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Barnyard Buddies:  All Things Dairy (Goats, Cows and Sheep)  |
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countrymommy85
True Blue Farmgirl
898 Posts
Krystle
MT
USA
898 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 08:02:49 AM
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I found the perfect home for my yearling!!! A homeschooling 4-H family!!! That was the type of home I was praying for, for my little goatie!!! This is perfect, she will get to be shown at the fair and everything! I will have to drive down there when they have their county fair and see her in action :) I am so happy! It makes giving her up so much easier knowing she will be part of the family over there! I know somewhere down the road I will be able to get another goat, there has just been way to much going on and we need to downsize :( I know God has a purpose for everything and I will still get to see her being shown at the fair :) Thanks for the tips on why she was so clingy, after much thought and prayer we decided it would be best to have her go to a different family that has the proper utilities to take care of her. I didn't want her being hit by a car or stolen, and she was so jealous of my time I just couldn't give her the attention she craved. Especially with two lil ones and another on the way! Plus we can't go and change all the fencing we have in order to keep one goat :( I'm just so happy she is going to a family that will love her and take good care of her :)
Mothers are those wonderful people who can get up in the morning before the smell of coffee. ~Author Unknown
http://countryrenaissance.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SunflowersAndHoney |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 09:47:37 AM
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Rae, I remember now. I have a short memory. I hope you get it all worked out and that they all have calves for ya. I love my little calf. But he has been getting into trouble lately. Hopefully we can get them moved to a more secure pasture tonight.
Krystle, I am so glad you found such a great family to take your goat. I just wish they had another goat for her to be with. I think she would be much happier with a friend. Humans are great but can't be with them all the time and they do get lonely.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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henlady35904
True Blue Farmgirl
295 Posts
Kim
Gadsden
Alabama
USA
295 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 11:36:32 AM
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| Its so hot and humid here, if I didn't have pins in my foot, I would jump in a water trough! LOL |
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countrymommy85
True Blue Farmgirl
898 Posts
Krystle
MT
USA
898 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 12:57:32 PM
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Kristin: apparently they raise goats but they are all horned and their county fair changed the rules this year on having horned animals so now they can't show any of their goats. My lil on is de-horned so now they can show at least one goat at the fair this year :) That's why I am so excited because they are far more experienced than I am with goats. I'm still a newbie at goats. Cows, I am familiar with. Goats, finally starting to learn :)
Kim: sounds like it would be fun! I can't say I haven't been tempted to do that myself a few times last summer!
Mothers are those wonderful people who can get up in the morning before the smell of coffee. ~Author Unknown
http://countryrenaissance.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SunflowersAndHoney |
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wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 4:00:04 PM
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Wow everyone is super duper busy.
It has not rained here since Saturday morning. Now its super hot 94 yesterday and humid. Its hard to get much done outside. It went from cold and rainy the past 2 months to smokin heat. I am actually having to water plants now. Is that crazy or what. Feast or Famine I just want whats in between........lol. Hope everyone manages to stay cool and not overdue working outside.
I am wondering about the grain myself. I have some does that I don't have to grain very heavy maybe a pound a day. But I have some does that go into ketotsis so easy and they drop weight after they kid as they come into milk. I have one doe by the time her babies were 6 weeks old she was thinner then I liked... she did have trips also. I had her on a natural 16 percent ration and was giving her 4 lbs a day. She was wormed and had a fecal check which was fine. I wonder if its genitics or am I doing something wrong. When I had wool sheep I could get by with much much less. My feed bill is horrible and am wondering what I can do to change things. I have good pasture and they can finally get out and graze it now that the rain has stopped. I have went through a ton of hay this winter and spring. The most ever that I can remember.
