New Directions

Time for re-evaluating. Soap and lotion sales have been down, so maybe we need to go into a different direction. So this is how it looks so far. A new name (this one didn't take a rocket scientist!) B & D Farm. What are we going to do?? Now THAT is the million dollar question!

EGGS - We will continue to sell high quality chicken and duck eggs (don't you just love the "high" quality - good PR!!). I am planning on increasing both the chicken and duck flocks later on this summer. Will probably add meat chickens and ducks sometime later on this Spring.

HONEY - if what my friend, Kent the beekeeper, says is true. We will be offering B & D Honey this summer, also. I plan to sell the honey at the market and from my home.

HERBS - I have a lot of herbal baked good recipes. Plus I am growing some interesting herbs. For example - Thai Basil, Holy Basil.

PASTA - PASTA!! What I am doing making pasta??? I make pretty good pasta - well, mainly egg noodles and spaghetti - but all different flavors - regular (egg), spinach, whole wheat, beet, tomato, hot pepper, herbal (all sorts of herbs - even a lavendar!). You name it, we can make it!

HOMEMADE BREAD - OK, I am not Blue Oven Bakery, BUT my bread is just as good or BETTER than theirs - give it a try!! It is not baked in a brick oven, but does that really matter?

JAMS AND JELLIES - Can't forget my homemade jams and jellies! Nor my wine jellies that are becoming famous. I am going to try to use some of the local wines this year.

I will still have a few soaps and lotions for the faithful few!

It does look like I will probably get the part-time job at University Hospital. I am not sure I can run 2 markets and a part time job at the same time.

Blessings

Watching the news this weekend really makes you realize how blessed you are. At least, it made me realized how much God has blessed me. My minor complaints are nothing compared to what the Japanese people are going through right now! If you will take a moment and remember them in your prayers, I would appreciate it and also thank God for all the blessings in your life.

Herbs!!

If I ever decide to sell the goats, I think I will become a herb farmer. Yesterday we had to go to Home Depot and right by the front door they had a display with herbs! And they had several rosemary plants - OH MY I was in heaven (of course, my husband looked at me in disbelief as I swooned over the lovely rosemary). I limited myself to just 3 plants and lovingly rubbed their leaves on the way home. The whole car smelled of rosemary, I thought it was wonderful, he didn't - what do men know!!

I think of all the wonderful herbs . . . Lavender, of course Rosemary, Oregano, Basil, Thyme, can't forget Lemon Balm, Tarragon and countless others. Yes, I am an herbal addict. Is there a 12 step program?? My husband would probably sign me up right now.

When I got home, I got out my cookbook and started pouring through my recipes - so many rosemary recipes (so little time!) - Italian Rosemary Bread, Rosemary Raisin Bread, a friend gave me a recipe for Rosemary cookies, and, of course my famous Rosemary/Lavender soap!! You know I really DON'T have to sell the goats to start a herbal farm! Hmmm, do I see a new business . . . B & D Herbs??? Just a thought!

SNOW??

On come on Mother Nature!!! Enough is enough!! Though, I do have to admit my yard does look like a Christmas card. Snap out of it Diane - get real girl!! It IS March and haven't we had enough of this silly white stuff! Sorry about that - a momentary minute of madness.

Boy, what a strange year of weather we have had! Makes you kind of wonder what the summer is going to be like? AND here comes the Ohio River again but I think this time it means business. Fortunately for us we live high enough that we won't be affected personally by the flood (except for a few minor driving detours). If we get flooded, you better start looking for an ark!.

The babies are doing really good. Both of them are drinking two full bottles of Mom's good milk twice a day. I have started them on grain and hay this week.

No sign of other babies yet. Cirrius is probably the next one to deliver and she doesn't look like she is in any hurry. I would imagine sometime this month. Can't really tell about Kelsey. If she is pregnant, she probably would just have one kid. Ida miscarried last Fall, so I seriously doubt that she is pregnant.

Still can't believe that we had snow - UGH!!!

Update on Babies and Milking

SUCCESS!! Elissa let me milk her! Life is good! I was afraid she won't let me. This may sound stupid, but we "practiced" milking last year. Many dairy goat farmers will do that with young goats - practice milking so that the goat will get used to the farmer putting their hands near the "private" parts and also get the goat used to being up on the milk stand. It worked because Elissa didn't even budge when I put my hands on her udder. She was too busy eating the grain.

The babies are doing really good. I tried bottle feeding them last night without too much success. I wasn't too concerned. You need to get the colostrum in them in the first 24 hours, which I did. I milked "Mom" at 8:00 this morning, came back to the house, filtered the milk, put it in bottles and feed it to the babies at 8:30. They both drank it up. So we are good to go.

I bottle feed my babies. It is a lot of extra work, but it is worth the effort. First of all, you are making sure the babies are getting enough milk. They need to have at least 32 ounces of milk a day. Sometimes you can have smaller kids that aren't as aggressive as the larger ones and they lose out. Secondly, the babies bond to you making them easier to handle as they get older. Thirdly, it is easier on the Mother's udder - baby goats are rough on Mother's udders!

If you are ever in the market for a goat, always buy one that was a "bottle baby." That means it was bottle feed and it will be people friendly. If you are just buying a meat goat that you will be taking to the butcher's, buy one that has been "dam-raised" - that means feed by the Mom - this one won't be very friendly, but it doesn't matter since it isn't going to be a pet anyway!

I was a little apprehensive about milking Elissa this morning. My mind went back to last August when I was milking a goat who didn't want to get off the milking stand . . . But, this time I will be more careful.

Anyway, today was very successful - I was able to milk a first-time milker and the babies are doing really good!

Introducing the 2011 Babies!

They're here! Our first babies of the year - born Wednesday, March 2. Sorry for the poor picture, I am the world's worst photographer! The babies are probably only an hour old in the picture - you should see the big ears on these two!! And, here we go again - both boys!! I hope this doesn't mean I am going to have all boys again!!

Elissa, our new Saanen, is their Mom. First time for her. She did really good delivering for a first time Mom. Now for the "fun" part - first time milking her! Some goats will let you milk them right from the start. Then there are others that will be like "hey, WHAT ARE YOU DOING DOWN THERE!!! and give you a swift kick. I am hoping she will be "easy".