One Fine Acre - 2023 4H Steer Project Update

[OneFineAcre]

That's really neat- we have a pair of Bald eagles that made a nest about half mile away from us- they've been there at least 10 years now. They fly over but so far haven't bothered any of our animals.

Bald Eagles mostly catch fish. You must have a lake or good size pond nearby.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Bald Eagles mostly catch fish. You must have a lake or good size pond nearby.

We back up to a creek and marsh land, we do see them pick fish out of the creek from time to time

 

[TAH]

I haven't seen any owls, Eagles on the other hand I see them everywhere.

There is a pond in town and the eagles are always out there.

 

[Bruce]

.....

Mel has been howling a few times of late... at what I have no idea... no fire trucks or any wildlife close that I was aware of. Much deeper than a coyote howl.

Full moon tonight, that's what!

 

[OneFineAcre]

I got a lot done on my sabbatical
Not everything I wanted to do but a lot

I've still got 7 days of vacation to take by the end of the year so I think I can get everything done between now and Christmas
Taking the Wed before Thanksgicing and the Friday after so a nice 5 day weekend

So we are kind of dry now
We haven't had a quarter inch of rain since we got that 8 inches during the hurricane
Kind of welcome here we have been so wet for so long it seems like
But Western NC and our mountains are in a drought and have some
Really bad fires burning

Shea got bred this week to Valiamt
She is our last to breed
We didn't breed any of our March kids
We may breed a couple in Feb but really don't like summer kidding

We are milk testing this weekend
I was really worried about the State Fair
You are late in lactation and you skip milking to get a full udder
And normally after the fair we go to once per day and dry off by the end of Dec so that's our goats calendar
But Maurine has been milking them all 3 times per day since the fair and all are doing pretty good
Maurine has put a lot of work into this milk test and it has shown
It is really as much about management as it is about genetics
Opal's last test will be in Dec but all of the others will be in Jan

I don't take reservations but I have a wait list on a buckling from Zamia first choice or Clarabelle 2nd choice for the spring by a farm in NJ
$800 for Zamias or $700 for Clarabelles
That will buy some hay

Purchased 5 straws of semen from
Buttin Heads Farm at the state fair
Buttin Heads A Modest Proposal
He is one of Wedding Song's sons

ETA
Actually the money from Zamias buckling won't buy hay
It will almost pay for a buckling we are on the wait list for from a farm
In MD

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Did you get any straws out of the other buck I mentioned? Don't remember if you said you did. I can't wait to see your first AI babies!

I'm really excited for y'all about the possibility of this buckling that will hopefully be born

 

[OneFineAcre]

Did you get any straws out of the other buck I mentioned? Don't remember if you said you did. I can't wait to see your first AI babies!

I'm really excited for y'all about the possibility of this buckling that will hopefully be born

No on the semen for the other buck
Had a shortage of funds

The MD buckling she is a nice doe
So I guess we will see

 

[Southern by choice]

It is really as much about management as it is about genetics

Absolutely!
I am amzed at how sometimes people complain about how their goat produces and then once you start asking about their protocol/management you kinda go .

If the genetics are there and the goat isn't producing then it is usually the human not the goat.

Very glad you all are almost done and your first year went so great! I think milking for a few years definitely makes a difference in going on test because you know your animals and he management that works well for your goats!

Very exciting about the straws and future buck sales.
Very happy for you!

 

[OneFineAcre]

Taffy milked 2.6 lbs
All of the mature does milked over 2 lbs except Ginger who did 1.9

The FF were about 1.5

 

[Goat Whisperer]