Well dinner is done.You all have a good evening.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 6:38:05 PM
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hey linda, great to see you here again. missed you. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 6:58:07 PM
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i am excited about these questions. i would like to add another question. what produce can the stock eat? i know cabbages may ruin milk taste. but what can they eat. we were just given a produce route. 2 stores all their waste. the pigs LOVE it the chickens LOVE it. but what can the cows and goats have. i gave them the corn skins. the goats loved strawberries and they all liked cantelope. so i thought i could go to fiasco and check a list. i think alee found one once. we have so much food it is amazing. we may have no money but we sure are blessed and loved. so i am sorting all my soap stuff. i have help. it is great. there is work to the produce runs. so we dont smell or draw flies. cantelope juice was running out of belles mouth and down her neck. she was ears back slurping happily. i only supplement my cows with alfalfa pellet seaweed DE ac vinegar real molasses. when they are going to calve they recieve the calcium sub-q and strong strong molasses water. belle always gets it. most big producers on their third calf can get it. i think with what i eed i get a lot of milk. hazel was giving 6 gallons a day at peak with alfalfa for hay and a pellet in milk room. belle has 2 teats she gives me 3 1/2 gallons on once a day milking. it is raining hailing windy miserable outside. i am so glad chores are done. i am always learning here. so i know to be slow getting them used to it. they love the organic bananas we got. there was about 20 pounds of bananas. kristie that sounds like the perfect home for that goatie. she will be loved a lot. so kris did chuck stay in today? i sure hate chasing animals. hope you all are staying comfortable with all this crazy weather. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 7:27:10 PM
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Linda, I am so glad it quit raining. But I know what ya mean. It goes from one extreme to another so fast. I have to wait til about 7 to go out and do anything here now. Then I have to rush and have so much to do. And I am still sopping wet with sweat. I need a bandana around my head to keep it from getting in my eyes. So I tilled a few more rows and planted okra. Plus mulched the beets and zinnias. Mowed the front half of the yard. Finished the fence out front with hubby and Dds help. Will move the cows in the morning. Chuck has been good and is staying in. I guess I got the holes plugged up. Then all the chores and giving lamb 2 bottles at a time now. It sure feels good to come in and take a cool shower and feel clean for awhile.
Sherrye, I went to the farmer's market and got Swiss chard and fennel and kolhrabi and other strange things. One time the goats will eat it and the next they don't like it. I tried to give some to Mazie but she didn't want it. So ya just don't ever know. The only things I don't give the animals is potato peels and onions.
Krystle, I am so glad they have other goats. I bet she will be good at the fair.
Ok Kim, I am curious now. You have pins in your foot? You have to tell us about that. And I have been known to fill up a metal tub and get in. I used to put my kids in one when they were little and then the grands. I want to get a back hoe over here to dig out a pond and lay the thick rubber liner down to make it look like a pond.
Gotta go put the grand to bed then I am going to bed too.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 06:01:40 AM
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yes kris its the feeling clean i like. i was dirty all day yesterday too. glad chuck is staying in for you. the animals sure like their treats. we are still wet and rainy here. i hope it warms some. sleeping is not in my schedulle these days. i am awake trying to make sense out of our money worry. one day we think we are ok and the next the state screws us over. now we may have to leave here to make it. we are still trying to wrap our brain around this whole thing. so today i do what is right in front of me. one step at a time. sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 06:43:36 AM
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Sherrye, I hope things work out for y'all. I wish I was rich, I'd send ya the money. I hate to hear that people are having a hard time. But it happens. We are struggling here too. Truck driving is not all that great right now. All the laws and rules now are hard on drivers these days. Anyway, I wish you the best and hope y'all are able to stay there.
Last night I put the does up front and left the kids out back. It's just easier to do that than to have to get all those kids in the stall. So this morning I look out the dining room window and see the gate wide open. But the kids were all in the back. I did see some kid poop on the driveway so they had to have been out some. I am so glad they stayed back there. They aren't eating things like the does so I was not worried about that too much. And the driveway gate was shut. So anyway, Sandy is holding back her milk. She is about to bust when I milk her and I only get less than half a gallon. I need to sell her kids soon.
I hope to get the cows moved today sometime. I wanted to so it last night but hubby was too tired. And Dd said it would be better to wait til morning. So I guess I might have to call my friends up the road to come help.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Old Spirit
True Blue Farmgirl
1498 Posts
Rae
MN
1498 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 06:54:14 AM
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My, oops our, cows are in the pasture and they are pretty happy. We are too as will save $ not buying yucky hay when they can have grass.
Rae
Farm Girl #647
...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles:...
Isaiah 40:31
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wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 06:59:36 AM
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Sherry I hope things work out for you. I am praying for you all that you can stay. What did the state you don't have to answer that if its personal? Sorry they are mess'in with you.
