Rocking M Farm

Re:

2011-02-20T20:31:00.001-08:00

http://victiago.com/cool01.11.php?SID=871

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Untitled

2011-02-20T14:13:00.001-08:00

http://infor-jeunes.be/cool01.11.php?SID=505

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Remedy

2010-07-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

1 tsp baking soda to 10cc pepto bismol for kids upset stomach

Goat Sausage

2010-04-27T11:31:00.001-07:00

Goat Sausage

Reposted from allthingsgoat.com
Friday, April 2, 2010

2 Kg ‘traditional’ goat meat (with fat)
40 grams salt
40 grams sweet pimenton
3 medium sized onions
20 grams fresh rosemary
15 grams coarse ground black pepper
5 grams pimenta
3/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

According to quietwatersfarm it’s not hot but is lively.

Drug Withdrawal Times

2010-03-07T17:39:00.000-08:00

So when you are milking goats, sometimes there is a need to treat with an antibiotic... Most of the research about these antibiotics has been done on dairy cattle as that is where the majority of $ is spent for research. So this site refers to dairy cattle but can applied to dairy goats as well...

The goat courts...

2010-03-05T14:17:00.000-08:00

Apparently in NYC, where I happen to be taking my son tomorrow, there is a place called "Goat Courts." This isn't our usual goat thing. Check out the link to see where the goat held court...

Goats eating Christmas trees

2010-01-04T18:54:00.001-08:00

Goats recycle Christmas trees by eating them... read about it here.

Note to self: Research quinoa as a goat food source

2010-01-03T13:22:00.000-08:00

Quinoa

Movie with a side of Goat

2010-01-03T12:43:00.000-08:00

Lately, (read - since I've owned goats) I've noticed how many movies have goats in them... Today's is "Code Name: The Cleaner." A lovely Toggenburg appears on the show...

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, Off to the Barn I Go

2009-10-31T05:44:00.001-07:00

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, Off to the Barn I Go. This is my parody of the song from Snow White... It means I'm about to begin my day.

So much planned for today. Off to Amish country to buy some more lye. Becky and I are making soap tomorrow. Becky informed me we may be making up to eight 8# batches... Screech!!! What did she just say? That's a lot of soap. That's somewhere between 240 to 400 bars depending on the size of the molds. And let me tell you, we will need every mold we can find with that much soap. But hey we will be prepared for Christmas and the great beyond.

Hope to get the new kids horns disbudded tomorrow. No my little trick-or-treating devils, but the cute litte Nigerian Dwarf babies. They are so sweet! Buttercup has adopted Snickers little doeling. We are thinking of calling her Sneakers because she sneaks drinks from Buttercup as well as her mom Angelica. She a down-right thief! No wonder she is growing like a weed!

Science proves it - goat milk is healthier than cow milk

2009-10-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

What I've always suspected now has some proof - goats milk is healthier than cow's according to this study. It has been proven to prevent anemia and bone demineralization.

Two new doelings on the Rocking-M

2009-10-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

Kids Corral CR Angelica gave us two beautiful doelings today... Hope to upload pix later this weekend.... Debating whether to keep them.... Hubby says keep them, but he's kind of partial to "Angelica Pickles" as he calls her... I'm kind of fond of her too... She's a dream on the milk stand...

Maybe I'll wait until Buttercup drops her young ones... I truly thought she would kid first... She should go within the week....

And then there is next year's breeding... Noah has to figure out who he's breeding to who.... and get 'er done...

But today's task is donning my knee-high Muck Boots spreading gravel in our sopping wet, muddy barnyard with the hubby before the budding journalist arrives to interview me about my soap.

And then there's tomorrow, off to Carol's farm for the Capering Kids 4-H Goat Club's annual Fall Jamboree... Good times, good food, lots of goats and kids with good friends!

So many different types of milk

2009-10-21T17:34:00.000-07:00

It seems there is a different milk for every day of the week nowadays.

The Los Angeles Times goes on to explain the differences here...

I still prefer goat milk from my sweet, little Nigerian Dwarf goats any day of the week.

Rocking M doelings and their new owners make the news

2009-08-22T12:14:00.000-07:00

I'm looking forward to seeing Mason and Hattie Luster show their Rocking-M doelings at the Somerset County Fair this Sunday.

Read the wonderful article (from the Daily American) about the Lusters, Nigerian Dwarf Goats and our farm, Rocking M here.

Just letting you know... a Kids Corral goat made our local newspaper

2009-06-20T19:36:00.001-07:00

And here is a link to Angelica's breeder Kids Corral http://bit.ly/dGNFe

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Crazy Soapin' Farm Life

2009-06-12T17:49:00.001-07:00

I need to make soap... Lots and lots of soap.... I just added a new location.

Everyone asks me, " How do you get it all done?" When do I find time?

Between 11 pm and 3 am.... for soapmaking. Up at 5 am on days that are extremely crazy. In the barn no later than 7 am on workdays to feed and milk the goats.

Off to work - designing web pages, print media, working on social media.

Home. Feed the animals then the kids. Off to 4-H meetings.

Oh, did I mention, if you put a load of clothes in the wash before you go to the barn in the morning and put a load in when you get back in the morning, one will have just enough hot water for a shower before the wash fills completely. And, if you put a load in before you go to bed. A seriously tired mother can get 3 loads of laundry done in a day. Now, I'm not saying it is all folded. That would be a miracle!

Home. Catch up on all the rest. Sleep. Wonderful Sleep

Hello world

2009-06-11T17:03:00.001-07:00

Hello!

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Who knew a goat could do this

2009-06-06T06:10:00.001-07:00

Trolling the net for goat pix and I came across this .. I know goats have crazy balance, but YIKES!

Wind Farms kill Goats

2009-05-24T16:10:00.000-07:00

I am all for sustainable energy.... efficient sustainable energy and the more I learn the more I'm convinced that wind farms are not for Western MD, but rather for places like the coastal shelf where they can be most efficient. That being said, I just came across an article about goats and their demise due to wind farm noise.

The BBC published an interesting article about 400 goats dying due to sleep deprivation caused by the noise of nearby wind turbines. To read more on this... check out this link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8060969.stm

The Original Slim Jim Recipe

2009-05-23T04:55:00.000-07:00

I found this "original" Slim Jim recipe posted at the New York Times. I don't know if it is the real thing yet, but I'm going to pass it along to the butcher. I LOVE SLIM JIMS! I hope I LOVE GOAT SLIM JIMS! I'm thinking of culling one of the Boer does and her baby from last year just so I can make slim jims. Goat meat is really low in cholesterol and healthier than beef. After growing up on a beef farm, it is hard not to like beef.

http://events.nytimes.com/recipes/1884/2001/12/30/The-Original-Slim-Jim/recipe.html

The Original Slim Jim

Adapted from Bruce Aidells

ShareClose

Ingredients

1 lamb intestine casing (4 feet long)
2 1/2 pounds top round chuck, cubed
1 pound beef fat, cubed
3 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
1 teaspoon No. 1 curing salt
4 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1/3 cup lactic-acid starter culture

Preparation

1.: Rinse salt off the sausage casing. Soak in ice water for at least 1 hour.
2.: Combine meat and fat. Run the mixture through a meat grinder into a large bowl, using the finest setting. Add all ingredients, along with one cup of ice water. Knead vigorously until mixture is the consistency of bread dough (about 8 minutes).
3.: Rinse casing one last time. Choose the narrowest gauge tube of your sausage press. Splash the tube with ice water, then pull the casing over it. Transfer the mixture, about two fistfuls at a time, to the sausage press and then pump the meat into the casing, splashing more water on the tubing as needed to stop the casing from tearing.
4.: Preheat an electric smoker to 100 degrees. Hang sausage in the smoker for 22 hours. Temperature should never dip below 90 degrees or go above 110 degrees. After 22 hours, raise the temperature to 150 degrees and cook until the internal temperature reaches 150 to 155 degrees (about 30 minutes).
5.: Remove from smoker and let cool at about 50 degrees in a dry place for 4 hours. Cut sausage into 4-inch lengths.

