Saturday, May 16, 2009

We survived our First Shearing!!

Whew! It was a Day!! We started around 6:00am just focusing on waking up and picking up some Help. We made sure everyone was ready to go and the Babydolls were set up as well. Then it was sit and wait for a bit until the Shearer made it. We were VERY fortunate to find someone at the last minute and he was Awesome!!! Everyone had their feet clipped, wormed, and their Booster too, it was a zoo here. He made the whole thing look VERY easy so we knew he was good. Our Babydolls have to be the most impressive since they were the rattiest looking of the bunch. Here are some pictures...They all look so graceful...Greta looks like she will start tap dancing any minute with those white feet.












They all look so great! We could not do it without our wonderful Shearer and Taylor our helper. Thank you! I am looking forward to next season!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Growing Pains

This past weekend my Good Friend and I travelled to Missouri to Indian Springs Farm. They were Celebrating something called "Wool Days" and have been doing this for over 20 years now. The drive up there was great but we became VERY VERY lost and the Road kept getting more narrow and then turned to dirt. I have no idea where we ended up before we turned back and called for help with Directions...it was a blast! I went with the intention of possibly getting some Angora Goat Does and I wanted to get there early so I could have more to choose from. We left at 3am and travelled through some nasty rain with lots of Lightening and potential flooding on the roads. When we got there the place was just AMAZING! it was 500 Acres of Trees, Pastures, a Stream and lots of flowers. A beautiful Peacock greeted us as well as the VERY friendly couple (Jim & Avalene) that run the Farm. Jim was VERY patient with me and many other people who asked him about the Goats and all of the different things found on the Farm. I greatly appreciated the time that Jim gave me and came home with a few beautiful Does...Also I appreciated Jamie who helped me load the Does and answered many of my questions too. Avalene was amazing as well, She is just so friendly and personable. I did not have as much time with her as my friend did but every moment with this couple was fascinating.

Here are the Does that I was fortunate to come home with... The first one is the Mom to the little Black Doeling










Here is the single Doeling I bought as well



I am very excited to see what will happen in the years to come.

Our trip was great and I enjoyed the company. It was hard to drive 6 hours there and back but we made it.

The worst part of our trip was on the way home. We saw first hand the Aftermath of the Storm that recently went through Missouri. I had never been at Ground Zero so close after something like that, Trees were ripped out of the ground and thrown distances on top of Vehicles, Houses and Roads. We saw the Power Company out in full force cleaning everything that they could to get Life going again. Many buildings were missing Roofs and a lot were caved in as well, Metal buildings were wrapped around Trees and other things. It was so sad to see and more sad because...what could I do? At one point I saw a Man coming out of the side of his yard to the Garage pushing a Wheelbarrow. He had a Cigarette hanging from his mouth and it looked like he didn't have a care in the world...just another day but he had more to do. In a sense it amazed me because that about summed it up. I wish all the people affected by that Storm well and I think of you and hope for the best. I know you will all be fine.