Irish Blessing Farm

“We are not amused.” If looks could kill, I would have been disintegrated. Fable hates her feet being trimmed 🤣

Slowly but surely the DNA/Casein testing of our 2024 additions is being completed. We are pleased to have the DNA results confirming Sean as an AI son of Kolossus. We had no doubts of his parentage but it’s always wonderful to have “the official” analysis. Adhradh and Scealai are still pending their DNA results, which should be sent to us in the coming weeks. Over the fall and winter, we will work on testing the last three kids. Continuing for 2025, we will cover the DNA typing of all registered bucklings obtained from us with no additional expense to clients.

Goose is finally gaining plumage coloring and looking so grown up. This gosling was rejected by its adoptive duck momma and ended up being raised in the house for a time. As a result, Goose imprinted on people and now follows us around, watching us do things, and wanting to be petted. We’ve not kept geese previously and it’s been an interesting experience. Originally it was named Potato Head by the kids but mostly it just gets called Goose 🤷🏽‍♀️🤣

“Hey! Watcha doin up there?” Baby girls were fascinated with dad up a ladder, doing security camera wiring this week. The big girls on the other hand, were less than impressed with the noise and equipment 🤣

Congratulations to all the National show participants and safe travels back home! The LaMancha line up was lovely and we were especially excited about the championship lineup. Our former herdsire, Lucky Star’s RJ Linden, had several well placing family members including his paternal granddam being Reserve Champion, paternal aunt winning National Champion, and his niece being Jr Reserve Champion. We’d also like to say a special congratulations to Cole’s Ridge on their milking yearling, Irish Blessing RK Realta, placing 17th in her class! It is the first representation at Nationals since our start up in 2019. We can’t wait to see how she does as she gains maturity!

The boys moved into the bachelor pad this week and got to meet a llama for the first time. Gannon tolerates other goats but he still prefers “his” pet, Abe the wether.

Matriarchs don’t need no milk stand! Take notes kid.

Saoirse says “go away, I’m drinking here!” 🤣 She definitely got the family sass.

Well this brings back some memories. The farm financier finally got to play with his new toy, the cream separator. Now the question is: what should we do with our cup of deliciously rare goat cream? Make butter? Whipped cream? Cream cheese? Ice cream? Just so many options.

Ellen Felton Dark Collards 😊 This variety from the 1930’s very nearly went extinct years back. Thanks to conservation efforts and The Heirloom Collards Project, this varietal is considered successful regenerated.

We had our herd milk verification test this weekend (great timing with the heat 🥴) and realize we were past due for the nice “clipped and posed” pictures of our girls for the year so here they are 😆

Holy Milk Veins, Naoise!

Photo dump! While we focused last week on celebrating dairy goats, the farm cycle didn’t stop. We said goodbye to some faces and hello to others. The potatoes are growing and the garlic had its first round of harvesting. Summer crops are getting ready for planting as the spring veggies are going to seed. Wild creatures have been showing themselves all over the place, reminding us that they live here too. Each photo has its own caption 😊 Stay safe in this heatwave everyone!

Last post for Dairy Goat Awareness Week! Goats have an intelligence akin to a 3-5yr old human according to research. They are emotional, expressive creatures with individual likes, dislikes, habits, and relationships. They are inquisitive and don’t tolerate boredom well. Goats recognize faces and voices. They are capable of holding grudges, throwing temper tantrums, mourning loss, and expressing affection. These emotional needs along with their physical needs, must be taken into account for successful goat keeping. 💚

Goat milk can be made into everything cow milk can, although it’s softer curd usually produces a less hard cheese in types like cheddar and parmesan. Goat butter has a lower melting point than cow butter and is snowy white, unless dyed. Goat’s milk has exhibited many topical benefits, especially for skin allergies and eczema. This makes it a popular addition in soaps and lotions.

Goat milk is consumed by more people than any other animal milk globally. Goat milk has smaller fat globules, shorter amino acid chains, less lactose and is more alkaline than cow’s milk; making it easier to digest and more tolerated by digestive distress sufferers.

There are over 200 breeds of domesticated goat. Of those, the American Dairy Goat Association recognizes 9 breeds of dairy goat. Our favorite are LaManchas! This is an American breed from a composite background. They are medium sized, have a straight nose, and may be any color and pattern. LaManchas are known for their unique ears, of which, there are two types. Gopher, which are less than 1 inch unstretched, and elf, under 2 inches unstretched. The tips should point up or down. There no ear type preference on does, but bucks may have gopher ears only. LaManchas as a breed were developed by a woman named Eula Fey Frey and were first accepted for registry in 1958.

