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Jan 31, 2010  8ºF
- winter pasture feeding

Today was the 2nd day attempting to pasture feed the cattle.  My approach to feeding this way is by spreading some small square bales on the snowy ground of one of our paddocks, spreading the bale in a different location each time.  I believe by doing this I will create a feeding behavior similar to warm weather pasturing.  The cattle will eat the hay I put down for them and then leave the area.  The next feeding will be in a different part of the paddock.  As in a true pasture setting, the cattle will eat and move on... eat... and again move on... repeating the process until the hay is either gone or the paddock has been thoroughly used.  Once I have fed hay on all parts of the paddock, I will move the feeding to another paddock.

With this method of feeding, I hope to the cattle will disperse their urine and manure evenly throughout the paddock.  Previously, I was feeding the cattle round bales in a feeder near the barn. Although they had access to the paddocks, they never went to them.  All the manure was in one general area.  It occurred to me that much of the animals waste was being... well... wasted and what is in the feeder areas in the spring will have to be hauled away and spread onto the pastures and fields anyway.  I guess I feel the fuel I use when feeding the bales is near the same as what I would use during the times of manure handling.  I'm calling it a wash, but other than the when's, where's and why's of fuel usage, I think it's a BIG plus having the cattle plopping patties where the fertilizer is needed.

after only 2 days, one can see how the cow patties are beginning to dot the pasture

When I run out of square bales to feed, I will try feeding round bales in the paddocks.  Although I don't have a round bale roller, I hope to be able to push/unroll the bales with the front of the tractor.  This too should allow the cattle to mimic their warm weather feeding behaviors (as described above) and we should see the even scatterings of the cattle's valuable pies and piddles.  It's not perfect, but it's a start to a 100% pasture feeding philosophy.  I'm excited.

- Hello Mr. President

There is some discussion in Washington to relax some dairy regulations associated with organic certification.  Don't let lobbyists weaken new organic dairy standards.  Farmers and consumers concerned with the integrity of organic dairy farming need to act now. 
To read more about this matter click here.

Contact the White House today and urge them to support a strong new standard for organic dairy cows and livestock that will require meaningful pasture and grazing. Tell them you support testimony from The Cornucopia Institute and FOOD Farmers.

To share your view:

I used the online form.

Jan 30, 2010 14ºF
- new babies

We have a new arrival in the barn and it looks like we will have more by the end of the day.  Pics to follow.  Carol has the camera with her in the barn.  Well, we didn't have an more births, just this little guy who appears to be ½ Oberhasli.  We'll be keeping our eye on this little fella.  He may develop into a nice little buck.

Down by the barn, we are seeing the beautiful display of one of our maturing Royal Palm tom turkeys.  Madison said he started to display this morning and in just a few hours of strutting his stuff, he has caught the attention of a young Kentucky Bourbon hen.  We have these two breeds of turkeys because of some recent taste tests.  It is said that the Palm-Bourbon cross creates a smaller, better tasting bird.  Because the Red Bourbon tastes so darn good, we have a hard time believing turkey can taste any better.

Jan 27, 2010  4ºF
- Steffl Well Drilling update

Today, I called Mike Steffl of Steffl Well Drilling to discuss my service bill.  Mike was suppose to call me on the 13th, but didn't.  Apparently, there was a communication breakdown between the service guys and him.  Anywho, after some discussion, he asked me what I thought was fair... so I told him.  The agreement was to let me pay for 1 hr of service time for 1 guy. I was sure to let him know that even though I still have the unresolved problem with our well... I felt I was now treated fairly and he would continue to get my future business.  He let me believe he wasn't sure he wanted my business.  To read the complete story click here.