YIELD: 16 servings

Originally published with FOOD: ADOLPH LEVIS, B. 1911; A Tricky Stick
By Manny Howard, December 30, 2001

BUSY AS A BEE

2009-05-19T11:52:00.001-07:00

Not gathering honey, but crazy busy today

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BUSY AS A BEE

2009-05-19T11:47:00.001-07:00

Crazy busy today!

) (

. .

I May you always have love to share, health to spare, and friends that care

(

Thank you,

Missy Russell Martz

Rocking M

Raising Sons, Reg. Haflinger Horses

& Reg. Nigerian Dwarf & Boer Goats

13509 Old Legislative Road SW

Frostburg, MD 21532

voice: 301/268-8388 before 8am or after 8 pm

email: melissamartz@gmail.com

There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.

— Winston Churchill

No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle. — Winston Churchill

Heaven is high and earth wide. If you ride three feet higher above the ground than other men, you will know what that means. — Rudolf C. Binding

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Random Notes to Self

2009-04-01T14:03:00.000-07:00

Copper Sulfate will treat foot rot. Mix copper sulfate with sawdust. Put in throw away cement mixing pans from Lowe's in a place where the goats have to walk through... Info courtesy of Fernie Register.

Robotic Cow Milkers

2009-03-29T20:22:00.000-07:00

Well, today I traveled to Annapolis with the fine folks from Western Maryland Rural Leadership. And along the way, we stopped at Mason Dixon Farm where Richard Waybright showed us around his super-efficient farm complete with robotic milkers.

The Waybrights employ 43 people and milk 2,400 head of holsteins daily through the use of robotic milkers. The cows self milk. As they want to be milked, they enter the a milking station, where a robotic DeLaval arm automatically does an udder wash, a milk test and in begins to milk. A computer automatically records each cows milk yield. Waybright's blue-ribbon cow milked 20# of milk per day.

This wasn't the only super-cool thing though. The Waybrights created a tractor that can mow down a 30' swath of silage, utilize a methane digester, and a irrigation thing on wheels to spread manure across their fields at a press of a button. Well, worth the tour!

Gardening Workshop

2009-03-25T16:10:00.000-07:00

Plant peas and beans twice...
Swiss chard manages heat better than lettuce...
Make cucumbers grow to make them climb..
Heritage Tomatoes - cross between Heirloom (taste) and Hybrid (yield)
Plant seed twice as deep as it is wide
Tamp down soil but not compact
Okra takes a long time to grow... more of a Southern plant
transplants: tomato, pepper, eggplant, cabbage, broccoli, herbs

carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium,
nitrogen - leaf growth, too much not much fruit production, manure, blood meal, cottonseed meal
phosophorus - rock phosphate, bone meal, cottonseed
potassium- wood ashes, manure, green sand, compost
synthetic fertlizers are more readily available because they are water-soluable
new garden - Nitrogen - Phosphorous - Potassium 10-10-10
2 cups = 1 lb. synthetic fertilizer
don't fertilize until you get the first set of true leaves
water after planting seeds or transplants, water especially when flowering and fruit
65 gallons
dig a hole 3 or 4 inches deep don't water it is until it is dry...
best time to water - late afternoon before sundown or early in the morning don't water in the heat of the day...
soaker hose cuts down on evaporation..
Add organic matter to soil to conserve water...
2-4 inches deep but don't let it touch the plants - encourages slugs

Weeds
skinny trowels, hand pull, mulch
plant in a row, weed every 10 days...
check label to seed how soon you can spray after using insecticides
slugs - pans of beer, half of cantelope upside down...

www.growit.umd.edu

Aphids - most common - most easy to deal with when they are young....
Whiteflies - in hoop houses mostly
Stink bugs white specks on tomatoes indicates
squash bug - red, adult brown, usually comes after you are sick of squash
Japanese beetle - hand pick - defense mechanism is to fall off so have cup underneath
Cucumber Beetle - yellow and black stripes - tough to control organic

Beneficial Insects
Ladybeetle fit on a pencil eraser
Syrphid Fly - maggot
Ground Beetle
Lacewing - hang under a leaf
Parasitic wasps - eats its hosts - mummy -
Tachinid Fly

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

SALE: Coffee & Cream Kitchen Soap

2009-03-24T15:31:00.000-07:00

Who wouldn't like a little coffee & cream in the morning?
A treat for the senses, the coffee smells so de-li-cious while the cream (made with real goats milk from here on the farm) nourishes your skin. This soap is also great for removing all those icky kitchen smells like onions and seafood from your hands...

$4.50
Approximate 4 oz. bar

Everlasting Fence Posts

2009-03-16T19:38:00.001-07:00

Take boiled linseed oil and stir in it pulverized charcoal to the consistency of paint. Put a coat of this over the timber, and there is not a man that will live to see it rotten." (From "Lee's Priceless Recipes" 1895)

Check!

2009-03-14T02:16:00.000-07:00

I received one of the books on my want to read list. Goat Medicine by Mary C. Smith and David Sherman. I am such the geek! At least my family thinks I am... I would rather read than do almost anything else besides be in the barn. They can't understand why I like the barn so much either...

PSA

2009-03-13T13:52:00.001-07:00

PSAgreat free widgetsWidgetbox

Martha Stewart's Soil Recipe

2009-03-08T11:55:00.000-07:00

The weather here is wonderful today. So, my planting urges are on full alert. Between checking the goats for new babies and lugging peat moss out of my truck, I'm cruising the net looking at organic soil mix recipes. I found Martha Stewart's recipe here.

Organic Soil Mix

2009-03-08T11:50:00.001-07:00

2 bags Organic compost
1 bag peat moss
1/2 bag perlite
1/2 bag vermiculite
1 bag pumice dust
6 cups bat guano
6 cups worm castings
4 cups bone meal
2 cups lime

Organic Tea Recipe

2009-03-08T11:49:00.001-07:00

5 gallons purified water
1/2 cup Fish emulsion
1 cup Bat guano
1 cup liquid seaweed
6 table spoons Molasses

Treatment for Lice on Goats

2009-03-05T18:12:00.000-08:00

This website suggests the following for treating lice on goats

In our area, cattle susceptible to lice will get them about July, especially if they aren't eating enough of the mineral lick. We haven't had lice in goats on Irrabina although we have had lice in sheep. We've had them in the cattle at times and rather than use a pour on as we have done in the past, we use a very simple and easy cure. Mostly it takes 4-5 days but can take longer depending on how bad the infestation is. We use SULPHUR. You can buy it in bulk from your produce supplier.

For goats,
use 1 TEASPOON per animal mixed with warm water. Administer orally using a drench gun or syringe at the rate of say 20ml per animal. That is, mix up enough sulphur at 1 teaspoon per animal in 20ml water times the number of goats.

For cattle,
use about 1 TABLESPOON per head per day, which works out to be about 30 grams per head per day. For 35 head (don't worry about size and weight, just number head), that's about 1kg. For 35 head, buy 5kgs of powdered sulphur (not the grains) which will last 5 days. We see a reaction (ie no licking of the body, no rubbing against trees, the coats are dry with more sheen) after 2 days but complete the 5 day treatment. Mix up and feed out as per giving treatments.

After 5 days, even if you see only one animal still licking itself or rubbing, continue the treatment for all for another 5 days. It's simple and relatively cheap.

Farm bank thrives amid crisis

2009-03-03T09:23:00.000-08:00

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/harford/bal-ha.farm21dec21,0,6327261.story

Ted Shelby's article for the Baltimore Sun, (12/21/08) opens with the following sentence.

Our nation would not be in the midst of the greatest financial crisis since the Depression if we had more grain farmers, dairymen and poultry growers running our lending institutions.

and goes on to say

Farm Credit's balance sheet is the envy of the banking industry. Net income for the six months ended June 30 is up nearly 20 percent to $1.55 billion from the same period last year.

and

Conventional lenders reported nearly 8,000 foreclosures in Maryland during the three-month period ended Sept. 30, and that is with state programs aimed at keeping people in their homes.

By comparison, MidAtlantic Farm Credit, which serves most of Maryland and parts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia and Delaware, has reported fewer than a dozen foreclosures over the past year.

While other banks have been cutting or completely eliminating dividend payments of shareholders, MidAtlantic paid out $28 million in patronage payments last year. This is a form of profit sharing with its borrowers who are also owners of the bank.

