Wishing everyone a happy and safe New Year!
New Year
And so now you stand
On the threshold of a New Year.
Stop to look back,
Over the year that you’ve just lived,
Take in the miseries, the failures and the hurts,
Breathe them in, remember them, and then let them go.
Take in the joys, the success, and the love,
Breathe them in and hold them close,
Let them be all that you take with you,
So that you may greet the new year with a fresh heart,
And eyes un-tinted by the colors of the year before.
Happy New Year
~ A.D.Trosper
Bucket Farm Website
Living on the far side of normal on less than an acre in a tiny town.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Oh...his balls fell off...
Okay, be honest, how many places other than a farm type setting are you going to hear such a statement said without panic behind the words?
When our little wether arrived he was still technically a buck. The people had just put the band on him that morning. Now its not that we are newbies to banding and were over-reacting. We have banded bucklings before.
But Buddy was underweight and was suffering from worms and cocci and at six months was a little big for banding. We didn't feel he was handling the stress of banding well. He seemed so down and in a lot of pain, so we snipped the band off and figured that if he wasn't a wether it wouldn't be that big of a deal although we weren't sure if he would ever be fertile or anything like that.
At first there were no changes in his manly parts. In fact for the first month after he was here, we were sure we had another buck. But it always looked a little pinched at the top of his testicles where the band had been. Over the next month, a black line formed across the pinched area and his testicles began to shrivel up to nothing. And we became sure that we in fact were going to have a wether, which was preferred anyway.
Today all of the goats got their feet trimmed. It will be the last time I trim feet on the girls before they kid. They will all be a hundred days bred soon and I don't want them to have to try balancing on three legs while being heavy bred.
Now I know this morning at feed time, Buddy still had his shriveled testicles swinging around. This afternoon I pulled him from the pen he shares with BigWig and led him over to the patio and trimmed his feet up-they are looking really good now by the way.
As my mother was leading him back to his pen I noticed that his testicles were gone and said, "Oh...his balls are gone."
My mother looks back and says, "What?" So I repeat myself.
She replies, "Oh, really? Are they on the patio? I'd hate for the dogs to get them."
It was then that it struck me that people who live a lifestyle that includes livestock can have some really crazy conversations.
They were not, by the way, on the patio. Not sure where they got off to since we didn't see them in the pen anywhere either.
Oat Bucket Farm Website
When our little wether arrived he was still technically a buck. The people had just put the band on him that morning. Now its not that we are newbies to banding and were over-reacting. We have banded bucklings before.
But Buddy was underweight and was suffering from worms and cocci and at six months was a little big for banding. We didn't feel he was handling the stress of banding well. He seemed so down and in a lot of pain, so we snipped the band off and figured that if he wasn't a wether it wouldn't be that big of a deal although we weren't sure if he would ever be fertile or anything like that.
At first there were no changes in his manly parts. In fact for the first month after he was here, we were sure we had another buck. But it always looked a little pinched at the top of his testicles where the band had been. Over the next month, a black line formed across the pinched area and his testicles began to shrivel up to nothing. And we became sure that we in fact were going to have a wether, which was preferred anyway.
Today all of the goats got their feet trimmed. It will be the last time I trim feet on the girls before they kid. They will all be a hundred days bred soon and I don't want them to have to try balancing on three legs while being heavy bred.
Now I know this morning at feed time, Buddy still had his shriveled testicles swinging around. This afternoon I pulled him from the pen he shares with BigWig and led him over to the patio and trimmed his feet up-they are looking really good now by the way.
As my mother was leading him back to his pen I noticed that his testicles were gone and said, "Oh...his balls are gone."
My mother looks back and says, "What?" So I repeat myself.
She replies, "Oh, really? Are they on the patio? I'd hate for the dogs to get them."
It was then that it struck me that people who live a lifestyle that includes livestock can have some really crazy conversations.
They were not, by the way, on the patio. Not sure where they got off to since we didn't see them in the pen anywhere either.
