Where for art thou?

Saturday I jumped in the car at midnight and drove down to the Wisconsin Illinios border to pick up my first buckling! I arrived at the farm at just after 8 am, picked him up, and turned back around for the drive home. I got home at about 3:30 pm and was completely exhausted, but the trip was worth it. Little Romeo has great bloodlines and will be a great to breed with the girls. 

Aren't his moonspots wonderful!

Romeo will actually be jointly owned with Karen from Pelican Acres, she will keep him with her other bucks and allow me to bring Addison and Gidget up for breeding when the time is right.

When kidding season arrives don't forget to check out Karen's Goat Cam in her birthing stall to watch goats give birth!

Hopefully next year I can build a pen area for bucks and I will be able to house one here on my own little homestead, so long as it is down wind!

More Guinea Drama

Yesterday daddy guinea got hit by a car, I was heart broken. I was in the yard when it happened, the car didn't even slow down - I think they hit him on purpose.

Momma guinea cried and cried for him, it was so sad.

Diablo was the male guinea who didn't have a mate, he got his name because he very mean to the chickens. Momma guinea cried for her mate for hours, after a while Diablo started to follow her around. If she accepts him I will keep him around, other wise he is toast.

The other birds were shocked at the turn of events, I can only imagine the gossip about the situation around the water cooler.

One of the guinea keets living with mama chicken in the sheep pen flew out of the barn and was lost in the woods, not good. I decided it was time to move them back to the coop.

I was worried that Leopold wouldn't accept them into the flock, but so far he has been great. He runs off any hens or guineas that bother the keets, it seems another reprobate has been reformed.

Mama chicken has been teaching the keets how to forage. She must be doing a good job because yesterday I saw one of the keets running around the coop with a worm in its mouth.

Last night mama chicken went into the coop for the evening but the keets couldn't figure out how to get up the plank and inside. The Commander and I had to go out with an aquarium fish net and scoop them up to put them inside. Mama chicken was inside screaming and even pecked my hand when I put the first of the keets inside. The round-up was a crazy scene. I sure hope they can put themselves away by themselves tonight.

Sheep Getting More Friendly

Last year the sheep were so shy I couldn't get anywhere near them, now when I go out to see them they flock around me. Jeepers got up close and personal in the above picture.

Azalea is the most friendly of all the lambs, she is an escape artist as well. It is not at all unusual to see her on the wrong side of the fence and eating off on her own, but when she sees me she comes running!

Avalon is still quite shy, she gets it from her mother Kia. Ava only comes round as part of the rest of the flock, never by herself.

Kia will eat a bit of grain from my hand but she still doesn't fully trust me. I still think she has a little Icelandic Leader Sheep in her, she is very wary and intelligent.

It seems the sheep have been keeping a close eye on me lately, I really enjoy it when the run up to greet me!

Not Grown Here

One of my neighbors gave me a few zucchini that were huge. They live right next door and I have to marvel at what a great garden they have compared to our pitiful plot. She also gave me a recipe to try.

Cut the zucchini in half and then scoop out the seeds. Season it with olive oil, garlic, and whatever else tickles your fancy, then cover it in foil and bake at 350F until it begins to get soft. Cook some hamburger and add your choice of seasoning (I added some cumin to give it a Mexican flair), then place it in the hollowed out part of the zucchini and continue to cook until the zucchini is easily cut with a butter knife. Add cheese and allow it to melt for a few minutes and then chow down.

It was delicious!

Last Years Ram Lambs

Alder's horns are very wide, he has the kind of horns that we are looking for.

Ironwood's horns are thick, but they are no where near as wide a Alder's.

Killarney is Albion's father (post below), his horns are thicker than Alder's and wider than Ironwood's. Ironwood seems to be telling Killarney that this Fall he gets to spend some time with the girls!

Lamb Ram Horns

I'm trying to decide if Albion's horns are good enough for me to use him as breeding stock.

Albion was one of two lambs born to Jeepers this Spring, his sister Alma was the other.

He is a friendly fellow that likes to stick close to his mother. I like his light brown color, it is unique to my flock.

If I decide to keep him he will have to be introduced to the other rams, they may smash him around a bit so I want to make sure he's staying before submitting him to that rough treatment.

Of course if I don't keep him he will be heading off to freezer camp very soon. What do you think?

Whats for Dinner?

This is what happens when you store noodles for the chickens in the refrigerator.