New Dairy Goats and some Giant Rabbits have arrived!

Well In this day of little extra money to spend more folks are going the bartering rout. I don't think that's such a bad thing, folks have been bartering since the beginning of time. I have just recently been a party in a bartering deal. I have traded my Arabian gelding and received a pair of Checkered Giant rabbits, palamino doe rabbit, and a pair of dairy goats. The Dairy doe is a Oberhasli yearling and the buck is an Alpine. And it appears there will be another trade soon, a mare for a few more dairy goats. Its a good way to get something you want and can use and get rid of something that you don't, its a win win situation.

I bred the checkered Giants today and it went well so cross your fingers in about 30 days Ill have little bouncing baby buns! My English angora is due April 19th so I'm crossing my fingers for that litter. New pics of the goats will be up soon!

My husband and my FIL finished my goat pen today and we let them out, that's one more job down and only about a billion more to go.

Will more people garden? Will they be able to?

So the Obamas now have a garden. Kudos for them. Although I did not vote for him nor do I like anything he has done yet I do think its great that Michelle is putting in a garden. Even if staff will tend to it I think it will wake people up to the fact that having a garden is not "hick". I personally think this country really needs to wake up and people need to take more responsibility for their own food. Anyone can have a couple tomato or pepper plants on the balcony and a few rabbits or quail in the garage. I also think more towns and cities need to allow small livestock I mean seriously a small milk goat or 2, or a flock of 5 hens would be less a nuisance than most peoples dogs. And not as smelly normally.

I have been reading up on the new bill HR 875 this sounds kinda scary to me. You can read the bill for yourself here http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-875
The way I'm reading is that even a couple tomato plants in the back yard or your 2 pet chickens would be affected by this. I cant believe they are really trying to pass this and think it would be "good" for the US. People need to be able to grow their own foods, we should not have to rely on GM foods or big Ag business to ruin our health. There is nothing better than tasting the chicken that you have grown naturally on your own farm that met its demise in a quick human way. The cow you bought to butcher that has spent its whole life on grass in a big pasture. Or biting into that huge juicy tomato you just picked from your garden 5 minutes ago. The bill is way to broad and can be construed so many ways that's its not even funny. Please contact your senators and tell them respectfully how bad this would be for the US.

I did get 2, 50ft rows of potatoes and 3, 30 ft rows of peas planted today. I will be able to till up the rest of the garden and plant some snow peas, spinach, kale and cabbage and broccoli tomorrow.

Is She Pregnant???

So today was the first day of spring and I started tilling the garden. I need to get my potatos and peas planted however I ran out of gas in the tiller. Will have to finish tomorrow, oh well hubby will be home and I can make him help, Im still shaking from the darn tiller..lol.

I did get my English Angora a hair cut today, wow thats a whole lotta wool. I was thinking about tring to sell or trade her off for a couple meat rabbit does so I could get my meat rabbits going but then decided I would just breed her to my Silver Fox buck and butcher the babys, they wount be as big im sure but we can start geting some meat on the table and I get to keep my angora. The buck has never bred before and Bonnie is a maiden doe so It did not go as planned. Im not sure if he got her or not. I get off work early in the morning and will put her with him again and then just wait the 30 days and see. I am still keeping my eyes open for a breeding age doe of any meat type breed but hopefully cross your fingers Ill at least get some from this cross soon.

My Menagerie

Went down near Witchita last weekend and picked up another Black Silver fox doe and a trio of Blanc de Hotots. The Hotots are very pretty, not as nice as the Silver fox but with a bit more handling they will be fine. They are all adjusting well and every one is eating and drinking well. I am planing on breeding my Blue Silver Fox pair first part of May, cant wait to get some baby buns around here.



I am also beginning to think about what fruit trees Id like to put out on the farm, I'm thinking apple, peach and pears. Would also like to start some raspberries and blue berries this spring but I'm not sure I will start those till we move out there. Our plans are to be out living on the farm by next summer. Seems so far off but I hope it will be here before I know it and in the mean time there is plenty of work to be done, more pens to fence, trees to plant, trees to clear out, and lots of stuff to burn. Will also start building some movable chicken coops to start housing the separate breeds of chickens in. I have decided that most of the breeds I'm getting from the hatcheries will be put into my mixed flock, anything I want to breed and hatch will be from breeders with quality stock. I will however raise some RIR and Barred Rocks for hatching and selling to local folks for meaties and layers. I will have a nice pen of Blue/ black Orps, Salmon Favorells, Buckeyes, Speckled Sussex, will work on Lavender silkies and Lavender Orpingtons.



I should get in the mail tomorrow my doz of Midget white turkey eggs and Jumbo quail eggs so Ill be adding them to my list of Breeds to raise. Yes I'm getting quite the poultry menagerie. But they are all use full animals with a purpose on my little homestead.



Here Is my new Hotot Buck
Pretty Little guy isn't he? The Hotots are all only 10 weeks right now but will be breeding them in the Fall.