Jodief100--- random stuff and BIG news

[Pearce Pastures]

So sorry Jodie.

 

[CocoNUT]

 

[Bridgemoof]

Wow Jodie, that is a lot of stress. Sorry about your uncle and the quads. Hope you can get some rest now.

 

[Southern by choice]

Jodie...please, you need to give yourself some grace. You are quite amazing to be able to do all you do. I can't quite express myself.. after reading all of what you have just walked through you certainly have great strength, you are no lightweight that's for sure.

 

[jodief100]

Thank yall for the kind words and support. I keep beating myself up, I lost 8 kids in 4 days, 7 of them does! Two preemies, the quads and Petunias kids. I know there wasnt anything I could do for the quads or the preemies but it still hurts. It doesnt help the balance sheet any either. Most of them were bonus babies but the extra income would have been nice.

Right now we have 37 kids in the barn- Ragin River 147 kidded Monday night. I didnt even realize she had kidded until hubby asked me about the little baby climbing into the hay rack. The kids were already running all over causing trouble the day they were born. I let them out of the stall this morning and they ran for the door, their poor momma desperately trying to corral them.

I sold 30 birds Monday night to a guy that it turned out graduated High School with hubby. He sells beef and pork at the Farmers Market, we discussed possibly having him sell birds for us. I hope we can work something out.

Work is slow right now; it has me a little worried. Not for me but for some other people. We already had to lay off a lot of the design/build guys. Hubby is working all the OT he can while he is still allowed to. The money is nice but it sure makes for a long day. You have to make hay while the sun shines!

We have discussing where we want to go with the farm. We think value added products are the best opportunity for good margins but what? I can do jams, jellies and salsas but mine are pretty simple. I am not a great recipe maker like Elevan is. I would love to do cheese but the investment is considerable. Not to mention we would have to hire someone for the morning milking.

13 more does to go, I think. I am loosing count 3 could go any time, the rest it will be a few weeks. I have enough does for my reservations and 3 PB boys for the buck test. I really want the last two registered does to have at least one boy.

 

[CocoNUT]

oooh..for jams and jellies...you could find all kinds of free and unusual/neat recipes online! Or go to the library (if you ever have any free time) and borrow OLD recipe books. Goat milk soap? Soap is generally a good seller for people. But again with the milking.

Sounds like you're filling up with kids! craziness! poor mommas....

 

[jodief100]

Calm day yesterday. I stopped by to price some used commercial refrigerators. Still out of my price range for the Farmers Market. I am still having difficulty figuring out what licenses I need. Everyone I talk to, including those at the Health Department whose job it is to know tell me something different. No wonder people are discouraged from opening a business; they make it too difficult just to find out what you have to do. My current theory is they make up the rules as they go along and dont document anything properly so that anytime they wish, they can fine you.

It has been cold again, down in single digits at night. When I go up for my bedtime barn check all the goats are snuggled up close. The momma goats look like chickens with all the babies piled around them. It doesnt seem to matter whose baby it is, they all snuggle close. I sometimes go any move them because they look like they will be suffocated but then they get mad at me.

As soon as it warms up I am going to move the bigger ones out to the front field. I dont want to deal with frozen water so I have to wait until we are past the staying below freezing all day stage. Every time I think we have hit our last cold snap, another one comes through.

 

[jodief100]

Freezing rain last night. No damage at our place, at least nothing I have found so far. I will check the fence line tonight. I hope everyone else fared as well in this storm.

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

Calm day yesterday. I stopped by to price some used commercial refrigerators. Still out of my price range for the Farmers Market. I am still having difficulty figuring out what licenses I need. Everyone I talk to, including those at the Health Department whose job it is to know tell me something different. No wonder people are discouraged from opening a business; they make it too difficult just to find out what you have to do. My current theory is they make up the rules as they go along and dont document anything properly so that anytime they wish, they can fine you.

It has been cold again, down in single digits at night. When I go up for my bedtime barn check all the goats are snuggled up close. The momma goats look like chickens with all the babies piled around them. It doesnt seem to matter whose baby it is, they all snuggle close. I sometimes go any move them because they look like they will be suffocated but then they get mad at me.

As soon as it warms up I am going to move the bigger ones out to the front field. I dont want to deal with frozen water so I have to wait until we are past the staying below freezing all day stage. Every time I think we have hit our last cold snap, another one comes through.

Check craigslist and restaurant auctions for second hand coolers. I was second in line for a free 10x10 walk in on Craigslist. First person took it. Boo on them.

 

[jodief100]

I sold a bunch of birds this weekend so I can go and get more! Now hubby is talking about a microdairy. I would love to do it but how?!?!?!? I would need a hired hand or three to make that work.

Does anyone here sell thier cheese? How and where do you sell it?