The Goat Whisperer

What is Appropriate Discipline?

2012-02-10T17:51:00.001-08:00

It sure as heck isn't this.

Let's recap shall we?

Pony decided to give a little hop and rider falls off. While holding the reins, rider is handed a crop or whip, and proceeds to smack the pony a few times until she loses control and pony runs off. Now you have a loose pony.

Yeah, great horsemanship there.

Discipline is absolutely necessary. I've ridden many sour little ponies who have learned that little cowhop/buck trick to unseat people. And I absolutely punished them for it, (once health concerns were ruled out.)

We'll use my previous pony, Jetta, for an example. Ain't she cute?

Jetta came to me with a lot of bad habits, including refusing to move forward, bucking, and even rearing. Once we ruled out health concerns, we went to learning how to behave ourselves under saddle.

And yeah, it included a crop or a stick. The moment she acted up, she got a verbal reprimand and a stick across the butt until she changed her mind.

Jetta came out the other side of that as one of the best ponies I've ever ridden. Bomb proof (except for scary tractors) and brave. I could do anything with her and ride anywhere. She's now an elderly woman's beloved pet and gives pony rides to her grandkids.

Discipline has to be administered immediately and properly to be effective. If I had fallen off of Jetta, yanked on her reins, and then beat her with a stick, what would that accomplish? NOTHING. It would have possibly created a far worse problem.

Losing your temper has no place in the animal world. Or in any world, quite honestly. If you can't solve a problem on your own, with a good seat, quiet hands, and a well timed and precise correction, you don't need to be working on that problem. Find someone who can, before you ruin a good horse.

First Kids of 2012

2012-02-07T16:48:00.000-08:00

Welcome to K-n-S Farm's first kids of 2012. They are purebred Nigerian Dwarf kids, out of Honey Doe Gypsy Girl and by Wild Bill from Honey Doe Farm.

Two bucklings. One gold and white and one red and white. Both have very cute little waddles.

The first kid presented with only one leg forward, so I had to ease him back, rearrange him some, and help get him out. It was a little touch and go there for a moment.

The second kid also had quite a big head, but we got him out without too much more effort.

Gypsy was very attentive to them, cleaning them off and talking to them, but it did cause an issue - she didn't want to stand still and let them nurse, she was fretting over them too much. After a moment, I tied her to the wall and relieved some of the pressure on her udder (a lovely udder, I might add!) and then showed the kids where the teats where. After a bit of nursing, the light went off in Gypsy's head and she understood what they were wanting.

I left them happily snuggled together. They're doing quite well, full tummies and happy faces. Typical of bucklings, these guys were born with their horn buds quite prominent, so I'll have to hit them with the iron pretty soon.

Being purebreds, these guys are spared from Freezer Camp and will be available as bucklings or pet wethers. Registration can be arranged.

The next kids are due early March.

I Won a Contest

2012-02-04T13:59:00.001-08:00

Turns out I won Oregon's Living Legends recent writing contest. Pretty cool!

The challenge was to write a short, very brief, post about what the picture (at right) inspires in you.

I wrote a short piece that came to mind and entered it without much thought. I like contests like these, but there were so many amazing entries, I didn't even think twice about it.

I found out yesterday I actually won first place! I was really surprised. My prize is the framed picture. It will fit right in with my living room decor - it's just lovely. Can't wait to see it in person.

Check out Oregon's Living Legends website or their Facebook page. The author of the book about mustangs is a good friend of mine, and a damn fine woman. Order a copy of her book . . . I sure am!

Here is my entry:

The sun was setting over the range, its dimming light falling over the two weanlings standing quietly in the grasses. The mustang herd stood nearby, some laying down to sleep, others standing hipshot, and more grazing slowly, one mouthful at a time. The stallion, a rough black coated horse, paced back and forth atop a slight hill, watching their surroundings with a cat-like wariness.

The weanlings, splashed with color, gambled about in the failing light, striking at each other playfully and wheeling around to kick up their heels. They squealed and snorted, then slowly dropped off their play to pick at the sweet grasses beneath their hooves. Several of the mares nickered softly at them to move closer to the herd.

The sun began to dip beneath the horizon as one weanling folded his legs and sunk to the ground, ears swiveling to take in their surroundings as he made himself comfortable on the soil of his birth. The other foal nosed him gently, then nipped, requesting more play. The first colt fluttered his nostrils in an irritated blow of breath, and his companion ceased his teasing and stood quietly beside him, cocking one hind foot and watching their herd.

Night falls at last, obscuring the view of these young lives, living free on the range.

Hit By The Gelding Bus

2012-01-31T12:53:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, Saturday to be precise, internet sensation Thunder's Spyder Prince was "hit by the gelding bus" as we like to call it.

Or, to put it into more simple terms, he was gelding/castrated/neutered. His testicles were removed.

It was a good experience. He loaded onto the trailer fairly easily, even though it was dark and scary that morning, then unloaded without a problem in the parking lot of the vet's office. We led him to a grassy area. There he received his first dose of anesthetic and became quite drowsy.

He got a second dose after a bit and was helped to the ground. They covered his eyes and hiked a leg up. Each testicle was palpated. The technician washed the area. The scrotum was sliced open and the testicle pulled free. The cord was twisted, clamped, and then cut (by yours truly I might add). Afterward, two wolf teeth were pulled from his mouth while he was still unconscious. He was given his rabies vaccination and a preventative dose of Penicillin.

And that was it! Simple simple. He took some time to wake up, but we finally got him back onto his feet and walking around. He decided to sing us a lovely song while he was walking. I so wish I'd have had my video camera to capture that, as it was quite funny.

Once he was stable on his feet, we loaded him back up and home he went, none the wiser that now he will be an outstanding citizen in the horse world, devoid of his testicles.

Click > Here < for the full album of gelding image.

Let me take a moment to remind everyone . . . GELD YOUR COLTS. As you can see, it can be done at an early age, if both testicles are present. This means your colt may never exhibit stud-like behavior. No worries about proper fencing to keep a stallion. No worries about "oops" foals with your mares . . . or the neighbor's mares. It's not an overly expensive procedure. If you can't afford a gelding surgery, you probably shouldn't have horses.

Your colt will be more easily sold, if he is already gelded. He will live a happier life. He may even grow taller.

There is *no* excuse for keeping a colt intact unless he has all the makings of a prime stallion. And good stallions make great geldings.

Keep an eye out . . . we are expecting our first kids of the year within a week or two!

Check In Post - January 2012

2012-01-24T17:24:00.000-08:00

Sorry, nothing controversial today! I know, I know, you're all so terribly disappointed, right? That's okay. Keep an eye out, you never know what might pop up and tempt my ire.

Otherwise, I'm just going to touch on the usual.

Goats! The goats are all well. I did notice some weepy eyes in the herd, which is an indicator of Vitamin A deficiency. Because of this drought we've had, this is a concern in our area. There has been little fresh green forage, so the animals haven't gotten enough of this nutrient. To combat that, everyone will be receiving Vitamin A-D doses, horses included.

I am starting to think everyone is pregnant, (with the exception of Yumi, more on that in a moment). Yes, that includes SEVEN! She actually has quite a handful of udder. We've failed to get her bred the last two years running, so if she continues to progress and kids in March, I will be so excited.

Yumi, dear Yumi. She either slipped/absorbed her kids early on, or was not settled. Today her and Blizzard have been spending some "loving" time together. Which means June kids, which I detest, but we will manage. I can't have have her going dry an entire year and getting fat on me. They'll be nice kids, so getting them sold shouldn't be an issue, and then I can milk her through fall breeding (if her condition is good enough) and get her on schedule with everyone else next season.

Secret is doing quite well. She is picking up weight and her coat, will still not to my standards, is not as yucky and "felt like" as it was before. The Vit. A will help her skin and coat immensely. She's got plenty more energy and trots at my elbow and is easy to handle. She sometimes tries to avoid being caught, but patience will bring that around.