After I got off the phone I called one of the neighbors down the road.  He wanted to be kept up-to-date on this matter.  He was interested in hearing how Steffl's treated their customers.  I told him not to worry about it and that Mike Steffl set things right.  The neighbor was glad to hear it but suggested that I call another local well company (one I had never called before) just to compare prices, so I did.  The company owner told me that their charge would have been around $45-60 for a simple pressure switch adjustment (the same as what a local plumber would charge).  I then asked what he would charge to remove and replace the well pressure switch that has been giving us so trouble.  The grand total: under $200.  This is less than what Steffl's wanted to charge me for a simple switch adjustment.  Hmmm.  The breakdown was this- the pressure switch would be about $125 and labor would be under $75.  WOW!

Onto farm stuff.  We now have a baby goat in the house.  This morning, Carol noticed a doeling wasn't quite acting right.  This doeling's balance was less than perfect - when she walked, she crossed her back legs.  She acted as if she were a little drunk... this is a classic sign of what is known Floppy Kid Syndrome (FKS).  The first thing Carol did was to visit her 'go-to' website of jackmauldin.com... more specifically the page he has dedicated to diseases and illnesses.  After following one of the recommended treatments for FKS, we started to see some improvement... not much, but some.  Carol then re-treated the goat.  Now 10 hrs later, we see further improvement.  We'll know tomorrow if this little goat is going to make it.  You can read about FKS and other illnesses on Jack's page.  I highly recommend it.

Jan 25, 2010 14ºF
- nasty weather

Just hours after Madison left for school, she was headed back home again.  Early morning brought us 35-42 MPH winds, but then came the snows and dropping temps.  It looked and sounded nasty.  I started chores and other than the wind, it wasn't too bad... but by the time I got hay to the cattle and goats, my butt was frozen.   The tractor seat was c-o-l-d.  The next 5 days are suppose to be in the single digits and below.  Wow!  What a difference a few days make here in MN.  We're going from 8 degrees above normal temps to 20 degrees below normal temps.

Jan 22, 2010 24ºF
- rain & sleet

Rain, sleet and snow isn't something we see much of during January, but hey, this is Minnesota.

Farmer Mike and I were scheduled to attend an annual organic meeting, in Belgrade MN.  The meeting last year was the first I had ever attended and that is where I learned about how important soil health was to animal health.  Healthy soil equals healthy grass... healthy grass equals healthier animals.  Unfortunately for me, I was not able to go with Mike to the meeting this year.  Carol and I had some issues with daughter Chastiti'.  She had a seizure this morning and kind of threw our whole day off.

Last year it was explained to us that if you have optimum animal health, your cattle herd's heifer to bull calf ration will favor more heifers.  The reasoning for this is simple: if a herd is extremely healthy the biology of the herd will signal that there is an abundance of good feed and that it can and will be able to support higher herd numbers, thus producing more females.  If herd health is less than ideal, more bull calves will be produced.  What's the difference? In the wild, cows and heifers generally stay with the herd.  A healthy herd can support larger numbers and needs more heifers to help produce these higher numbers.  Bulls on the other hand, generally would leave the herd, looking for their own... the herd would not have to support these animals.

- winter grazing practices

On FaceBook, I have been seeking information from others on some winter-pasturing techniques... specifically 'stockpiled grass' grazing.  I have been in contact with Greg Judy - a grazing expert from Missouri.  The first thing I asked was what the term stockpiled grass was.  Mr. Judy explained that it was grass that was allowed to grow in the fall, then left standing for off-season grazing.  In Missouri, it allows ranchers to pasture their cattle year-round - reducing fuel costs, saving time and fertilizing the ground with nutrient rich animal wastes.  The animal deposits are up to 70% better for the soil than feedlot manure.  The reason the manure is more beneficial is that all of the waste is deposited directly onto/into the ground.  The waste that is taken from a feedlot or pit has had much of its nutrients washed away and/or has been deteriorated over time.  Stockpiled grass grazing saves time & fuel/money because there is no baling or hay handling as well as no need to move manure, as it is already on the soil.

