Ready or Not....... Shouldvknwnbetter- Fall

Hens and Roos

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Guess it's been awhile since I've had the time to do an update....fair went good for the kids and we got very good feedback during the goat show, which is helping us make decisions for our herd(some more difficult then others).

The end of August had us moving DD to her dorm room at UW Platteville, she went about a week early as she joined the marching band. It was a very good move on her part, it helped her find her way around campus and make friends right away! She is doing well. It sure has been a big change all the way around.

DS(16) is officially a driver, he passed his road test on the 1st try and has been able to drive since mid-August so he can help get his brother to and from activities if needed!

We have had more rain here again in Oct and it rained yesterday and now again this evening... :( of course our goats aren't happy with all the mud and wet to deal with. The rain, wind and colder temps caused the leaves to fall quicker than normal. We have been able to rake leaves and feed to our goats-which they like!

We have slowly been finding homes for the does that we decided weren't working for us, as of today we have just 2 does and 1 doeling left to find new homes for and then we will be at about 13 total goats. As hard as it was, we decided to find a pet home for Moose and Monkey(they were from the group of 6 kids our doe Maggie had the 1st year she kidded with us) They went to their new home today and will most likely be spoiled even more than they were here!

Right now we are looking at breeding 5 does this fall for spring 2019 kids.
 

Baymule

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Sounds like y'all have been busy! Thinning the here is always an emotional wrench of the heart. Even though you love them, you just can't keep them all. I now have 9 ewes, but will be selecting ewes that twin. I have 3 FF ewes that came from 2 ewes that consistently twin, can't wait for them to lamb!

Off to college, getting a driver's license, they are growing up!
 

Bruce

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Thanks for the update H&R!
Glad DD has merged into her college career with ease. And another new driver, my girls were NO not into driving that they both got their licenses 2 summers ago ... at the ages of 21 & 23.
Tough decisions on some of the goats.
 

Hens and Roos

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So throughout our milking season, we froze several containers(Glad 13 cup size) almost full of milk in each. We wanted to test the process and what the milk would taste like once thawed so we could possibly have milk year round. I pulled 1 container out the other day and let it thaw in the frig. When I tasted it, to me it seemed like it had picked up some of the freezer taste(kind of like the veggies we freeze) but I will have DS(16) try it and let me know what he thinks. I have used it in cooking/baking and can't pick up any different flavor.
 

Southern by choice

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So throughout our milking season, we froze several containers(Glad 13 cup size) almost full of milk in each. We wanted to test the process and what the milk would taste like once thawed so we could possibly have milk year round. I pulled 1 container out the other day and let it thaw in the frig. When I tasted it, to me it seemed like it had picked up some of the freezer taste(kind of like the veggies we freeze) but I will have DS(16) try it and let me know what he thinks. I have used it in cooking/baking and can't pick up any different flavor.
You may want to get 1/2 gallon jugs and freeze them. I am not convinced freezer bags really prevent burn. Also do you add the baking soda? From what I understand adding it prevents separation when thawing.

So who all do you have left?
Do you still have your Lamancha?

We have not had a break with the rain. I went out this am and was very overwhelmed, almost to the point of despair. It rained earlier in the week then a dry day then all day and through the night just downpour. Our gravel driveway - MUD. No gravel to be seen. The goat fields... just horrid mud all around the outside of the buildings and all the gates, paths.
 

Hens and Roos

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You may want to get 1/2 gallon jugs and freeze them. I am not convinced freezer bags really prevent burn. Also do you add the baking soda? From what I understand adding it prevents separation when thawing.

So who all do you have left?
Do you still have your Lamancha?

We have not had a break with the rain. I went out this am and was very overwhelmed, almost to the point of despair. It rained earlier in the week then a dry day then all day and through the night just downpour. Our gravel driveway - MUD. No gravel to be seen. The goat fields... just horrid mud all around the outside of the buildings and all the gates, paths.

We didn't add baking soda-didn't know about it until your post. We used the plastic Glad containers not bags(I didn't want them to get broken). Once the milk thawed I was able to mix it up and it hasn't separated except for the cream on top.

We have had more than our share of rain this year too but not to the extent you have. We have had mud/standing water to deal with and the does aren't happy and it makes it harder to get all the needed chores done. Since our temps are below freezing the mud has frozen now.

We just bred Melanie x Chester this morning- she is our 1st one bred; we are planning to breed 5 does this year.
Melanie, Rio and Coco with Chester
Munchkin and Basil with Granite

Our herd is currently at 16 goats- 2 bucks and 14 does. (We still are hoping to find home(s) for 3 does yet)
We have
Rio(lamancha) and her 2 does
- Munchkin(mini mancha-2017)
- Shenanigan(mini mancha-2018)
Melanie and her doeling
-Totty(2018)
Coco
-Basil and her 2 doelings
-Dahlia(2018)
- Daisy(2018)
-Mayhem
-Unicorn
Obie
Pepper
Clove

We are waiting for the field next to us be combined so we can get everyone clean out before we get too much snow- our chickens are due for a cleaning.
 

Hens and Roos

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Some pictures from the fair this past July 2018:

DD's ceramic flower person-she made 6 different flowers/colors
Erin's-Fair 2018-flower person-crop-7-19-2018.jpg

DD made a cherry pie for foods-they judge it and then once judging is finished she can bring the pie home! She received a red because some of the lacing broke
Erin-Fair 2018 cherry pie-7-16-2018(c).jpg

DS(16) entered foods as well and made a gyro meal using homemade gyro's from goat meat- he won special consideration which let his dish go on for further judging and he won Champion for it. Unfortunately a picture wasn't taken but it was yummy!

He also entered the sign he made for me:
Kade's-Fair 2018-metal sign-7-19-2018(c).jpg

DS(13) made a recycled art project using an old metal fan blade and welded a stem to it. The stem was taken out of an old junk water heater:
Aiden's Fair 2018-recycle fan-7-19-2018(c).jpg

He also made a melon boat-hedgehog and won a blue for it:
Aiden's Fair 2018-Melon boat-7-17-2018(c).jpg
 
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