Ok, the day got away from me. I was awake early but I lingered in bed, checking e-mail, reading blogs, writing in my journal. I am going through a soul searching time and these moments of quiet let me look and consider things that have been percolating in the back of my brain.
This got me to the barn late. And then there was the fence to deal with. The baby goats had shredded it and then the big goats decided if the babies could go in and out whenever they wanted, so could they. Broken posts, wire down, a mess!
So I got to the barn at almost 8 amish. With the new grain, I wanted to control the amount of high protein feed getting into each milker so I left them each on the stand longer, doing chores while they ate their allotted amounts or until they fussed to get out. I milked Celia first and put her in her pen with the leftover grain. The rest of the does I milked and then did waters, hay and finally turned to the fence as they ate. I walked the fence, pounding in loose posts, digging wire out of the snow and taking the wire out of the five broken posts and putting new ones, rewiring. With everything tight, I reconnected the juice.
After milking, everyone but the babies went out. I still cannot bear to shock them. The babies stayed in from 9 am to 3 pm and boy, did the mommas and babies complain back and forth. I got out of the barn after 9 am.
Even with just a small amount of the new grain given while I trimmed hooves yesterday, the milk was up a quart. One and a half gallons and one cup. I bet tomorrow will bring two gallons!
Five eggs from the chickens in the morning, five duck eggs. Four more chicken eggs by late afternoon. I sold another two dozen chicken eggs this afternoon.
Yesterday Adam stopped by to drop off empty egg cartons and pick up duck eggs. He has a friend who wants two meat goat crosses to raise over the summer and butcher. This may be a way to move out the last two babies if my other buyer only takes eight of the babies. But right now, the whole idea of moving the babies out is disheartening. The idea of most of them being eaten upsets me. I am too soft hearted. I would have a zillion goats if I didn’t do this. But it doesn’t make it easier.
My goat share customer and her daughters are sick with the flu. Maybe her husband will pick up the milk tomorrow?
I called my hay guy, James, and left him another message about delivering the 76 bales he owes me (I am down to 23 which might last me three weeks). He said he will come Monday. James returned my call from the auction in New Holland, PA where he had just sold his heifers. He has a lot of details about the auction that he said he wants to share with me Monday (meat goats sales!). The most important one was it is exactly three hours to drive there. I thought it was more like five. I envision a field trip to explore, maybe in February when I have a little more direction where my life is going.
