FergusonK's journal - Goodbye Java Jewel.

[Ferguson K]

The kids are officially 10 hours old, they're both standing and walking very well. After the bucklings rough start I'm very happy to see him up and moving.

Now I'm off to work and I'm going to pray that they are okay while I'm gone all day. I might leave early, I'm kind of loopy. I feel like it's spring again and kidding season and the sleep deprivation has slipped it.

 

[Ferguson K]

I am in the middle of planning our upcoming show season. Trying to figure out what does I want to bring, but also trying to plan as much as 6 months in advance.

It's causing me to pull my hair out a little.

I'm having to remember that even though some of the doelings I will be bringing are TINY now, they wont be TINY in October/November. They'll be old enough. I'm having to count and calculate, bouncing between the seven does I will be showing this season, and it's driving me insane!!

Some shows I want to bring all seven ladies, but I don't know that it's feasible because I'll be the only one showing. What if the rings over-lap and I miss out getting to show someone? I don't have kids that can show my goats for me and my husband will be holding goats in between classes for me.

Seriously though:

September we have 2 shows, first show I'm bringing Lyra and Damsel. A ND and a LaMancha. No chances of overlap. Both will be shown in two rings each. Second show is undecided and I only have two more days to decide before they shut entries down. I'm thinking about bringing Lyra and Damsel again, but it's only eight days after the first show. They may not be recovered by then? If I don't bring them I will bring two senior does ( thought about bringing Anabelle, but she's not healthy enough to show right now and wont pass a health test... she's in isolation... that's another story in itself. ) The two senior does I want to bring will still have kids nursing on them at this time, do I separate the kids and keep them in the same pen 12 hours before the show? So the does fill up? Or do I just skip this second show... Two days to decide. I have a second group of does that I could bring, but I may not have their papers back by then. Don't want to enter does that I haven't got paperwork back on yet. September is close.

October we have one show, we're bringing three juniors and three seniors. All ND. However I'm still not sure how this is going to work because I don't have handlers and two of the three seniors would be in the same class, and two of the three juniors would be in the same class. This is the state fair so I know there will be a LOT of people there. Can I have substitute handlers? How do I go about doing this? Can I make it so my nephews can help me?

November same dilemma as October.

December haven't signed myself up yet, but, I'm eyeballing one and debating.

January brings us two shows and eight potential goats to show. It's also one of the largest shows in my area and if I could bring all eight girls it would be phenomenal. I don't have eight arms.... or legs... or eight of me...

February brings me to the end of what I've been stressing myself over, but I'm calculated all the way through May. Should I bring the whole group again? I guess that depends on how everyone is doing. If the same doe keeps placing at the bottom of all of her classes, we likely won't continue to show her. Again, time will tell.


I feel like I'm pulling hair out.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Where/what shows are you going to? I've been meaning to get myself to a dairy goat show one of these days! If there was one fairly close I might just have to go be an observer!

 

[Ferguson K]

So!
September 11- West Texas Livestock Show and Rodeo -Abiline. (Entered 3)
September 19- Tri State Fair and Rodeo - Amarillo (Pending)
October 2- State Fair of Texas - Dallas (Entering 5)
November 11-12 - Louisiana State Fair and Rodeo - Shreveport ( Entering 5 or 6)

December no shows

January 17 - Southwestern Dairy Goat Show - (Bringing 5 or 6)
March 6-7 - Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (Bringing 5-7)

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Cool - thanks!

 

[Ferguson K]

There's a few in between these a little furthur out, but, I'm only one person of limited funds and weekends!

 

[Latestarter]

Busy, busy, busy...

 

[Baymule]

So glad that everything went well with Onyx and her kids. They are beautiful. Love the pic of John laying down with them. He sure makes a good goatie grandpa!

 

[Ferguson K]

It is with great sadness I report that we have lost the buckling.

We did all we could. He just wouldn't stand or nurse. He failed to thrive and is at peace now

 

[Baymule]

So sorry. With great anticipation we wait for the births. With joy we welcome the babies into the world. But sometimes for reasons we know not, they leave us far too soon. So sorry.