Everyone else is doing well. We have set up a kidding stall in an optimal area to run a kidding camera on. We will, if possible, be livestreaming the kidding camera online, so that others can help me keep an eye on these does. LOTS of First Fresheners this year, so I don't want to take any risks. We'll see the first doe on camera after this weekend. Keep an eye out!

I hope all my readers are having a good week, and it will continue. I have spent a lot of time lately meditating on the problems of my friends, who are struggling with problems of their own. I wish often, that there was more I could do for them, but for now, I will continue to do the best I can. At the very least, I am always willing to listen, to anyone.

How to Look Ignorant

2012-01-19T14:15:00.000-08:00

Put your kid on a suckling foal. Yeah. Sure makes you look educated there.

Seriously though, these images are from a Horse Day Camp. It's nearly a game, looking at these pictures. "How many things can we find wrong?"

Not only do these kids have no SHOES or HELMETS, they are sitting on BABIES.

Does that even begin to sound healthy or safe for the foal? Their immature bones are not made to bear weight. Will it harm the foal? No way to know until later in life, when damage done to growing tissue and bone starts to show up.

Some might say, ah well, it's harmless fun, just sitting on the foal's back for a second. Surely it can't hurt.

You know what? Go take your toddler and put a high schooler's backpack on him. Still sound harmless? Didn't think so. Stop it. Stop putting your children on foals.

Every time I see an image like this one, I think, "Wow, that parent must really not like their child." Horses are dangerous. All it takes is a sudden movement, and a little unbalanced child to slip off and smash it's little head on the rocks. Then everyone is up in arms about "Ohhhh what a horrible accident!"

No it wasn't. Put some damned shoes and a helmet on your child. Put your child on a been there done that horse if you must. The last thing you should be doing is putting your child on a foal who doesn't understand what the heck is going on. Just like small children are wriggly, a young foal is going to wriggle and fuss, and all it takes is that one moment.

Stop it. It's not cool. It's not fun. It's dangerous and damaging. Posting a picture of your weanling for sale with a kid hanging onto its back does NOT make me want to buy your weanling. It makes me see "damaged goods" and move on.

Just please. Stop.

Nine Years Ago

2012-01-18T12:58:00.000-08:00

Nine years ago, I was just an innocent (hahaha!) highschooler hanging out with friends.

I had a girlfriend come over and spend the night one lovely weekend. Being January, it was pretty cold at night, but being Texas, the days were still lovely and warm.

My friend's boyfriend lived in the nicer neighborhood across the cow pasture. He tromped through it, guided by his best friend.

So soon enough, I had four people hanging out on my porch.

The gangly young man my friend's boyfriend brought along proceeded to eat our entire bag of potato chips. I was a bit put out. This was just another person who sat at *my* table, although he didn't quite classify as one of my minions. I didn't even know his name. We all just called him Stitch, for reasons now forgotten.

Dinner came around, and this tall goofball went and downed *eight* of my mom's homemade tacos. We had a laugh at him, and he answered with a huge grin and jokes to match ours. I realized he was a pretty good looking kid, if a bit awkward. He obviously had a sense of humor that could match up to mine.

They left, but come around 2am, were back, at my window. My girlfriend and I snuck out (don't forget, we were just innocent highschoolers...) and met up with them in a patch of woods, where there was an abandoned car we could sit on. It was cold, and "Stitch" lended me his jacket as we all hung around and chatted.

The rest, as they say, is history. We became inseparable.

The picture to the right is from our Highschool days.

We did everything together, although we were hindered by both sets of parents at times. We were hated by a small group, or maybe I was just hated, I'm not sure. I was pretty good at making enemies. We presided as King and Queen in our section of the cafeteria. I learned his real name, of course. Steven.

We had people, even teachers, tell us we did not make a good match up. And in some cases, our personality still clashes and struggles against each other's.

But nine years later, we prevail. We have been through hell and high water. We have suffered things that no one should, let along a young couple. We have made choices that were devastating, and live with them to this day.

We are strong.

Love is strong. It may not be perfect, and any fool who goes into a marriage thinking of unicorns, fairy tales, and a shining castle is in for a nasty surprise. No, you have to enter into it, or any relationship, with the knowledge that it is give and take, and not always equal. Sometimes you have to put aside yourself for another. But you also need to be able to trust the other to put themselves aside for you.

It's a tenuous balance that must be taken seriously. And that is why so many fail.

Nine years ago, a new chapter in my life started, one of the best ever. I look forward to continuing, one step at a time.

Heroism - Guest Blog

2012-01-16T18:10:00.000-08:00

News Article Link

Horse Rider Rescued By Fellow Riders When Horse Slips Into Rural Texico Pond
1/12/12 @ 2:33:40 am

A 33-year-old rural Texico man reportedly went underwater several times after his horse became spooked and ran into a pond on the East Canton Road in northern Jefferson County early Wednesday night. Kell firemen say three others who were riding horses with Chris Clark of the Divide Road were eventually able to rescue him after he had been in the water four or five minutes.

Kell Fire Department Assistant Chief Mick McDaneld says once out of the water, the group that included Clark's ten-year-old son and another man and woman, had to walk about a mile to the closest home. McDaneld reports Clark collapsed on the road a short distance from the home, apparently from the effects of hypothermia. The home owner then helped get Clark inside the home where he was able to get out of his wet clothing and get warm next to a fire. Medical personnel wanted to take Clark to the hospital for treatment, but he refused. Eventually, they decided that his body had warmed enough treatment would most likely not be needed.

McDaneld says the group was riding horses near the pond, when Clark's horse apparently became 'spooked' and went into the pond. Clark was thrown from the horse while it was in water seven to eight feet deep. McDaneld says Clark's son initially went into the water, but turned back when the water came up to his knees. The female rider went into water up to her neck before coming out because she was not a strong swimmer. The other man with the group was then able to reach Clark and help drag him into more shallow water where he was able to get his footing and walk out of the pond.

McDaneld says Clark was very lucky. Clark told him all he could think about was his wife and children as he tried to keep his head above water.

The pond is located well off the nearest road about a mile northwest of Divide. The Kell Fire Department was called to the scene just after six Wednesday night to assist the men until Litton's Ambulance could arrive from Mt. Vernon.

Well I was the woman who can't swim (S.O. {name withheld for privacy} writes). My fiance is the one who got into the water and saved the drowning man, who is actually one of our good friends. We almost lost the horse. Horse is still being giving warm water and warm mash, but thankfully doesn't seem to have taken any water in to the lungs. Vets just wanted us to keep him warm and he is in our foaling stall with his pasture buddy (Vets recommendation for body heat).

The only inaccurate part of this story is I didn't exit the water, I just didn't swim to the guy. My fiance had tired really close to the bank and I had walked into the water and pulled his arm until he could touch and he then dragged the man the rest of the way in. Also two of the horses were spooked into the water. The man's and my fiance's due to several deer coming through the field with several dogs barking on their heels (the dogs have been captured). My mare and the man's son's horse both spooked but they bolted forward onto the dam area and not into the water.

The water was the coldest I have ever felt. Even colder than the time I fell through ice over my head. The pond is spring fed, and the temperature that day was around 36*. Everyone is doing alright and the horse is back to his normal body temperature.

It took my fiance 5 minutes to get the man close enough to the shore for me to assist. It took us 15-20 minutes to rescue the horse, who was lodged underneath a downed tree that was submerged. I had to jump into the water and cut the saddle riggings to release the horse from under the tree. By this time the horse had became to tired and actually was floating on his side, groaning. My fiance and I struggled to keep his head above water. The man who was drowning finally caught his breath and him and his son helped the best they could to get the horse out of the water. We finally got him out after breaking almost all the reins and lead ropes we had with his by pulling him halfway up the embankment on his side. I then started smooching and rocking the horse to encourage him to get up, while the men were ready to pull as soon as he stood. He finally leaped up and we got him on shore.