With the exchange with Greg Judy on FB, I caught the attention of a North Dakota rancher who obviously spotted my inexperience and curiosity.  This rancher uses stockpiled grass to fed his herd.  He emailed me, encouraging me to try this winter feeding technique... he stated that even if it doesn't work all winter in our area, it should work for most of it.  He also sent me a link to an article that describes round bale grazing.   Round bale grazing consists of placing round bales in rows in the pasture(s) and moving a hotwire daily or every couple of days, allowing cattle to slowly eat their way across the pasture, depositing and trampling their waste evenly on the frozen pasture surface.  The question may be how does one place temp. fencing into the frozen ground... they don't.  They use the round bales behind the bales that are to be fed - the fencing rods insert easily into the hay bales.  The rancher featured in the article was able to reduce the time on the tractor [in the winter] from 2 hrs/day to 2 hrs/month.  That's incredible. Here's the article: balegrazing.pdf

Jan 21, 2010  24ºF
- it's a loud evening

While feeding the baby goats their late feeding, we could hear the coyotes singing.  Unlike most evenings, tonight the lonely cries were loud... as if just over the hill.  It was a little freaky.  The dogs were going berserk.

- pic of the past

I located another aerial photo of the farm.  It's from 1967.  I had contacted a company called Vintage Aerial, with hopes of finding a nice looking photo of the farm.  The pic below is the best they had.  Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I didn't see this photo as a part of farm history we couldn't do without.  The history I did learn was from a neighbor.  As it was told to me, the house in the photo (the same one I grew up in) was once a church.  In a past life, the house was known as the West Salem Church and it sat at a location a few miles west of here.  Even after the transplant to the location in the photo, the house remained a Sunday fellowship hall for several families.  There is obviously more to the story, but that's the highlights.  Kinda cool huh?

aerial photo from 1967

Unfortunately for us, many of the buildings are no longer on the farm.  The house was destroyed by fire in 2006 and the 2 small barns (lower right) had fallen down years before, so we removed the debris in years following. Also, the granaries (above the large barn) had been moved, removed or razed decades ago.  Nonetheless, I thought the photo interesting enough to post.  Enjoy!

Jan 20, 2010  25ºF
- conservation stewardship program

Today I had an appointment with our local USDA conservation office.  After going over some paperwork, I signed more grant papers.  The Federal government has a program called The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).  CSP is a voluntary 5 yr conservation program that encourages producers to address resource concerns in a comprehensive manner.  Some of the things we will be doing is building safeguard measures to help protect wildlife from drowning in livestock water tanks, keeping track of and recycling our use of farm petroleum products, eliminate our use of chemical pesticides on livestock, and change the way we harvest hay... to name a few things.  In general, the program provides financial and technical assistance to eligible producers to conserve and enhance soil, water, air, and related natural resources on their land. For us, we will receive approx. $13,000, over the next 5 years, to pursue and complete the conservation measures we agreed to take part in.  Because many of these measures make so much sense, we have elected to initiate these same types of projects to parts of the farm that did not qualify for the CSP program.  We're doing it because it simply makes sense.

The morning hours brought the farm another baby goat - a single buckling.  By the looks of him, it appears he is the first born of our purebred Boer buck (Tim).  This little guy looks to be all Boer.  Unfortunately for him, his mother has rejected him... so we have another bottle baby.  I must add, we were not expecting this buckling... we thought he wasn't due to arrive so soon.  His mother did not develop an udder.  When Carol found him, his mouth was cold, so we brought him to the house, tube fed him and warmed him up.  After a few hours, he was brought out to the nursery pen.  With use of the goat warmer, he and the other goat kids continue to do well.

Last night, we had folks from the Fergus Falls, MN area to look at the potbellied pigs we have for sale.  They left with one of our little gilts.  We now have them all spoken for and/or sold.  Having them on the farm was a fun learning experience, but as the farm continues to evolve, so must the way we do things.  We will miss our little mini potbellied piglets.