Oat Bucket Farm Website
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
12 Days of Xmas- Dairy Goats
Starting from the top (or is it the bottom?) The 12 days of Xmas-Dairy Goats by Me.
On the 12th day of xmas my true love gave to me,
12 LaManchas kidding
11 Saanens milking
10 Nubians singing
9 lambar buckets
8 kidding kits
7 milk totes
6 tattoo kits
5 disbudding irons
4 milk buckets
3 soap molds
2 butter paddles
and a new stand in my milk room!
~ Audra at Oat Bucket Farm
Oat Bucket Farm Website
On the 12th day of xmas my true love gave to me,
12 LaManchas kidding
11 Saanens milking
10 Nubians singing
9 lambar buckets
8 kidding kits
7 milk totes
6 tattoo kits
5 disbudding irons
4 milk buckets
3 soap molds
2 butter paddles
and a new stand in my milk room!
~ Audra at Oat Bucket Farm
Oat Bucket Farm Website
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Its been so cold!
It has been so cold here the past week or so. Some days the wind has been calm but a lot of the days have been very windy. Nothing like harsh, bitter cold wind, howling out of the north to make chore time rather miserable.
We've been hauling buckets of warm water from the house in the morning and in the evenings. The bobbles on the rabbit water bottles are frozen in the mornings. Often the bobbles are frozen and the water is solid ice too. The bunnies are always waiting at the front of their cages for the bottles of warm water in the morning.
The goats appreciate the buckets of warm water too and the chickens enjoy having their pan filled with warm water too.
But despite the cold, the animals are all doing fine. Tally, our most pregnant doe is starting to show her pregnancy a bit. The other two don't look any different yet but Tally is definitely starting to look wider. Little Buddy, the underweight wether that we got to keep BigWig company has filled out,his winter coat came in nicely, and his worm problem is gone. He is looking quite nice now and is a pretty sweet little guy. And the chickens are almost completely done with molt. Which is good because looking at their raggedy selves made me cold even with layers on. And the younger hens are finally coming of age. We got our first pullet egg today. Actually, it was our first egg period since sometime back in the beginning of November. Or was it October. Hmmmm. Its been so long I guess I can't remember. So it was a really nice surprise to go in the hen house this evening and find that beautiful, creamy brown treasure laying in the nest. I can't wait until all of the pullets are laying and all of the older gals are laying again. I miss my eggs in the morning.
Oat Bucket Farm Website
We've been hauling buckets of warm water from the house in the morning and in the evenings. The bobbles on the rabbit water bottles are frozen in the mornings. Often the bobbles are frozen and the water is solid ice too. The bunnies are always waiting at the front of their cages for the bottles of warm water in the morning.
The goats appreciate the buckets of warm water too and the chickens enjoy having their pan filled with warm water too.
But despite the cold, the animals are all doing fine. Tally, our most pregnant doe is starting to show her pregnancy a bit. The other two don't look any different yet but Tally is definitely starting to look wider. Little Buddy, the underweight wether that we got to keep BigWig company has filled out,his winter coat came in nicely, and his worm problem is gone. He is looking quite nice now and is a pretty sweet little guy. And the chickens are almost completely done with molt. Which is good because looking at their raggedy selves made me cold even with layers on. And the younger hens are finally coming of age. We got our first pullet egg today. Actually, it was our first egg period since sometime back in the beginning of November. Or was it October. Hmmmm. Its been so long I guess I can't remember. So it was a really nice surprise to go in the hen house this evening and find that beautiful, creamy brown treasure laying in the nest. I can't wait until all of the pullets are laying and all of the older gals are laying again. I miss my eggs in the morning.
Oat Bucket Farm Website
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Goat Chores
Today actually turned out beautiful today. It was in the 50's, sunshiny and no wind which is strange for Kansas, especially out in the more western parts where I am. I actually wore a t-shirt and had to shed my jacket.