This was a very scary experience and shows that freak accidents happen all the time. If we wouldn't have been on that narrow path when the deer came through, we probably wouldn't have had the problems we did. The literally pushed past us on the trail with the dogs (3 large labs) right behind them. The dogs had escaped their kennel and went on a deer hunt by themselves.

This was also a trail we were very familiar with, but I don't believe we will take it again until summer.

When I was a kid about 11, my dad had me go to my hunter's safety course, like all young prospective hunters do. There was an older gentleman there that was well known for wilderness survival. I do not remember his name, but could probably find it out. He offered a clinic during summer break for hunters about surviving elements and what to do during emergency situations. I was the youngest to go to it, but my father insisted that it would be good for me and even went with me. We watched tons of videos the first few days, spoke to several search and rescue personnel, and had a few paramedics and policeman come through and share their expertise.

The next couple days we watched several different mock rescues; drowning, gun shot wound, hypothermia, broken leg, ATV wreck, fall from tree stand, and a few others I don't quite remember.

After watching each mock rescue we were walked through step-by-step procedures and even had some hands on experience in some of the mock rescues. I didn't get to do the drowning, but when you are 11 years old, watching even fake things stick in your mind. The biggest thing we were told is ALWAYS REMAIN CALM. The ATV wreck was the most interesting, but I remembered the hypothermia one the most:

1. Do not let them rest. If they lay down and fall asleep in the middle of nowhere, they WILL die.
2. Keep them talking and pay attention to how they talk. A person close to collapsing will not answer questions correctly or at all.
3. Get them to a warm location as fast as you can, and strip them completely down. If you are stuck a distance out build a fire immediately and offer dry clothes. Keep the person moving and talking.
4. NEVER leave the person unattended. Even if they do collapse they may get up disoriented and wander way off from where you last knew them to be.

Now I know these aren't what you here in EMT classes or Search & Rescue but these are what we were told to do as civilians in a worse case scenario.

This was definitely a different experience for me. No matter how many clinics or things we were told and taught that day, I never expected to have drowning/hypothermia both in one. I know when it all happened I remembered the "STAY CALM" more than anything. I can not swim. I've went to swimming lessons, been thrown into deep water without a life jacket, and just NEVER caught on to more than a doggy paddle to keep afloat.

I also did some job shadowing for my senior year in high school with an ambulance crew. I got to watch some interesting things while riding them, both serious and minor situations, and they always said STAY CALM, your brain and body can function better if you are thinking clearly. You will move more accurately and efficiently if you don't panic.

The only things I wish would have been different is:

1. Had a rope, any rope. I suggest carrying a leadrope/lasso. We wouldn't have such a hard time reaching him if we would of been able to throw him a rope.

2. Extra clothes in cold weather. I wish we would of packed our saddle bags with some extra jackets, a blanket would have been even better!

3. Radio/CB. We were in an area with no cell phone signal. Many of the locals have CB's and we would have been assisted even quicker if we didn't have to walk that far to get help.

My cousin, who is in the army and also an EMT, suggested it would be wise to carry those hand/feet warmers for incidents like this, and even said it would be good to carry some MRE's (Dehydrated food, for those who don't know). Most of them have coffee or hot tea in them which would have helped warming the body. He also said their is a lot of places that have first-aid clinics you can attend.

I am really blessed to have had a father who thought it was important to know how to handle the elements and survive. I probably would have panicked without him encouraging me to go to the clinics when I was little. NEVER TOO YOUNG TO START!

Thank you "S.O." for allowing me to post your experience. It's a good reminder to all of us that accidents can happen, and remaining level headed can save lives. The people and horses involved in this incident are all recovering.

My "Great Grandkid"

2012-01-10T19:04:00.001-08:00

Meet my "great grandkid!"

Funny, eh?

She traces back to my very first buck ever, Buckly, and a doe I owned, Lily. Their doeling was named Isis. I was terribly attached to her, but she was just much too small for what I was aiming for.

I sold her, and Lily, to a good friend who doesn't live too far. I of course came to regret this after I saw Isis' first udder. It was lovely, well attached, even, and looked marvelous. Alas, she wasn't for sale for any price!

That was alright though, since she was nearby and I like my friend quite a lot.

This year she had twins, a doeling and buckling. The sire is the same buck I bred most of my does too, a silky fainter. I was able to wheedle a trade out of my friend . . . the doeling! Who had to be put on a bottle. In return, I'll give her a nice doeling out of my stock, so she can have a bit of fresh blood. Goat friends have to stick together!

So the little baby is here, and I tell you, I'm in love with her already. She's over twice the size her dam was at the same age, so I am thinking the fainting blood will give her some nice size and girth, and she will hopefully inherit that nice udder from her dam, with all the benefits of cross-bred vigor.

She took to the bottle like a champ and has been quite a good girl. She may have to come along with us when we go to see Spyder and geld him later this month, but I know she'll behave herself and not embarrass me at my friend's place! By then she'll be tough enough to stay in their barn, unlike here, where she sleeps either on the bed or in a cozy kennel on a blanket.

I know, spoiled. I'm sure I'll come to regret it.

We're starting to see progress in my own does. Gypsy is growing her udder quickly. Seven has a handful of udder, but I cannot feel kids, so not sure if she is bred or just pretending. I can feel kids in Juliet, but haven't really messed with anyone else. I except to see udders really starting come the beginning of February, and Gypsy is due early that month as well.

Keep checking back for those cute kid pictures starting February, then March through April!

You Look Like A Clown

2012-01-07T13:58:00.000-08:00

Standing up on your horse's back, I mean.

Seriously, stop it. You look like an idiot. Every time I see this particular picture in ads, and I tell you, it is EVERYWHERE, I can only imagine slipping and falling. Braining yourself without any help from the horse at all.

No thanks.

Why do people think this is such a big selling point? "I can't stand up on my horse's back!"

Whoop-te-doo! Apparently 80% of the population can do that, going by sale ads with pictures.

Aren't there much better ways to show off how level headed and good natured your horse is?

Without looking so moronic, anyways. Wave a pool noodle at him. Bwahaha!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Not to mention, as a couple of people have mentioned, goodness knows how they're getting down. Slamming down on the horse's back, no doubt. Who knows what kind of damage they're doing with these silly habits.

I find it hard to take anyone serious when they post one of those silly pictures. Especially when they're posting a sale ad. Give me a squared up picture of the horse, and maybe some pictures of it under saddle doing what it does best. Clean, I might add.

I don't want to see a mudcaked horse. Or the horse's face. Or a blurry picture of a horse standing in a foot of shit.

Why is that so hard?

Regret Isn't Enough to Save This One

2012-01-06T14:24:00.000-08:00

> Article Here <

This caught my attention because, well, it infuriated me.

It's a rather long article, but the short version is that a woman brought her dog to the shelter, changed her mind a short time later, (she claims ten minutes), and went back, to hear that the dog has been euthanized.

Sounds bad, doesn't it. You think, oh how horrible the shelter did that.

Until you actually look at the details.

I feel NO pity for this woman, ONLY for the dog, who never had a chance with this asshat.

Let's look at WHY.

"-based on information Nott provided, the dog had severe separation anxiety that caused it to chew into carpet, furniture and drywall."

The dog has very serious issues.

"Nott chose not to pay a $30 fee that would have given her the option to reclaim the dog, and she signed the part of an agreement that said she chose not to retrieve the animal, Janzen said."

Owner is a cheap ass.

"Nott got Lucy as a gift from her daughter about nine months ago. While Nott worked, the dog was home alone at least eight hours a day, and Nott thought the dog had developed separation anxiety. Lucy began digging at carpet and destroying household items."

This dog was never even given a chance.

Seriously. So, this dimwit buys a gift puppy, which is never a good idea to begin with, but then doesn't even begin to think, hey, I work eight hours a day, is that a good environment for a growing LABRADOR puppy?

So of course puppy is left all alone in a house, presumably without being crate trained at all, no walks during the day, no stimulation, and naturally begins to eat the house in bored desperation.