Jan 19, 2010  23ºF
- eating weeds is latest health food trend & could put $$$ in your pocket

Those weeds in your pasture could be a valuable new source of cash flow reports The Wall Street Journal. Greens are "trendy items" in haute cuisine these days and edible weeds are what has gourmands really excited. Edible weeds currently sell for $3 per 6 oz bunch and their prices have been rising by 20% each year.

Until the mid-20th Century, weeds such as wild onion, pokeweed and sorrel were widely eaten in the USA. Burdock is useful in soups and stews and the stalk is said to similar in taste and appearance to celery. Chickweed is mild flavored and is readily used in salads. Dandelion greens lose their bitterness if soaked in cold water and can be used in salads or cooked like spinach. Kudzu leaves can be battered and fried. In Asia, kudzu roots are made into a valuable flour. Lamb’s quarters’ leaves can be cooked as an alternative to spinach, which belongs to the same plant family. Purslane leaves, stems and flowers may be stewed or eaten raw. The succulent stems can be pickled and the purslane ashes can be used as a salt substitute. Shepherd’s purse adds a peppery kick to salads or can be added to a cooked ‘mess of greens.’

Dawn Jackson Blatner of the American Dietetic Association said that eating weeds is healthy because it taps you into the plants’ matrix of immune systems that protect weeds from the sun, the wind and the bugs. "One man’s weed is another man’s wonder food," she said.

Jan 18, 2010  14ºF
- more goat babies?

Seriously?  Yepper.  I had come back into the house after my chores were done... when Carol had headed out to do another baby check... then my phone rang - it was Carol.  She called to tell me that Pricilla (one of our younger Boer does) had a new baby goat on the ground.  It was VERY new and still very wet.  I'll have to give credit to Carol & Madison.  They had a good read on this one.  Last night, they felt she was close to kidding so we put her into a make-shift birthing/nursery pen and sure enough, she hatched this morning.  She had a single buckling... healthy with a strong instinct to nurse.  After a couple of hours, the baby was brought inside the house.  It seems the new buckling wasn't able to maintain its own body temperature.

Carol and the kids ran errands in Willmar, so it was my job to baby [goat] sit.  Trying to filter through some of the crap on TV, I first stopped at The Today Show (I think).  The featured chef mentioned he preferred to use grass-fed beef over other types of beef, due to its leanness and numerous, overall health benefits.  Later on, I watched about 15 minutes of Dr. Oz.  He pointed out that consuming Kefir was an excellent way to help prevent Osteoporosis.  Kefir, I believe, is high in Vitamin K₂, which helps the body break-down the Calcium in the milk.  For those of you who don not know what Kefir is, it is a slightly fermented dairy beverage.  I think I can describe it as drinkable yogurt.  They say that yogurt is healthy... Kefir is even better for you.  And mixed with a little fruit or some preserves, it's quite tasty.

this is Turtle, a lone buckling born to our doe Pricilla

Jan 17, 2010  23ºF
- goat in labor

As I write this, we have a goat in labor.  I hope she can hold-off birthing until after the Vikings/Dallas Play-Off game.  Nope, at 11:55AM we have a buckling on the ground... looks like she'll have another.

- later in the day

We were wrong.  She had only one.

here's our solo buckling

After the football game, Madison came up to the house telling us another doe (Martha) had twins - a buckling and a doeling.  We have them in the house now.  Their mother wants nothing to do with them.  This is the 2nd (and final) year she rejected her kids.  We will most certainly put her on our 'cull' list.  Can you say, "Goat burgers?"

Jan 16, 2010  32ºF
- premature goats

It was a busy day.  Lots of phone calls, the selling of rabbits and goats expected to kid.  During morning chore, we noticed a doe acting a little odd.  Upon a quick check of her udder, it was determined that she needed watching.  Since she was still 2 weeks from her due date, we put her in an open-air pen (formally our breeding pen).  A few incoming phone calls later, Carol was showing a local rabbit enthusiast some mini-lop rabbits.