"Having farmers on our board of directors helps keep us focused on our mission," said Frazee. "They are fiscal conservatives and prone not to repeat mistakes of the past."

Sixteen of MidAtlantic's 18 directors are farmers.

Country folks can survive!

I think the key here is farmers don't typically repeat mistakes of the past. There are a few alive who lived through the Great Depression. My father just missed it, but my grandparents didn't and the stories were told and passed on to the next generation about how hard it was.

Brandied Apples with Goat Cheese Recipe

2009-03-03T06:59:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 baguette
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 green apple, sliced
2 tablespoons brandy or apple vodka (this may be omitted)
1 cup softened goat cheese

Preheat oven on low broil setting.

Slice baguette into 35 small rounds. Coat each round with olive oil and lightly salt and pepper them. Place them on a cookie sheet. In a small saucepan, melt butter and add apple slices. When apples are coated, add brandy and toss gently for about 3 minutes, until apples become slightly soft. Remove from heat.

To construct, place 1 apple slice on a toast round and spoon about 1 tablespoon of goat cheese on top. When all of them are constructed, place entire cookie sheet under broiler and remove as soon as the top of the goat cheese is slightly browned. Be sure you don't forget them, because they will brown quickly.

Goat Cheese Dumplings with Sambal Chili Oil Recipe

2009-03-03T06:51:00.000-08:00

Girly goats! Hurry up and freshen 'cause the recipe sounds de-lish!

Ingredients:
24 won ton wrappers
5 ounces goat cheese
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons sesame oil
4 tablespoons sambal chili paste
parsley to garnish

Lay out won ton wrappers. Place a thumbnail size piece of goat cheese in center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of wrapper and fold wrappers into a triangle. Seal edges making sure to eliminate any air pockets. Blend oils and Sambal paste in blender until smooth. Bring large pot of water (and salt) to a boil. Drop half of the dumplings into water and let boil for 2 minutes,

Remove and boil remaining dumplings. Arrange 4 dumplings on each plate and drizzle with the chili oil mixture and sprinkle with parsley.

This recipe from CDKitchen for Goat Cheese Dumplings with Sambal Chili Oil serves/makes 6

Bamboo as a goat forage?

2009-03-01T13:04:00.000-08:00

From http://www.wildthymefarm.com/agrobamboo.html

An excerpt from Wild Thyme Farm about Bamboo as an animal forage

On our farm where we run dairy cattle and goats on an open pasture we are faced with food shortages during the winter months when grasses are dormant or no longer meeting the nutritional needs of the animals. Consequently we have had to invest in either purchased feed or the energy and labor of cutting and storing grass hay. Recently we have begun exploring a number of perennial crops that hold the potential for extending the forage capacity of the bottomland pastures. Bamboo has become a prime candidate as a perennial forage species as it holds its foliage year round making dormant season harvest possible. Having a high protein content (12%-19%) it is comparable to alfalfa in nutritional value yet does not require the intensive cutting, drying, and storage process of an annual crop.

Bamboo thrives in the rich, moist alluvial soils of the farm's bottomlands. We are therefore researching the feasibility of growing bamboo in proximity to grazing animals. Feeding can be managed by either cutting bamboo and "throwing it over the fence" or allowing animals to g raze in bamboo paddocks on short rotations. WSU is also experimenting with producing silage, a product of fermented foliage or biomass, from bamboo leaves. Silage is typically produced from grass hay and is a common strategy for providing a food source to grazing animals during seasons when pastures are dormant.

Party Games

2009-03-01T09:46:00.001-08:00

From http://www.mommyswahmplace.com/partyplangames.html

Name That Candy

Hand each guest a list with all the questions, the person who gets the most correct answers, wins!

1) A Famous Trio
2) A Galaxy Not So Far Away
3) She Loves Chuck
4) The Mighty Twins
5) Good For Laughs
6) Draw a Blank
7) Sultan of Swat
8) The Best Day of the Week
9) Pile It On
10) Happiness Abounds
11) A Rainbow of Color
12) Don't Go To Sea Without It
13) A Hot Planet
14) I Forgot...?
15) Superman's alter ego
16) Ritzy New York
17) Nothin' Between The Ears
18) Lotta Moola
19) Goofy Geeks
20) Tubby Hubby

TV Game

Tell the guests you are playing a game, and give each a piece of paper and a pen. Tell them all to listen good! After you are done reading, have them write down all of the TV shows that were in the story. The one with the most, wins!

I was THIRTY SOMETHING, living through THE WONDER YEARS with my FAMILY and my husband taking ONE DAY AT A TIME. We were doing okay, but THE FACTS OF LIFE were that we were not born with SILVER SPOONS in our mouths. Our savings were in JEOPARDY and we didn't want to be in debt for the rest of THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES. I finally told my husband, it's time to get out of THIS OLD HOUSE or at least make some HOME IMPROVEMENTS. I don't want to start a FAMILY FEUD but I'm YOUNG AND RESTLESS and I want to contribute to the family finances. It's time for me to GET SMART.

Don't be THE CRITIC, I'm in search of AMERICA'S MOST WANTED job. FAMILY MATTERS to me and I don't want to miss out on the PRIME TIME with the kids by hiring THE NANNY. [Your company] offers a great opportunity. THE PRICE IS RIGHT, no investment!!! Part-time work with full-time pay! And WHO'S THE BOSS? I am! But could I get up in front of a FULL HOUSE of PERFECT STRANGERS for 60 MINUTES and tell people how to take home their BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL with [Your company] merchandise and become DESIGNING WOMEN?

Of course, I have experienced some GROWING PAINS, but soon I was able to spread my WINGS and watch my business BLOSSOM. [Your company] has made me feel like I'm part of A-TEAM. I have GOOD TIMES at home with ALL MY CHILDREN. My family CHEERS when my weekly profit-check arrives!

Pass the Gift

This is a very easy one to play! Bring a wrapped gift to your show. After you have introduced yourself, have everyone stand up and get into a circle. Hand 1 person the gift and have them follow the following directions. The last one with the gift in hand wins.

You thought all the gifts were meant for you. But I have other items too.
So hold up this gift and look around, and give it to the one with eyes of brown.

You think you are the lucky one, but let us all share in the fun!
Look around with eyes discreet, and give it to the one with the smallest feet.

Your feet are tiny and very small. Now hand it to someone very tall.
Please, take your time and don't be harried. Give it to the one who is longest married.

You must be proud of your married life, now pass this on to the newest wife.

Of this parcel you are bereft, give it to the one on your left.
The largest earring I'm looking for now, if you're wearing them, step up with a bow.

Now to the person with buttons-- big or small, any kind, the most you can find gets the gift at this time.

Now don't get cross and please don't fight, but pass it to the lady third on the right.

We should stop now, don't you agree? The gift is yours to open and see.

The Detergent & Soap Game

Let everyone know you are playing the detergent and soap game. Tell them you are going to read them a short story and have them right down all of the detergents or soaps they spot in your paragraph. The one with the most, wins.

With joy in my heart, I made a dash for the mailbox. What a thrill to find that my special package had arrived. Giving a shout I raced into the house like a Haley's Comet. "Why all the excitement?" asked my husband. "If you'd use some of the energy to keep the house spic n span and to get the laundry done, I might have enough clean clothes to tide me over." "So, you think house work is a breeze. "I retorted."

Here's the whisk broom now why don't you climb down from your ivory tower and give me a hand?" "And as for the laundry, I thought I woodbury that in the back yard." "One more bold remark like that", he replied" and I'm going to dial the dress shop and cancel the order on your new chiffon dress. How duz that strike you?" "Not on your lifebuoy" I said, grabbing the phone from his hand. "I was only teasing Sweetheart he said, "Now go and open your special package to cheer you up.

Carding, carding, carding

2009-03-01T08:50:00.000-08:00

I have been hand carding mohair in preparation of dyeing it for a wonderful yarn I hope to spin. Maureen Pritchard, The Barefoot Spinner, loaned me a pair of carders at the end of her wonderful spinning class held at Millicent's (yarn shop) on the Downtown Cumberland Mall.

I have a long way to get all this fiber carded. And I still have wool to wash and pick thanks to Carol Manger at Briarwood Farms. I yearn for a spinning wheel of my own. All in due time.

