rachels.haven's Journal

[rachels.haven]

As of yesterday evening, I've had to start milking Saffron due to side favoring on the part of the goat kids. I got a quart today.
Normally I wouldnt try it-colostrum is gross-but we have been out of milk for several days now and it would be really nice to have milk again so I did, then I had DH and the kids try and it just tasted like milk at this point...so by some miracle we have milk now and don't have to go out for it.
And because we haven't gone out and don't plan to, the person who was going to do my disbuddings is still willing to have us come down and do it despite having high risk individuals at home.
I feel extremely blessed on multiple fronts now.

 

[rachels.haven]

Up to 5 cups this morning. Her udder is softening up post kidding too.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

That looks good enough to drink , nice amount of morning milk !
How are you doing with no school and DH working from home ? ..... I bet the kids are enjoying more family time

 

[rachels.haven]

I put some goat videos on my youtube channel...just me talking around goats.
I also ordered a lot of T posts and clips (and nice hand held shower heads for the house so I can wash shower walls and uncooperative kids and animals) from Home Depot and they can bring it and leave it on the driveway as usual. I will let things decontaminate there. Yay free delivery for orders over $45.

I can't stand not doing much because I don't have the equipment. If we're going to be hiding in our castle on our little estate I'm going to get busy and work on those goat pens. I want a buck pen in the back by the chicken coop, and to make the doe pen even bigger. That way our home will be one step FARTHER from being just a decorative 90's estate and one step closer to being a useful farm. Don't get me wrong, a big house with loud, spastic kids is a Godsend right now, but I don't want to sit around waiting (and cleaning) and wishing for things to be better out there forever.
So charge(!), I guess?

 

[rachels.haven]

I went to Fox's Pride for disbudding today. The daughter was fast and efficient and the trauma on the kids was minimal. They were literally up and bouncing before we got home, and went back out with mommy who had been turned out with the general population.

We're getting a million more inches of snow today. Yay. And things have been ordered to shut down here now and us to stay home. Farm stores will be kept open.
14 days until Avalon's due date. Kidding in a pandemic...

 

[rachels.haven]

Btw, DH has been getting much better. Heartburn is going away. I think he's only gotten it maybe twice. No more getting sick in the bathroom...He's not sleeping the best as of last night because he's worried about our family and friends (we're losing an extended family member to stomach cancer now, surprise! and his mom is in the hospital with coronavirus symptoms after traveling to San Francisco and back) but I still think he's sleeping better than before when working in the office. He's also lost 10 lbs already as he recovers, and is still losing. He even had the peace of mind to set up his man cave downstairs-his one beautiful piano, the one he needs to throw out because it is unmaintainable (converted player, over 100 years old, no parts that fit it, and tuners hate it and can do fairly little for it), desk, computer, nice microphone, and he stole the beat up front room couch (he wants to replace it...when we're allowed out again). His man cave looks like a man cave of a guy with 2 master degrees in music and a bachelors in computer science is supposed to look like again. It's so good to have him back.

 

[Bruce]

Farm stores will be kept open.

Went to ours yesterday for layer. Seems as of last Sat they are open now only for online/phone orders, pick up at the back door. The young lady came out the back door, I told her what I wanted. She went back in, rang it up and came back to tell me the price and get my credit card. She came back with the card, receipt and the 2 bags of layer. Got to plan ahead the next time.

Interesting that they have started "pick up" ordering and Hannaford has shut that service down so the "shoppers" can stock shelves instead of pull from them.

 

[rachels.haven]

I would love our Hannaford and Shop'n Save to do that. Cleaner and less risky. So far just the feed stores are here are.

 

[rachels.haven]

My milk jars are winding up all the way full now.

Saffron's buckling is very correct. Too bad the bucks from a recorded grade are unregisterable. He has been listed for sale for a low price with a deposit to hold him until weaning day. The doe will be listed too, just not yet. Keeping pretty goats out of the freezer first.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

They sure look healthy and happy !