Fresh from the Farm: Saying goodbye, but also hello

It has been some time since my last story. A busy kidding season led right into judging season and time simply went by too fast.

We did survive this year kidding season! One of the best we have had. We had several mini goats born on the farm this year.

We were very excited for this new venture. Beer Run, one of our older permanent champions, was bred to our senior buck Baxter. When Beer kidded she produced this beautiful doe kid. One of the best that we have ever had.

I was so excited as I had wanted Baxter genetics for some time now. As she grew, Wicked just was not keeping up with the other kids. And then I realized that was because her daddy wasn't Baxter, but that crazy Nigerian we brought in. Apparently our Nigerian buck decided that he needed a little beer as well. (I have no idea if it was a drunken stupor or just the idea that he could have a beer). So we decided, since Beer would be retired, that we needed to keep Double Y Farms Something Wicked This Way Comes. Just what I needed...a short goat!

And by the way, I sold that Nigerian. Then bought another. Apparently I learned nothing!

Ayana attended the nationals in Redmond,Oregon this year. She took four of her does. Hala Farm Ohotdamthisismyjam (Jam) was fiffh place in her class, as was Norma. While we didn't bring home the bling, with 3,000 animals competing, I will take fifth place all day long.

This was Ayana's second time taking animals to Redmond. They had 75 animals on the trailer and had to stop every five hours to milk the 68 milkers they had in tow. I'm glad it was her and not me!

Breeding season began last week. Just to give you all a heads up, our first kids should arrive Feb. 20, 2020. The blizzard should hit about the 18th. It's almost a positive weather forecast. More accurate than any weatherman on TV today! 

And with breeding season comes the aroma of the boys. I went swimming yesterday and prayed I did not leave a film in the pool. I did shower twice before swimming, but that buck aroma has a special kind of cling to it. 

We have had to say goodbye to a few this year. Like all living things, age takes its toll. And so it did on Sheba and Polky. Sheba and I had a love/hate relationship. Polky was my baby. We lost them about four weeks apart and I bawled like a baby with each. Both horses are buried just over the hill from the house.

We still have two mares and a pony, all of which are carrying a lot of time on them. Once they are gone it will be the end of an era for me. I have had horses since I was 10 years old. When it comes to losing an animal, horses are the worst (at least for me).

We have also had a new member of the family join us. Mazakeen a Great Pyreneese/Anatolian cross has come to be our new guardian over the herd. She is still learning her job and still believes she should sleep in Ayana's bed. But at 70 lbs that's not working out so well. She and Corona (Beer's daughter, of course) have made best of buds. She walks gently through the herd making sure all is well. She plays with the cats, respects Gado (our older Pyr) and thinks Jack is her own personal squeaky toy. She fits in well. 

I'm not sure when fall will actually be here. I know what the calendar says, but Indiana weather usually marches to the beat of its own drum. But oh, how I love fall! To me, it is a beautiful, peaceful time of year. I have been blessed to have a grand view of the changing of the colors from my back porch. God sure paints beautiful pictures. 

Make sure that you look around and see all the beauty God has graced you with! Peace and blessings.