Bed and Play Area for the Goats

Today, the young ones and I brought some birthday cheer to our homesteading friend and neighbor, Pati.  I was so grateful that she asked if we had a little sleeping shelter for the goats in their barn area.  We had not made one and we followed her suggestion of using two hay bales with a board over the top.  This keeps any drafts off them at night and gives them a cozy area to snuggle in.

The goat kids and human kids enjoy jumping on and off.

As I walked out to the barn this morning in my flannel nightgown, barn coat, and rubber boots with Abraham beside me, each of us holding a bottle to give the goats their 7:00 am feeding, a wonderful peaceful feeling came over me.

Warm wishes,

Tonya

Evening Feeding

After an early supper I went out to the barn with Sarah and Abraham to give Madeline and Sparky their third feeding for the day.  They are getting half goat's milk and half raw cow's milk right now that we warm up just a tad.

(Abby, Sarah's older sister, cut her bangs the other day.....)

And my view on the way back into the house.  The last heavy rain had past and the sun was shining from the opposite direction, everything shined so beautifully.  There was actually a faint rainbow behind the pond.

Warm wishes, Tonya

Meet Sparky and Madeline

Sorry for the blurry picture, but today has been a bit of a blur.  Madeline is the mostly black doe kid.  The woman we bought them from had named them and the children decided to keep those.  We are bottle feeding them three times a day (right now 1/2 goats milk and 1/2 raw cows milk). 

More to come soon, I am off to bed after a very full day.

Thank you so much for all of the great information.  It has been really helpful.

Warm wishes,

Tonya

We Are Picking Them Up Tomorrow Morning...

 two doe kids.

After thinking and reading, and thinking and reading, I  made up my mind to go with alpine goats from an organic cheese maker that lives right in our community.  My back and forth thinking was between this much more expensive option (which actually turned out not to be) which I had heard from others was  up to $400.00 each from what I had been told

versus -  buying the somewhat expensive nigerian dwarf breed that would be smaller, easier to get used to, give rich butterfat milk, but we would not have enough for our family with just two. 

The Alpines come from a closed herd that is so well cared for and knowing that just two would even give our growing family a surplus of milk, and finally, I knew that if I had questions, she would be close by to help.

We went to visit on Monday morning and I just felt so good about our decision.  Her goats were obviously so loved and cared for and they were really friendly.  The owner let me know which kids were available and told us that we could practically "have" one that was born tiny and is slow to growing, but otherwise very healthy.  After I asked questions and then finally I asked how  much they would be, she offered me an amazing price for both and I felt so blessed. 

Today we gathered more of the supplies we will need ~

2 heavy rubber buckets for water

2 collars as we still have to finish the fenced in area so we will be leading them around for a few days

2 nipples to fit on 20 oz coke bottles

Starter Milk - we will be using this just a bit as we were advised that raw milk is best and we have a farm right down the road where we can buy that from - the kids each receive 20 oz, 3 times per day at present.

8 bales of organic hay

Grain I will be buying tomorrow from the goat farm

I am pretty nervous about this as I feel as though I know so little, but I am also excited (as are the children).  It will be wonderful to care for them and get to know them as well as enjoy our own milk next spring.

Looking forward to sharing more tomororw.

Warm wishes,

Tonya 

Simply Together

Each child receives a small basket awaiting them at their seat Easter morning.  Truly, it is just a token gift - usually one or two pieces of candy, a nice new pen and some pencils, a hand knit toy for the younger children, and a bag of Smartfood popcorn for our oldest, Thomas, because he doesn't like candy.

Another tradition we have is hiding the plastic Easter eggs (yes plastic, but they are used year after year), filled with some coins.  Each child has their own color and they are hidden in appropriate level of difficulty. This is the dear husband's job.  Sometimes he makes the hiding spots so challenging it can take quite a long time for them all to be found.

We had our Quaker Meeting for worship at 10:00 am.  It was nice to have three other sets of people come.

And then we enjoyed the beautiful day outside.

Sarah and Isaac practicing their casting in our pond.

Brought the chairs out.

The sap buckets were taken down and rinsed out, left to dry.

 

 

 

Giving the bikes a tune up.

This beautiful sunny morning, some of the children and I are off to see some Alpine doe kids...

we are all so excited.

Warm wishes,

Tonya

 

Allthough the Weather Outside is Frightful.....

Yes, it is snowing today (big sigh.....)

But, I am taking pleasure in adding simple Easter decorations.

Something I seldom purchase, but did yesterday, some flowers from the market.  I added a birch bark sleeve to cover the plastic pot.  They sit on our kitchen counter.

The children's watercolor painted wooden eggs in a thrifted bowl on a thrifted vintage napkin - our dining table centerpiece.

The children are ~

creating with pattern blocks

and needle felting on wool.

While we delight in the simple indoor pleasures, I can't wait to get back outside and feel the sun's warmth.

Warm wishes, Tonya

Planting Time

Yesterday I planted both of these as well as some lettuce. 

There has been such a nice rhythm to our days, these last few days.

In the morning I am mostly inside, working with the children, baking, packaging orders, cleaning, etc.

After lunch, after Abraham's nap (and sometimes a nap for me too), we head outside to do the garden work usually - a few wheelbarrows of compost hauled each day to the planting areas, a little  more digging in a new garden area, mending of fences, and just yesterday, planting.

It feels so good to use my muscles again, and to be building them up a little bit more each day to meet the demands of the coming season.

Warm wishes, Tonya