Got everyone's feet trimmed. Lacey's feet look so much different than the feet she had when she arrived. They actually look like proper goat feet and she walks on them properly now.
And of course with feet trimming day comes with ending up smelling like a stinky buck. His feet need trimmed too. He is such a sweet gentleman though and stands so nicely for it that its worth putting up with his smell.
The little part Boer, part Nubian wether friend we have for our buck, his feet are starting to look better after copper bolusing and three trims. The sides still try to roll under and if the toes get long on the back the start to twirl and curl in the strangest fashion. He didn't really walk on the bottoms of his feet when he arrived, instead he was walking more on the sides.
Now his front feet sit more or less on the bottoms like they are suppose to and the backs are getting better. He walks better and is much more active now as well. Some of the could be nutrition and worming too. His eyelids were white and he was rather skinny when he arrived. The previous owners knew there was a worm problem in their herd and were working hard to bring it under control. Well either way, whether its because his feet are more proper now or because his worms are under control (his eyelids are dark pink to red)and he is putting on weight, he feels better and is more active now.
Got everyone's feet trimmed. Lacey's feet look so much different than the feet she had when she arrived. They actually look like proper goat feet and she walks on them properly now.
And of course with feet trimming day comes with ending up smelling like a stinky buck. His feet need trimmed too. He is such a sweet gentleman though and stands so nicely for it that its worth putting up with his smell.
The little part Boer, part Nubian wether friend we have for our buck, his feet are starting to look better after copper bolusing and three trims. The sides still try to roll under and if the toes get long on the back the start to twirl and curl in the strangest fashion. He didn't really walk on the bottoms of his feet when he arrived, instead he was walking more on the sides.
Now his front feet sit more or less on the bottoms like they are suppose to and the backs are getting better. He walks better and is much more active now as well. Some of the could be nutrition and worming too. His eyelids were white and he was rather skinny when he arrived. The previous owners knew there was a worm problem in their herd and were working hard to bring it under control. Well either way, whether its because his feet are more proper now or because his worms are under control (his eyelids are dark pink to red)and he is putting on weight, he feels better and is more active now.
Oat Bucket Farm Website
Monday, November 22, 2010
Cleaning Done
Yesterday started off covered in a heavy layer of fog. It was so quiet and pretty doing morning chores in it. The goats, although they despise rain, don't seem mind the fog that much. Perhaps because it lingers in the air, they feel it isn't as dangerous as other forms of wild water (like rain and snow and other water not safely contained in a bucket).
By noon the sun had won the battle with the fog and was shining brightly. It has been pretty chilly here but yesterday it was beautiful. I decided to take advantage of it and spent the afternoon doing the fall cleaning of the chicken house and the bi-monthly cleaning of the buck house. It was a lot of work,especially the chicken house but its always so nice to have it all clean and nice.
Not that the chickens really seem to care, they are still on strike for whatever reason. All but one finished molting over a month ago and yet there are no eggs. In fact up until about a week ago, we were still getting two or three eggs a day. Then they stopped laying. A lady across town from me that normally sells eggs doesn't have any to sell because her hens up and stopped laying to and so did most of her ducks. And I have heard of other people having trouble with their hens laying even when they laid well in years past. I think they decided to all go on strike for some reason unknown to humans and migrating birds are carrying messages of the strike to chickens all over the place.
Okay well, maybe not that but it is rather strange.
On a more humorous note, here is a recipe for rum cake :)
Rum Cake Recipe:
1 or 2 quarts rum
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup dried fruit
baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
lemon juice
brown sugar
nuts
Before you start, sample the rum to check for quality. Good, isn't it? Now go ahead.
Select a large mixing bowl, measuring cup, etc. Check the rum again. It must be just right. To be sue rum is of the highest quality, pour one level cup of rum into a glass and drink it as fast as you can. Repeat.
With an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add 1 seaspoon of thugar and beat again. Meanwhile, make sue that the rum is of the finest quality. Try another cup. Open second quart if necessary.