And the owner blames the dog. What happened to personal responsibility?

Do you think animal shelters are falling over themselves to adopt out your destructive young dog? Especially one of a breed that's been so over bred and is just filling up shelters everywhere. Cage room in a shelter is at a premium. There are hundreds of thousands of perfectly well behaved dogs out there looking for homes . . . sadly, the shelter cannot afford to feed and house a dog that is highly unlikely to be adopted.

Does it suck? Absolutely. But the blame here likes squarely with the owner. This puppy was allowed to develop behaviors that made it adoptable, and then dumped at the shelter and put to sleep because the owner couldn't be bothered to fix those issues.

And now she wants to go on the news blathering about how EVIL the shelter is and how they should have done this or this or this. Maybe this stupid bitch should volunteer some time in the shelter and see how things WORK before she goes running her mouth blasting the shelter for her own stupidity.

Drives me mad, it does.

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2012/01/01/2158855/wichita-woman-upset-with-kansas.html#0_undefined,0#storylink=cpy"

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2012/01/01/2158855/wichita-woman-upset-with-kansas.html#0_undefined,0#storylink=

Making Things Stretch

2012-01-04T15:19:00.001-08:00

- Sorry guys, don't have anything new currently, so here's a repost from a couple years ago. -

In our current situation, we're having to make food stretch to last us through the next couple of weeks before I can go to the grocery store.

It got me to thinking, what are all of the different ways you can make food stretch?

A favorite thing of mine to do is buy in bulk when something is on sale and break it down into smaller portions. Say a huge family pack of porkchops is on sale. Buy it, get it home, and break out the freezer bags! Soon enough you have several nights of porkchops stacked up in the freezer.

This works great too, for sales on cheese and other items that freeze well. The list is long, but includes tortillas, bread, meats, vegetables, and other things.

I love to buy big roasts when they are on sale. I cook them in the slow cooker and we have a nice roast one day. Then I either freeze the remainder, or I cut it up and we have beef stew another night. Add a bag of noodles and you've really got a hearty meal.

Instead of buying chicken breasts already deboned, I can usually catch chicken breast halves on sale for $1 a pound. From there it's fairly easy to debone and deskin them for my picky husband, and for far less the cost. There's no need to be "controlled" by convenience.

There are so many things that can be bought, cooked, and used for several meals. Hams, roasts, chickens.

Baking chickens are usually pretty inexpensive. Roast it for a dinner, then debone for chicken helper, chicken soup, or chicken tacos. Then boil the carcass with some seasonings and veggie scraps, and you've got lovely chicken broth you can use or freeze for the future.

And what about "cheap" meals? No one really likes ramen noodles, but add some frozen veggies to it and a bit more seasoning, and its something that can get you through a rough week. And you can do wonders with just eggs and potatoes. Trust me! I've had to live off of things before. It's not fun but you can do it, and come up with some amazing recipes in the meantime.

I'll even share my beef stew with you today. It's not very expensive, and its a big favorite around here. It makes a lot.

1 package beef stew meat
2 large cans mixed vegetables
2 cans beef broth
1 package onion soup mix
1-2 cans of vegetable of choice
1/2 stick of butter or equal
Seasonings to taste

Start by dumping, liquid and all, the vegetables in a big pot. Add the cans of beef brother. Stir in the onion soup mix. Bring to a boil. Add the meat and lower the temperature to medium-low. Stir in the butter, onion soup mix, and season. Here, you can add anything you like, be it mushrooms or other. Cover and cook until you can pull a tender piece of meat out, fully cooked.

Enjoy!

Kill All Wolves - Or Take Personal Responsibility

2011-12-30T20:28:00.000-08:00

So I stumbled across this video on Facebook yesterday evening, (been doing a lot of stumbling!) and took a moment to watch and listen to the guy.

> Video Here <

"so here is the story. we are pissed to say the least. we find a nice cat track this AM. Turned out our jump dog (our pride and joy=sadie) I put sam on a lead and a buddy brings his young dog in as well. Sadie goes in a 1/4 mile and starts really hammerin down the track. so we get about a mile from the truck and things start heating up so i let sam go to sadie and my buddy cuts his loose. sam gets in with sadie they make a circle and screaming, i figured its jumped but my buddys dog didnt really go witch is weird for him. all of sudden treed. i told nick something is wrong sam don't bark like that. all of sudden sadie takes off and moving. so we run twards sam cant hear him, nicks dog comes to us screaming like ive never heard out of dog. Then the wolf right on his ass he gets to twenty yards and turned and belined. So now i go to sam and he is completey dead. Sadie is 230 yds and still barking and moving so i run to her leashed her up(still chasing the cat) then realize there is wolf tracks all a round her. she is one very lucky dog i don't know how she got out alive and no scratches. we did see a glimpse of one more in the brush. I brought sam out dead and i was gonna take into the DNR office and through him on the desk and tell then to deal with it...."

The basics, as explained in his little note, is that he went out hunting with his dogs for bobcats. They were trailing a cat track when his dogs were allegedly jumped by "timber" wolves and the younger dog was killed. He then videos the dead dog, with the other dog still calling and tracking in the background, and bitches about how his dog was killed, and how all wolves need to be killed. How he and his buddies should just be able to enjoy a bit of sport without having to worry about their dogs getting killed.

I just sat there and blinked for a moment. So . . . let me get this straight?

You went out hunting, to kill, a predator. And then your dog gets killed by another predator, and suddenly it's a big ordeal?

Look, I don't have a problem with hunting. I support responsible hunting. I don't have a problem hunting with dogs either. It is indeed a great sport, and very exciting. But it's also a risky sport. Shit happens. You are sending your dogs out into the "wild" and putting them against dangerous predators.

Is it really so surprising that once in a while, an incident like this happens?

Many people know that I have extensive experience handling exotic mammals, including wolves. I like wolves. They are absolutely fascinating creatures. But there is also a huge amount of misinformation out there about them. So much "research" was done on captive bred packs, which tainted the findings and has led to romanticizing the wolf.

These wolves no doubt saw a threat to their territory, and did what wolves, and many other wild predators, do. They dispatched the threat.

Is it unfortunate that the dog died? Absolutely. But the response by the hunters just blows my mind. The solution is not "kill all wolves." The solution is to take responsibility for your actions. You sent your dog out to hunt a dangerous predator in the territory inhabited by other dangerous predators. The risk of injury or death to your dog is something you have to accept. You cannot turn around and blame a wild predator.

Don't like the risks? Don't hunt in this fashion. Don't waste your breath blasting the DNR because you chose to go out and take the risks.

Personal responsibility people. Get some.

Special thanks to Theresa B. for accidentally pointing this article out to me.

Recipe Post - Rabbit Legs and Rice

2011-12-30T18:14:00.000-08:00

Nothing beats a recipe post, does it?

Tonight we have rabbit legs over fried rice.

You'll need:

Rabbit thighs (hind legs)
Rice
Butter
Garlic
Soy Sauce
Eggs
Seasonings to Taste

In a hot pan, throw a couple cloves of smashed garlic in with butter. Melt the button. Then season the thighs with your seasonings. Garlic salt or just general seasoning salt works well. Keep it simple. Sear the legs on each side until they are nicely covered. Remove from pan and place in baking dish with juices/melted button. Cover and place in preheated oven at 350. They'll need to cook about thirty minutes.

Prepare your rice. Deglaze the frying pan you used to sear the rabbit with a splash of soy sauce. Pour the rice in, fry. Push to the side and cook two eggs, then mix in with the rice. Add salt to taste.

Remove rabbit legs from oven. Let rest - use juices to mix into the rice for more flavor. Place rested legs atop rice. Enjoy!

