| What's time to a goat? We had no storm damage Wednesday night, just a little rain and wind. But it looked like we were going to be hit by the tornado. It was a beautiful morning after, cool, sunny and pleasant, so I decided to take a little bit of my day and spend it with the goats in the top pasture, just watching them graze and grow mohair. It was not wasted time, I checked the condition of the pasture, the fence and the goats while enjoying the beauty of the day. It was time very well spent. |
| As always, I was nervous waiting on Tara to kid. I usually go down to the barn and she has twins waiting for me. I noticed that morning she looked dropped and then she left the flock and went back to the barn to be alone. While lying down in front of the fan I could tell she was starting to have contractions. After lunch she was standing in the back pen with hard contractions but had not passed a water bag or started hard labor. About 4 oclock she passed the water bag, was lying down and pushing hard and started sceaming. I went in to check her and one foot was turned under, so I cupped my hand under it and flipped it up, in just a few more strains she had it out. A very nice big black buck kid. |
| Part of the slow movement is my shearing. Everyone asks how long does it take you to shear a goat or sheep. What difference does it make? There is no prize for killing yourself trying to get everyone shorn in one day. It is an experience between the shearer (also shepherd in my case,) and the goat or sheep. First I select the animal that is ready to shear, I can tell by looking at them if the fleece has just the right bloom, called halo in mohair. That's the day that fleece needs to be shorn, if you have to wait for weeks or months for a shearer to come by, that bloom is lost, it turns to felt, matted, stuck to the skin and then shedded, then thrown away. After I wrangle the goat onto the stand it takes much time to pick out the fleece for any hay, straw or sweet gum balls that may be hitching a ride. Some animals must never lay down as they are spotless, then there are the pigs that roll on their backs until the fleece is useless except for mulch to fill up all the washes created by all the heavy rains. After they are shorn, they are given a physical check up, hooves trimmed, deloused, wormed, vaccinated if needed and given a kiss if they are one of my pets raised on a bottle. If they are mean, try to stomp, bite, kick, or horn me, they probably will get an ear full of choice words, like I am going to put you in the truck to Mexico. |
| It was a little chilly last week when Daisy, Tara and India were shorn, but they really enjoyed getting their mohair coats removed and deloused. It was good to see that they were in good condition and making really nice milk bags. They are probably carrying twins, Daisy worries me as she was a triplet, triplets begat triplets, most of the time. When I went to feed the next morning they were soaking up the sun that was beaming through the barn window. |
| Pennelope was happy to move with the older does to the pond pasture. She has bonded with this flock and gets along with everybody, even K the Pyrenees tolerates her. She is very careful about not stepping on anyone while they are resting. She spent the day digging out the pond, better that than the water tanks. |
| It all went smooth this morning, moved the sheep to the bottom pasture, the does at the bottom to the side pasture, and the does at the side pasture to the pond pasture. Everyone was ready for a fresh pasture so they all cooperated with us. I moved the younger does into the big barn to be shorn first, their mohair is longer and better quality, than the older does, so I will start on them, hopefully tomorrow. I don't like to shear too early in the spring because the mohair will grow fast and they will be hot again by August. It helps moving go smoothly when there is a bottle baby in the herd. They always follow me, their mama, and the rest of the flock trails behind, my reasoning for keeping all the annoying bottle raised kids. |
Shearing has begun again with Shadow the first to be relieved of all that winter hair. Shadow is a very sweet and friendly doe, with tons of very soft and silky hair. She can hold her own with the older does she lives with, this group gets extra feed. The older and the younger get a little more grain to keep some extra fat on them, if that is possible in a goat. They live in a barn with a small pasture close to the house, making it easier to keep up with them, the young and the old can get lost or tangled in briars sometimes. After shearing it was clear to see Shadow had wintered well. |
| Spent three days shoveling and hauling but we got the big barn clean. Rented an excavator that dug down two feet deep to loosen all the years of hay, straw and poop. Then we spread a layer of DE and lime, turned on the fan to dry things down, hauled three loads of pine straw and leaves from the woods to cover the floor, kind of antibacterial. Looks so inviting, like living in the woods with a cover overhead. I will have to put down a layer of fresh straw but will wait a few days to let the ground breathe. I'll let the pile compost for several months, then spread on the pastures. Chickens are upset, all their nests were cleaned out. |
| , This is what the sheep were doing while I fed, watered, hayed, and started cleaning the big barn, and hauled and scattered the goodies up on higher ground. I do all those things and they grow wool under the shade trees, some of them grow wool and lambs. I've always wondered why they couldn't do something to help out in all their spare time, like spin or knit their own wool while ruminating under a shade tree. Sure would take the load off me. |
| Fiber grown and processed in a positive environment of contented sheep and goats makes feel good fibers. Not only are they fed and cared for by a gentle hand, they have secure pasture with space to rest and sleep, and good shelter from the storms that come. Stress can take a toll on good fiber, so it is important to stay on a schedule of feeding, watering, worming, shearing, hoof trimming, etc. Today is the day of the big barn cleaning, it may take several days, but it is a major part of growing good fiber and keeping it clean. Another factor in the cost of growing feel good fibers. |
| Ready for my spring tonic. I picked Poke Salad greens for me and wild greens for the goats. They come running when I bring the pine boughs, sweet gum, privet, honeysuckle, vetch and wild grasses. I know it makes them feel good as it does me. This time of year I am tired of winter food, canned and frozen vegetables or heavy fried meat, I am ready for something fresh and green. I have enjoyed fresh eggs every morning for the past few months, now fresh greens for dinner. Just a few more months of waiting for that first home grown tomato. |
| Friends David and Martha and lots of handspinners from North Carolina came for a fiber farm and woolen mill tour. It was a beautiful day and well spent visiting and talking about fiber and fiber animals. Everyday is a workday here so I am happy to take a break and enjoy the company of other fiber producers and handspinners. |
| There is a story in every birth, the fiber that is shorn, the yarn that is spun, the garment that is made. Every sheep and goat has a name and a face that I recognize. To produce such a fine fiber they have to be well care for. It is a labor of love between ewe and lamb, doe and kid, sheep and shepherd. When you touch the finished product you can feel the months of feeding and care, you can see the many hours of washing, carding, spinning, knitting, weaving or felting. You can feel the difference of fibers that are alive. |
