New farmer's market

Today was my first time at a new market. I was nervous and excited. This one starts at 10 and goes til 12. So I have a lot more time to get ready and do chores and milk goats (in daylight, not darkness with animals still sleeping) and have plenty of time to get there. It's only about 35 miles away. We left this morning at 8 and stopped to get some breakfast up the road and stopped at the store for produce baggies. And still got there at 9. There were a few others earlier than us.

So I brought kale, turnip greens, 4 kinds of radishes, bell peppers and banana peppers. Also brought kombucha scobys. Sold all but 2 bags each of the greens. I couldn't sell my soap because there were 2 others that sell soap and have been coming a few years now. But we'll see about that.

This market is so different from the other market I have been going to this summer. The people are totally different. Very friendly. I felt like I belonged there right away. There was only one nice little older lady who said my greens were too much for her. So I let her have them cheaper. And  I swapped turnip greens and radishes for pumpkin bread and fresh picked bay leaves.

I really like this market. It's the Brainerd market in Chattanooga, Tn. In the parking lot of a beautiful Episcopal church.  Lots of exposure to traffic with a big sign by the road. I will be going every Saturday from now on.

Sometimes we need to change things up a bit. This was my time.

Buck Stink

Ugh! Ick! Nasty! Disgusting!Yuck! I know there are more words to describe buck stench and I will think of more. I smell it ALL OVER my farm and my 2 neighbors that live way across the road can probably smell it too. It's just plain ole stanky. I have to shower after I touch John Henry. Lil Red is not stinky yet. I hope that doesn't mean he's not doing his job. I wonder if it matters that he's smaller than Penelope and Sandy. And that he has a pink collar on? But John is 1 1/2 now and he's disgustingly nasty at the moment. I can't wait til I take John to another farm in October. I know I'll be able to smell him from there though.

It's just that time of year. This too shall pass.

Barber Pole worms in sheep

I am having the worst time with these horrible worms in my sheep this year. And especially in these 2 darker wool sheep. Lucinda, the ewe in the top picture, was lagging behind this morning. In fact, she's been doing that the last few days. I had wormed her then and gave her a shot of penicillan and thiamine too. So this morning she's not there when I bring the feed nor is her ewe lamb. I saw Anabelle over in the pasture but not Lucinda. I had a bad feeling, like maybe she was dead. But then there she was, ambling over. So I ran back inside and got some Cydectin, Ivomec, penicilla and thiamine and caught her,( not an easy thing to do) and gave her all that. I hope she'll be ok. I had to do all this with the youngest Finn ewe a few days ago as well.


                                                                                         

And again with Abraham, the ram lamb. He got all the same treatment a few days ago. It's like they are being attacked by these worms more than any of the others. I have not had to do a thing with any of the hair sheep. They are all fine. I did worm them a few months ago just to be safe. But these 2 dark wool sheep are having a hard time.




So what I am wondering is there a natural predator that would attack and eat the Barber Pole worm larva? I have a friend who keeps the pastures mowed down and it's been awhile since the last time he mowed. I just called this morning to get him to do it again. I know that helps. But is there some kind of bug that I could get that would kill the worms? And is anyone else having a bad worm year too? What are you doing about it? I need to learn more about how to prevent this from going on every few months. What could I be doing to keep the worm population down here?

For Sale

I have decided to sell these 2 doelings.

 Iris Josie, the Lamancha doe, will be 6 months old Sept. 10. I have both parents here. They are both full Lamancha. Iris is very friendly.

Brie is the Nubian doe. She'll be 6 months Sept 27. I have her mother here. Sandy is mostly Nubian with some Toggenburg. The father was full Nubian. Brie is a twin to a beautiful spotted buckling. She is a little skittish but with more handling, she will be a great goat.

Both of their mothers are excellent milkers with great udders. So these 2 will be wonderful milk goats when they are ready.

I am asking $150.00 each. I would love to find someone with a farm and children who will love these 2 girls. I would also love for them to go together as they have been raised together and are used to being together. They have both been disbudded. And wormed and given CDT's. Both are very healthy.

I am selling them because it will be another year before they can be bred and I really don't have the room for them. They need a place where they can grow and run and play with plenty of good stuff to eat and good shelter and fences.

Around the farm this morning.

We got some much needed rain last night. My squash was all wilted and puny. I mulched with some old hay yesterday. The rain really brought them all back to life again. They are full of flowers and the bees are busy pollinating them. I am so glad to see bees at work doing what they were created to do.

