Amber Acres Goat Dairy

Some of the 23 kids born this week, so far

New kids. Have 2 or 3 does left to kid in this stretch, then nothing till January. We'll see how the milk holds out, if it makes it till the next batch kids. We have lots of hay, but mostly older hay, so it will be a challenge keeping them fed and producing. Cold temps add to it all. Below freezing this week, so keeping an eye on the expectant moms. Everyone that can is sunning themselves today.

Enjoying a slower pace for a little while..No little kids, goats are starting to dry up, and 1st crop hay is done. Been a strange year, weather wise.

Some fun colored kiddos born this season. There were plenty of white ones too. The white ones are just as funny.

Getting some exercise after the last snow

It was 7 years ago today that we poured the foundation for the milkhouse/parlor. Wouldn't be doing that today--a foot of snow with more to come. Been an interesting run. Mixed feelings looking back--some good, some not. But we will continue for awhile yet, I guess.

-29 F this morning with no relief till Saturday. Busy time keeping everyone fed and warm and keeping an eye on due does. So far the ones born this week seem to be fine. May have some frostbit ears on one. Hoping the sunshine helps.

Had 29 goats kid in the first 11 days of January. 68 kids. Sold a bunch, amazingly, which showed in the milk volume in the tank. Just in time for taxes. Sure is fun to watch the little kiddos. Sad to see them go, but I think these found good homes. Going to be an interesting year, with high hay prices. We will see where it goes, God willing.

Guess it has been awhile since I last posted. March and April were pretty overwhelming. Lots of kids, pneumonia, up and down temps, 2 feet of snow in one weekend, trying to find hay. The joys of farming. Now it has been 90's for 4-5 days and we're doing our best to keep the goats cool and hydrated, and get thru a very hot evening milking. Not too many left to kid, but also time to decide on who gets culled and which kids to keep. Never a fun job. Most of the kids now can go outside and play in the morning and evening coolness. Fun to watch them frolic from the kitchen window. Also 3 kittens who grew up with the kids are fun to watch. You never know where they'll be peeking out-the kittens, not kids :)

Here she is in her box, with her friend hiding behind her. She seems to be doing ok. I let her run around when I'm working out there, so she feels better. Pretty quiet in the house.

Squeaker finally moved back out to the barn. She has a friend, so won't be too lonely. She wasn't doing too badly in the house. She had to taste everything, and just like a child I learned to move things out of her way, or block off rooms. She was getting too adept at jumping on and off couches, and standing on her hind legs to try to reach things on the counter. Tried getting her to go potty outside, with some success. But when she peed on the couch, it was time to move back with the other goats.
One last month of kidding. So looking forward to it being done. And warmer. And sleeping thru the night.

Goats are loving the balmy +25-35 degree temps after 2 weeks of subzero. Let the milkers outside for some fresh air and exercise. Getting some serious barn cleaning done

Two sets of triplets, two sets of twins, milked 80 some odd goats, fed some 50 odd young stock, all before 9 am. I knew they were up to something. Was having one goat kid each day for about 3 days, and was thinking, "this is good. I like it when the kidding runs go like this." I should have known better than to think it. Because for 2 days there was not a kid born. I was getting nervous. Sure enough, this morning upon entering the barn, there were 5 kids. Of course it's -14 outside. Last 2 days were above zero at least. No kids then. But often, when one kids, someone else thinks it's a good idea, and then there is a big run. I could tell a couple others were thinking on the same lines when I left the barn, but so far I'm still waiting. Doesn't mean they won't kid, just not when I'm around. Maybe I can thaw out a little. Nope, no cabin fever here.

Hope you all had a nice Christmas. Pretty quiet here for now. Just trying to keep everyone warm and fed in the -16 degrees we've had since Christmas. It's supposed to stay this cold for another week. Just in time for the next round of kidding. brr. Stay warm!

brr. I think I liked it better yesterday, when it was in the low 60's. Today should get down to single digits by tonight. bleagh. So far this month, there are 5 sets of triplets, and two sets of twins. There's about 10 more due for the next week. I hope they wait a little till the wind dies down some. Juggling pens a lot. Maybe I can work on some Christmas stuff. Maybe. Don't count on it, they're goats.

Goats are enjoying the balmy 40's and 50's, spending time outside again, and butting heads :)

Kids....