Add 2 arge leggs, 2 cups fried druit and beat till high. If druit gets stuck in beaters, just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the rum again, checking for tonscisticity. Next sift 3 cups of pepper or salt (it really doesn't matter.) Sample the rum again.
Sift + pint of lemon juice. Fold in chopped butter and strained nuts. Add 1 babblespoon of brown thugar, or what ever color you can find. Wix mel. Grease oven and turn cake pan to 350 gredees. Now pour the whole mess into the coven and ake. Check the rum again, and bo to ged.
Oat Bucket Farm Website
By noon the sun had won the battle with the fog and was shining brightly. It has been pretty chilly here but yesterday it was beautiful. I decided to take advantage of it and spent the afternoon doing the fall cleaning of the chicken house and the bi-monthly cleaning of the buck house. It was a lot of work,especially the chicken house but its always so nice to have it all clean and nice.
Not that the chickens really seem to care, they are still on strike for whatever reason. All but one finished molting over a month ago and yet there are no eggs. In fact up until about a week ago, we were still getting two or three eggs a day. Then they stopped laying. A lady across town from me that normally sells eggs doesn't have any to sell because her hens up and stopped laying to and so did most of her ducks. And I have heard of other people having trouble with their hens laying even when they laid well in years past. I think they decided to all go on strike for some reason unknown to humans and migrating birds are carrying messages of the strike to chickens all over the place.
Okay well, maybe not that but it is rather strange.
On a more humorous note, here is a recipe for rum cake :)
Rum Cake Recipe:
1 or 2 quarts rum
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup dried fruit
baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
lemon juice
brown sugar
nuts
Before you start, sample the rum to check for quality. Good, isn't it? Now go ahead.
Select a large mixing bowl, measuring cup, etc. Check the rum again. It must be just right. To be sue rum is of the highest quality, pour one level cup of rum into a glass and drink it as fast as you can. Repeat.
With an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add 1 seaspoon of thugar and beat again. Meanwhile, make sue that the rum is of the finest quality. Try another cup. Open second quart if necessary.
Add 2 arge leggs, 2 cups fried druit and beat till high. If druit gets stuck in beaters, just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the rum again, checking for tonscisticity. Next sift 3 cups of pepper or salt (it really doesn't matter.) Sample the rum again.
Sift + pint of lemon juice. Fold in chopped butter and strained nuts. Add 1 babblespoon of brown thugar, or what ever color you can find. Wix mel. Grease oven and turn cake pan to 350 gredees. Now pour the whole mess into the coven and ake. Check the rum again, and bo to ged.
Oat Bucket Farm Website
Friday, November 12, 2010
Rain again...finally
It hasn't rained here since my last post about it back in October. Everything was so,so dry. Yesterday afternoon, it finally began to rain. A wonderful soaking rain. It lasted all night, all morning, and its afternoon now and still a nice soaking rain. What is left of the fall colors on the trees is so bright against the wet, mostly naked, branches.
Indian summer lasted for a longer than usual time this year, but winter is finally arriving. Blowing in on the blustery north winds and riding iron grey clouds full of cold rain.
Outside its wet and cold. But inside, we are dry and warm. The house is filled with the smell of the ham and beans slowly simmering on the stove. Cats and dogs are curled up sleeping. The sound of the rain on the windows makes it seem warmer and cozier in the house.
This kind of weather and this time of year make me so thankful for my home, for the family members that share it and for this life I live. I love my life.
Oat Bucket Farm Website
Indian summer lasted for a longer than usual time this year, but winter is finally arriving. Blowing in on the blustery north winds and riding iron grey clouds full of cold rain.
Outside its wet and cold. But inside, we are dry and warm. The house is filled with the smell of the ham and beans slowly simmering on the stove. Cats and dogs are curled up sleeping. The sound of the rain on the windows makes it seem warmer and cozier in the house.
This kind of weather and this time of year make me so thankful for my home, for the family members that share it and for this life I live. I love my life.
Oat Bucket Farm Website
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