Trying to find time to satisfy my curiousity of it all amongst the soapmaking, the 4-H meetings, work, getting ready to kid, and starting seeds for the garden.

Life is busy, but I am blessed.

Homemade Electrolyte Mixture

2009-03-01T08:44:00.001-08:00

Courtesy of Fiasco Farm's website

Fiasco Farm has a wonderful website full of useful information. Molly's Herbal Wormer is wonderful, too. I have used it to stop diarrhea in kids that I suspect were dealing with coccidia.

Mixture #1
1 package of Jam & Jelly pectin (Surgel).
1 Tbs baking soda
1 Tbs potassium chloride, Lite Salt (can find in the grocery aisle with the diet foods)
Mix with 2 quarts of water.

Goat Milk Lotion

2009-03-01T08:29:00.000-08:00

20 grams stearic acid
42 grams emulsifying wax
22 grams Shea Butter
38 grams Apricot Kernel Oil
32 grams macadamia nut Oil
20 grams Sweet Almond Oil
32 grams sunflower Oil
10 grams glycerin
2.50 grams citric acid
776 grams distilled water
7 grams germaben II
1.8 grams lemon F.O.
1.2 grams vanilla hazelnut
+ 3% goats milk ultra pasteurized at 200° for 60 seconds

Banana Butter recipe

2009-03-01T06:54:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

3 cups of mashed banana. Three cups is approximately equal to 10 to 12 bananas

1/4 of a cup of lemon juice

1/2 of a cup of minced maraschino cherry

7 cups of sugar

6 ounces of liquid pectin

Step by Step

1. Measure the three cups of freshly mashed bananas in a saucepan.

2. Mix together the lemon juice, maraschino cherries and the sugar

3. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil and continue to boil for 1 complete minute

4. Stir the mixture continuously to prevent sticking

5. Remove from pan from the heat and stir the pectin into the mixture

6. Mix all the ingredients well

7. Ladle the completed butter into sterile hot jars and immediately seal

8. Process the jars in your boiling water bath at least for ten minutes per pints.

I learned to spin today

2009-02-21T20:10:00.000-08:00

I learned to spin today. Not that new-fangled spinning class you see at gyms, but spinning fiber into yarn. Now I'm googling louet wheels and Angora goats. LOL

Just what I need - another addiction. The first was horses, now its goats, is yarn next. Who knows? But it was fun!

Goat licking

2009-02-21T20:08:00.000-08:00

So my 7-year-old says to me today, "Mommy, why is Oreo licking the barn?"

I answer, " I don't know." (because I truly don't - she has all she needs in her little goatie kingdom)

My 7-year-old answers brightly, "She's polishing the barn."

I smile and think to myself, now only if I could put her to work on my hardwood floors.

Another Teat Dip Recipe

2009-02-19T06:41:00.000-08:00

Use this after milking-
Teat Dip
Mix four litres of water, 5 ml of lavender oil, 5 ml pine oil, 2 ml eucalyptus oil, 12 ml cottonseed oil (available in drugstores) and 5 ml methylene blue.

courtesy of Proverbs 31 Nubians and Nigerians on Double D Ranch

Two Goats in Love

2009-02-14T03:41:00.001-08:00

Saturday April 12, 2008

from Molly's Astrology Blog

Capricorn is surefooted when it comes to climbing mountains, but in love, can be secretive and wary. They like to dominate, but want someone they can respect. They're often stubbornly wed to their way of doing things. They're sensual, loyal and mysteriously wise. They're full of quirks of thrifty behavior, dark humor and a melancholy that is at times, enveloping. Only another Goat can truly understand the "crazy cappy," and love them from deep inside the cave.

A Goat for Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T03:36:00.000-08:00

Here is a too cute goat for Valentine's Day! Kiss your honey, kiss your goat!

Stackyard

2009-02-14T03:32:00.000-08:00

Visit a new goat finder site:
www.stackyard.com

Goats for Sale

2009-02-14T02:59:00.000-08:00

3 AGS Registered Nigerian Dwarf Bucks for Sale
in Western Maryland
disbudded, up-to-date on CDT shots, AGS Registered

Looking for Registered Nigerian Dwarf doelings? Reserve your March 2009 kids today

An adorable solid white buck with blue eyes
Great conformation!
Rocking-M Buttercream $300
Born February 2008
Proven (he has does bred that are due in March)

Gold and white buck with blue eyes
Rocking-M Butter Goldie Spots $200
Born September 2008

Black and white buck with blue eyes
Great conformation!
Rocking-M Butterdoodle $300
Born September 2008
SOLD! Thanks P.A.

Email for pix info@rocking-m.com

Goat Vets recommended by other goat breeders

2009-02-12T18:00:00.001-08:00

Here is a list of goat vets listed by state courtesy of CyberGoat....

Pink Eye Remedy for Goats

2009-02-05T22:14:00.001-08:00

The absolute best is Coni Ross's recipe 1 part Dexamethasone
1 part Gentamicin
1 part sterile water

I use a small eyeglass spray bottle and spray once a day. One or two times and it's done. I checked with a vet and he said that it's so much better than the puffer because the puffer requires moisture to make it work and Pinkeye dries the eye out (no moisture)

Funny Goat Story

2009-02-05T21:32:00.001-08:00

Nigerian police detain goat over armed robbery

Fri Jan 23, 10:55 am ET

LAGOS (Reuters) – Police in Nigeria are holding a goat on suspicion of attempted armed robbery.

Vigilantes took the black and white beast to the police saying it was an armed robber who had used black magic to transform himself into a goat to escape arrest after trying to steal a Mazda 323.

"The group of vigilante men came to report that while they were on patrol they saw some hoodlums attempting to rob a car. They pursued them. However one of them escaped while the other turned into a goat," Kwara state police spokesman Tunde Mohammed told Reuters by telephone.

"We cannot confirm the story, but the goat is in our custody. We cannot base our information on something mystical. It is something that has to be proved scientifically, that a human being turned into a goat," he said.

Belief in witchcraft is widespread in parts of Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation. Residents came to the police station to see the goat, photographed in one national newspaper on its knees next to a pile of straw.

(Reporting by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Katie Nguyen)

Build your own milker instructions

2009-02-04T13:55:00.001-08:00

Build your own milker instructions here...

More notes...

2009-02-04T13:39:00.001-08:00

From: http://www.mohairconnection.com/goathealth.htm

FEED

As a general rule, we feed grain year around -l lb. pound per animal per day. If you choose not to feed grain throughout the year, begin feeding ½ lb. per day when pasture is no longer available (usually October through April). Growing kids need 1 lb. of grain a day until they are one year old. In severe cold weather, feed extra grain at night to provide energy . A handy measuring container is a margarine tub. One "fill" is a pound. Goats are fussy eaters when it comes to cleanliness - if their grain has been fouled in some way they will not touch it.

For pregnant does, we feed 1 lb. of grain per day until the last four weeks of gestation, at which time we gradually increase feed to 1½ lb. per day and keep them at that level until kids are weaned. (Do not overfeed during early gestation since this can result in kids that are too large boned to be delivered.) For does with twins or triplets, we increase grain to 2 lbs. per day and keep an eye on them. If they look like they are getting too thin, we increase the grain, or vice versa. You get the idea.

We have our grain ration mixed in 1,000 lb. lots. Here is the "formula" (with rounded percentages) for a 12% protein feed: 350 lb. (36%) cracked corn, 300 lb. (32%) rolled barley, 150 lb.(16%) whole oats, and 150 lb. (16%) 38% Dari Blend, which is cracked and mixed with 5 lb BioBaby Premix (kelp fortified with other plant based minerals), 5 lb. PYK (a yeast culture that feeds the rumen microbes), 10 lb. Icelandic kelp, 25-30 lb. diatomaceous earth, 160 lb. (17%) liquid molasses and .4% ammonium chloride (to prevent urinary calculi in males). The Biobaby Premix, PYK and Icelandic kelp are nutritional supplements that we buy from Midwestern Bio-Ag (as well as our diatomaceous earth) . We also feed kelp free choice. Kelp has just about every nutrient in it that a goat needs. You’ll be astounded how the animals fight over it.

When making any change in grain "formulas", or when beginning grain in the fall or ending grain in the spring, do so very slowly to allow the rumen to adjust. Similarly, introduce any new food very slowly.