A short time later, Carol notified me that Madison was attending some new born goats - twins.  The doe that we relocated to the old breeding pen kidded.  I quick ran over to help Madison with the newborns.  They were so tiny... the smallest living goats I had ever seen.  It was obvious that the babies came early. Other than being small and very wet, they seemed healthy.  As Madison dried off the goats with some straw, I ran went to garage to get some towels... we needed to get them as dry as possible as soon as possible.  We got the little ones dry and with a few minutes Madison had them nursing on mama.  I still can't believe how small they are.

you can see how small this doeling is.  her body is approx the same size as Carol's hand.

We think they have a pretty good chance of surviving if they live past 24 hours.  We have nice weather (nice for January)... normally the high temps for this area is around 20ºF.  I guess we'll know more tomorrow.

Jan 12, 2010  10ºF
- 7 Foods to Watch Out For (excerpts from Prevention magazine)

How healthy (or not) certain foods are—for us, for the environment—is a hotly debated topic among experts and consumers alike, and there are no easy answers. But when Prevention talked to the people at the forefront of food safety and asked them one simple question—"What foods do you avoid?"—we got some pretty interesting answers. Although these foods don't necessarily make up a "banned" list, as you head into the holidays—and all the grocery shopping that comes with it—their answers are, well, food for thought:
20 ways to feed your family for $100 a week.

1. Canned Tomatoes

The expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A

The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people's body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. "You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young," says vom Saal. "I won't go near canned tomatoes."

The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe's and Pomi.

14 worst health mistakes even smart women make.

2. Corn-Fed Beef

The expert: Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming

The problem: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. More money for cattle farmers (and lower prices at the grocery store) means a lot less nutrition for us. A recent comprehensive study conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson University found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease. "We need to respect the fact that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and chicken manure," says Salatin.

The solution: Buy grass-fed beef, which can be found at specialty grocers, farmers' markets, and nationally at Whole Foods. It's usually labeled because it demands a premium, but if you don't see it, ask your butcher.

25 ridiculously healthy foods you should be eating now.

3. Microwave Popcorn

The expert: Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group,

The problem: Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize—and migrate into your popcorn. "They stay in your body for years and accumulate there," says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then.

The solution: Pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way: in a skillet. For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix.

Your nutritional guide to grocery shopping.

4. Nonorganic Potatoes

The expert: Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board

The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes—the nation's most popular vegetable—they're treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they're dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. "Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won't," says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher of Prevention). "I've talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals."

The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn't good enough if you're trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh.

14 ways to make veggies less boring.

5. Farmed Salmon

The expert: David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish.

The problem: Nature didn't intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. "You can only safely eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer," says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. "It's that bad." Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals.

The solution: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it's farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.

Delicious and easy fish recipes

6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones

The expert: Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society

The problem: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. "When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract," says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. "There's not 100% proof that this is increasing cancer in humans," admits North. "However, it's banned in most industrialized countries."

The solution: Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.

Don't be fooled by these 11 health food imposters.

7. Conventional Apples

The expert: Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and codirector of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods

The problem: If fall fruits held a "most doused in pesticides contest," apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don't develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it's just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. "Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers," he says. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson's disease.

The solution: Buy organic apples. If you can't afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them first.

Jan 11, 2010  8ºF
- Steffl Well Drilling of MN

I think I have posted that we were having some minor problems with our well - sometimes we would loose a little pressure, some days we'd have no water at all.  To fix it I tapped on the pressure switch with a Mag-lite.  This morning, the Steffl Drilling & Pump service truck showed up to service the farm's well.  Less than 20 minutes later I was handed an invoice for over $200.  At this time, I would not recommend them for your local well service needs.

proof that they charged us way too much

Here's a little background:
Steffl Well Drilling is the same company I worked for almost 20 yrs ago.  When I worked for Steffl's, I helped drill wells with the present owner Mike, his brother Tom and I even worked with their dad, Ci.  I saw how they did things.  I trusted the company.  

