I approached the farm, slowed down early enough to spot a stranger in the herd. Little did I know there were two strangers. Words fail. Pictures will suffice. Congratulations to http://www.opiesgoats.com for the first two of many great additions to 2013!
Archives for category: The Move
If you have a few minutes and want to learn more about how I do what I do and why, listen to the radio show I recorded with Ann Marie Ames, broadcast Saturday and Sunday morning osn WCLO and WJVL, respectively.
http://wclo.com/podcasts/ag-matters/2012/dec/18/goat-matters/
Adam showing Peanut at Rock County 4-H Fair
Megan showing Symphony at Rock County 4-H Fair
Living in southern Wisconsin, we do not get nearly the amount of snow as we did just decades ago. Nonetheless, you need to be prepared, especially when you have livestock depending on you for food and water. JP put the plow on the truck, bought a new shovel, and intends to bring a snowblower for me to use here on the farm. I’ll be busting trails walking back and forth to their fenced in habitats, the barn, and back throughout the coming cold days and nights, carrying buckets of water from the basement to the heated buckets in the fields. Thinking about it actually makes me feel warm and cozy, picturing the layers of clothes, socks, facemasks and footwear that make winters in Wisconsin tolerable. It is the most beautiful time of year here, afterall. Why fight it?
It has been so freakin’ hot in southern Wisconsin this week – over 90 degrees every day. The animals move slow, I move slow, even the vegetables in the garden seem to be growing slow. Not the damn weeds, though. Oh no. Worse yet, I can barely handle the heat enough to cultivate, pull weeds, and thin rows.
Needless to say, I spend my days in an air-conditioned office – I actually need a sweater. I drive home to the farm in my car which turns into an oven while I’m at work. It cools off just about when I am pulling in my driveway.I am a fair-skinned redhead. This shit ain’t for me. Can you believe I actually lived in Arizona for five years? What was I thinking?
As if my lethargic by-product of the weather isn’t enough, the animals are going through so much water. Mind you, I…
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I am reblogging this to remind myself to make JP read it too. He is in charge of the flying animals.
Quail are mid-sized birds that belong to the pheasant family. They need a good habitat for nesting. All types of quail create nests on the ground surrounded by shrubbery to help protect them from predators. When raising quail, they will need nesting boxes in which to lay their eggs. Some people choose to raise quail for its meat or eggs, but many decide to raise quail for fun. If you decide to raise quail, they will require plenty of space, time and energy.
Obtain a license to raise quail. The bird is considered a gaming bird and is wild, requiring a license. Not all states need this, depending on what type of quail you are raising and your purpose for raising them. For example, if you plan to raise bobwhite quail in Pennsylvania, you will need a permit whether you plan to sell. Check with your local gaming department to…
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Just in case you did not know, I am telling the world right here on WordPress.com that I named my baby goats Walker and Barrett after the candidates in our Governor recall election here in Wisconsin. The goats are much cuter and not at all argumentative. They are so unlike their political counterparts, in fact, that they are sporting red and blue collars for their respective parties in order to provide a hint as to the source of their names. This is a historical election and still there are people who do not get the joke. Many even ask why I didn’t name them Walker and Texas Ranger. Really?
Opie's Goats 