Squirrelgirl88 - Double G Farm

[Squirrelgirl88]

Ok here are a few pictures of my "goatie" wedding cake. We had a traditional tiered cake and then a sheet cake of chocolate just for DD.

The sheet cake has 5 little goats on it

As if the relatives didn't already think I was nuts.

And here are our new fuzzy butts - 3 Buckeye Chicks

 

[bonbean01]

Congratulations!!!! Wishing you a wonderful life together!!!

Totally LOVE the goats on the cake

 

[autumnprairie]

Congratulations!!!! Wishing you a wonderful life together!!!

Totally LOVE the goats on the cake

X2

 

[Squirrelgirl88]

I've been lurking. I log on and read everone's journals everyday, and check in, but I haven't posted here.

Wedding stuff is over, now on to DD graduation. It's really a strange time for me. DD has Downs syndrome, she's in public schools, and has done her 13 years so she's earned a diploma. But I'm going to all of these ceremonies with her for honors and kids with scholarships and colleges picked out, and I feel like I don't belong there. ANYWAY...sorry

Goaties are doing well. We were planning on getting a couple more does this month, but the Momma had trouble and all were delivered premature and still born. She's so sweet, and to see her depressed was heart wrenching. Now we have to make a decision on breeding our girls. They are 14 months old now. I can't decide if I'm better to bring the buck over now for late fall babies, or wait a few months. I REALLY don't want babies is the dead of winter. Our heat source in the barn is currently under repair. A 108 year old wood stove needs a new part now and then.

We lost one of the chicks. The heat lamp was out for about three hours and I think it smothered. I'm sick about it. It's one thing to buy 25 and lose one, but to only be able to buy 3 and lose 1 is hard. .......So I ordered three more......they will come June 4.

The other two chicks are feathering out nicely. They PEEP constantly. I can't wait til they are big enough to move them out of the house! I've never had chicks before, so I had no idea what I was getting into.

The garden is going well. I have potato plants blooming. my garlic has huge scapes on top. The tomatoes are starting to blossom, I have a tiny little pepper starting on the hot pepper plants. We also have beets, peas, carrotts, onions, leaf lettuce, radish, turnips, cucumbers, green beans and all of my herbs in the garden. The neighbor goats are benfiting from the garden already. When I thinned the red beets I took them the leaves - loved them. My goats, no way. They will not try anything new. Hay-Grass-Goat chow. Nothing else. Picky goats - who knew?

 

[elevan]

Have you ever made garlic scape pesto? It's wonderful!

Loved the wedding cake! I must have missed that post before. Wishing you many years of wedded happiness!


Your DD earned her diploma. She belongs there and so do you. Be proud mama!

I'm sorry about the chick. I have lots of chickens and chicks (and everything else) and still every single one hurts when it's lost both emotionally and financially. But I understand only having 3 and losing 1 is worse. You lost a third of your flock after all. Glad you could get a few more.

I would go for late fall babies...but hey, I'm an enabler and the sooner the better! My heart goes out to you and mama goat.

 

[Squirrelgirl88]

Never done anything with the garlic scapes before. this is the first year I've had really good garlic. It's the elephant garlic - the plant is huge. I'm dying to dig it up. I read that you should stop waterign the plant for two weeks before digging, so I'm hoping I can harvest in a few weeks! Roasted elephant garlic on warm bread dipped in olive oil. Bring on the carbs!

 

[elevan]

Cut the scapes off. Add to the food processor with parmesan cheese, olive oil and a little bit of salt. Blend until it looks like pesto. Smear on bread. YUMMY! I've tossed with a little pasta and fresh veggies for a different sort of pasta salad before too.

 

[Squirrelgirl88]

I was thinking late fall babies for the goats would be good, but the books I've read suggest early spring cause the grass is greening up. I honestly don't care about the hay costs if that's why people do spring babies. How much hay can four ND's eat? Our girls only went though 4+ bales all last winter.

I thought late fall would be better cause they would be 4+ weeks old before it started to get really cold.

I saw Rolls had bred for fall babies before, anyone else want to chime in? BTW - one of my girls is in heat RIGHT NOW. I'm listening to her scream right now. The buck lives 15 miles or more away but I bet he can hear her!

 

[Squirrelgirl88]

I just found one of our hens dead in the nest box. She just tucked her head under her and went to sleep. I'm distraught. She was fine this morning. I saw her get in the nest box at 10:30. And then found her still there at 4pm. She was still warm, but gone. I don't know what to do. She was only about 2 years old. The other four are fine, but I'm worried. She has no signs of injury or anything else. If she was egg bound wouldn't I be able to tell that by looking at her vent? I give up. This is our first loss of an adult hen. DH said he would come home and dig her a little grave. What do you do with a deceased chicken? I moved her out of the barn area and wrapped her in a towel til he gets home.

We brought a buck over this morning to breed our ND does. They are being mean to him. Chasing him around and roughing him up. For two girls that stand at the fence and hollar when they are in heat, they sure are playing hard to get now!

I need a glass of wine. Maybe two....

 

[DonnaBelle]

You might try putting one doe in with him at a time.

Never could figure out why a man would want more than one woman at a time. LOL.

Yes, a glass of wine would smooth out a few wrinkles.

I'm sorry about you chicken. Sometimes that happens. I've lost 3 that way. Just turn up dead, no warning, no other chickens with problems.

DonnaBelle