Lake Orchard Farm: August 2015

Wow. The last post is from a frigid February day, and here we are in warm and sunny August. It's been a whirlwind here since February with my mom's wedding, school wrapping up, traveling, landscaping, family, church ......... but the farm family is all happy and healthy and soaking up summer.

I am super pleased with the condition of the goats. Their coats are all shiny and silky, and they are all healthy and content. Last summer I struggled with getting them shined up - I even tried copper boluses - but nothing seemed to get them looking (and that means feeling) the way they should. Plus, if you have never tried forcing something down a 100 lb. goat's throat then you can only imagine how much fun it is!

So what is different this year? Well, the goats were settled into the barn when this winter hit, unlike last year when I moved them to their new digs in January. There is a lot to be said about stress affecting our animals (and ourselves, but that's a conversation for another time) and that is why stability and routine in the barn is vital. I truly believe stress took it's toll last year.

We added two barn kitties to our family, and I am in love (Apollo is not so excited). Leo and Juno are so sweet and playful and joyful and fluffy and curious and purry - I will write about them soon. My barn mornings in the summer are my raison d'etre. I am refilling my spirit each time I am in the barn, interacting with my goats and kittens, sweeping floors and clipping hooves and filling food bowls. If only I didn't have to work to pay for the floors and bowls and hoof clippers! Ah well, I am starting to feel ready for school to start but meanwhile I am savoring my leisurely barn mornings.

As I last posted about my winter routine, I snapped a few photos to share about my summer morning barn routine.

When I first enter the barn I am chastised loudly for how tardy I am regardless of the time, and it is never later than 8 a.m. in the summer. I do a quick visual check to make sure everyone is fine, and then I prepare the grain bowls. I slide the bowls through the Bigs' fence (I think of prisoners, haha!) before I get to cleaning. The three young girls are tied to their "station" so that I can precisely control their feed, and they go right to their stations because it's their routine. The Bigs (which include my old doe Ellie) only get a token amount of grain and minerals so they scramble between the bowls. Imagine a giant game of goat Twister.

After feeding I sweep starting with the concrete outside the barn in the pen (this is where my big boys demand hugs, and they get in the way of the broom constantly), and then I close the Bigs out so I can sweep out their stall. I then open their stall, and close everyone out of the Littles' stall. It's always easiest to sweep without goats.

Here come the Bigs, anxious to check out the clean stall and fresh hay. Will the hay be acceptable? :)

Here is the Little's stall with yesterday's bedding and wasted hay swept in a corner for easy pick up. Note that the hayrack is still full of hay: goats should have access to hay at all times.

I use a snow shovel for efficient pick up.

Here's the stall ready for it's occupants. I have re-fluffed and filled the hay rack, and I always throw a little hay down so that the goats can nibble on it (they prefer to eat off the ground, but hayracks prevent waste and are healthier). I use a bushel basket of shavings per 12x8 stall daily in the summer. Note the desperate goats waiting outside.

The goats are excited to see if this hay is better than that in the other stall (I always use only fresh, mold-free delicious hay, btw)

Invasion

This hay is sooooo much better than the hay in our stall!

Meanwhile the little girls head to the tranquility of the other stall. Eventually they all merge, but every morning it begins with the switch and scramble!