After they installed the farm's well 2.5 yrs ago, I thought that they had done an OK job, but when I had my electrician out to connect the well pump wiring to the breaker box, he noticed there was one size of wire at the well and another size of wire by the house.  The owner of Steffl Well Drilling trenched the wire himself and apparently spliced the buried wire.  A year later, we had a hydrant installed at the barn.  The company who dug the new water line for us noticed that Steffl's installed a light weight (thin walled) waterline from the well to the house.  This stuff I could over look... it happens.  But today's service call charge was over the top.  To get a charge of over $200 to do virtually nothing pisses me off.  After the service guys looked at the well's pressure switch, the one guy asked if I wanted them to install a new well pump for $800.  SAY WHAT?!?!  Hell no!

The well is less than 3 yrs old and the pressure switch is failing, the well pump is apparently shot (why else would he ask if they should replace it) AND we haven't had good tasting water here for 2 years.  We should not be having these problems.  Again... at this time I WOULD NOT recommend Steffl Drilling to anyone.  I told the service men to have the owner (Mike Steffl) call me.  They replied that after seeing how upset I was, they were going to do that anyway.  I am very disappointed in this company right now.

I will be sure to update [or remove] this post if Mike chooses to rectify this skewed situation.

- Steffl Well Drilling  update: 1/27/10

Today, I called Mike Steffl of Steffl Well Drilling to discuss my service bill.  Mike was suppose to call me on the 13th, but didn't.  Apparently, there was a communication breakdown between the service guys and him.  Anywho, after a civil discussion, he asked me what I thought was fair... I told him.  The agreement was to let me pay 1 hr of time for 1 guy. I was sure to let him know that even though I still have the unresolved problem with our well... I felt I was now treated fairly and he would continue to get my future business.  He let me believe he wasn't sure he wanted my business.  (Mike S.- if you feel this is entry is incorrect, please let me know).

Jan 10, 2010  18ºF
- the babies are coming

Aside the arrival of a couple baby bunnies (which Madison was feeding with a small syringe) we haven't had any 2010 birth.  That all changed this morning.  Carol left the house early to check on April, a dairy goat.  April is due and expected to kid today or tomorrow.  While Carol was outside, I heard my phone ring - it was Carol (I could tell by the ring tone).  Madison answered it and in no time was getting dressed to go outside.  It seems one of our ewes gave birth to a single lamb... and it was still alive.  In fact, despite the -0ºF temps, both mama and baby were doing great.  The lamb, a ram, was up and running around and stealing a sip of milk when he could.  Our pig pastured Dopey runs with the goats and when ever it got to close to the lamb, the ewe was sure to let the pig know.

Madison holding the first lamb of the new year.

Madison is calling the lamb 'Dusty'.  The lamb's father is our pure blood Katahdin and the mother is a wool sheep.  We have noticed from last year's lambing that these Katahdin cross bred lambs grow extremely fast... even on a grass only diet.  We were so pleased with their growth, size, over all health and the natural resistance to parasites these animals seem to have.

- baby doelings

This afternoon, we had another animal in labor.  It was April, our dairy goat.  This morning (after the excitement of the new lamb) Madison noticed April was stretching as if trying to put the kid(s) into birthing position.  Well, at 2:00 the goat passed some mucus. We were thinking her kids will be born before morning.  We were right.

At 2:45, the amniotic bubble appeared.  Carol went to the barn a 2:50. I got a call 10 minutes later to help. Between 3:15 and 3:45 we had twin doelings on the ground... we pulled the first and the second came easily on its own.  We're glad the weather was at mild 18ºF... hopefully we won't need a heat lamp for them.  At 5:00PM, they were dry and had already nursed.  Here they are.