Have you ever considered owning a dairy goat? They are pretty darn awesome if I say so myself and here are 5 of the countless reasons why:
1. They make great family pets! I know, I know...you shouldn't call livestock pets, but darn they are so friendly, cute and fun. The kids can feed them from their hands, the goats follow the kids all over the pasture and their is nothing like goat cuddles when you are down. 2. They are (sorta) easy to keep. Contrary to popular belief, it is not that hard to keep them penned in (Once you patch every single hole in your fence...every single one) Also, their diet is simple...grass. 3. They are awesome alarm systems. Every time someone pulls up to the house the goats raise their heads look that way and usually start maaing. If I am at my kitchen window (which looks out onto the goat pasture) I always know when we have company just by watching the herd. 4. They are so efficient. We can move them around the farm using electrical fencing and they will eat down EVERYTHING, they do not tear up the ground like pigs or cattle, each spring my does deliver between 2-3 kids EACH, which in turn I sell to pay for their feed and care costs for the next year. 5. FRESH MILK and CHEESE! If fed a clean diet and kept away from the bucks, doe goats can produce a clean fresh tasting milk without any of that "gamey" flavor that people too often assume comes with goat milk. Also, fresh chevre cheese is awesome! I milk throughout the summer and freeze the milk in gallon bags, and then throughout the winter I use the milk to make all my soaps and lotions.
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As Thanksgiving Day draws near we have a minor turkey shortage on the farm. The main attraction of the festive table, the perfectly roasted turkey may be missing. How is that you may ask? Well... once upon a time there were four cute little poults, that were destined for great feasts. Two, were to be served at our Farm to Table dinner. One would be processed sold and the final one would adorn OUR Thanksgiving table. Unbeknownst to us two of these flocked friends were not to make it to the butchering table. One's legs did not develop correctly and we lost him while he was young. The two destined for Farm to Table, were brined and smoked to tasty perfection. The other was within days of enjoying his last meal, when we discovered that a predator decided to enjoy him before we could have the chance. So, this leaves us with a Butter Ball for turkey day this year...not exactly the local, free range tasty bird that was expected.
Small farming lesson learned: Buy twice as many turkeys than what you actually expect to eat! The temperatures are still high, but the promises of the cool crisp days of fall are around the corner. Here on the farm we are busy harvesting from the garden and doing some preemptive fall clean up. School starts in days and the kids and I are ready for the regularity and orderliness that comes with a schedule. Summer seems to have gone by in a blur, but it always seems that way this time of year!
Soon we will be hosting our second farm to table dinner with live music, local wines and brews, and a delicious menu inspired from what we grow here on the farm. The event will be taking place on Saturday, September 22nd at 6:30 pm. If you are interested in attending the dinner please visit our events and classes page for more information. Want a ticket? Click on the button below! Kidding Season started a bit earlier than expected this year! With snow on the ground and freezing temperatures, Heidi Lou decided that it was the perfect time to deliver three beautiful kids. Luckily, Bang waited a bit longer and delivered two nice looking bucks in the beginning of April. Lilly had three gorgeous 6th generation bucks! FOR SALE: 6th generation bucklings. Sweet and beautiful these little boys will be great bucks. More individual pictures available upon request. Asking $475 each. They will be ready to leave July 3rd. They are debudded, tattooed and vaccinated. They will be registered with MDGA. Two of these little boys have been sold to Susan from Mt. Hood, Washington. Thank you! One boy left! 5th generation buckling. Black Acre's Blue Truman- buckling with a great face and awesome long ears! Bottle baby, so super tame. He is our favorite around here and will be a hard one to part with. He follows us around as we do our chores and loves to be scratched. We are keeping Truman as a wether! The kids feel in love with him...so now he is a pet. Sold! Thank you Jeanette from Pendleton, Oregon. Meet Carlos and Klaus. These two wethers are super sweet! Born on April 13th (Friday the 13th!)They are 4th Generation and would be great 4-H projects or pets. Asking $100 obo. Dam: W4's Independence Day's Bang- 3rd Generation Sire: Mini Nubian Arnold Blue- 5th Generation Black Acre's Suri- doeling with striking blue eyes! 5th Generation. Asking $425 obo. SOLD! Thank you Patti from Leavenworth, Washington. Black Acre's Hazel Lou- doeling with lots of personality and love. She thinks she is human and wants to be on our laps more than in the goat pen. 5th Generation. Asking $425 obo. SOLD! Thank you Tina from Imbler, Oregon. The triplet's lineage:
5th generation Mini-Nubians Date of Birth: February 19th , 2018 Sire: Black Acre's Blue Karl (4th Gen. American) Dam: W4's Honey Heidi Lou (4th Gen. American) Dam's Sire: Crooked H Black Magic Dam's Dam: Caldwell Creek's Honeysuckle Sire's Sire: Backyard Mini Nubian Arnold Blue "Arnie" (5th Gen. American) Sire's Dam: W4's Independence Day's Bang (3rd Gen. American) |
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July 2023
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