April 4, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Fresh from the Farm: Busy season passes for Double Y Farms
I judged 13 shows throughout the state. Corona, Nora and Beer Run all received their permanent champion status. We had a 1st place kid (as well as two 4th place kids) at the national show as well as a best doe in show at the Hoosier Classic. The Indiana State Fair was also very good to us. Ayana traveled to Wisconsin and Missouri to show for another farm. For the size of our small farm, I am proud of our animals and Ayana for what she has accomplished with them.
At 1 a.m. this morning I picked Ayana up in Indianapolis thus completing the show season. Let me say a little bit about this last show.
Ayana traveled to Missouri to the largest buck show in the nation. This time of the year bucks STINK! We are talking an "Oh dear Lord, my eyes are watering and my nose is burning" aroma. Ayana calls it "basking in the ambiance".
We got home at 2:15 a.m. this morning, so she simply laid her bags in the dining room for me to handle later. At 8 a.m. I opened her dirty clothes bag. By 8:05 a.m., I had all the windows open. The dog and cat were scratching at the door to get outside with eyes watering and attempting to keep one paw over their noses. The "ambiance" left on her clothing was enough to justify fumigation of the entire house! After a run through the washer on hot water, spraying of Tide with Febreeze and snuggle scent packs, we at least got the odor down to tolerable. It did take a second washing to finish the job.
Aside from the goat ordeal, last week we had one of our bantam hens hatch 10 babies. There is a baby Hughy in the bunch (a brother from another mother) and nine tiny bantam chicks. Unfortunately, a cat got a hold of one of the Bantams. The girls did manage to rescue it from the jaws of its captor. After putting mommy and the rest of the babies into a safe place, the baby that now has an injured leg was given a box, feed, water, heat lamp and a spot in my living room with the hopes that he would heal and lead a long and prosperous life.
Griffen, our indoor cat, decided that he could help this little fellow along. (Or maybe he just likes that heat lamp). Baby chick now shares his box with Griffen. They cuddle up together and take in the rays of heat. Now for those of you that are skeptical of Griffen and his intentions, this is not the first chick he has taken in. He carried the last one he made friends with around on his back. I am sure once this little guy is able to get up on top of Griffen he will receive the grand tour of the house. And, by the way, the leg is healing quite nicely.
I have started a new hobby as of late. I call it dancing off the porch. I did not chose this hobby, but rather it was was thrust upon me by a gaggle of barn cats and a giant Pyrenees puppy. For those of you who do not know me, I am vertically challenged, and lets just say I am healthy. Gracefulness left me many years ago. When I go to the barn I have a bucket of hot soapy water, a milk bucket and a cup of coffee in my hand. So far, while carrying these things I can do pirouettes down 3 steps, tap dance around a feline, and bust a jazz move at the bottom of the porch. So far I have not had to do break dancing. I am sure that will come when the ice and snow set in.
This week we said goodbye to one of our favorites. Faith had been around for 14 years. She lived a good life with lots of love and attention. She was Ayana's first showmanship doe (Ayana still shows Faith's daughter). When Faith was born it was a difficult delivery, and I did not think she would survive more than a few minutes. Ayana saw that she was still alive and took her inside. She worked with her and saved her. I asked her what she was going to name her and she said, "A lil' Bit O Faith". Faith went on to produce one of our top does, Falucious. Fal, as we call her, won the Indiana State Fair for the 4th time this year. Twice she has won best doe in show there. A lesson for all of us.
The colors of the fall season are taking over my farm. While small in size, it is huge in color and beauty along the creek. I love fall, and I am blessed that I have my little woods to walk in and enjoy . The crunch of the leaves beneath my feet, watching the leaves float to the ground, and the creek running add to the beauty of it all. I cannot think of any place I would rather be.[[In-content Ad]]
