Sometimes I just want to stay in bed.

Our loss total is three Does and six kidds. It seems that they may have had an infection but not being able to spend probably upwards of 1000.00 for a diagnosis I will go with that supposition. It could have been numerous things but one thing is for sure unless it is slow to manifest we should be in the clear. No other Does have shown any signs of illness or early termination of pregnancy.
I take full responsibility for the losses. Although I could blame my children it is I who should have checked that all gates were locked. We feed silage to our cows and have a dump pile of moldy silage for the ducks who are unaffected by it. The duck and turkey pick out the kernels and the rest decomposes.
As people walk through gates some sneaky beasts push gates open and head for the grain shed that is usually open when animal care is happening. The grain shed is definitely locked (to help keep out vermin)when we are not around. Several have started testing gates. When they are ajar they leave (sometimes un-noticed) and forage around the lower yard.

One such incident happened just last week with the cows out and roaming but earlier about two weeks ago it had been the goats. I don't know how long they had been out but obviously it had been long enough to get into trouble. Two Does were inseparable and got into what ever it was together. The second young Doe is a glutton who would have followed or seen any creature who may have found anything worth eating and glommed it for herself. They love silage which is bad for them for just this reason. Although cows may be unaffected it targets the smaller ruminants I suppose. Even the calves eat it without mishap.

The hard ground makes if difficult for the old machine to dig a proper hole but I managed to make one deep enough to contain all our losses, with enough room in case we should acquire some more. I will forever dig a hole in the fall and cover it just in case this happens again.

I am not above saying that the goats may have had hardware disease either but one Doe has very neurological symptoms. It makes me think of others who have passed over the season and makes me realize how much more sensitive goats are from cows and all the other farmyard animals. The Does have nearly chewed through several places on the sheds and I wouldn't doubt that they may have gotten some kind of sharp metal object either. They always seem to find a favorite spot somewhere out of regular checking that goes unnoticed till Spring. Again my fault.

The coming weeks will have us repairing all outdoor sheds for loose boards,nails and screws. One wonders how you depreciate buildings on your tax form? Just visit my place and I will show you just how it happens.

It's a ....

Rosita had a doeling. An eight pound plus doeling. Yes, I am surprised since she was quite large and only had one. The Doe I lost was not as large yet had three. I can predict an eventful year this year with the girls. I hope my year doesn't turn out quite like last year but I know I have the strength to get through it all......of course with your help and you know who else.

Hurrah, we (my son and I) get to pick up our new eyeglasses today. My husband will pick his up tonight after work. Instead of a two hour ride home from Stamford he can look forward to about three and a half ride today. No fun what so ever.

Yesterday was fun. Games played with the children. A fun movie with morals that were discussed. Books read. Seeds ordered. Roasted Potatoes devoured. I will never understand how they can eat so many except the fact the potatoes are delicious. I use regular all purpose potatoes with sweet potatoes, what a delectible combination, that is if I can keep the children from eating the raw potatoes (ok, they did learn it from me!). Cheese made for wood-stove ziti, as always that was devoured also. I had a bit of cheese left over (no it doesn't happen often) so I made a quick salad of cubed fresh cheese with sun-dried tomatoe, onions, garlic (of course), cucumbers and thinly sliced fennel and green peppers a little salt and black pepper with Canola oil. Served on some shredded lettuce it was a taste of the coming season. Yumm....

It is upon us.

Kidding season has started. Rosita is in the barn as we type in labor. Doesn't seem like she will kidd for a while, no rush to go watch yet. But since the last entry I have gotten silage several times, Grain about a dozen times, a load of hay from New York, gone visiting and finally finished the farm Web-site (at least for now www.soeltlfarm.com).

Kidding season has not started well. Two deliveries two weeks too soon left one Doe dead along with all three of her kidds. Another Doe alive but not her kidds. Not the best start to say the least.

Found my daughter a different pony but now my window to pick him up has closed. He (of course)was free for the use but he is in Maine. I will work in getting him in a few weeks.

The hay from New York is everything that people say it is. Very green and not very stalky even for the first cutting. Sure there is higher protein in the first cut but if they don't eat it what good is it? We have had a thaw and the cow pen is covered in uneaten hay. What a waste. The corn the girls are getting is not the best either so milk production is lower. The ducks and poultry are happy since there are a lot of non-digested corn kennels available to them. The wild turkey will be ecstatic. The veal calves are getting bigger and my daughters new 4-H project calf is due to be weaned. That will be one unhappy calf watching the others suck down three gallons of milk a day.

I will head out and look for some new veal calves to start. I have quite a list of client already. Finding decent calves however is proving difficult.

Four pigs have gone in to harvest and another seven have been started. Chicks and ducklings are due this week to start off our growing season. Many are already sold.

It is raining currently and I am going to grab my seed catalog and place my order. This week I will prune the fruit trees and bushes. I have to lay out all the pens and figure out how to concrete the breeding pens. I must look for two decent Solar Fencers. Our terrain is so rocky our ground rods are not effective and the fence doesn't shock the critters as it should. Having a personal fencer for several pens will help the rowdy critters maintain sanity, or not. Maybe I will just make them more difficult to contain.