Waiting...

My 4 does, patiently waiting to get into the milk room. To eat. And to be milked. I'm milking all 4 now once a day. I also have my friend's 2 does that I'm milking twice a day. Fun! And lots of milk again. I have enough to make cheese. And to give my daughter, who's dog Daisy, had 7 of the cutest puppies 3 weeks ago. And is now pretty tired of being a mom. So she's bottle feeding them with goat milk. Silly mothers. I guess if I had 7 babies at once, I'd be a bit overwhelmed too.

Much bette. Market. Bees.

Ada is much better already! After a few days away from those kids of here, her teat is getting smaller. I'm using my plantain salve on it and it's amazing! I love that stuff.

So now, I have so much milk, milking 6 goats. I made some feta Sunday that should be ready Friday. I'll cut it up and put it in jelly jars with olive oil and herbs to sell at the farmer's market Sat. IF I get to go. There's a lady coming from Atlanta to shear sheep sometime this weekend. We are hoping it's Sat. because Sunday, aside from it being Mother's Day and all, is alpaca shearing day at My Little Darlings Alpaca Farm. Susan, who I got my 2 alpacas from, is coming to get them Sat. evening to take to her farm for Sunday shearing. She has about 30 at her place and there are other people bringing their alpacas there too. So it's an all day thing. So I hope this sheep shearing lady comes on Sat.

Went to the market today. It was HOT! I had collards, kale, dandelion greens and flowers, radishes, mint and red and green mustard frills. Sold a lot but still brought home collards and some kale. Called a friend on the way home and she bought some stuff.

I'll work some in the garden tomorrow. I need to replant beans, squash, zucchini and corn. Plus cucumbers, okra and some butternut squash. I have 3 16' cattle panels that I'll use for the butternut squash and cucumbers. I want to make arches and let them climb up them. I might put a chair under it.

I've been working on a few bee gardens. I've gotten lots of blue and purple flowers and herbs for them. I'll go tomorrow and get some blue salvia. I'm going to Knoxville Monday to get my 2 packages of bees! He called and said I could come get them today, but I have market on Wed. Then he said these bees would be too old by Monday, so he'd have to get me more. That sounded kind of strange to me. I hope I get some good bees. And I hope it's not too late. My friend, who is getting Russian bees from him, has to wait til the end of May for hers. Something about the queen. So I need to get the hives set up where I want them and make sure everything is ready for them. Kind of nervous.

Off to bed. It's been a LONG day.

Ada Belle

Ada was born here on my farm 5 years ago, to my doe Ocho. Can't remember right now if she was a twin or not. Anyway, sold her to my friend at New Dawn farm up the road. She's been back and forth a few times. Right now, she's back, along with her friend, Jessie Belle. They both had twin kids about 2 1/2 months ago. For the past month or so, I've been going up there to milk them in the mornings.  But we decided the kids need to be weaned. And they were really not good on their udders. Jessie had some teeth marks from her kids, but on the left side only. I was putting bag balm on them and they are both ok now. But she does have a knot on the outside of the left teat. Not hard and small. Not too worried about that.

Right now, I am really concerned about Ada. This is the back view of her teats. You can see the left side is much bigger. I noticed yesterday, that side, on the inside, was hard. I was able to milk her and she did ok then. But this morning, it's much bigger and harder. And she raised her leg each time I tried to milk her. I know she hadn't let the kids nurse on that side at all. I had to use my left hand to milk this side and hold her leg with the other hand. I know it has to hurt bad.

Then, when I was finished, I decided to take a picture. Then noticed the blood. I didn't have blood on my hands. It's on the inside, not the back, where kid teeth would do this. So now I am wondering what it could be. I had put peppermint oil on the teat and udder a few times today. When I saw this, I just put bag balm on it.

What could this be? I have never dealt with this before. My friend seems to think it could be a clogged milk duct. I can get milk out and it looks fine, no blood or clumps. Could it be something serious, like CL? I have no idea. Just trying to see if anyone knows or has seen this before.

They are both here at my farm now. I'll be milking them twice a day. Kids are fine. Old enough to be weaned. When mine are old enough, they'll go down there.

Any thoughts? Suggestions? Help!