestly couldn't say...just something that has always felt "right" about the idea.

8     Is it a hobby or an occupation?

Hobby, but we do sell extra babies, and plan to start selling soap this market season.

9.    In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?

I think there's always more to be learned, even when you are pretty knowledgeable about something.  I generally do lots and lots of research about whatever my current project is, but I would be thrilled to take some online courses about goat medicine/herbals, that type of thing.

10.  In what types of farming will you never choose to do?

No plans for sheep (the pics on here are cute, just feel no pull towards them at all); and we don't have the space/land for cattle, and they are just big...although, if we had the room/set up for it, I could see having a jersey for butter and feeding baby goats.

11.   Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?

Yes!  That is a big part of why we started this journey.  Both our kids have food allergies, and neither of us really do...something weird with the food supply it would seem...We have the chickens for eggs, the goats for milk, a garden for some of our produce.  This year, I plan to add in some berry vines, hopefully a few fruit trees, and more herbs for human and livestock use.

12.   Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?

In a book, generally.  Or researching ideas for the future, as far as the farm goes.

13.   Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?

Um, no.

14.   Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?

Soap, and lots of sewn things.  I also can and dehydrate food/herbs for the winter.

15.   Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?

Yes.  We have goats and chickens, and our landlords have ponies.

16.   Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?

Nope

17.   Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?

Yes, although this year I will be mostly designing and supervising (with baby due in May).  We grow greens (lettuce, chard and kale; which we generously share (unwillingly) with the resident 4 million slugs); summer squash, strawberries, peas, beans, tomatoes, potatoes.  Last year we did jerusalem artichokes (which means we will be again this year, as they don't so much go away, lol), corn, and quinoa.

18.   Do you fish? Bait or explosives?

My husband does, and the kids love going with him.  You can fish with explosives?  Who knew?

19.   How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?

Country, rent, share 2.5 acres...although the owners just bought the property next door, which is the same size, and want us to have the goats clear it, so i guess we are up to 5acres.  We don't use all of it though.

24.   Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?

Yes, just attended a conference to take a class on exactly that and bought the gal's book.  Very interesting.

25.   If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?

I am pretty happy here...although I could do with more land and less rain.  We have family in Wyoming, so maybe there someday.

28.    Are your family or friends also interested in animals?

I have converted my mom.  She comes out for nearly every goat birth to be the assistant midwife, even at 3am!  She loves it!

29.    Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?

I do like to cook, we try to do as many whole/fresh fruits veggies as we can.  We do eggs and milk (raw) from our critters.  Our kids have quite a few allergies, and the certainly helped us stay away from processed stuff.

30.   What was your best animal experience? Worst?

Best would be each and everytime a doe gives birth, I truly love being there for that experience, even when things get a bit dicey.  Worst, well, it wasn't the animals themselves, but rather someone who purchased from us and got rather psycho afterwards...that was very very unpleasant, and stressful.  To counter that though, is the repeat buyer who can't wait for this group of babies to be born, as she loves the doe she got from us last year, and wants another.

31.    Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?

Some forage, we have tons and tons of wild berries around here, and we will be collecting more of the native herbs this spring/summer as well (plantain, nettles, etc) so we have them all year round.

32.    What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?

Mostly, a willingness to learn from those who've been doing it longer/better/different/etc, and I do lots and lots of research.  I can't imagine doing this 20+ years ago without the internet and all the experienced people on it as a resource.

33.    Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?

We've processed a few roosters, and I do some canning and freezing and dehydrating as well.

34.   Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm? Would you like to?

I would love to have a woodstove, but it isn't likely in this house.

35    What is on your to do list?

Oh boy...well the short list is (like for tonight through the weekend): install the warming barrel in the kidding pen (3 does due and still dropping into the 30's at night), dust everyone for buggies, brush everyone (starting to blow coat for spring), reshave and udders that need it, move the buck pen, switch collars (just got the plastic chain type)...and that's just for the goats.  We also have quite a bit to do on the garden, prep for baby, sewing, and work, etc to do lists.

36.   Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?

No, we haven't and aren't likely to.

37.   In what do you trust?

God, my husband, family , dear friends.

38.  Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?

Yes

39.  Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits?