A note on the FHOTD post:

I was really pleased at how well that went! There was lots of good debate, with well-presented opinions on arguments on each side, and very little insulting, which of course is good for nothing. To all of those who wandered over here to check things out, welcome! You'll find a random lot of everything here, from recipes, to posts about self-sustained living, and plenty of posts about goats, horses, and anything else that crosses my mind. From time to time I'll rant about something, and occasionally post a bit of my art or writing.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Just how Safe is Safe?

2011-12-29T16:46:00.000-08:00

Today while I was browsing the internet, I stumbled across this article.

Quote:

"A horse lover was left with a wheel emergency on her hands - after her pony Smila got trapped inside a huge tractor tyre.

Marlene Schmidt, 30, from Limmer, Germany, believes the horse had been trying to graze on fresh grass under the tyre when she slipped and fell head first into it.

The unfortunate animal was left trapped inside the tyre with one of her hind legs poking out and her head pushed into the ground."

Okay, I admit. I laughed. The things ponies will get themselves into. Obviously this is a pony kept in a dry lot to prevent the reoccupation of founder. So of course, the pony must find some way to get into trouble.

So what do you have in YOUR pasture that is not safe? I've heard time and time again that these tractor tires make safe hay feeders, if turned inside out. I personally have never had the chance to look at one in person and decide. Just about anything can be turned into a danger though, if a pony or other critter tries hard enough.

So what can you do to maximize the safety of your livestock? Use your brains! If there is a way an animal can get hurt on it, most likely, eventually they will have a go at it. And usually your only really nice, expensive, stock will do that. Just seems to be the way things go.

Be sensible. Don't leave junk in your pastures. Pick up any loose metal or any foreign objects you find. Take the time once in a while to walk around in your pastures and look for anything that has been unearthed. I once found an entire window pane in my pasture that the goats has discovered while grazing.

Don't leave bailing twine loose for your animals to inject or get tangled in. Make sure fencing does not have any sharp ends poking out to scratch delicate eyeballs. Same with feeders and water sources. Look for deep holes that have opened up, or thin ditches. Fill them in if you find them.

Make sure your fencing is in good repair and pulled straight. If you use electric fencing, be sure it's hot and correctly tensioned. We use electric here, and I can't begin to explain how often I have to go outside and adjust it, straighten posts, or check for bad spots.

If you have t-posts, invest in t-post caps. It can save your horse from a dangerous impalement. Although some ponies delight in pulling them off.

You cannot wrap your livestock or pets in bubble wrap, but you sure can do everything in your power to minimize their chances of getting hurt.

The Little Lost Goat - A Children's Story

2011-12-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, there was two sister goats who lived in a herd of goats in a big pasture with a lovely red barn. Their owner, a kindly lady, would come out every morning and give them delightful things to eat.

One day, a new person came to the farm and looked at all of the goats. The sister goats were shy and hid behind their older friends, but it wasn't enough. They were picked out from all of the other goats and loaded into a strange truck.

One sister, a red and white little goat with long ears, said sadly to her sister, "We're surely going somewhere strange."

The other sister, a gold goat with tiny ears said, "We are going to a new home indeed."

The sister goats didn't much like leaving their herd and pasture and little red barn. They especially did not like leaving their kindly owner. However, they knew from their older goat companions that sometimes goats went to new homes. It was just the way things were.

They arrived at their new home and were put into a little pen. Stranger goats came up to the fence and demanded to know who they were. Giant strange creatures with long noses and hairy tales and solid hooves snorted suspiciously. The sisters cowered against the other side of the pen, so sad they were to be in this unfamiliar place.

The red goat hung her head and maa'ed, "Oh Yumi my friend, we are not in our nice pasture anymore."

Yumi, the gold sister, shook her head, "No we are not, Gypsy. But we don't have to stay here."

Gypsy looked at her sister in surprise, unsure of what she meant.

Yumi jumped onto a little house and proclaimed, "We will have babies in the spring, this much I know. Let's get out of here and see the world, instead of being stuck in this strange place."

And with that, she leaps over the fence and into freedom!

Gypsy perked up her long ears and scrambled to follow her sister. They stood in the yard for a long moment, then turned their noses to the wind and ran, their long legs bouncing through the short grass.

"Where . . . oh where shall we go?" Gypsy exclaimed.

Yumi flicked her goat tail, "Follow me. We shall have many adventures."

They ran and ran, almost a whole mile. Here there was a long road and strange houses. They were standing, deciding which way to go, when suddenly some strange dogs ran out, barking at them!

They cried out in fright and sprang to run, going across the road. The dogs were very big and mean, not at all like the dogs at their original home. Yumi and Gypsy became seperated, and the dogs chased poor Gypsy and trapped her within a little garage.

Yumi hid in the woods, trembling, and watched in horror, certain that her sister would be eaten alive in front of her eyes. But luck was with little Gypsy this day. A man came out and rescued her and carried her away to a little pen where she was safe from the big dogs.

Gypsy cried for her sister, but Yumi was too afraid to go close; the dogs were still there and very scary.

She hid in the wooods for some time, finally falling asleep under the leaves.

She was awoken by more barking! The dogs had found her and were coming for her again!

Yumi jumped up and raced away, heart beating fearfully hard, afraid at any moment to be caught by the big mean dogs and bitten.

She ran and ran and ran without looking back. She crossed roads and ran past houses. She did not stop until it began to rain. Once the rain came, Yumi found a bush to hide under, breathing hard and looking around. The dogs had gone and she was safe . . . for now.

She was getting terribly wet from the rain, and she hated it. She missed her nice red barn. Even the little house in her new home would have kept the rain out of her fur. And her poor sister! Yumi hoped that she was staying safe out of the rain. What would happen to her?

It rained for much of the night and part of the next day, so Yumi stayed under the bush and tried to sleep.

The sun finally peeked out again, and Yumi ventured out and nibbled on some leaves. To explore the world, you had to stay strong and eat well. She wandered here and there, looking for the best plants to eat.

It was nearing nightfall when she stumbled across some wild pigs feeding on acorns in the woods. They snorted angrily at her, and one large one even chased her! Running away, Yumi exclaimed in dismay, "Oh, how cruel this world can be!"

Suddenly the little pen with the little house didn't seem so bad after all. Yumi galloped across a wide road, narrowly being missed by a loud vehicle, then stopped on the other side, shivering. She very much wished she could return home, or even to her new home, but she did not know which way to go.

She picked a direction in the hopes of being right, and walked that way.

She walked and walked for many days, stopping here and there to find good things to eat, or a sheltered place to sleep. She was alone and frightened. What would happen to her babies if she never found home again? Would she ever see her poor sister?

Yumi lost count of the days and nights she wandered about, going steadily in one direction. It rained several more nights, and often she found herself soaked through the fur and shivering. Never before had she suffered so, and she was terribly afraid of catching a cold. Who would take care of her if she was sick?

Then came the worst night of Yumi's life. She was hiding under a little tree, exhausted from a day's travel, when she heard a frighting noise. It sounded much like dogs, but she could smell something that made her very bones tremble. She shrank as much as she could, holding as still as possible. What new horror could this be?

The strange dog-like creatures walked by, tan colored fur thick against the cold. There were three, much larger than Yumi and smelling of the Wild unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She dared not make a single peep, for if they discovered her, she was certain it would be her demise at long last.

The coyotes, for surely that was what these creatures must be, continued on their way. By some miracle, they had not scented poor tiny Yumi on the wind, and she had not moved or made a single sound. She escaped their clutches, but how long could her good luck last?

Yumi knew now that she would never find her home on her own. She had to seek out help. But who could she trust?

It was early morning when Yumi finally ventured out of hiding and approached some tiny people, children, playing in a yard. She put on her friendliest face and maa'ed at them, "Please help me, I am lost!"

The children petted her, and she closed her eyes with happiness. How wonderful it was to find such kindness! They said many things to each other, and then brought old an older person, who picked her up and placed her with some chickens. She gazed through the fence at him imploringly, and was rewarded with a handful of grain.

She bleated her thanks. "Please, please help me find my way home!" she begged.