In 2020, the USDA estimated there were 440,000 dairy goats in the US, making up only 10% of all goat operations. By comparison, meat goats the same year were estimated to number 2.09 million in the US. Wisconsin leads the 50 states in fluid goat milk production, while Texas leads for meat production.

Goats are ruminates, meaning they have a four chambered “stomach” and chew cud. This allows them to obtain nutrients from foods too fibrous for non-ruminates (such as horses). The first chamber, and the largest, is the rumen. It is around 70% of the full tract capacity, 3-6 gallons on average for a standard sized goat. This is the holding chamber where cud is burped from and chewed again to break it down smaller and smaller. The movement of the rumen actually plays a roll in keeping ruminate animals warm in the winter. The second chamber is the reticulum. This area aids the rumen in the fermentation process. If a non-food item is swallowed, it usually settles in the reticulum instead of passing through the digestive tract. Next up is the omasum. This folded chamber helps remove water from the food particles. The folds also help continue to grind up the food particles and extract fatty acids, giving the animal its energy. Lastly is the abomasum. This one is called the “true stomach” as it acts much like a human stomach, is connected to the intestines, and produces enzymes and hydrochloric acid. Historically, this stomach is the one rennet is extracted from to make cheese and other fermented dairy products.

Today kicks off Dairy Goat Awareness week, part of National Dairy Month! We will be posting daily facts about our beloved critters in celebration of them and the fascinating world of caprines.

Last of the keeper doelings to get a “grown up” photo, but certainly not least: Irish Blessing RK Seadna Mor. Seadna is our treasured final daughter of Fable and littermate to Scealai, a buckling we featured previously. Pictured at 9 weeks and nearly the spitting image of her mother. Seadna Mor is pronounced “shay-na-more” and is a form of Irish poetry. She has big shoes to fill but we think she’s up for the challenge.

Our little Frisky is growing up! Being the last kid born and a single, she has ended up very spoiled. Her favorite place is in a lap and she still wants to be carried around. She now has a registered name: Irish Blessing RN Somhairlin. Somhairlin is pronounced “sow-ver-lean” and it is the Irish form of “Samantha” but Frisky will keep her barn name 🤣 She has been DNA confirmed to be our first AI doe kid and is A/E casein.

Well, we survived our first show since our move to KY! This weekend we attended a 3 ring in TN and it turned out wonderfully, despite the weather, vehicle vices, and a plethora of chaotic anomalies. We had loads of fun mingling, some surprises in the ring, and a new first for our farm with 3 generations of class winners under the same judge 🥰 Our biggest highlight is Naoise earning her first milking leg towards her championship! This was her first show as a milker and we are very excited! Placings are listed below.

Aged doe:
Holly 3x 2nd
3 year olds:
Naoise 2x 1st, 1x 2nd, 1x GCH
Niamh 1x 1st, 1x 2nd, 1x 3rd, 1x RCH
Milking yearlings:
Teeny 2x 1st, 1x 2nd
Reena 1x 1st, 2x 2nd
Intermediate kids:
Seadna 2x 1st, 1x 2nd
Sibin 1x 1st, 2x 2nd
Junior kids:
Siobhan 1x 1st (sold)
Saoirse 1x 2nd, 2x 3rd
Frisky 1x 2nd (youngest LM kid shown)

Everyone is mad on the farm now 🤣 Gannon also got his new summer doo since we’ve been hitting the 80’s almost daily. Toenails done too so he is one grumpy old man. Don’t lie Gannon, you know it feels better than a full coat 😆

Naoise had a haircut. Naoise did not find it amusing and not so quietly plotted revenge while shooting daggers with the side eye. 😆 Just wait Naoise, more torture is on the way *clicks open the hoof trimmers* 😈

Not so tiny anymore! “Tink” may have been only 4.2lbs at birth, but now she’s only 1-2 lbs behind her peers and nearly as tall. We love this little lady, especially her open eschuteon. So much like her dam, Reena, and that’s a good thing. Her registered name is Irish Blessing LL Sibin. “Sibin” is pronounced “she-bean” and is the Irish name for bootleg/homemade whiskey.

Secrets of the Farm: Part 1: Abe moonlights as the backup guitarist for Twisted Sister