Eddie and Pumpkin

 Eddie and Pumpkin--Goat Love

 

It's that time of the season, at least for our goats when we have a male goat around for a couple weeks. As bucks go, he is pretty civilized, but certainly adds an extra odor to barn chores, barn clothes, and the air around his stall-- this musty smell seems to be very attractive to does...

Goat love is fleeting, a day or two every 3 weeks they are interested in the buck, the rest of the time he has his space to himself, and works on his hygiene!  

Pickles at the Door

 Pickles at the Door

 

It is livestock like Pickles the sheep that is really the omnivore's dilemma. We got two sheep in the early spring with the understanding that they are very stand-offish. It will be easier to send them to the butcher than the goats, which was tearful. As it turns out, Pickles was bottle fed, and acts more like a sheep dog, than a barn animal--she is always the first to greet you in the morning, likes to have her head rubbed, and will eagerly let us brush the stickers out of her coat.

I am closer to becoming a vegetarian again than I have been in a long time. 

First Snowy Morning

First Snowy Morning

 

It always seems to sneak up on us, that first morning when the ground is covered with a dusting of snow. It is the change from one thing to the next, the patio furniture needs to get in, last minute garden cleanup, is there time for another load of hay to be put up in the barn. I am sad to see the warmer weather come to an end. 

Mucking Out a Stall

Mucking Out a Stall

As the weather gets chillier and the threat of snow grows greater, mucking out the main stall becomes more and more immanent. There is a great sense of accomplishment when it is done, and a rythm that can be developed shoveling up the soiled hay and carting it to a pile where it will compost. It is sometimes best to focus on what will grow in the compost, and be reminded that this chore will not be done until spring.

By the way, Santa, a tractor with a bucket would make this job a breeze...wouldn't it?