Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[NH Homesteader]

I like horned rams, but I don’t like horned goats. My ram’s horns curl and don’t cause half the problems goat horns do because of the way they’re angled. I had a horned goat throw his head back (not aggressively, just the way he moved) and almost take my daughter’s eye out. I was over horned goats after that. He always used to get his head stuck in the fence at the worst times too.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

We might as well make sausage.

Do you mix the goat meat with pork? I'd love a simple sausage recipe!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I had a horned goat throw his head back (not aggressively, just the way he moved) and almost take my daughter’s eye out.

Definitely kids (human, lol) and horned goats are an issue. My first goats were pygmy and just the right size for a kid to want to hug on. Definitely can't have horns in that circumstance. Plus - I showed my goats and while there were no rules about horned goats in the pygmy shows - the judges definitely appreciated not having to dodge horns, lol.

I'm going to try to do some more canning today. I think during that 90 minutes I can get a few more gals disbudded. Looked out a few minutes ago and they're all running around and "playing king of the tire", lol. I love me some baby goats!

 

[Mini Horses]

Probably more traumatic for me than them. I'm the one that has to dread it, think about it, dread it, plan for it, dread it, prepare for it, dread it, catch the babies, dread it, shave their heads, and spend about 30 seconds doing the actual deed - and hate all 30 of those seconds.

In thirty seconds I can remove a lifetime of possible problems. I hate it - but I do it for reasons that make sense to me.

Most of mine are not dehorned. They will get stuck in a fence because the BEST thing to taste is on other side of wherever they are! I find they don't use the horns to "attack" when young but, as they age they do...to ram younger from a pile of hay, etc. The ones I have dehorned, not as aggressive like that. This year I plan to dehorn. I am not thrilled to do but see a difference in that personality at feeding time. Have good equipment, need to use it. only doelings. I need a box for this venture.

I like the milk my girls give and they have great personalities. But I am going to reduce dairy numbers as I add the meat breed. Just a different farm structure to breed meat kids for sale income. But I'll keep dairy!

FEM what have you found to be any difference in milk from the Kilos? Volume, butterfat, etc? Since you have plenty of differences to compare.....

 

[frustratedearthmother]

FEM what have you found to be any difference in milk from the Kilos? Volume, butterfat, etc? Since you have plenty of differences to compare.....

I do have plenty to compare with lol. If I had to pick one breed to milk and only one breed...I'd probably pick a Kinder. At least one of MY Kinders because I know their milking history. I only have two purebred Nubians left. Cameo is still the queen of production. I have Kinders that outproduce Emily, the other purebred Nubian. I did milk a Nubian/Kiko cross and she did very well. Great milk, easy calm milker just not quite the volume. I think I recall only milking her for about 6 months but she did well during that time. Now that I have some 3/4 Kikos/ 1/4 Nubians I'll see if I notice a difference. Of course, it'll be next year, lol.

I want to cross some of these 3/4 Kikos to my Kinder buck. That'll keep the Nubian/Pygmy influence in the mix and should help udders and butterfat. Next year will be a crazy mixed up breeding year. Kiko X does bred to a Kinder buck. Kinder/Kiko cross does bred to Myotonic; and probably the Nubian does to Conan. Whew!

Can't wait to see the Boers you get @Mini Horses! Hurry up already, lol.

 

[Medicine Woman]

Yes we pretty much always have pork to add to venison or goats meat. I find the taste similar. I don’t have a recipe. DH and his friends just mix the meats together according to whatever is available and they buy a special package of seasoning from one of our local grocery stores for green onion sausage and once they done grinding and mixing they stuff castings. I tell you what….we have two unwanted bucks and I personally saw a bunch of feral pigs in the back so I really hope I can get some sausage soon.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Sounds like what my neighbor does. He's a big hunter and always gets venison and feral hog. He buys a spice mix and stuffs it up. It's good!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Accomplished a couple of things today. Unloaded a truck load of feed - ugh. But, it's a workout so I'm not going to complain. Workouts are a good thing!

Canned some black beans and ham, and some ham chunks. While that was working I disbudded the other 5 doelings. And yes - I stink again, lol.

I think tomorrow I'll try to butcher some quail and pick a bunch of kumquats to make more marmalade. I can't stand to waste anything so I need to use up the kumquats. Obsessive much?

 

[baymule]

I love kumquats! We had them in the backyard when I was a kid in Houston. Send all extras to ME!!!!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Looks like a rainy day - ugh. But, I should be grateful because I can get some inside work done. I made some kumquat marmalade a few weeks ago and tried putting a habanero in it. Hard to believe but it wasn't even spicy. I think I'll try two habaneros this time. I don't want it really hot - but I enjoy a touch of spice. A light layer of sweet and spicy on a biscuit/sausage sammich - yum!

I need to start deciding what gals I'm gonna keep. I really want to keep 'em all, lol. (no -it's not gonna happen!) But, there's not a doeling out there that I don't like. That's a good problem to have. I've got at least 4 grown does that are on the "gotta go" list.

Starting to think of names. I think I may go with "P" names. It's the tattoo letter for this year and will help me remember what year they were born. Poppie, Peaches, Pebbles, Pumpkin....it won't be hard, lol. What will be hard is me not calling them all the wrong names!