blus·ter /ˈblʌstər/ 1.to roar and be tumultuous, as wind.
After reading the definition, I'm not so sure it fits, but since Winnie the Pooh likes it, I'll keep it. It's been cloudy and a bit windy, with rain two different times. The cloudy sky makes the various colors of the leaves seem more vibrant.
We were outside unloading pine branches from the truck to the goat pen when it finally occurred to me why Molly and Annie have been crying, despite having food and water, and it not being milking time. They're both in heat! We just got back from delivering them to the pasture to hang out with Boots, and they all seem very happy about the situation.
Boots, summer 2010
Molly, winter 2009
Annie, spring 2010
As I was milking, I thought once again about the fact that I haven't kept very good records this year in regards to who was taken to see Boots and when. I've got my milk/egg record calendar here with me and as I go thru it for clues, I'm going to give a report!
- Cream gave birth to Sugar and Spice on Jan 24th. She never did become the milker I thought she'd be.
- We bought 6 Cinnamon Queen chicks on April 7th, and 2 turkeys. See this post about disappearing poultry.
- Yodelady went to Boots on April 16th. Hmm, she must not have gotten pregnant right away, as gestation is 155 days and that would have been September 18th. Better tell the neighbors to keep an eye on her. Or bring her back from their house!
- Our first chicks hatched on May 4th.
- Peaches had twin bucklings on May 16th.
- Annie had a buckling and doeling on May 18th.
- Molly had a single doeling on May 24th.
- Belle went to see Boots on June 10th. She's due as early as November 11th. Better tell the people we gave her to in trade for the pig.
- A bull was brought to Elsie on July 1st. She'll be due April 11th.
- On September 12th we got the pig and gave Patches and Belle away. Peaches went to Boots that day.
- I have no notes about Sugar and Spice and when they went to meet Boots, but it seems like it was before we got the pig. Some time in July, I think. Actually it probably wasn't until after August 1st, since that's when the bull was moved back to his pasture. Although since the goats also use the neighbors pasture, it could have been before. Eek!
Now to go calculate costs associated with keeping the steer thru winter vs butchering next month.
I am not good about record keeping either. I always mean to but then I get distracted by something and poof! It is gone from my mind!It always gets me in trouble with due dates and such. I have gotten pretty good at being able to tell when the time is near by just looking at the goats now of of necessity.
ReplyDeleteI'm not so good at that yet! I keep a calendar page on the fridge to record milk production and eg collection, and I was pretty good about making other notations on it until all the babies were born last May.
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