There is a bumble bee deep down in the flower to the right. They were buzzing all over the garden this morning! I see little baby squash all over now. Can't wait to actually get some to cook. The seeds I had gotten from the little feed store just were not goo seeds. I only got maybe one or two every few weeks. The zucchini too. Not but a few of those. Had to get zucchini from other people just to make bread. So I got new seeds and started over and these are good.

To the left is the cucumbers, then collard greens, turnip greens, kale and Blue Lake beans. There are little tiny cucumbers already!

Here are some pretty green bean flowers. I just love the flowers these plants make. In a few weeks I'll be picking beans again!

 Here is just some of the zucchini plants. I planted more at the end of this row and I saw a few yesterday. With this rain, they will be popping up soon. These are really pretty plants this time. I think I will not plant squash and zucchini til August from now on.

 I have had really good luck with the bell peppers. I planted red, yellow, green, orange and purple this year. As well as 4 varieties of hot and sweet banana peppers. I didn't sell all of them so they went in the freezer or in jars.

I have not planted radishes in several years. I don't like them. Husband does but he's not here much to eat them. And they have to be picked right when they are ready. So I had gotten several packs of different varieties from a friend and mixed them all up and threw them in the ground. They came up pretty quick! I hope to try some roasted with other root veggies. Sounds good that way.

 This is one of the really old apple trees in the yard. I don't know why the people who had this place before us planted apple trees right in the yard. So aggravating to have to go under them to mow. I always get a branch in my hair. But the apples are SO good! I have one that is the early June transparent apple. A Granny Smith and this is a Yates. My very favorite apple is the Yates. It's crunchy and juicy and so good. Some friend of mine have an apple press to make cider and we get together every October and make cider.

The field peas. They are growing pretty good with all the weeds and cucumbers that grew back again. I love field peas. And they are so easy to grow and pick.

These are the 1st turnip greens I planted around the first of Aug. Too thick, but they are doing great. Can't wait for a big ole pot of greens and cornbread soon!

And the carrots in the cold frame. The ones I planted a few weeks ago in the garden are just barely coming up. I hope they grow now after the rain.

The day lillies have decided to show off again. I love them. They are so pretty and such happy flowers. A friend from Oregon sent these to me a few years ago.

And some weeds. I think weeds are beautiful and most actually serve a purpose. I leave a lot of weeds in some of the rows because the bugs will eat them and not the ones I want.









Stella says hello and good morning. She's such a sweet dog. But sure is starting to dig some of the biggest holes all over the yard. Then she does this. What a stinker.









SO everything looks good again. I am so thankful for good rain.

2 years ago

September 3 2010 my youngest daughter Abby married her best friend Jason. They've known each other since she was 17. They finally realized they could not live without each other and were very much in love. And they got married! It was a beautiful wedding in a small chapel in Ringgold, Ga. The same place where my mom married my step dad almost 34 years ago.

I am so happy for them. So here is wishing and praying for a wonderful 3rd year of marriage. I hope you both grow closer each day and know how much you are both loved. You are an inspiration to me and so many others. Happy anniversary!

Love, mom

Let the breeding begin!

This morning I noticed some head butting amongst the does. I was going to start the breeding maybe Tuesday but went ahead and did some musical goats after I was done milking and feeding everyone.







I went up front and got Lil Red, the new Boer buck. He's a March kid so I hope he's old enough to figure it out. If you click on the picture, you can see he has the equipment but his body needs to catch up with it.

 Sandy took one look at him and said "Seriously? Get me out of here right now, woman!" And Penelope was agreeing with her.

 And Lil Red said " But shouldn't I be in there with these 2 pretty little ones? They are more my size." And Iris Josie and Floppsy Belle both agreed. But no, you are both too young right now. Maybe next year.











Here is John Henry with Abby and Zarah. The girls
don't seem too impressed yet. He is quite happy though.

And you can see what Adabelle thinks about the whole situation. She wants no part of this at all. It only took her 4 years to get pregnant. And it might take 4 more as far away as she is.





I'll be putting Iris and Floppsy up front when I can catch them. I can catch Iris but that stinkin' kid of Sandy's is hard to catch. But I will get her.





So here we go. Breeding season 2012 has begun. I'll leave them like this til about the end of October. Then John Henry will go visit some other ladies at The Pocket Farm over the ridge for awhile. I'll have to figure out what to do with Lil Red then.

Anyone else breeding yet?