I am still researching the grain issue. Hope someone can give me their take on how they feed their dairy goats and how they are fairing. I have Nubians and they are pretty big girls. That maybe why they need more grain but not sure.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 08:10:11 AM
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Linda, I think that if they are not started out on grain they would do ok. But if they are already on grain it will be hard to change. I have slowed down the grain with my does and the milk goes way down. So with my 2 doelings, I am not going to feed them grain. I will just give them good quality hay and see how that goes. I don't think they will give as much milk. Anyway, it's worth a try and if it doesn't work I can try grain. I just want to get away from the corn. How's the weather today? ANd the garden? I am having to water all the time now. And it's not even summer. It's too hot! My poor old Abby just pants all the time. I put cool water in a spray bottle and sprayed them all. And put a fan in the milk room to help cool them off. Poor goaties. I need a pond bad. Or I can get a small wading pool for them.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 08:17:46 AM
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Linda,
I'm not sure I can be of help but I feed my milking Alpines 16% Top Goat by Nutrena when they are on the milking stand. They are big goats like your Nubians. I also give them all the alfalfa pellets they want while on the milking stand (for when after the grain is gone, keeps them quiet!). Then they get good quality alfalfa hay every morning and evening. My doe Madeline went into ketosis this year after kidding, that was my first time dealing with that! She had triplets and I think it was just too much for her. I followed the advice on Fiasco Farms and she got over it pretty quickly but it did take her a bit to get back up to weight. The non-milkers don't get any grain, just alfalfa hay and they are fat and sassy! :)
Candy C.
Farmgirl Sister #977
http://lazyjbarcfarm.blogspot.com/
www.calicocandy.etsy.com
http://stores.countrycents.com/StoreFront.bok?affiliate_no=6
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 08:23:19 AM
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I don't feed mine grain when they are dry either. They just browse. Forgot about that.
My hubby trimmed a tree out front where we were fixing the fence. He loaded it up on the truck to give it to the goats to munch on. But it's wild cherry. Isn't that poisonous for goats? I know it will kill a horse. What about cows/ Just wondering before we haul it off to the dump. It's too fresh to burn and we don't want a pile of brush in the yard that might be too tempting for goats to resist. Just need to know. Thanks.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 5:46:59 PM
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yes kris wild cherry is poison for goat and cow. i have to feed alfalfa pellet or they get too thin. so now i hope the fruit and vegies will help. it is very funny watching them eat strawberries. the govenors office called me back today. they said it is a bad law. it is oregon law. if they add your dollars wrong for your earnings...if they give you too much money on a benefit they take it back. we had worked so we qualified for a new claim. they extended the old one. we have no idea how to calculate the dollars. we just tell them what we earned and they are supposed to do the numbers. they added wrong to the amount of around $10,000.00 worth of over payment to us. we had no idea. so they want it now. LOL we have my ssi to live on. 500.00 a month. the house is 1000.00 a month. he said he emailed unemployment for special circumstances. but not to get our hopes up. it is crazy. let me pay it back when we are working again. give me my little 198.00 a week he earned. well we will be broke in a couple months. so we must pray for work at this point. anyway i am still happy and going to go milk my cows. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 6:35:32 PM
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So was this from the unemployment or your taxes? That's just horrible. I would not know what to do if that happened to us. We would be on the street for sure. I hope they can get this all straightened out. Sounds like only prayer is gonna get this mess worked out.
So I put an ad on Craig's list today. I said I would trade or sell my bucks. I want $50 each for them.So this guy calls and said he has a Boer-Kiko doeling he's asking $200. for. That he'd take all 3 of my bucks plus $75. Huh. That don't sound right to me. Well, she has horns anyway so I won't be getting her. But that just isn't right.I have spent $45. on getting them all disbudded too. Oh well, maybe I'll get some more calls.I have a sign I can put out front too. I have done that before and sold some. It's about time for them to go.
My hubby took the cherry brush to the dump today. And he trimmed the branches so Mazie can't eat them from the tree.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 8:41:36 PM
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kris, it is their employee, their addition error, their fault. they still get to take it all and demand it back. i would pay it once we were back to work. but they are taking our current income of 198.00 a week to pay back their mistake. we get none of the benefits we qualify for right now. they take ALL of it not just a portion. crazy world sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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amomfly
True Blue Farmgirl
658 Posts
Angie
LaGrange
IN
USA
658 Posts |
Posted - Jun 03 2011 : 03:25:13 AM
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Oh Sherrye, I will be praying for you. I understand and our crazy world causes some undo stress and worry.
Kris, I hope you can sell them goats. I have several for sale right now. But I have no money to advertise and my hubby still has not made my sign. UGH!
Krystle- I am so glad you found a great home for your goat! That has got to make the decisin to sell her better.
Looks like a lot of rain this morning, I need it for the garden. All this heat is begining to take a toll on it.
Lots of real estate meetings and offers to take care of today. I hope this time one goes thru. Real Estate is a hard business to be in right now, I guess all are!
