 |
 |
Welcome to my attempt to start my retirement early...join me on my journey to the world of fresh fruits, vegetables, milk and, of course, farm fresh eggs! I am planting a few crops this year...peppers, tomatoes, collards, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, lettuce, spinach, onions, oregano and cilantro. Next year, we branch out a little and try our hand at adding a few more crops to the garden. Maybe when I retire I'll just sell my eggs & produce at the local Farmer's Market...or better yet, I'll just put a sign out front and have people come to me. I could deal with not leaving the farm very often!.
I currently have Pygmy & Pygerian goats. I also broke down and bought a full size dairy goat doeling, because I found that I really love goat milk! She'll be bred sometime after April 2012. I love to sit and watch their comical antics. If you ever need a laugh, watch the goats! Whether they are interacting with each other or exploring on their own, it's funny!
My chickens are the only critters that are full-size. I have Buff Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, Langshans, Blue Rocks and Easter Eggers. I have not yet branched out into the wonderful world of processing my own chickens, but I'm hoping too, in the near future. I'm also hoping that one of the hens will go broody, so I can get some baby chicks the old-fashioned way! Not sure I'm ready for the incubation experience yet. Maybe one day, when I have more time to devote to it. For now, I'm happy to collect the eggs and have them all run to me when I walk out back...I am, afterall, the "treat lady." These critters are pretty funny to watch as well.
The pride and joy of my mini-farm, however, has to be my young pair of zebu, thanks to the great folks at Shell Creek Ranch (I love those guys!). Lil Swiss Frank and Lil Pearlie Mae will be my foundation zebu breeders in a couple of years. Until then, I am going to spoil them! Maybe get the grand-daughter into 4H and show them at some point? Yeah, that sounds good to me. Who knows...the future is wide open on the farm!
I did make a new purchase the other day...I found that I like goat milk so much that I bought an Alpine/Toggenburg cross dairy goat. She is only 2 weeks old and being bottle-fed, so I have a little ways to go before I can get milk from her; photos will be uploaded as soon as I can get her to pose pretty for the camera!
This is what comprises my "little" farm. I like the miniature goats and the small size of the zebu are just right for me. I hope to expand to other miniature farm animals in the future, but that may require a little bit more land. I am happy with what I have now, but I can always dream...(Updated October 2011)
I currently have Pygmy & Pygerian goats. I also broke down and bought a full size dairy goat doeling, because I found that I really love goat milk! She'll be bred sometime after April 2012. I love to sit and watch their comical antics. If you ever need a laugh, watch the goats! Whether they are interacting with each other or exploring on their own, it's funny!
My chickens are the only critters that are full-size. I have Buff Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, Langshans, Blue Rocks and Easter Eggers. I have not yet branched out into the wonderful world of processing my own chickens, but I'm hoping too, in the near future. I'm also hoping that one of the hens will go broody, so I can get some baby chicks the old-fashioned way! Not sure I'm ready for the incubation experience yet. Maybe one day, when I have more time to devote to it. For now, I'm happy to collect the eggs and have them all run to me when I walk out back...I am, afterall, the "treat lady." These critters are pretty funny to watch as well.
The pride and joy of my mini-farm, however, has to be my young pair of zebu, thanks to the great folks at Shell Creek Ranch (I love those guys!). Lil Swiss Frank and Lil Pearlie Mae will be my foundation zebu breeders in a couple of years. Until then, I am going to spoil them! Maybe get the grand-daughter into 4H and show them at some point? Yeah, that sounds good to me. Who knows...the future is wide open on the farm!
I did make a new purchase the other day...I found that I like goat milk so much that I bought an Alpine/Toggenburg cross dairy goat. She is only 2 weeks old and being bottle-fed, so I have a little ways to go before I can get milk from her; photos will be uploaded as soon as I can get her to pose pretty for the camera!
This is what comprises my "little" farm. I like the miniature goats and the small size of the zebu are just right for me. I hope to expand to other miniature farm animals in the future, but that may require a little bit more land. I am happy with what I have now, but I can always dream...(Updated October 2011)
 Goats are better than weedeaters or sickles and they don't use gas! |
 The chickens keep me amused AND they lay eggs! Why doesn't everyone do this? |
 Rose Meding--training session with Lil Swiss Frank (2010) |
 Steve Meding with Lil Pearlie Mae (2011) |