Night came and went, and the gentle man gave her more feed, which was very good to feel in her stomach. The chickens were interesting, but said nothing that made sense to her. How sorely she missed her sister and other goats.

Suddenly, her tiny ears caught a familiar sound and she ran to the fence. Could it be true? Was that really her new owner, who had taken her to the new home? It was!

The new owner patted her gently and put a rope around her neck, then placed her in the same truck she had rode in before to go to her new home. Yumi's heart swelled with joy, and she called out, "Thank you, thank you!"

It was quite a long ride home! Yumi marveled at how far she had come, obviously in the wrong direction. When her new home came into sight, her little legs trembled. Oh how wonderful it was to see now. It may not be her home pasture and little red barn, but it was her new home, to be appreciated now in a way she could not before.

Yumi's new owner carried to back to the little pen, and she yelped in joy as she spotted none other than her sister!

"Yumi, Yumi is that really you?" Gypsy hopped up against the fence for a better look.

"Gypsy, I'm so glad you're here!" Yumi was set down on the ground and she ran to her sister, sniffing her long ears with happiness.

Gypsy danced a little goat jig and exclaimed, "We never thought we would see you again! Our owners have been terribly sad, searching and searching for you!"

Yumi looked a little embarrassed, and shuffled her hooves, "How did you get back home, sister dear?"

"The man who saved me from the dogs must have brought our new owner over to see me, and she brought me back home. It's much better here, safe from dogs and the rain, and the goats here really are quite nice. Even the ponies are okay. There is good food and much room to run. It is a good place."

Yum lowered her head and said softly, "I agree. It was foolish to run away. I am grateful to be here now, and I hope our babies love and appreciate it too, when it is time for them to be born."

The two sisters slept together that night, and every night afterward, content in their new home.

Adventure Goat

2011-12-27T14:33:00.000-08:00

Yumi has been FOUND!

Can you believe it? She went missing nearly three weeks ago. I had honestly given up all hope of finding her, had spent hours searching, putting up posters, posting online. There are so many coyotes, stray dogs, wild pigs, and of course, the dangers of people themselves. I felt that surely Yumi had fallen victim to one thing or another and was terribly sad.

So imagine my surprise when I got a phone call this morning telling me they think they have my goat!

She apparently came up and tried to play with an older man's grandchildren over the weekend.

He caught her and penned her up with his chickens, unsure of where she came from. He saw my poster at the Post Office this morning and gave me a call.

She was found over *ten* miles away. Astonishing. Especially for a goat, since goats don't tend to wander far. I wish she could tell me all about it!

She appears to be in fairly good health and unhurt. I've put her with her sister and she settled right in, eating hay and snoozing in the sun. I wonder how her adventure will affect her pregnancy, but I suppose we will find out in the spring. She is due March/April. I hope, being so early on in her pregnancy, she will not abort, but it's always possible of course.

On another note, I have been featured on Fugly Horse of the Day. I submitted several posts, and currently two of my most offensive horse slaughter related posts are being discussed. I'm certain the more rabid followers of FHOTD will have themselves twisted into knots over it, so I'm sure the comments will be fun for all of you to read! I personally may not read the comments past what I have already peeked at, for I have no interest in reading ignorant insults.

Have a great week everyone!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T17:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to all of my readers. I do hope you are all enjoying them.

I personally do not celebrate Christmas, so I spent the day getting things done. Yesterday I cooked a ham and potato salad so that we would have some nice leftovers today and I wouldn't need to cook.

I played with the ponies and goats a bit, checking feet and making sure everyone is feeling fine. We've been having a lot of RAIN lately. I'm ever so grateful for it, even if the mud is starting to get a bit deep! Our grass is trying hard to grow. I've got half the pastured section off from the horses. I'm hoping if I keep them off of it into Spring, it will grow back and turn into pasture again. Fingers crossed!

After I came inside, I decided to go ahead and process some of the rabbits, since the wind had died down. I did three: the older male and two of the younger females, leaving an older female and young female to do possibly tomorrow.

I set them in cold salted water for a couple of hours, then removed the hind legs and set them aside to freeze, and put the bodies in the freezer. Can't wait to cook one!

If you wish to see the processed rabbits, click > Here <.

I've gotten a lot of painting done here lately. I finished a commission piece and have one other half way done. A couple of orders waiting on models and I'm doing some personal pieces: Apple and Spyder. Lots of fun!

Looking forward to the New Year. Be sure to check back soon!

Dinner Doesn't Always Come Packaged

2011-12-23T17:30:00.000-08:00

At least, it doesn't if you're resourceful!

Say hello to Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. (Snacktime and Brunch are in the pen above them) They are young rabbits.

Looking at them, and after showing them to my friend who shows rabbits, we've decided they are Standard Rex rabbits. They sure are cute, aren't they?

Sometimes your food IS cute. But food it remains.

These five rabbits will be processed most likely this weekend. They are from a lovely older lady in the next town over who has become a little overwhelmed with rabbits and wants to make sure they go to good use. I stopped by her place today and had a lovely chat and made a new friend, and she gave me these rabbits to process and feed my little family. They will not go to waste, that's for sure!

I know it can sometimes be hard for some people to wrap their minds around this way of life. Is that bad? Not currently, but I have this vague feeling that it will become a negative thing. More people need to expose themselves to the truth of where your food comes from. Once it breathed and moved and lived and had a face. It didn't show up wrapped in plastic and foam or in a box. It WAS alive once, it DID have to die to feed you.

Not everyone has the stomach to process their own meat. For those who did not grow up in that kind of life style, the process that goes into it can be difficult to acclimate to. Someday, perhaps not in my lifetime or the next, I have a premonition that these skills will be very important.

There are many meat animals that can be raised humanely with good quality of life in small areas. Rabbits, quail, chickens. Then you move upwards to things like goats, sheep, turkeys, and more.

You don't need a ton of land to raise your own food. You just need enough. Grow a little garden. Raise a little pen of quail (Coturnix are popular) or keep a pair of rabbits. Find someone to help you process, or use the Internet and research.

You CAN do it. And who knows. Someday you might HAVE to.

Check back after this weekend to see the processed rabbits.

To update on things around here. Yumi has still not been found. I'm not really optimistic at this point, but I did put up a few more signs. We've done some repair on the run in and dewormed the horses. Secret is starting to pick up, slowly, but surely. I can't wait to see her once Spring rolls back around.

To all of those who celebrate the holidays, have a good one!

And he sent forth the pasta strainer and verily said...don't overcook the macaroni please.

Lost and One Found

2011-12-19T15:13:00.001-08:00

So, as a follow up to my last post . . .

One doe has been found!

It turns out, the silly creatures went at LEAST a mile that very first night. The red doe, pictured on this post, got herself pinned in a shed by dogs. The dog owners rescued her and penned her up.

They finally asked at the local feed store, where I had left my information, then called me. I'm glad I thought of that. So the goat, newly named Gypsy, has come home.

Her escape route has been blocked and she has stayed in the pen. Since she no longer has her sister Yumi, I gave her April as a companion and she seems to be settling down now. She appears to be in good shape, except a little thin from stress. She's a bit shy as well, but runs right to me if she thinks I have something yummy, and will allow me to pet and handle her.

She's pregnant, due in February. I'm fairly sure I felt some kids in there! And she has begun to grow her udder. So she'll be the first one here to kid. Since her kids will be purebred and unrelated to any bucks I currently use, I may retain a doeling. You can see the buck she is bred to on the breeding schedule of our website.

We still have hope that we might find Yumi, but as each day goes by, the likelihood decreases. At this point we're just calling around and leaving the information where ever seems hopeful. You never know what might help.

The support from the community has been great, thanks guys. It's a good reminder of what a great group of online friends I have. And it's nice to make new friends. The breeder of these does is a great example of what I might be in 25 years! She's been hugely helpful, helping me search and calling around as well. She brought me some goat meat and is butchering a turkey for me as well. She also found someone with rabbits who needs to do a cull, so I will have some nice rabbits to butcher here soon.