As to hay, a mixed grass hay is best for goats. Alfalfa is too rich and will cause all kinds of health problems and diarrhea. During severe cold weather, feed the poorest hay you have—this stimulates the rumen, which acts as the goats’ "furnace"
.
Also, allow some bedding to build up during the coldest months of the year—the urine and feces provide healthy heat. Goat urine and feces do not smell — although you may notice an ammonia smell in the Spring just before you clean the barn. In this event, sprinkle a liberal amount of barn lime about and that will take care of it. Goat urine and feces do not contain urea, and for this reason the bedding can be used to directly on your garden for fertilizing and mulching and will not burn plants. A healthy goat will produce feces that look like black, shiny marbles

.Make sure that your goats have mineralized salt (the kind sold for sheep—not the kind sold for cattle) available free choice. (It can be tricky figuring out where to put the mineralized salt feeder so they can’t poop in it!) We feed a salt/Icelandic kelp mix and have observed an increase in overall sturdiness as well as fleece quality since we added this to our nutritional regime. If you don’t have a source, ask us about it.

ALL THINGS GREEN | Goat Green

2009-01-23T06:34:00.001-08:00

ALL THINGS GREEN | Goat Green

Posted using ShareThis

Polled Hereford notes

2009-01-14T05:39:00.001-08:00

Places to look for Polled Herefords in the future...
Foggy Bottom Farm, Taneytown, MD
>Genetic Partner, Larsons' Polled Herefords
Renner Polled Herefords Bens Run, WV

Seasame Seed Oil for eczema

2009-01-06T18:13:00.000-08:00

Sesame Seed Oil (Used for eczema, psoriasis
and mature skin. Contains excellent moisturizing properties and also used to help fade blemishes

Solid Bubble Bath Recipe

2009-01-06T18:07:00.000-08:00

1/3 cup of cream of tartar (available at supermarket)
1 cup of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
1 cup of sodium laurel sulfoacetate SLS (powdered foaming agent)
1/3 cup (more or less) of glycerin liquid
a few drops of water-based soap colorant or food color
any fragrance or essential oil (we used Juniper Breeze)
a mold (we used our small loaf mold)

Makes 18 ozs. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and add the colorant and fragrance a few drops at a time until the desired shade and scent are achieved. Mix in the glycerin liquid a little at a time until the mixture holds together in your hand. Transfer to your mold and press firmly into the mold. Unmold after about a hour and check for firmness. If the mixture crumbles, return it to the bowl and add more glycerin, then remold.

If it holds together when unmolded, cut into chunks or slices and continue to let dry on wax paper. May take overnight or longer to harden. Wrap in cellophane, tissue paper or store in container. Use within a month or two.

To use: Drop into running bath water and enjoy the bubbles!

Poem: The Goat and I

2009-01-04T09:52:00.001-08:00

The Goat And I
Robert William Service

Each sunny day upon my way

A goat I pass;

He has a beard of silver grey,

A bell of brass.

And all the while I am in sight

He seems to muse,

And stares at me with all his might

And chews and chews.

Upon the hill so thymy sweet

With joy of Spring,

He hails me with a tiny bleat

Of welcoming.

Though half the globe is drenched with blood

And cities flare,

Contentedly he chews the cud

And does not care.

Oh gentle friend, I know not what

Your age may be,

But of my years I'd give the lot

Yet left to me,

To chew a thistle and not choke,

But bright of eye

Gaze at the old world-weary bloke

Who hobbles by.

Alas! though bards make verse sublime,

And lines to quote,

It takes a fool like me to rhyme

About a goat.

Goat Milk Baths

2009-01-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

Homemade Milk Baths For Sale

$4.50

Spicy Milk Bath- made from oatmeal, milk, baking soda with a cinnamon fragrance. 6 oz jar- $4.50 + shipping.

Goats Milk Bath- made from goats milk & citrus oils
6 oz jar- $4.50 + shipping.

Herbal Milk Bath- made from cornstarch and milk with herbs.
6 oz jar- $4.50 + shipping.

Lavender Milk Bath- made from milk and lavender.
6 oz jar- $4.50 + shipping.

Oatmeal Milk Bath- made from oatmeal, milk, hazelnut and lavender oil.
6 oz jar- $4.50 + shipping.

All products are wonderful and smell great. They leave your skin soft. It makes a wonderful gift and its a great way to enda busy and tiring day! Enjoy!

Keep Mosquitoes away

2009-01-02T15:28:00.000-08:00

put some pennyroyal or tea tree oil in laundry detergent...

The Prayer of the Goat

2008-12-23T11:15:00.001-08:00

Lord, let me live as I will

I need a little wild freedom

A little gladness of heart

The strange taste of unknown flowers

For whom else are your mountains?

Your snow, wind? - These springs?

The sheep do not understand as they graze

All of them and always in the same direction

And then eternally Chew the cud of their insipid routine

But I - I love to bound to the heart of your marvels

Leap your chasms

And, with my mouth filled

With intoxicating grasses

Quiver with an adventurer's delight

On the summit of the world.

Poem: Translated from the French by Rumen Goddem

Crockpot Chicken Marsala

2008-12-23T10:24:00.001-08:00

4 half chicken breasts
1 stick butter
8 ounces cream cheese
2/3 cup Marsala cooking wine
2 cans mushroom soup
3/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste.

Cut chicken breasts into cubes. Place chicken, butter, water and spices in slow cooker. Mix cream cheese, wine and mushroom soup until combined and pour over chicken. Cover and cook for 4 to 8 hours on high. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

Another Milking Ration

2008-12-15T12:15:00.002-08:00

4 parts whole oats
2 parts whole wheat
1 part cracked corn
1 part Calf Manna
1 part B.O.S.S.

Thinking of modifying... rationale...oats are significantly better than wheat for humans... I can get spelts rather inexpensively, change cracked corn to whole corn as it is cheaper....

Calculating a Goat Ration

2008-12-15T12:15:00.001-08:00

Calculating a ration requires 7 steps (Haenlein, 1995):

determine body weight to calculate maintenance requirements of energy, protein, fiber, calcium and phosphorus from tables;

determine milk yield and fat content per day plus a challenge factor in early lactation of 10 percent for calculation of production requirements of energy, protein, fiber, calcium, phosphorus from tables;

add the two requirement categories for each of the 5 nutrients on a dry-matter basis;

determine the composition of your eaten hay (minus the refusals) for the 5 nutrients from tables or actual lab analyses;

determine the daily actual hay intake by your goat in question and multiply this with the nutrient composition on a dry-matter basis;

subtract the results of step (5) from the total of step (3), giving you the nutrient deficit, which must be provided by a grain supplement on a dry matter basis;

determine composition and price of various alternative commercial or farm-grown grain supplements and multiply with the most probable intake level to arrive at the nutrient deficit total, remembering that ration calculations and feeds offered can not exceed the normal level of daily dry matter intake by goats between 3 to 5 percent of body weight. If goats are found to eat less than 3 percent of body weight on a dry-matter basis, they are either starving or their feed is not palatable to them.

Farm Liability Ins.

2008-12-02T14:40:00.000-08:00

$500-$700 per million $ of coverage typically

$5 million - $2,000-$5,000 for policy

Valbazen

2008-12-02T14:35:00.002-08:00

27 day withdrawal
give to does the day she kids and at 6 weeks post-partum

Bovi-Sera

2008-12-02T14:35:00.001-08:00

10cc each side of neck under skin
or
35cc orally

Nuflor

2008-12-02T14:33:00.000-08:00

Q. What is Nuflor?

A. Nuflor is a fast-acting, long-lasting injectable antibiotic containing florfenicol, available only from Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health. It is highly effective in the treatment of bovine respiratory disease (also called BRD) and foot rot.

Q. What is florfenicol?

A. Florfenicol is a novel, broad-spectrum antibiotic discovered and developed by Schering-Plough Animal Health Corp. It is approved for veterinary use in treating BRD and foot rot.

Florfenicol is distinctly different from other antibacterials used in animal health. It is chemically similar to chloramphenicol but has no human safety risks.

