Sunday, July 31, 2011

Got Basil?

Wow!  We've had a bumper crop of basil, and we've been taking advantage of it all summer long.  Unfortunately it has taken over the small herb bed so it was time for it to go.  I had let it go to seed, some of which will be saved for planting next year.  To save freezer space I usually dry our basil throughout the year in the food dryer.  From there we keep it as whole as possible until we need to use it.  I keep it in vac sealed glass jars in my herb cabinet to keep it for 6-8 months.

However, with as much as we've been blessed with this year....I am drying 3 whole bundles. 
For this afternoon they will hang from the patio like wonderfully scented whirly gigs.....but they will have to be re-tied tonight as they dry so that we don't loose any stems.
With our heat, they shouldn't take long to dry since we have a gentle breeze.  Then I will take each bundle and place them into a paper bag for crushing once dried.  Since we're drying these for feed use, I didn't have to wash them, pick out seeds, or worry about any hiding bugs. 
Once dried and crushed a bit I will put them into jars for adding to feed over the winter.  Basil is high in Vit A and is also a good source of copper....as well as other trace minerals.  Here's a link that explains many of it's benefits... http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/basil-herb.html

Any time God gives us an abundance of something, I know it's for a reason.   


Saturday, July 30, 2011

Things to do...

Now that we've had a break in the weather.....yesterday and today it's stayed below 100º!!  I'm making a list of projects to finish this weekend before the next heat wave moves through.  During the coldest parts of the winter, I do as little outside as possible.  I really hate the cold, and as a result the minimums get done. 
That's how it has been during these 20+ days of over 100º heat.  I get up early in the morning but most of the time it is too dark still to get much accomplished.  So things get piled up, put off, and ignored.
One of those things would be our back patio.  This is our favorite spot to visit when the weather is mild.  I hope to get it cleaned and organized today so that as we have a few tolerable days we can enjoy it!
Also on the list, I plan to harvest all the basil from the herb garden.  I've got to get it all out of there and re-evaluate what needs to be done to make the bed productive for the Fall.  Needless to say I will be drying a LOT of basil this weekend!
Now that we have confirmed that one of our doe rabbits is indeed a buck...he's headed for freezer camp first thing Monday morning..
I also have to get my little bantam pen built this weekend.  My poor little bantam chicks are divided into two cages still....they have to be put in a pen to spread their wings and get some exercise....
Bob has finished a couple of projects lately too....he's got the door on the back of the kid barn....now I have to put screen on it, trim it out, and paint it....
Inside the kid barn we are using 2 of the stalls for storing bedding hay...the third stall is storing our does' grass hay....and Bob got the gate finished for it this week.  I will be getting some painting done in there as well....
Also on the list is to install this window on the milking parlor.  It will hopefully give me a bit of ventelation in there while I'm milking and working....
And it's time to sort the juvenile delenquent chickens into groups....meat birds (for breeding), layers, and meat birds (for eating).
The pigs are busy doing what pigs do....and hopefully we will have baby pigs before the end of the year.  For now they eat and grow.
And here's another project I've been putting off but it has to be done today.....defrosting freezer #1 *bleah*
It's a good thing we get to rest tomorrow!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Evaluating a Homestead Milk Goat....aka Queenacres Boot Camp

Okay for years my dear friend (who happens to have our sister herd) has accused us of being boot camp for goats.  If she has a goat that needs herd manners or sorting on the milkstand they come here.  Keep in mind, my goats are very pampered......Faith would be exhibit A on the witness stand with her marshallowesque physique. 
When they have a need, they ring room service and I am there will bells on to scratch their ears or just give them a hug or cookies....whatever needs tending.  My goats are really spoiled rotten. 
However.  We run a pretty tight ship when it comes to our goat expectations. (can you tell I came from a military family??)
Morning milking is done early.  We usually finish morning barn chores around 7am....so that we can be finished with evening barn chores by 7 pm.  Good behavior is always expected of the goats.  They must have good herd manners, be patient, and have milkstand manners.  Of course they are allowed to voice their objections...as long as they follow the rules they may complain...but they must comply. (remember I have Nubian goats....well noted for voicing their opinions).  Well yesterday, we were graced with little Moon Pie.
Pie is the daughter of Moon and Lace, and has always been a bit of a drama queen.  It was late (for us) getting her settled in, so we didn't bother to get her into the routine.  She was busy bullying the little kids, so she was quickly moved into the big herd.  Pie is a yearling first freshener so she's in-between the babies and the Ladies.
I think this morning she was a bit in a daze with all the newness of routine.  Especially since we begin our day before the sun rises...
Each of the does has a feeding station.  A short chain attached to the fence, and they get their grain ration along with any herbs or supplements they may need.  No goat has ever complained about the food here....it's a lovely mixture and I've had visiting folks compare it to human granola.  I think the early morning is what had her a bit in shock. 
Pie's mother, Lace, has been with us for a while now, and knows the routine....
She has learned to take it all in.....granola bars, watermellon, carrots....it's all good.  But after the morning routine was done....the new kid had to be evaluated.  The first step is to give the goat a good haircut and hoof trimming....