In this world, banding together is the only way some families will make it. Put aside material items and remember the REAL needs in life!

Lost and Not Yet Found

2011-12-16T16:58:00.000-08:00

I must be the only person in the world whose paychecks run away.

Seriously though, I have lost two goats. Wednesday morning, I went over to my friend and client's home to pick out a goat. This goat was to be in payment for the renewal of her website hosting (Honey Doe Farm). I was really interested in adding a La Mancha cross, to bring in some milk.

We had a great time chatting and looking at her beautiful herd, and then I picked a lovely golden doe with elf ears that is bred back to a Nigerian buck.

After more chatting, she offered me another Nigerian doe, since she was trying to cut down on her mini herd. Excited, I picked out a rich red doe with white markings, as I would *love* to add that color into my herd. She is bred back to the same Nigerian.

I was well pleased and we chatted a while longer and I took the two lovelies home. I set them up in the Quarantine pen and left them hay and water. Later that afternoon I decided to have a bit of a nap. My husband checked on the new girls before he left. But I woke up several hours to silence . . . no yelling crying goats.

Sure enough, the silly buggers were gone. No doubt they jumped out using the little shelter which I had foolishly left too close to the fence. After that, who knows where they went.

I spent hours searching, but it was pitch black. My husband came home around midnight and searched as well. The next morning the breeder came over with her husband and we searched with one of their working dogs. No luck.

I went out later on horseback, still no luck. I came home and put in a call to the Livestock Officer in our area, leaving a description. I did the same with the local feedstores. I've put up a notice at the Post Office and spoken with as many neighbors as I can. Thankfully, if they're spotted, MOST of the locals will know they likely come from the "crazy goat chick in pajamas on the corner."

I am exhausted. I've been out almost constantly, searching. It poured rain last night and I hope they had somewhere to get out of the weather. I pray nothing has gotten hold of them. I actually hope someone managed to lure them into a pen and have them locked up, not sure where they came from.

My art commissions stalled these last few days, but I'm going to try and get back to work on them; the last thing I want to do is get backed up. My online friends have suffered as well, since I've either been outside searching or sleeping. Sorry guys!

These are valuable does. These represent a huge loss for me if they aren't found. But even if they had been free goats, I'd be out there searching. The idea of them being frightened and lost somewhere breaks my heart.

I will keep you guys updated. The breeder is coming back out on Sunday to help me search again. She's also bringing me some cabrito (goat meat) so look forward to a recipe blog on that. More people should be eating goat.

The KnSFarm Goat

2011-12-12T19:03:00.001-08:00

I had a few people ask me what exactly am I striving for with my goats, and I also made a post on a new forum I've been frequenting, introducing my goats, when I realized: I've never fully explained my goals.

It may (or may not honestly) surprise people that I do not breed for an already established breed. I think this is becoming more clear as I have begun to branch out from just Nigerian Dwarf goats as I introduce different breeds and lines.

So what IS my ultimate goal in breeding? Because I'm not just breeding willy nilly, even if it seems that way!

What I am striving for is what I consider, the ultimate backyard goat. A goat who exhibits all of these qualities:

Sturdiness
Worm Resistance
Hardiness
EASY Keepers
Good Hooves
Small but not "Miniature"
Well Formed, easily milked udders that stand up to milking each year
The ability to milk out a reasonable amount each day for an extended period
Easy to settle (get pregnant)
Easy to kid
Ability to RAISE those kids
Easy to handle

So as you can see, that's quite a goal! Sure, there are breeds out there that have most of these qualities. Some goats might have them all. But so often when purebreds are bred "up" for show, they become more delicate in the race to have the best show goat. Certainly not everywhere and certainly not in every breed. But it happens.

I want to mold my herd into the "poor man's" dairy goat. If that makes any sense at all.

I set this goal with my herd queen in mind. She is the epitome of what I want in a goat. She rarely needs deworming, is never sick. She is a super easy keeper. She is not full sized, but is not on the small side either. She is "deep" and has a well attached easily milked udder that has held up VERY well through each kidding and through each milking cycle. She settles (gets pregnant) super easily, kids like it's no problem, and is a great mother. And she is highly intelligent, and very much MY girl. Despite coming to me wild as can be, she has become a highly affectionate and friendly goat. These are ALL the attributes I want to develop!

To continue working towards the goal, I have culled relentlessly through the years, only keeping goats that meet most of my criteria, and bringing in bucks that I feel can add what I am looking for.

Breeding to a meat buck this year was a calculated risk. I want to bring some heft into the smaller lines, without sacrificing the milk. I suppose in a year or so, if I produce any doelings that make the grade for keeping, I will find out.

To add more milk in, I also bred a few goats back to Blizzard, who exhibits some of the best milk lines I've seen in Nigerian Dwarves.

Surprisingly, the kidding I am looking forward to most is out of a doe that isn't even mine. Her name is June. She is out of my very own Hope and by Roadhouse, one of the best bucks I've leased throughout the years. She was bred to Blizzard and will be returning to our farm to kid. (Her owner is getting married around the same time!) I have been promised the first doeling out of her, so I can hardly wait to see if she settled, and what she will produce. A real powerhouse breeding. If there is more than one doeling, I may even have to purchase the others! And it would be pretty hard even to pass up a well formed buckling out of this combination.

I suppose we'll see what happens! Stay tuned . . . kids are expected March - April.

Awaken - Short "pilot" Fantasy Story

2011-12-11T16:38:00.000-08:00

Awaken

by ~Epona142

A soft whicker broke through her drowsy consciousness. Opening her eyes, she took a moment to bring the wooden roof of her small shelter into focus.

A more impatient snort this time, and a smile quirked the corner of one side of her mouth and she sat up, pushing one hand through a tangled mess of dark hair. She rubbed her eyes, stretched, then lifted herself from the sleeping mat and pushed aside the deer hide covering the hut's entrance.

The golden creature standing outside ruffled his wings and nickered again in greeting. She smiled and touched his silken nose gently before returning to the hut and reappearing with a wooden vessel filled with wild grains.

Solid hooves approached and the nose was thrust into the grain. Contented chewing sounds filled the air. She set down the bowl and let him eat, running her fingers through his satin coat, before stepping back and looking at him in full.

He shifted on his four hooves, dished muzzle still buried in his feed. A thick white mane lay across each side of his neck and down onto his back, between the tightly folded and softly furred wings. Powerful hindquarters ended in a long, thin tail, tasseled with silken white hair at the end, much like a lion's, so unlike a true horse's.

But this wasn't a true horse. Born of a horse, born of magic, born of chance, but not a horse. The woman touched his golden palomino coat again and took a moment to remember that night once more.

It had to be her favorite mare of course. She had two horses on her little farm; a light mare for the chase (hunting), and a heavier draft mare for plowing. Two more horses than most farms had. Her hunting mare had managed to get loose one late spring night and had returned to the farm days later. Goodness only knows what kind of stallion she'd met up with, but she'd met with one sure enough, and that became obvious in late winter.

The foal came late at night, delivered in their sparse shelter, in raked dirt that she had taken the time to spread out. Straw was too expensive, this was the best the woman could offer.

It wasn't until the foal scrambled to its hooves before the woman realized that something was amiss. A shocked gasp slipped through her lips and her heart sunk as she saw the thin whip like tail, the fragile legs, and most importantly, the delicate wings held tightly to its sides. His sides; a bright golden colt. A winged colt.

No one knew why or how these winged horses were born. They could be born of any mare, any time. There was no rhyme or reason to it. They were rare, perhaps one or two born a year. Most simply considered it part of this land's magic.

The Empire considered them their property.

Any winged colts that were born ended up in the Empire's hands. The Empire granted the farm that produced one a year's break from the heavy strain of taxes. This marvelous gift meant that poorer farms handed them over quite gladly and without a fuss.

