Morning Chores

Today was a beautiful day here in SW Montana. It was a bit on the chilly side, but very invigorating. I was having a face book discussion with some friends about milking goats and I said, "Call me crazy, but my favorite time to milk my goats is when it's cold out." Yes, one did call me crazy, but I will tell you why. Having my goats forces me to get up in the morning and go outside. For me it would be very easy to "hermit" myself away in this house all winter and not go out much. My animals and especially the goats force me out to get started with my day, every day, cold or hot, wind or rain, sun or snow....it matters not to the animals. Just imagine a frosty cold morning. Let's say it's Christmas Day and all of the world is quiet and still, with a coating of fresh snow covering the ground. My animals all look at me and watch me approach the barn, the goats vying for attention first. They want to be fed and let you know it. The sheep lay quietly waiting. One goat in the stanchion, I pull off my gloves and expose my hands to the frosty air. I plunge them into the bucket of hot water and wash the goat's udder. Then I begin milking, her body giving warmth to mine as I sit beside her. From her udder flows fresh, warm milk and on this morning it will be shared with the chickens. The ones that sleep in the rafters of the barn already have this figured out and soon they will show up for a tasty treat, walking around me and the goat with one eye cocked up. On this particular morning I decide to talk to them. Not in my language, but in theirs. I find myself sitting on my milk stool, milking my goat and clucking like a hen. If anyone were to walk into my barn just then, they'd surely suggest I be committed, but for me to talk to the animals is a life-long dream and I am living the dream. Every day is Christmas.

Goodness! Over a year has passed since I've written anything here. Amazing how time flies. We've had a fun and exciting year here on the farm. The wagon rentals are picking up, chickens have been harvested for another season and shearing of my lambs completed yesterday! Lots going on and still lots to do. Today I will join some friends and be a vendor at the Bozeman Winter Farmer's Market. It's always fun to connect after a long summer full of hard work. I feel a bit guilty for even having blogs, yes I have 2, and not posting. I must admit that facebook has cured my need to get the words out of my head. I did more blogging pre-facebook! Not sure if that's good or bad. At any rate, happy harvest to you all.

Wagon Guests

Fall has made an appearance here at Serenity Sheep Farm and Jack Frost came with it. We've had 3 mornings of frost so far. Lots of things in my garden have suffered, but I've convinced myself that it is what it is and next year is another year!
We were fortunate here to have both wagons rented for 2 nights this past week. Such fun! Newlyweds in the Winona, which we pulled over to the neighbor's yard. Their daughter and new son inlaw were gifted the stay.
The Brusett was rented for 3 nights by a man from France and his 2 children. I had a bit of a language barrier with the children, but we still shared lots of smiles and laughs. I hope they had a wonderful and memorable time here.
Both wagons were a bit chilly and required extra blankets with fall arriving.
I can now say I've had guests from all over the world!
This is what Serenity Sheep Farm Stay is all about.

Summer Fun

The lambs here are growing by leaps and bounds, literally.
The baby goats are of varying sizes and still so much fun.
The turkey poults are getting big, meat chickens are all out on free range and I can't seem to keep enough room in the fridge for all of the eggs!
Guinea keets are still in the brooder box. They will be let out when they have their feathers.
The pigs are showing some growth spurts, first width-wise and then length-wise and back again.
The wool for the CSA is currently being worked on at the mill. Soon I will be able to send it off to my customers in the form of yarn.
A few fleeces were shipped off to a wonderful customer in Oklahoma, who has introduced them to a spinning friend.
Lambs have been sold along with their moms to a young couple in a neighboring town for a starter flock.
Other lambs from last year have been delivered to Big Timber and will return for the dining pleasure of 10 lucky customers.
Kids camp tomorrow!
Life is good. So much to share here at Serenity Sheep Farm Stay.

Simplicity in all Things

With the high waters this year, it's really put pressure on my pasture. I made the decision a couple of weeks ago to reduce my flock a bit and help relieve that pressure. That and the fact that if I need to buy hay to supplement, I can use the extra money.
Yesterday we sorted sheep and I was able to send 10 wethers off to market. I am thankful for buyers for most of them and feel confident that I can sell off the extra one or two. In addition to that, I posted sheep for sale on craigslist and had a nice, young family contact me from Deer Lodge, MT. They were looking for a starter flock and wound up buying 12 yesterday. I am very thankful and actually quite shocked that it was this simple. Thank goodness for the internet. Before craigslist and facebook and all of this technology, it was very difficult for me to sell lamb or sheep. I am feeling good about my flock size and it's quite a relief actually.
I still have plenty of fleeces to sell from the spring shearing. Maybe that should be my next goal set. Again, the internet is so helpful.
The mill is currently working on my wool for the CSA and it shouldn't be long before that's all ready to send off to customers. I can't wait and I am sure they are getting anxious as well. I am very grateful, once again, to have customers who makes a purchase months in advance of receiving their item. Truly a leap of faith on their part and I promise not to disappoint them. They are part of my bread and butter in this operation.
We have been fortunate to have guests in the wagon for 2 weekends in a row. This endeavor has been quite slow, but all good things in time, right? The local paper did an article on vacations on farms and ranches and I was fortunate to be included in that. You can read it here.
Have a great week! I plan to.

Flooding Woes

May 25, 2011
My sheep pasture just beginning to sub.

I must admit, I've been a bit preoccupied the last couple of days with flood waters. We live about 300 yards from the East Gallatin River. With so much rain and snow pack at 200% above normal, we knew we'd have some water coming this way. My sheep pasture is about 90% covered in water. Up until today it was just water from it subbing from underground. Today it is actually coming from the river, into the neighbors and now into our field as well. For now it's ok because we have higher ground we can move the sheep to. Tomorrow we will need to let them into the pasture behind the house.
We had high water here back in 1982. We didn't live here then. My in laws were still living here. There was water up to our sheep pasture fence, which is just adjacent to my barn. None of that was here then. No barn, no sheep. Actually, this house was not here either. We built it in 1994. I have not been under the house to check on the crawl space, but tomorrow I will check that out.
This is really nothing compared to what lots of folks are experiencing right now, even folks right here in Montana.
It is unnerving and unsettling, but we can live with it for now.

Spring!

It's arriving in its own due time, but it does say Spring on the calendar! We are now allowed to call it that. I love Spring. I think the fact that I was born in the Spring helps with that fact.
There are signs of Spring all around us. Aside from the wet, heavy snow, mud and general "slop", we have beautiful signs of Spring as well. The Robins have returned. I've seen and heard the Sandhill Cranes, today 2 pair of Snow Geese flew above me on my walk down to the river. My tom turkey is strutting his stuff and the ducks have begun to lay eggs along with an abundance of lovely chicken eggs! All wonderful signs of life, hope and things to come.