Come visit my blog
http://angieruralliving.blogspot.com/
God Bless
Angie-amomfly
#1038 |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jun 03 2011 : 06:02:11 AM
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hi angie, yes real estate would be a hard way to make a living right now. making a living itself is hard. we are sure hoping for some work now. all is good here. i am going to take maddie back to pasture. with this worry now i have no power to train her. i feel kinda done in. it will pass. everyone else is doing good. marilyn is still pregnant. which shows how much i know. LOL we are heading toward a warming trend finally. so will need to irrigate today. hope you all have a fine farm day sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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Old Spirit
True Blue Farmgirl
1498 Posts
Rae
MN
1498 Posts |
Posted - Jun 03 2011 : 06:57:34 AM
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Yippee last day of school today so I am done for the summer  We have some major muggy heavy weather stuff today. Got really dark on way in to work but lighter now.
Lots of work ahead of me now but that is ok as I don't have to leave the farm.
Rae
Farm Girl #647
...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles:...
Isaiah 40:31
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henlady35904
True Blue Farmgirl
295 Posts
Kim
Gadsden
Alabama
USA
295 Posts |
Posted - Jun 03 2011 : 09:09:39 AM
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| Sherrye, you are in my prayers. Rae, glad you are out of school! Angie,glad you're getting rain, I have had to water everyday. Kris, I had surgery 4yrs ago by a podiatrist gone way bad. On 4/25, I had an ortho redo the old surgery. Now 1 pin on the side of my great, and pins out the ends of great toe and next 2 toes. Anyway, I go back on 6/8 and hopefully he will take the pins out. Been hard doing chores. What kind of bucks are you selling? Stay cool everyone! |
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wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
Posted - Jun 03 2011 : 3:10:39 PM
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Well the rain stopped 1 week ago. Now everything is getting to dry. We are suppose to hit 94 tomorrow. I am watering everyday now. My tomatoes, peppers, chard, sweet potatoes are all alive. Half my beans came up. I planted inbetween the places they didn't. They had rotted from all the rain. Now I water the seeds everyday and hope they will come up. I am optomistic and glad to see the ones I have growing!! I harvested several pounds of herbs yesterday, mint,lemon balm, sage, thyme, savory, and lemon verbena. They are drying on screens in my back room. They smell heavenly.
Sherrye hopefully someone will give you a break. I am praying for a big break and good news. Don't give up yet.
Rae glad you get to stay on the farm and have time to enjoy it. Don't work to hard...lol.
Candy I feed a 16 percent recipe the mill mixes for me and also feed alfalfa when I can find it. They seem to do pretty good as long as I am giving them alot. I was even feeding my dry does one pound a day. I have cut them back to half a pound a day. They have lots of good pasture but I can already see them slimming down. I have talked to many people who say they don't feed grain just good hay and minerals and their goats thrive. I cut my back and they just don't seem to do well so thats why I feed so much. Kris maybe right if they are given lots of grain growing up they will always need it. I just wanted to be able to feed less. I have 18 goats total,bucks, does and a few babies and my goat feed bill is about $210 dollars a month not including my chicken, cats, and dogs. I buy about 1100 lbs and I know its going to get higher. I would like to bring it down some. I would cut back my herd but have many oldsters that I will not run in because they are family and will stay here until they pass.I am going to keep researching recipes and other peoples feeding programs and see how their animals are doing on different feeding plans. I want my girls to have good weight and health thats the bottom line. I just would like to cut back a wee bit on my feed bill.
kris the guy on craigs list is offering you a bad deal. I would have passed on that too.Hopefully someone will offer you a much better deal. Hope you stay cool I know its gonna be smokin here tomorrow.
You all have a good evening.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
Edited by - wooliespinner on Jun 04 2011 06:15:57 AM |
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henlady35904
True Blue Farmgirl
295 Posts
Kim
Gadsden
Alabama
USA
295 Posts |
Posted - Jun 03 2011 : 3:43:52 PM
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| Linda, hope your seeds come up. I know what you mean about having to water every day. Its so hot here, I have had to water daily. My rain barrels are dry so I dread seeing my water bill! Stay cool if you can... |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2011 : 06:13:45 AM
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well i thought i would come on and share what we are doing now. we have been offered another cow to milk. we will care for her and sell her milk. with the 3 cows it may be enuff to pay the house pymmt. so thats where we are headed today. clean the corral and move maddie. then bring in crazy mooky. she is a jersey cross. wild and full of herself so it will bw work. she has been hand and machine milked before. so we shall see. i am going to go see seniors and disablities also. so now 3 cows will be milking. whew happy days here sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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Barnyard Buddies: All Things Dairy (Goats, Cows and Sheep) |
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All Things Dairy (Goats, Cows and Sheep)