I can never stress enough to homesteaders that have a family milker or two.  Clip your goats.  Clip them each spring once the weather is warm.....and clip them before breeding.  You are not giving them a haircut to make them look good, you are giving them a good physical exam!  You can not have a good idea of their physical condition with a big fur coat on.  A good haircut will let you see their skin.  Do they have any bald patches? Scars? Thickened skin areas?
How is their overall condition?  Are they too thin?
When evaluating kids and yearling does....how is their depth of body?  How is their topline?  How is their width especially rear width?
Without a haircut you can not evaluate these things.
Yes, you will get this reaction from the goat....
But they do enjoy the haircut once it's done.  They can rub and actually feeeeel the itchhhhh getting scratched.  And they get a bit of confidence.  YOU have the benefit of seeing the goat's condition....not to mention knowing that they don't have any hitchhiking bugs.
So there she is...She is really very nice....but you can't tell from the picture.  I think she's a bit shellshocked.
Although she's a bit thin (for my liking...refer to exhibit A)....she has a number of good milking indicators.  I will discuss these at a later time.  When I can get better pictures!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Summer Growth

I don't guess I need to comment on how HOT it is.  Seems like it's hot all over the country.  We have had a bit of a break from the heat today; it rained last night and today has been overcast.  It's been such an odd year for the garden....or lack thereof.  I guess this was the year to let the front bed rest.  The garlic is nearly ready to harvest, and the rosemary hedge is still growing....but my poor sage has been overtaken by grass.
The herb bed has exploded into basil.  Wow.  None of the other things in the bed have done very well, but the basil has thrived.  Good thing, too....basil is high in copper so I'll be adding it to goat feed over the winter...
We had built a temporary pen for our juvenile turkeys and had an interesting suprise....some of the milo (sorghum) sprouted!  The turkeys are enjoying the grains so much I'm thinking about planting some more for them....
The drought has been hard on our trees.  We've lost 3 so far this year, and 2 of them have actually come down during storms...
We've been blessed this evening by cooler temperatures and another short rain shower.  Sweet relief indeed!  Unfortunately the weather has not cooled even at night enough for us to start butchering.  Our Thanksgiving turkey is getting bigger every day and really struggling with the heat.
Speaking of turkeys, here's a nice picture of the tom that we've kept for breeding next year.  He's already bigger than his daddy and if he'd stay away from the goats he'd grow a beautiful tail....
Our little barn kitty is growing well too....he's healthy now and growing like a weed!
And he's not the only one that's made a recovery....Legacy is looking much better.  She's starting to feel her age a bit and I think she's developed some arthritis in her back or hips...but as long as she can move around without too much discomfort we'll keep pressing on!
 I sure am looking forward to fall!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Keeper Kids

This has been a trying year for us.  I think it's been a difficult year for many folks in this country.  Sometimes it takes us getting through difficult times for us to realize how blessed we are.  True wealth has nothing to do with money....you know you are truely wealthy when you have the freedom to worship, the love of a good family, and you can put in a hard day's work and sleep well at night.  In that regard we are truely blessed.

Earlier this year we split our herd of goats, trying to tighten our belts for the financial storm that we knew was coming.  It was a difficult decision for me especially; since I not only had to sell goats that I loved very much, but also had been working for and breeding for years.  It broke my heart to see them go, but I know in the long run it will all work out as it should.  This year we were able to keep some amazing kids, including a very nice flashy buckling named Frodo....he's big, he's correct, and I can't wait to see his babies next year!
And of course we kept Faith's doeling from this year....Fiona. 

She is built nearly as bad as her mother, but if she produces the quality of milk that her mother does...she can look like this!

Next we kept 2 of Silly's triplets from this year.  These are the first 2 daughters out of Silly and I really don't want to decide between the two! 
Filly:
And Fennel..
And our newest addition, who happens to be Happy's granddaughter, Fame...
But of course these aren't our only keeper kids.  Our youngest daughter who is about 35 months pregnant helped me get these great pictures and more...so that I could do an update on our website.  It really takes two to get pictures, and without her help I would have been stuck.
And my other keeper daughter....my little Lone Ranger.  She knows just when to step up and help me, and last night was no exception.  I was busy trying to sell some turkeys and she swooped in and milked goats for me so that I could help get turkeys caught and loaded.  It's very cool when your kids come over to help without having to nag them!  Here she is with our grandson, Rylan. 
Now THERE's a real keeper kid!!