Woke up to 4 degrees yesterday morning...brr. Glad in a way, there's no due goats, but it's pretty warm in the addition. Working on getting things set up for winter-due goats inside, dry ones out. They like to think they should dry up fast in this kind of weather. Only about 5 left to breed for the season. There's some coming yearlings that have been coming into heat that I may have bred the next time they cycle, but winding down on that. Younger yearlings were checking out the snow this morning, but decided the barn was better. One of my bucks tried climbing a fence to reach does, and I found him with a broken leg :( It does have its frustrations. Five new kids seem to be doing ok tho. Daily ups and downs of farm life.

Enjoying the cool fall weather

Woke up this morning thinking it would be a good day to stay in a nice warm bed, and listen to the rain, and read a book. Oh wait, I have goats....

Hot hot hot. 90s in late Sept, after lows on the 40s last month. What's with that? Goats are enjoying the fans as much as they are able. The good news is the haying is done. The bad news is the milk volume keeps going down, which it does in the fall. The heat doesn't help that at all. The trick will be if I can keep shipping it till Dec when they start kidding again.

Why is it, that whenever there is a run of kidding goats, someone always starts early, then there is a bunch all at once, and then one, always one, waits until the last possible moment, dragging it out as long as possible when you were hoping you'd get done early for once. Always.

Well, 10 kids on the ground. It sure will be nice to get some milk in the tank to slow the declining numbers there. And yearlings are coming into heat. One field of second crop hay to get in yet. Never really a break on a farm.

News youse can use

The milk inspector finally arrived yesterday, and I'm happy to say it went well. Always nice to put that behind you for the year. A couple of goats have begun the kidding season. So far so good, but it is early. Also in the midst of breeding season: who to cross with who? and do not touch a buck unless absolutely necessary or you will stink all day. And then always lingering in the background, who to cull to make room for the up and coming yearlings. Highs and lows are part of farm life.

The page has been reminding me that it has been too long since I posted last. I wanted to do a photo, but I need to take my computer in as it's been acting up. We're kinda in the dull summer days, which I kinda like. Nobody is kidding for awhile, and I can do some other things, like taking care of my garden, or visit people :) Still waiting for the state milk inspector to show up. Milk production is slowly going down. We're into breeding season, and haying season, and catching up on all those things you left during kidding season. It gets rather quiet, this time of year, but is still busy. So not too much to report. Enjoying misty sunrises and cooler temps for a little while longer.

After the last few weeks of heat and humidity, the goats are enjoying the cooler temps. They were running around their hills knocking each other on the head and wagging their tails. silly goats :)

So very grateful the does have started coming into heat again. It has been a long stretch since the last one, and I was beginning to think I'd have winter vacation, in response to my complaining I never get a day off. I will be busy again in Dec, and have winter milk. Just sayin' goats, it would have been nice to have them spaced out a little, instead of all in one week. But you are goats and your life mission is to drive me crazy, I know. It may be working.

Some of the dry goats keeping their toes dry this summer. It has been a challenge.

It's nice to be at the end of kidding season. Just a couple of maybes left. Makes milking go so much faster. A bit of sunshine finally to make the grass grow. Very nice to be done with heat lamps and night watches for awhile Gearing up for the inspector and getting spring cleaning done.

I don't usually like to write about the difficulties farming, but it wouldn't be honest to present a picture where everything goes well all the time. Been dealing with a high plate count for a couple months now, and that gets tough. Racking your brains to try to figure out the problem, trying one solution after another, spending extra money on those solutions and none of them working, not wanting to cull that wonderful milker or two that are probably the problem. Then the added stresses of a difficult birth, or kid that is doing poorly or not adjusting to weaning well, and the many pretty normal ups and downs of farming. It gets pretty wearing sometimes. There are times where nothing seems to go right, even when you're doing your best. But sometimes I think people don't realize just how hard it is to farm. Sure the baby goats are cute. But the weather can seem to be against you and cause pneumonia. Or keep you out of the fields when you need to be out working them. Or a kid can be presented wrong and you lose the kids and mom. It can be that simple sometimes. Or the milk price drops. Or the machinery breaks in the middle of haying. Some days I would sell the whole herd, just to have a day off. But you keep plugging on, because that is what you do. Maybe tomorrow will be better.