Today I Look Like A Goat Farmer

The weather here has been so wonderful lately that it has inspired me to come out of my winter cocoon and get some things done in the barn. I have been on a mental vacation as far as the goats go. I lost my favorite goat , Jo to old age last fall..... and 2009 was just a rough year. My husband got what is called Guillain–Barré syndrome and was nearly paralyzed completely, literally overnight. He was out of work for four months so about half my goats were sold to cut costs. It was a long battle with physical therapy and occupational therapy. Our kids, extended family and our neighbors helped to keep up on our place while I nursed my husband back to health. This happened on the tail of losing my mother suddenly to a brain aneurism at the end of 08. So needless to say, losing my favorite goat was just the final straw to my emotions. I decided to take a break from milking. I had been milking twice a day for almost 2 years straight and I realized that I just needed a break. I dried the does off in October and got them bred to kid (have their babies) in March. Well, here in the Northwest it is pretty normal to have snow in February but this is an el nino year so we have had very nice spring weather very early in the season. Here are my hyacinths peeping up out of the ground already. Just ignore the weed in the picture and pretend right along with me that my gardens are perfectly manicured. The fantasy is so much better than the reality.

Sunshine just always makes me feel better, especially after a long winter of grey days. I will admit that this year was pretty mild and I am sorely disappointed that we didn't get any snow, however, now I am inspired to get outside and eager for spring baby goats. That means it is time to get my barn clean, the doe pen mucked, my milk room wiped down and my milk machine sanitized and ready. My neice and I gave the girls their pre-kidding shots and hoof trimming last week. I moved the bucks into their spring pasture and they were so happy for fresh grass. I needed to bring some alfalfa pellets and straw up to the spring pasture and realized the irony of what I looked like: Today I do look like a goat farmer! I even have my farmer cover-alls on. I'll share a little secret here and tell you that under my cover-alls I am almost always wearing my pajamas. After all, why get showered and dressed when you are just going to be getting all dirty in the barn?

I really love driving the tractor. I suppose I could have used a wheel barrow to haul this stuff up the hill but that would not have been nearly as much fun. And why have a cool tractor if you aren't going to use it.

In this picture you can kind of see my husband in the background giving me the "you could have waited and I would have done that for you" look. Again, I say, what fun would that be?

Just for the heck of it here is a tractor's eye view

So bring it on goats! I am ready and waiting. Everything is scrubbed and ready. Winter is over and spring has sprung, I am rested and I can't wait to get some great baby pictures to share with you all. Stay tuned.............