I think so.  I am more aware of how far from this lifestyle most of our culture has gotten, and so very thankful to have the opportunity to pursue it, even on a small ish scale.  I love that we are able to raise our kids with a garden, and animals that they help care for, and fresh air, and an understanding of life and responsibility.  We tend to stay home more, which I am good with, as most of our time/life revolve around kidding, getting hay, caring for animals, tending the garden, etc.


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## RainySunday (Mar 8, 2013)

I think it's time to join in this journaling thing.  I have a blog too, but I tend to keep that more focused on animal updates like kidding, pedigrees, pictures, etc.

The big goings on right now are the three junior does/yearlings due from today through early April, planning this year's garden, work stuff being crazy in preparation for market season starting, oh, and our own human kid who should be making her appearance in May (or late late April).

The does are cruising right along with their pregnancies.  I would guess two of them have about a week to go, and the other 1-2 weeks; but we have a pretty big window, so who knows.  I am excited to see what they produce, and what their udders are like, as these are the first girls we kept, raised and bred.  I love being there for the births, and definitely plan to be this time around, as they are first fresheners, and we plan to pull and bottle all the babies.  Barn checks every few hours, and crawling around the barn on my knees at 8 months pregnant is sounding less fun as each day passes, but oh well.

Tractor Boy (the 2, almost 3 year old) is very excited to have more baby goats to hold, as the ones from December weigh almost as much as he does now!  He knows they come out "by the tail, mama" and thinks that's pretty funny. He and Goat Girl both love helping with bottle feeding too.

Goat Girl is 5, and loves loves loves the goats.  She really is our resident goat tamer, carrying the babies around, etc.  Our babies end up so friendly, and I know it is largely due to her influence.  She is also getting really helpful with the chickens/eggs, filling water buckets, etc.


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## bonbean01 (Mar 8, 2013)

Welcome to the journals! 

Baby animals are so cute...but the cutest will be your human baby in May!!!


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## promiseacres (Mar 9, 2013)

Welcome! Sounds like a busy spring!


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## alsea1 (Mar 9, 2013)

Hello from Soggy Oregon.


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## Pearce Pastures (Mar 9, 2013)




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## RainySunday (Mar 11, 2013)

Thanks for all the welcomes.

The weekend went well.  The baby shower was fun, it was nice to spend time with some good friends and family.  Hubby had a good birthday, and the kids had a fun time spending Saturday with Daddy doing all sorts of barn/farm chores.  We/they actually got through most of the to-dos as far as the goats are concerned, woohoo!

The juniors are still keeping their legs crossed, no babies yet.  Dutch has been losing her plug, as has Pilly.  Birdie has no goo, and her udder is the smallest, but her ligs are the most sunken.  Basically, it's anyone's game at this point.  Although...the senior doe who is in heat today was mounting Dutch, so my money is still on Dutch going first.  Please keep fingers crossed for does out of these girls, I already have a few people who want does.

Today's plan is to keep an eye on the juniors and weigh the December keeper does.  I already got two gallons of milk put into the cheese process to make chevre and bag cheese.


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## RainySunday (Mar 14, 2013)

Pilly has no ligaments as of a little while ago.  No other "labor" signs yet, so I will be checking in on her every hour or so, but not sitting with her yet.  Her udder did just about double yesterday, and she is so poofy in her back end that if she held on much longer, that area was gonna need a name and legs of its own, poor thing!


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## RainySunday (Mar 14, 2013)

More info/pics on my kidding thread, but babies are here!  Pilly had twins, and everyone is doing well, and they are very cute!


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## RainySunday (Mar 15, 2013)

As of last night, Dutch has no ligs, so she should be going today sometime.  Now I have to decide if I can my assistant in now, or wait until later this morning...On the one hand, I feel bad if I am wrong and it takes forever, and she didn't need to be here early afterall...On the otherhand, doing all that at 8months myself yesterday was, hmm, intense, to say the least, and I can barely move today.  

I tend to be pretty "ehh, I can handle it", but today might be one of those times it's smarter to ask for the extra help.  I'll watch Dutch for a bit while I am out feeding babies, and see if I can make up my mind.


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## elevan (Mar 15, 2013)




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