My goats are the smartest animals on the farm.  Their powers of reasoning amaze me sometimes.  It only takes doing something different once, and they're on to you.  This doeling has figured out how to get the best hay at feeding time.  As the goats are eating the bale of hay in the feeder, the small alfalfa leaves (which are the best) fall down out of the bale.  They lay on the bottom in a layer of the choicest feed.



Wait for it.......Wait for it.....



Dive in!  She crawls right in under the bale, lays there and eats undisturbed 

Meanwhile, the rest of the herd eats from the top.

My New Babies

I've been wanting a team of horses for awhile.  I love horses and at one time, I rode a lot. When we were doing custom cattle ( calving other peoples cows) I was out everyday on horseback checking cows. But after a riding accident my balance isn't very good and I don't feel comfortable on top of a horse.  So now, I want to have a team of two heavy horses.  They would be useful to me; working in the garden, raking hay, feeding round bales, cleaning out the barn, and best of all, going in parades. 

Lyle hauls horses and when a herd of horses was being shipped, these two little babies were too small to be shipped.  The owner was going to put them down because they will not survive the winter without special care.  I just couldn't let that happen, so Lyle brought them home for me.  They were born this summer and have been running out on grass with their mothers  until last week.  The black filly had injured her leg, so I don't know if she'll ever be able to pull.  The blonde colt looks good, I will probably need to find a team mate for him.  They are finally eating and drinking and seem to be settling in,  Yesterday they finally came up to me so I could scratch their backs.  They have been very scared but I've got them in with Ben ( Hannah's new 2 year old who was also rescued from the meat truck) and he is so quiet that he keeps them calm.

This little filly looks really rough, but she's coming along.  I wasn't sure she was going to make it, but everyday sees her a little stronger.

This little stud colt is very sweet. He's much stronger and has settled in good.

Ben is Hannah's horse.  He's 2 and she will start training him this winter.  He is very quiet and level headed.  She shouldn't have much trouble starting him. When he came a month ago  he was so thin, but he's starting to put some weight on and looks so much better.

Another Fall Run

Well, another fall run is underway at the Whitewood Livestock Auction.  Once again we are putting in long hours sorting cattle.  This is my 11th fall run here (also worked 3 years at Calgary Stockyards), and I am sure feeling my age.  We worked Sunday afternoon, Monday til 2 am and loaded out trucks until Tuesday at 11 pm.  As usual, Wednesday morning I could barely crawl out of bed, and we start all over again on Sunday for next weeks sale. I'm not sure why I do this job, getting kicked and run over by wild cattle! Add to that working when it's as cold as -30 some days. There are so many other jobs that pay so much better and you don't end up sore and bruised.  A couple of years ago I attached one of those pedometers and figured out I walked 17 miles in one day.  Some days I need to shake my head.  But at least we have fun doing it and I like the crew we work with.  Hannah is now also working at the barn.  She's on the penning side, and brings her horses to work.  She just loves having a job where she can take her horses with her.

As you can see, she also has a little fun too!

Sorting calves with the crew on a cold, foggy,  rainy October morning.

Food Mythbusters

I came across this video; food for thought.

Ornamental Corn

This year I decided to grow ornamental corn.  The growing period is about 20 days longer than our area of Saskatchewan so I started it early in the greenhouse.  I babied these little plants along, transplanting, covering for late frosts, and watering.  I picked the corn yesterday and I am really glad I made the effort.  They are just beautiful and I love the colours.

I also ended up with the ugliest cob of corn I have ever seen.  Not sure what happened with this one!

Vegetables Available

For those of you who are local, we have the following vegetables available for sale.

Red Potatoes  $1.25/lb
Green Beams $3.00/lb
Purple Beans $3.00/lb
Beets - cylinder or round - bunch of 6 with tops $3.00 or w/o tops $5.00/gallon
Carrots $2.00/lb
Swiss Chard $2.00/lb
Sugar Peas $2.00/1/2 lb
Snow peas $2.00/ 1/4 lb
Cucumbers - mini $.50 each
Cucumbers - slicers $1.00 each
Cucumbers - picklers $10.00/gallon
Tomatoes - cherry $2.00/lb
Field tomatoes - $5.00/gallon
Vegetable marrow - $1.00
Zucchini squash - $1.00 each
Spaghetti squash $3.00
Hot Peppers - jalapeno, chili, Hungarian 3/$1.00
Corn - bi colour - $0.50/cob

Fresh Herbs $1.00 per bunch
dill, thyme. sage. basil - sweet or purple, cilantro. rosemary, oregano, parsley, savory, mint

Dried Herbs $1.00/10 grams
thyme, sage, basil, rosemary, oregano, parsley, summer savory

dill weed - $1.00/5 grams, chamomile - $3.00/10 grams

Newest Member to the Farm Family



I picked up this new little doeling the other day in Gimli, Manitoba.  She's an angora goat and was born this spring.  I've been wanting an angora for a long time now but they are very hard to come by.  She's already been clipped this year, and I was given the bag of her mohair when she came.  It is so soft and luxurious.  By next spring her coat should be a mass of long ringlets. Look for mohair mittens and slippers for sale this fall!  Anyone got any suggestions for her name?