Unique Benefits of Nuflor

Q. Why is Nuflor unique?

A. Nuflor is effective against all three major bacterial causes of BRD – Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida and Haemophilus somnus. Because BRD usually involves more than one organism, it is vital for first-line therapy to eliminate as many of those as possible. Now it’s easy to do that with just one subcutaneous or two intramuscular doses of Nuflor.

Because Nuflor rapidly goes to work against all three bacteria, disease progression is inhibited, reducing the need for costly retreatments and the incidence of chronics.

Speed of Therapy

Q. How quickly is Nuflor absorbed and distributed to the site of infection?

A. Nuflor rapidly goes to work, reaching therapeutic levels within 30 minutes after one subcutaneous or intramuscular dose. The rapid absorption means fast action to help reduce retreatments, repulls and chronics.

Nuflor limits the effects of respiratory disease quickly, before lung damage occurs. Within 24 hours, you should see improvements in the animal’s condition:

lower temperatures
less nasal discharge and coughing
more normal respiration

Dosage

Q. What is the recommended dosage of Nuflor for high-risk cattle?

A. One subcutaneous dose at 6 mL/cwt.

Q. What is the recommended dosage of Nuflor used in the hospital?

A. One subcutaneous dose at 6 mL/cwt.

-or-

Two intramuscular doses in the neck, 2 days apart, at 3 mL/cwt.

Q. Should Nuflor be used Sub-Q or IM?

A. The Nuflor formulation is consistent. So, in the hospital, you may choose whether Sub-Q or IM is best for your operation, depending on your management practices. For high-risk cattle on arrival, Nuflor should be used Sub-Q.

Comparison to Micotil®

Q. How does Nuflor (florfenicol) compare to Micotil (tilmicosin)?

A. Nuflor has a broader spectrum of activity than Micotil. This is especially important for high-risk calves, since they can arrive at the feedyard with infections by mixed bacteria. Nuflor, Sub-Q or IM, is labeled to treat all three major bacterial causes of BRD. Micotil is not labeled for P. multocida or H. somnus. The approved dosage regimens for Nuflor provide 4 full days of therapy with one course of treatment, while Micotil provides 3 days of therapy.

Administration

Q. Can Nuflor be administered via an automatic syringe?

A. Yes. Nuflor 250- and 500-mL vials have a protective package and built-in hanger for use with automatic injection equipment.

Q. What is the withdrawal period?

A. For One-Dose Sub-Q Nuflor, the withdrawal period is 38 days prior to slaughter. For Two-Dose IM Nuflor, the withdrawal period is 28 days prior to slaughter.

Q. Can Nuflor be used in lactating dairy cows?

A. Nuflor is not recommended for use in lactating dairy cows because studies to determine a milk withdrawal time have not been conducted.

One-Dose Sub-Q Benefits

Q. What are the benefits of One-Dose Sub-Q administration of Nuflor?

A. One-Dose Sub-Q administration provides for:

Less labor
Less animal stress
Fewer injections than the two-dose IM regimen
No damage to muscle tissue

Benefits of Treating High-Risk Cattle

Q. What are the benefits of treating high-risk cattle upon arrival at the feedyard?

A. Treatment of high-risk calves on arrival can reduce respiratory pulls by 50 percent.* The use of an effective broad-spectrum antibiotic on arrival returns the investment by limiting pulls, retreatments and death loss.

*Data on file at Schering-Plough Animal Health Corp.

Packaging

Q. Does Nuflor need to be refrigerated or reconstituted?

A. Nuflor does not require refrigeration, so it does not take up valuable cooler space. It should be stored between 36° - 86° F. It can be kept out in the open, within easy reach. Lower temperatures may decrease syringeability, so a warming device is available.

Nuflor does not require reconstitution. It is ready to use when needed, and valuable product is not wasted by reconstituting more doses than needed at one time.

Q. In what sizes is Nuflor available?

A. For flexibility and convenience, Nuflor is available in three vial sizes: 100, 250 and 500 mL. The two larger sizes have a protective cover to help prevent damage to the vials during handling and administration.

Safety in Cattle

Q. What is the margin of safety of Nuflor in cattle?

A. Nuflor has been administered at 10-fold the recommended dose given twice, 48 hours apart. Only a temporary decrease in feed and water intake and body weight were observed. Some animals may experience this side effect temporarily during treatment. Nuflor has no long-term effect on body weight, rate of gain, or feed consumption.

Q. Are there any interactions between Nuflor and other commonly known antibacterials or vaccines?

A. None are known.

Use in Breeding Animals

Q. What is the effect of Nuflor in breeding animals?

A. The effect of Nuflor in bulls and pregnant cattle has not been determined.

Food and Human Safety

Q. Are there any concerns for human handler safety?

A. There are no concerns unique to Nuflor. Normal precautions for injectable veterinary products are recommended. Please refer to Product Disclosure.

Nuflor is a registered trademark of Schering-Plough Animal Health Corporation.

Micotil is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company.

Excenel RTU for Pneumonia

2008-12-02T14:32:00.001-08:00

EXCENEL RTU 100 ml

Rx Required Click here to submit Pet-Vet Information

More information on ordering a prescription

EXCENEL RTU offers effective treatment, along with the peace of mind that comes with no milk discard.
Once you discover the efficacy, cost savings, ease of use and versatility of EXCENEL RTU, youï¿½ll wonder how you ever ran your dairy without it.

EXCENEL RTU is indicated for treatment of:
Acute postpartum metritis (uterine infection) caused by organisms susceptible to ceftiofur, Bovine respiratory disease (pneumonia, shipping fever, BRD) due to Mannheimia spp.

(Pasteurella haemolytica), Pasteurella multocida and Haemophilus somnus, Acute bovine interdigital necrobacillosis (foot rot, pododermatitis) associated with Fusobacterium necrophorum and Bacteroides melaninogenicus.

Acute metritis (0ï¿½14 days postpartum) associated with bacterial organisms susceptible to ceftiofur.

Item#	Item Name	Market Price	Allivet Price	Qty	Add
26520	EXCENEL RTU 100 ml	$79.99	$69.99

Random Notes to Self

2008-12-02T12:09:00.000-08:00

LaRue
814-445-7229
Goat Processing

Up the Creek Farm
Levels, WV

Ben Cooper
NCRS Project Grass

Multi-Ring Show?
Sanctioning Fees?
Show Chair, Show Steward
$5-$8 head/100 animals breaks even

More protein than grain...

2008-10-30T06:28:00.000-07:00

A farmer friend recently told me of a no grain/grass fed dairy in MD where they rotate pastures every 36 hours. The grass must be between 6-16".

Hmmm.... Would love to know more...

Where's My Billy Goat Gone To? by Henry Clay Work

2008-10-15T14:33:00.001-07:00

'Twas a birthday gift Miss Posie had
When she was nine, and twenty:
Not of gold -- Oh, no! -- nor gem, nor pearl,
Tho' he who gave had plenty.
'Twas a gift she took so much to heart,
Her neighbors thought her silly;
'Twas a B-A-B-Y (Baby) Goat,
A snow-white Baby Billy!
Pretty little Billy, Billy -- Oh!
Where's my Billy Goat gone to?

Take my home! Take my farm!
Yes, me too (if you want to);
But tell me! tell me!
Where's my Billy Goat gone to?
Pretty little Billy, Billy -- Oh!
Where's my Billy Goat gone to?

When she tried to teach him how to read,
Twas only "baa" he'd utter;
As she coaxed him then with cake and cream,
He'd slyly turn to butt her.
Yet he taught himself a thousand tricks,
And many a curious caper;
He would clamber to her chimney top,
And dine there on brown paper.

When the winter came she bought him shoes,
And flannel red she ordered
For a Sunday suit, with trousers cut
Four-legged and embroidered
On the steeple soon in tatters hung,
They set the parson snarling;
And he called that goat Be-el-ze-bub --
The one that she called Darling.
Pretty little Billy, Billy -- Oh!
Where's my Billy Goat gone to?

He was fond of roaming on the rocks,
With workmen in the quarry;
And if there he found their luncheon pails,
Not he but they were sorry.
For he raised aloft his iron brow,
Despite the foreman's clamor;
And the pails, he crushed them one by one,
As with a blacksmith's hammer.
Pretty little Billy, Billy -- Oh!
Where's my Billy Goat gone to?

