A good night's sleep....

The Goatfarmer and the Farm Wife enjoyed a good night's sleep last night, much needed after several nights of being up several times each night checking/moving does who were either about to kid or had kidded and needed to be settled into one of the vacant kidding jugs to bond with their newborns.  Last night, our daughter, who lives with her family next door to the main farm, offered to "do" the midnight check.  Since she is both very capable at assisting does if need be, and (perhaps?) a bit obsessed with being in the barn during the kidding season, we gladly accepted her offer and settled down for a longer than usual sleep.  Below is a copy of her blog from the night's events and early this morning.....read and enjoy!  (We enjoyed reading about it after the fact almost as much as we enjoyed our long and refreshing sleep!)

Midnight Check... Or, How I Could Accidentally Stay Up All Night Watching Goats Pee...

I'm thawing and allowing myself to get sleepy a moment by blogging in the warm house.  You see, I just got in from the "midnight" goat check (something I volunteered for, because I truly enjoy it...).  This check should be a quick walk through. A drive-by tail check.  A thorough, but fast glance. Should.  Here's how I nearly was found, frozen and starving, six hours later (nearly, because I eventually snapped out of my stupor and dragged myself back home...)


1. Go to the barn. Cold air is invigorating and wakes me up.
2. Notice, on first sweep, that a doe is "hunching" and shifting frequently... sure signs of labor.  Tail is loose, behavior edgy. Wahoo! Jackpot! I'm going to be here to witness/assist/feel totally useful.
3. While watching edgy-hunchy doe, notice another doe is nested down in the corner. She's due, too.
4. Notice a third doe at the hayrack whose sides are rolling- contractions?
5. Notice a massively-pregnant-size-of-small-planet-doe in a corner alone, resting, but suspiciously nested down.
6. Huh. Hunchy-doe has since wandered to the hayrack and started gorging. Maybe she's getting energy for an imminent delivery...
7. Nesty doe is now in a deep sleep, flat on her side...
8. Hay rack doe is now grunting and complaining, laying in a nest... progress?
9. Small planet (who, ironically, is named "Star..." and is the size of one...) is standing with her feet elevated- a sign.
7. Hunchy doe is hunching again, biting her sides, and pacing... Oh, this is going to be any moment.

Repeat this pattern for an hour. One doe up, one doe down, all of them exhibiting "sure signs," including: hunching, biting at side/udder, pacing, pawing, grunting, moaning, breathing funny, yawning, and squatting. Every time I begin to give up and leave, one of them gives a great, theatrical "sign," and I stay.  A coyote very nearby in the woods gives out a loud howl, giving more motivation to stay put (behind electric fencing and next to a guard llama sounds fine to me, thank you very much.) I begin to contemplate just how comfortable that seat could be for napping (as I'm typing this, I'm wondering if I lowered that back down... maybe I should go back out and check?) ... 

Thoughts start to run through my mind. They go something like this:  "Huh. I've just stood here for an hour, staring at goat parts, watching goats chew cuds, pee, sleep, and scratch themselves... I really need to go to bed now... I probably need help if I can't tear myself away from watching goats pee...."

Eventually, I realize that this is like playing the lottery.  If I only play enough (stay long enough), it is inevitable that I'll be there for the jackpot. Of course, this could mean 5 or 6 or 12 hours of sitting in a dimly moon-lit, increasingly cold barn... reason wins. I stand up to leave.  As I do so, a doe that I hadn't even been watching lays at my feet and begins to breathe in great, labored grunts. I realize this is a conspiracy to make me look like a loon, wish the girls well, and amble back to the house, listening for sounds of labor. 

I'm sure by now, just as I've thawed and gotten sleepy again, that there are at least 4 does in active labor. They planned it that way.  Someone will be out for the next rounds soon, so perhaps we'll beat them at their game yet.  I'll be sleeping, and see those new kids tomorrow... or a barn full of pregnant does, looking for all the world like the just spent the night laughing.

Seven Hours Later...

I would have been pretty cold had I waited around last night for kidding to occur... seven hours later, we finally had twins born. 


Little doe- Oreo?




Proud and protective Mama




"Motherhood is exhausting." OR, "Boy, I wish I had opposable thumbs and some wipes... this is gross."

Kidding season is in full swing!

It has been almost a week since the first kids arrived.  And what a week it has been.  Seventeen does have had their kids so far and I believe there are 29 kids in the barn.  We just came in from settling 3 new ones born late this afternoon and saw another doe getting ready.  What with the pounding rain tonight we moved her into a nice fresh pen just in case.  The kids all look great!  We have some from each of the 3 bucks and the quality of the kids looks outstanding.  We have even had some new colors show up this year.  A few solid red Kikos have been added to the mix.  We also have a nice group of pure white Kikos and the Boers are all very traditional with some very nice looking kids in the group.  We will be posting new pictures on the website as soon as the Farmwife gets a few minutes to spare.

The other activity for the week that added to the mix was the final tests and submission of my paper for my final class towards my degree.  That in itself was a blessed relief to have complete and behind me.  Having completed the classwork will allow me some free time on the computer to keep this website and blog updated.  One thing that will be added to the website is the new vision statement that was created as a part of my Business Strategy class.

So keep checking back here for updates and watch the website for new pictures and the vision statement.  In the meantime it is time to go out and check on Annie and Mae to see if they are adding to the ever growing list of kids.  It is always a real joy to see a new life come into the world.  Truly, it is a miracle!

"Frost" seeding the pastures

The other day they were warning us of a significant winter storm with double digit snowfall!  What great news!  At least it is if you are contemplating some pasture improvements for this year.  I intended to get some clover seed on some of the goat lots this year and this should be a perfect time to get that done, what with a 60 degree afternoon to get the work done and a snow storm to settle the seed and get it off to a great start.  I did manage to rustle up a helper to accompany me on my trips back and forth across some of  the lots.  He does ask a lot of questions and certainly wanted to help.  He even seeded a bit by himself, but let PopPop finish up while he went in for supper. 

Well the seed was broadcast and the snow only amounted to less than an inch, but we are looking at a week of showers and springlike temperatures that should get the new seed up and growing.  We will keep a close watch to see how well this low tech strategy works.  From what I have heard it should do just fine.  Oh, and the clover is just part of the mix.  The blend was actually three kinds of clover, chicory and sericea lespedeza.  Very nutritious, and a mix that is supposed to help us combat the parasites that lurk in the bellies of so many goats.