Farm Days

It has been a few years since we grew our dairy herd by buying a goat.  The herd has grown just by births here at our place.  We had two Saanens, one Nubian, and three Saanen/Nubian cross (Snubians) before kidding season began this year.  Our little Nubian gave us triplets this year but her udder was lopsided (Yes, these things are important when you have a dairy! :o) and she was on the small side.  The girls decided to sell "Licorice" and invest in some registered Nubians.

 

 

Meet "Bootleg Wildflower" or just "Wildflower" for short. 

 

We sold our (very mean!) buck this past winter.  This is his replacement...... "Mandrake" or
"Drake" for short.  All of our goats have plant names.  I will have to take pictures of them one day and introduce you to all of them.  That might be fun! :o)

My sweet husband (that really doesn't care a thing about the animals except for the milk and eggs they bring in!) spent ten hours on the road (and a small fortune!) one day to two different farms to get our pair of Nubians. The things we do for our children!

"Wildflower" was bottle raised and is very sweet.  She follows the girls around like a puppy.

These are a few of our babies from this year.   We had a total of eight babies this year.  We are keeping two of our Saanen doelings.

"Drake" was dam raised and is a bit skittish.  I told Malachi I would pay him if he would go into the pen and play with him every day!  Thankfully he was disbudded, so we won't have to worry about horns like we did with our last buck!

Nubians are my favorite breed of goat.  I think their floppy ears are cute!

We have been working hard in the garden area this year.  Last year we replaced some of our wooden raised beds with rock.  I liked it so much better!

We replace two more beds with cinder blocks.  I planted marigolds in the holes to help keep bugs down.

We also added a blueberry area this year.  We got a really good deal on huge bushes from a nursery.  This is Marc's project and they are looking gorgeous!

                                                     Oregano anyone!?

 

And just because he is cute!

*If anyone reading this blog is interested in buying a goat, you can e-mail us at maynor7@windstream.net   We have one doeling and two bucklings left.  All three are Saanen/Nubian cross. 

Barnabas

The week before Easter we were on spring break.  Marc took Matthew and Malachi on a camping trip.  It was my idea for them to go, and I'm not sure what I was thinking because it was the beginning of kidding season around here!  Little did I know,  the goats would be the least of my "problems" while they were gone!

 

One evening I laid down on my bed with Myles to read.  When I came out of my bedroom I called for Mariah.  Madeline said she was outside closing the chicken coop.  I noticed it was dark out and made a comment that she was brave. (Living out in the country, I do NOT go outside after dark!)  I noticed the glow of a head lamp shining towards the house.  As I was walking from the living room into the kitchen I wondered what she was doing because she wasn't coming towards the house.  As I went into the laundry room I heard her yell, "Help me mama!"  I kind of wondered if she was goofing off, but I didn't take any chances and I darted out the door.  When I got out there she was screaming and crying,  "They are after me!"  I am standing there already in my pajamas and having no idea what she is talking about.  I kept telling her to just run back to the house and she kept saying, "I can't mama!  They are after me!"  Because I was at the house with flood lights on, I couldn't see anything but darkness and her headlamp.  I didn't want to take the time to go inside and try to get a gun loaded (if I could even figure it out!) so I just started clapping my hands and yelling, "Get out of here!"  About that time an animal came running out and across the yard where I could see it. It ran to the field next to us and I heard it hit the fence!  I was so freaked out!  Mariah came running to the house and told me there had been two animals that came out after her. She was yelling, but they didn't stop until our dog "Barnabas" got between her and them. He is just a puppy but showed such bravery that night! :o) 

 

What were the animals that were after her?  Coyotes!!!  Living out like we do we know that most of the time wild life just wants to get away from you.  However, we have experienced twice now where they have been more aggressive!  It was scary and I am very thankful for this BIG, black puppy that aggravates me sometimes!  He definitely has earned his keep around here! The next day we bought him a big box of treats! :o)

Grace

"Grace is the enabling gift of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon." John Piper

I thought this was good.  I need God's grace desperately in my life!  I pray that I never cheapen that grace though by allowing myself to stay in sin.  As Christians we should always be striving to be more like Jesus.  I tell my children that they should never be comfortable in this world.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2

If we "fit in" with the world, listen to the world's music, watch television and movies that don't line up with Philippians 4:8 (" Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.") then we probably should be asking ourselves if we are really living our lives for Christ.  I am not saying that we can "work" our way to heaven, but if we truly are saved our desires should be different than the world's.

It isn't always fun or popular to be different.  Sometimes even in your own circles it can be difficult.  I have watched so many Christian families change over the years and some just completely fall away.  Does God change?  Does His word change?  What use to be held dear to them is no longer important?  I just don't understand.  I fail all the time, but my heart is to be more like Jesus than I was last week, or last year. When you see Christians going backwards it is very disheartening.  We have spent a lot of time lately talking as a family about this topic. I was very thankful that we could attend a home school conference last weekend.  The speakers were very encouraging and it was a reminder that when I get overwhelmed or downhearted that my focus is on myself or circumstances and it should always be on Christ!

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will^[a] have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Well, those were my late night thoughts.... good night! :>)

Easter Pt 2

Easter morning in pictures.

 

Easter Pt 1

Easter weekend was beautiful, and I loved  spending time with my family.  McKenzie and Daniel were able to come down on Thursday evening and spend several nights with us. It was great having them home and we all enjoyed time spent together!

 

 

Easter baskets are a tradition that I grew up with and we have continued it with our children. I remember McKenzie's first Easter.  Her little pink basket held her baby socks and each year since, I have filled it for Easter.The other two girls' baskets held their baby socks too. The boys just have baskets that I bought when they were babies. I love traditions, and I think they make good memories as the kids get older.  I know I cherish the holiday memories that my mom made for me gorwing up.

 

  Years ago we moved Easter baskets to Saturday morning to keep Sunday's focus more on the meaning of Easter.  We've never told them it was from the "Easter bunny", but it is just a fun thing to do.

 

                                         "Big Kids" like candy too! :)

 

And so do "married kids"! :o)

 

 

Myles busy painting an Easter craft.

                                   Annual Easter egg dying.

Mariah skipped egg coloring to ride her horse "Candy".

Malachi was the only one that was really into it this year.

                               Macheus just wants to be FREE!

Macheus didn't care a thing about his new books..... he just went for the chocolate!

 

Early morning sugar coma! :)

 

Home sweet home.....

 

I will post Easter morning pictures next time.

 

~until then....