Then for pails replaced and pails concealed
Each morning he went searching,
Till at last he found a shining prize,
Upon a boulder perching.
Had he read its label, "Dynamite!"
He might have known his blunder;
But he gave it one tremendous blow,
And then came peals of thunder!
Pretty little Billy, Billy -- Oh!
Where's my Billy Goat gone to?

Blogged with the Flock Browser

The Goat and I by Robert William Service

2008-10-15T14:29:00.001-07:00

The Goat And I
Robert William Service

Each sunny day upon my way
          A goat I pass;
He has a beard of silver grey,
          A bell of brass.
And all the while I am in sight
          He seems to muse,
And stares at me with all his might
          And chews and chews.

Upon the hill so thymy sweet
          With joy of Spring,
He hails me with a tiny bleat
          Of welcoming.
Though half the globe is drenched with blood
          And cities flare,
Contentedly he chews the cud
          And does not care.

Oh gentle friend, I know not what
          Your age may be,
But of my years I'd give the lot
          Yet left to me,
To chew a thistle and not choke,
          But bright of eye
Gaze at the old world-weary bloke
          Who hobbles by.

Alas! though bards make verse sublime,
          And lines to quote,
It takes a fool like me to rhyme
          About a goat.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

The Ballad of Casey's Billy Goat by Robert William Service

2008-10-15T14:28:00.001-07:00

The Ballad Of Casey's Billy-Goat by Robert William Service

You've heard of "Casey at The Bat,"
And "Casey's Tabble Dote";
But now it's time
To write a rhyme
Of "Casey's Billy-goat."

Pat Casey had a billy-goat he gave the name of Shamus,
Because it was (the neighbours said) a national disgrace.
And sure enough that animal was eminently famous
For masticating every rag of laundry round the place.
For shirts to skirts prodigiously it proved its powers of chewing;
The question of digestion seemed to matter not at all;
But you'll agree, I think with me, its limit of misdoing
Was reached the day it swallowed Missis Rooney's ould red shawl.

Now Missis Annie Rooney was a winsome widow women,
And many a bouncing boy had sought to make her change her name;
And living just across the way 'twas surely only human
A lonesome man like Casey should be wishfully the same.
So every Sunday, shaved and shined, he'd make the fine occasion
To call upon the lady, and she'd take his and coat;
And supping tea it seemed that she might yield to his persuasion,
But alas! he hadn't counted on that devastating goat.

For Shamus loved his master with a deep and dumb devotion,
And everywhere that Casey went that goat would want to go;
And though I cannot analyze a quadruped's emotion,
They said the baste was jealous, and I reckon it was so.
For every time that Casey went to call on Missis Rooney,
Beside the gate the goat would wait with woefulness intense;
Until one day it chanced that they were fast becoming spooney,
When Shamus spied that ould red shawl a-flutter on the fence.

Now Missis Rooney loved that shawl beyond all rhyme or reason,
And maybe 'twas an heirloom or a cherished souvenir;
For judging by the way she wore it season after season,
I might have been as precious as a product of Cashmere.
So Shamus strolled towards it, and no doubt the colour pleased him,
For he biffed it and he sniffed it, as most any goat might do;
Then his melancholy vanished as a sense of hunger seized him,
And he wagged his tail with rapture as he started in to chew.

"Begorrah! you're a daisy," said the doting Mister Casey
to the blushing Widow Rooney as they parted at the door.
"Wid yer tinderness an' tazin' sure ye've set me heart a-blazin',
And I dread the day I'll nivver see me Anniw anny more."
"Go on now wid yer blarney," said the widow softly sighing;
And she went to pull his whiskers, when dismay her bosom smote. . . .
Her ould red shawl! 'Twas missin' where she'd left it bravely drying -
Then she saw it disappearing - down the neck of Casey's goat.

Fiercely flamed her Irish temper, "Look!" says she, "The thavin' divvle!
Sure he's made me shawl his supper. Well, I hope it's to his taste;
But excuse me, Mister Casey, if I seem to be oncivil,
For I'll nivver wed a man wid such a misbegotten baste."
So she slammed the door and left him in a state of consternation,
And he couldn't understand it, till he saw that grinning goat:
Then with eloquence he cussed it, and his final fulmination
Was a poem of profanity impossible to quote.

So blasting goats and petticoats and feeling downright sinful,
Despairfully he wandered in to Shinnigan's shebeen;
And straightway he proceeded to absorb a might skinful
Of the deadliest variety of Shinnigan's potheen.
And when he started homeward it was in the early morning,
But Shamus followed faithfully, a yard behind his back;
Then Casey slipped and stumbled, and without the slightest warning
like a lump of lead he tumbled - right across the railroad track.

And there he lay, serenely, and defied the powers to budge him,
Reposing like a baby, with his head upon the rail;
But Shamus seemed unhappy, and from time to time would nudge him,
Though his prods to protestation were without the least avail.
Then to that goatish mind, maybe, a sense of fell disaster
Came stealing like a spectre in the dim and dreary dawn;
For his bleat of warning blended with the snoring of his master
In a chorus of calamity - but Casey slumbered on.

Yet oh, that goat was troubled, for his efforts were redoubled;
Now he tugged at Casey's whisker, now he nibbled at his ear;
Now he shook him by the shoulder, and with fear become bolder,
He bellowed like a fog-horn, but the sleeper did not hear.
Then up and down the railway line he scampered for assistance;
But anxiously he hurried back and sought with tug and strain
To pull his master off the track . . . when sudden! in the distance
He heard the roar and rumble of the fast approaching train.

Did Shamus faint and falter? No, he stood there stark and splendid.
True, his tummy was distended, but he gave his horns a toss.
By them his goathood's honour would be gallantly defended,
And if their valour failed him - he would perish with his boss
So dauntlessly he lowered his head, and ever clearer, clearer,
He heard the throb and thunder of the Continental Mail.
He would face the mighty monster. It was coming nearer, nearer;
He would fight it, he would smite it, but he'd never show his tail.

Can you see that hirsute hero, standing there in tragic glory?
Can you hear the Pullman porters shrieking horror to the sky?
No, you can't; because my story has no end so grim and gory,
For Shamus did not perish and his master did not die.
At this very present moment Casey swaggers hale and hearty,
And Shamus strolls beside him with a bright bell at his throat;
While recent Missis Rooney is the gayest of the party,
For now she's Missis Casey and she's crazy for that goat.

You're wondering what happened? Well, you know that truth is stranger
Than the wildest brand of fiction, so Ill tell you without shame. . . .
There was Shamus and his master in the face of awful danger,
And the giant locomotive dashing down in smoke and flame. . . .
What power on earth could save them? Yet a golden inspiration
To gods and goats alike may come, so in that brutish brain
A thought was born - the ould red shawl. . . . Then rearing with elation,
Like lightning Shamus threw it up - AND FLAGGED AND STOPPED THE TRAIN.

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Ear Mite Remedy for Goats

2008-10-08T06:12:00.000-07:00

As a subscriber to holistic medicine, I am always interested in natural remedies...
The following remedy for ear mites and bacterial and fungal infections was copied this October 7, 2008 entry of this blog....

Ear Mite Remedy
Equal parts of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Crushed Garlic
A Capsule of Vitamin E

The author writes...

For the 8 years we have been keeping goat we have only come across an ear problem once. The ear was clogged and there was brown gunk oozing out not forgetting that yucky smell that emitted from it. There was an infection in it obviously as the Goat scream bloody murder when its ear was inspected.

After cleaning the ear out with most of the gunk, using a cotton bud and some anticeptic cream we applied a few drops of a combination of equal parts of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, crushed Garlic (garlic is a natural antibiotic), a capsule of Vitamin E.

On the second day we checked the ear and repeated the same drop recipe after giving it a good clean with cotton buds. The ear seemed to be doing pretty well after the third treatment and we followed up with weekly drops of equal parts white vinegar and rubbing alcohol

From then on we used the same combination of equal parts of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, crushed Garlic and Vitamin E to treat for ear mites and infections of bacterial or fungal origin.

Milk Paint Recipes

2008-10-07T14:16:00.001-07:00

Found these recipes online here... I can't wait to try these with the Capering Kids 4-H Club...