Rarely, a richer merchant would try to refuse to turn over their foal. Strangely, family members would begin to disappear, or have accidents. They were never proved to be connected, but everyone knew the Empire was behind it.

And always, soon enough, the winged foal would be "gifted" to the Empire.

The Empire always got what it wanted.

The woman's fingers worked through the tangles in the mane as she continues to think about the past.

She knew from the start that she would never give the colt up. Like many farmers, she was taxed to the extreme, in debt to the Empire indefinitely, never able to get out from under them. The break from taxes would have been a wonderful boon. But her anger went deeper; she remembered vividly her beloved husband's death. Killed in a war stirred up by the Empire in a conquest to gain control of even more land. A war fueled by the strength of the poor working man, for why should the Empire sacrifice their best soldiers when they can draft the farmers?

From that day forward, the woman bore a grudge against the Empire. To consign this golden colt to their clutches made her feel nauseated.

The Empire used the winged horses in their war-mongering. They were assigned riders, trained, and spent their lives enforcing the Empire's harsh laws. Most lost their short lives in some battle or other. A waste of a miracle.

No, this would not be the fate for her colt.

The woman hid him as long as she could; there were spies everywhere, even in your farm workers. Your friends, companions, the store owner in town, any of them could be a spy.

The winged horse lifted his satin muzzle and nudged the woman with great affection, interrupting her train of thought before she could reflect once more on their daring escape in the middle of a cold night.

She smiled and tucked his delicate head into her arms and kissed his forehead. Perhaps they would go for a ride this day. He needed the exercise. And perhaps, one day soon, he would be ready to spread those magnificent wings of his, and take to the sky, and take her with him...

- Want to read more about these characters? Comment and let me know!

Hoarding

2011-12-10T16:45:00.001-08:00

I thought I'd explore a more . . . interesting topic today.

Recently, I was accused, perhaps not in so many words, of being a hoarder. I was told that I needed "professional help" and I was in "denial." It turned into rather a shitstorm, and I ended up losing a friend over it.

I have of course, moved past this and let go of any anger over the whole mess. I sit assured that I acted the best I could in the situation, and I cannot control another's actions.

The mess started all over Secret, the emaciated Welsh pony I agreed to take in. A bit silly in my mind. It also centered around posts that I made in previous months, when I was having a fairly bad time in my mind, worried about being able to find hay. Worried about the drought. I had developed a real fear of it destroying everything I worked for. I was afraid that I would NOT be able to find hay.

With the help of others and a lot of work, I solved each of these problems and I came out the other side of it stronger. Things balanced back out and I returned to my usual "rainbows and kittens" posts, because everything WAS okay again. I was never in any danger of being able to FEED my animals, as long as I could FIND the feed to buy.

However, a "friend" used these past posts against me, completely bypassing and ignoring all the posts in between then and now about how things had worked out. They insulted me, hurt my feelings, and pretty much made it clear what kind of a person they really are, when they ignored MY apologies for any perceived wrong doing and refused to apologize for their wrong doing.

So I sat and thought about hoarding for a while. I came to the conclusion that, if I am a hoarding, I think I'm pretty much a failure at it!

"Hoarding is the excessive collection of items, along with the inability to discard them. Hoarding often creates such cramped living conditions that homes may be filled to capacity, with only narrow pathways winding through stacks of clutter. Some people also collect animals, keeping dozens or hundreds of pets often in unsanitary conditions." - MayoClinic.com

Hoarding is not something I'm unfamiliar with. It actually runs in my family and I have often recognized the symptoms of it in myself. I have a family member who is what I call a "Hoarder Tri-fecta." She hoards items, animals, and people. And it has pretty much caused a ruin of everything she owns. Another family member hoards items.

So, am I a hoarder? According to that definition, I have to say a resounding, No!

My house is anything but cramped. I have a serious adversion to clutter. My house may be occasionally messy, with hay on the floor and a bit dusty, but it's not cramped or overfilled with stuff. There ARE certain areas that reflect it however. I have one closet neatly crammed full of things that "might" be useful, or I want to keep. I have a large shelf system FULL of model horses across from my bed that I like to look at.

But do I hoard animals? I don't think so. My pets and livestock are not in "cramped conditions." Heck I don't even cage my two chickens. The ONLY caged creatures are two ferrets, who get several hours out of their cage each day, and in fact, plans are in the works for a permanent large pen they can play in most of the day. The goats and ponies have three acres to roam. All have adequate shelter. Clean water that is refreshed every day. There is nothing unsanitary about their lives. Sure, there's poop in the pasture...but that tends to happen with livestock!

And trust me, they aren't starving. I'm having to cut back the grain on my goats before they're getting too fat. They might as well be pigs.

In my experience, a hoarder also will not provide adequate medical care. Some of you may know that our little farm operates on a very tight budget. It's this budgeting that allows me to do all the things I can. We have no debt (except our mortgage). But I will admit, we have no savings. Except for one. Our Veterinary fund. Every time I get a chance, and every week, I slip a tiny bit of money into it. I have done this for years, for as long as I have had ANY type of animal, any amount of animals.

While I do quite a lot of medical care on my own to save costs, Apple and Spyder managed to decimate the vet fund nicely. I spent a good amount with Juliet early this year, when she had a stillborn kid and a retained placenta. Currently we are spending a goodly amount of money on our older Boxer's medication, as she has Cancer.

But I am glad to say that through Jetta's sale, a helpful friend, and my artwork, the vet fund has recovered and is growing again.

I do have a lot of animals. I'll admit it. I spend all day at home, and my animals are among the few things that will drag me out of bed in the morning. They are my lifeline. And I refuse to allow anyone to make me feel guilty over it.

Yes, my goats serve a purpose and are production animals, but they are ALSO pets. They receive the best I can offer them. It may not be the BEST available in the world. But it's a hell of a lot more than many production or backyard goats get.

My horses may not have a fancy barn and the most expensive feed and supplements, but I think if they could understand and convey their thoughts, they'd be damned grateful, especially in this current economical situation, to have what they do. Especially Secret . . . who was facing a much less pleasant end.

So here I have gone off and rambled a long, probably incoherent post. The fact of the matter is, I know what I can and cannot handle, and I refuse to allow any person to make judgements upon me and try to make me feel badly. I am stronger than that.

This is my life, and I am content.

The Joy of Winter?

2011-12-04T18:14:00.000-08:00

Winter approaches, stealing upon our drought-ridden lands like a sleek temptress of -

Wait, what?

Sorry, I was channeling my novelist side there for a moment. It happens.

It's getting cold again. Dreary. So I want to address a saying that absolutely drives me mad.

"I love winter!"

Hahahaha! What a load of tosh!

Now, don't get me wrong, I fully understand that those of you who claim to love winter fully believe this sentiment. And you may actually enjoy some of the more pleasant aspects of winter. Some people find snow beautiful. Certainly the cold helps cut down on insects. Many people enjoy the holidays that are associated with winter.

But let me tell you. No one loves winter. No, what they love is the ability to defeat winter. Oh yes . . . think about it. It's freezing cold outside, ponds are frozen solid, snow sits on the ground, the world is in an almost still silence.

Yet you are tucked cozily away inside a well insulated home, in front of a fireplace or a heater. Or perhaps your whole house has heat. Food is easily obtained, a short walk to the cupboard or a careful drive in a heated vehicle to the store. These are the wonders of our modern society so many take for granted. These marvels make it possible for people to claim to love winter.

Take away these things. See how much you love winter then.

Huddle under a scrap of cloth, in a thin shelter with no heat. Go hungry and shiver, using valuable calories trying to stay warm. Visualize this, for a brief moment, for me?

Many people, even in our modern country, still experience this each year. Do you think they love winter?

It's okay to love the "defeat" of winter. That's one of the great things about being as "advanced" as we are, as a species. Just acknowledge it for what it is, and take a brief moment to appreciate all the things you have, that others may not.

Never forget, that no matter how bad you might have it, there is always something to be grateful for.