Saturday morning barn report

This morning while I was sipping my coffee and waking up, I brainstormed and made a running list of all the farm chores swirling in my mind to get started on this spring or finish from this winter (or maybe last year…ha!).  Later this afternoon, I hope to review it with a close friend who is visiting and transfer it to my to do list here as well as my datebook.

This brainstorming had me lingering in bed so Sam and I walked the property at around 7 am.  I have been picking deer ticks off all morning so I will need to put Frontline on the dogs and cats this weekend.  Grass is getting greener and the daffodils are budding up.  It’s been a partly cloudy partly sunny day so far with temperatures in the fifties.

Out to the barn at almost 8 am.  Two gallons and a little more from the goats.  Two ducks eggs.  And two blue chicken eggs stashed in the barn.  The goats were very happy to get outside after being kept in yesterday.  It was even mild enough to put the ducklings outside in their own shelter and pen.  The big Indian Runners immediately came over to say hi to their offspring.  Ducks are so social!

I immediatley cultured this morning’s milk  for chevre and set it in the overn until tomorrow morning.  I drained the drying feta and put one in brine to age for four weeks.  The other batch needs one more day to harden.  I have several batches of feta ready in the root cellar.

My friend Vinnie who is also my small animal vet and sometimes large animal vet reported that Pipsqueak renamed Sala is very happy with her chickens.  Ironically once I rehome one rooster, I get offered two more!  I have been offered a four month house raised silkie rooster who needs a home and he comes with a four month old pullet.  I am concerned that these two spoiled rotten chickens (washed and dryed with a hair dryer weekly?) will be shocked at becoming free range chickens on my farm and not do well.  The other rooster I have been offered is a nasty New Hampshire red who has been confined and is beating up his hens to bloody pulps.  He may adjust to free range living but if he causes any problems, right into the freezer!   His owner is going to try freecycle first and if that is unsuccessful, drop him off here.

Saturday morning barn report

According to the newspaper, the snow storm that hit yesterday was the biggest one yet this winter.  It didn’t seem like it to me.  We ended up with 8 to 10 inches of light puffy snow.

I walked into a disaster area in the barn this morning.  Sex crazed Henry had broken down the door to his pen, letting Bianci loose with him.  Surpisingly he didn’t get into the grain, although Bianci did trample the hay bales a bit.  What he did do is try to break into the doe pen from the door area, scattering the bags of bedding piled nearby, and break through their window area, putting a big hole in the chicken wire with his horns and trampling all of the stuff piled in front the window, which included a bag of lime.  What a mess!  I have a couple hours clean-up to fit into an already overscheduled day!

Three gallons of milk.  Filtered it and cultured it with chevre culture.  Three duck eggs that I added to the last broody hen.  Now I have three broody hens, each on nine eggs.  No chicken eggs, although I got three at the end of yesterday.  I have decided to put my egg customers on hold.  I barely have enough eggs for the family.

Henry bred Elizabeth and Josephine first thing.  I had thought he bred Elizabeth last month but I guess not.  I cannot wait for this heat cycle to pass because Henry is completely nuts.

Hello!

Welcome visitors!  It’s going to be a busy birthing week.  We have four remaining does due…Bambi who had triplets last year.  Will she have three or four?  Then there’s Lucy who has routinely had two.  And my two remaining 2006 does who had singletons last year…should have twins this year (although Elizabeth only had her one so who knows).  I am thinking a minimum of nine babies before the weekend.  But I could be wrong.  Wow!

 Gabe has an “N” and and “O” name preselected.  That means we are open to suggestions for P, Q, R, S, T and U, maybe V and W.  Z is reserved for Karen’s son Zach.  Post your ideas.

Quiet time…

In one month, the baby goats will start to arrive.  Right now is the quietest time on the farm.  The pigs went to the butcher last weekend.  Because of darkness and molting, the chickens are not laying…no egg customers.  I am milking one goat and this is enough just for the family…no cheesemaking..no goat shares.  The garden has been put to bed.  With this quiet time, it is time to start the farm blog….