1870 Milk Paint Formula

1 Quart skim milk (room temperature)
1 Once of hydrated lime by weight
(Available at building centers. Do not use quick lime, as it will react with the water and heat up. Hydrated lime has been soaked in water then dried.)
1 to 2 1/2 pounds of chalk may also be added as a filler.

Stir in enough skim milk to hydrated lime to make a cream. Add balance of skim milk. Now add sufficient amount of powder pigment to desired color and consistency (Pigment powder must be limeproof). Stir in well for a few minutes before using. For best results continue to stir throughout use. Apply milk paint with a cheap natural bristle brush. Allow project to dry sufficiently before applying next coat. Extra paint may be kept for several days in the refrigerator, until the milk sours. Double or triple the recipe for paint. Allow to dry thoroughly 3-4 hours before use. For extra protection, give paint a coat of oil finish or sealer. Color may change - test in inconspicuous area.

Very Durable Weather Resistant Paint

5 parts cottage cheese or dry curd cheese
(Dry curd cheese is cottage cheese without cream or flavoring added. You can make a similar cheese by putting cottage cheese into cheesecloth and hanging it until it stops draining. Use cottage cheese if you’re in a hurry.)
1 part hydrated lime or slacked lime

Mix hydrated lime with water to make a paste. Add to cottage cheese and stir in well. Leave for few hours - the cheese lump will dissolve completely. Select some powder pigments and add to solution (Pigment powder must be limeproof). Add more water if too thick; powdered skim milk if too thin. Strain if you want a fine paint (old nylon stocking works well).

Have a GREAT time painting!!!!

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Honey Goat Milk Soap Recipe

2008-10-07T13:42:00.001-07:00

I've been looking for a oatmeal and honey goat milk soap recipe. Well, I found several here today that peaked my interest... I can't wait to make soap with my friend Becky...

Here they are:

Basic Goat Milk and Honey Soap #2

13 cups lard or rendered fat (6.5 pounds)
1 can caustic soda
1/2 cup honey
4 cups goat milk
1 cup hot water

Into a large stainless steel or enamel container, dissolve the honey into the hot water. Add the 4 cups goat milk, stir to mix well and slowly add the lye to the milk/honey mixture. This will get very hot. Let it set until it cools down to 75⁰F. This could take an hour or more. When the lye mixture reaches 75⁰F, warm the lard to 85⁰F and pour in a slow steady stream into the lye/milk mixture. Stir constantly until the mixture reaches the consistency of honey. This will take 20 or 30 minutes.

When thick as honey pour into prepared molds. Allow to set for 24 to 48 hours. Unmold and cut into bars. Air-dry the soap for 4-5 weeks to cure it.

Christmas Spice Bars

4 tsp (4g) ground ginger
1 TBS (6g) ground cinnamon
4 TBS (28g) fresh grated orange peel
10 drops each of cinnamon and neroli fragrance or essential oils

1-1/2 pounds (680g) grated Basic Soap
18 oz (510g) water

Melt grated Basic Soap and combine with water as per instructions on the Hand-Milled Soap page. Combine the first 3 ingredients and add to the melted soap. Mix well and then stir in the scents. Mix thoroughly and pour into prepared molds. Finish as per instructions on the Hand-Milled Soap page. Due to the spices added, soap will have a medium brown color.

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Greek Cypriot Halloumi Cheese Recipe

2008-10-07T07:08:00.001-07:00

I found this great recipe for Halloumi online that I want to try.... I love halloumi as it is the only cheese that doesn't melt in a frying pan. It just get yummy crisp brown edges...

Greek Cypriot Halloumi Cheese

I N G R E D I E N T S
8 pints fresh milk, either goats or ewe or cow
1 Teaspoon Rennet or special cheese rennet
a little salt if desired

S U P P L I E S
Pan
2-3 Muslin bags or similar

I N S T R U C T I O N S

To fresh milk add rennet and leave till set (about 30 minutes.)

Break up and place resulting mass into muslin in about two lots (this depends on the amount of milk used.

Drain any whey from curds back into pan, leave to stand in muslin for about half an hour after which they will be firmer and in oval shape.

Meanwhile bring whey to the boil (any curds which form on the top may be gathered and used fresh (add sugar and cinnamon or placed in muslin and hung to dry to form a hard cheese suitable for grating onto pasta etc.

Once milk has come to the boil, remove soft curds from muslin and place into boiling pan. Simmer gently until the cheese floats to the top, but certainly for approximately 20 minutes. Remove cheese, if liked, sprinkle with salt and fold in half and place a weight on top. Leave in fridge for at leave 2 hours before use. It may be stored in a jar with a small amount of the whey (keep cool).

The remaining whey may be used to boil spaghetti in, when cooked, cooked chicken may be added to form a soup, serve with bread (this is a typical Cypriot lunch, nothing is wasted)

The soft curds which form on the top to which sugar and cinnamon are added can be made in to 'cakes' phylo type pastry is filled with the mixture and then deep fried for a few moments, delicious!

Yield
2-3 rounds of cheese.

Some people insist that it's not really Halloumi unless you use goat milk, preferably unprocessed goat milk.

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Aaron's First Show

2008-10-06T21:08:00.000-07:00

I was so proud of Aaron showing at the Eastern Nationals in Timonium. He showed in two out of the three shows. He looked so nice in his show whites... However, by the time the last show came around... he was completely dirty... as boys tend to get....

Aaron is showing AshleyBlue in his show whites and Oprah in his regular clothes...

Goat Ration

2008-10-06T18:49:00.000-07:00

I found this wonderful recipe for a goat ration on the ATTRA site and I modified it to meet my needs a little better... Here it is...

It must be working... isn't Fudge Ripple growing... I hope to have her weighed soon.. I'm anxious to see what she weighs. I'd be willing to bet she's passed Noah's 4-H wethers at the same age... She is so spoiled rotten...

100# corn
100# oats
50# soybean meal, crumbles or pellets
50# alfalfa pellets
15# black oil sunflower seeds
15# dairy mineral
15# molasses
3# salt
------
350#

Modified Milking at the Rocking-M

2008-08-06T06:31:00.001-07:00

Well, the modified or almost modified milking is going well for Little Miss Ruby Tuesday Bender. Being Ms. Bender only had one kid on this first freshening, I didn't want her udder to get lopsided. I'm also looking too increase her capacity. So she is on the milk stand morning and night giving around 20 oz. each milking...

I tend to compare her to my first Ms. Bender (may she R.I.P.) who gave a whopping gallon per day at one point. She was a super-duper milker.

The modified milking is actually working at well because I don't have to worry as much about what time I get home to milk. I know the little one Fudge Ripple will be suckling until I get there. Also, Fudge Ripple is getting the best care from her momma. I know bottle babies make the friendliest goats, but as much as Fudge gets packed around - I don't think I have to worry about that. And I feel nature's way is the best way.

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Fudge Ripple

2008-08-05T11:21:00.001-07:00

Thursday, July 24 ushered in the Goat Show at the Allegany County Fair along with one wee doe, Fudge Ripple. First freshener Saanen Little Ms. Ruby Tuesday Bender gave birth to her first kid - one little Saanen/Nubian doe with a swirl of tan and chocolate on her head and a "V" from her head down the top of her neck. She is the pride and joy of the farm right now.

You would think Ripple didn't come with legs. She gets packed along by Aaron and then Noah. Poor little girl.

When she does use those legs, she is jumping on an old spare tire sitting smack dab in the middle of my barn foyer (that's the area in front of the front barn door) head butting Oprah, a little black February 2008 Nigerian doeling

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Getting Ready for fair...

2008-07-16T06:34:00.001-07:00

Crunch time! We are "running around like chickens with our heads cut off." Well, almost... Getting ready for fair, is proving quite the task this week. We helped set up pig pens and goat pens last week... then chicken pens last night...

Tonight it will be getting the camper loaded.

Tomorrow the kids who are leasing goats will be finishing up their show preparations and getting the goats clipped and ship shape...

2008-06-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

OMG! What do you get when you cross Noah with a pair of clippers minus the guard? One super slick-shaved goat? Lesson learned - take one swipe without the guard and you the whole goat must be trimmed bald.... I will post pix....

Clipping goats

2008-06-20T13:43:00.000-07:00

We will be clipping two more goats tonight in preparation for the Western Maryland Spring Show. You gotta love flying goat hair!