Lorihadams-- hi guys...been busy!

[lorihadams]

It's one thing if he says something to me about it but it is something totally different when I go to check the grand total again to make sure I have enough to put in the duckling order and its GONE.

I figured we had a little over $100 in there. I know what he put in, money from the sale of some of the fenceposts....he was supposed to get the other half of that money but I have yet to see or hear about it. I sold the platform for our mattress and put that money in there $25, and then we had at least $20-25 from egg sales and more in change so that is over $100 that is gone.

He told me that he took the $60 from the fenceposts out and put $20 in gas in each car and then spent the other $20 on tolls....okay, he doesn't go through any tolls so where the H#!! has he been going that he needed $20 in toll money???

That still leaves $40 that is missing. I took his $50 in birthday money and put it back in there to replace some of what he took but I just don't understand why he feels he needs cash for gas when we have a separate account just for gas. He does this crap all the time. He's buying junk with it when he gets gas so I don't know about it. I find wrappers and bottles all over his car so I know he's doing it. I guess it could be worse he could be running around on me..... He's having an affair with coffee, soda, and donuts....

It just kills me that he is so willing to spend it so freely. He has gotten better about it but it still feels like a smack in the face when you count on something being there and then it is just gone.

 

[glenolam]

I think the responses to leave some out "for him" but not tell him it's out there for him and then hide the rest is a great idea!

 

[lorihadams]

Okay, rant over....I'm breathing now....making a pot of deer chili to console myself and now I'm gonna share some more farm pics!

Here is a pic of Maddie with our eggs

Here's Tyler down by the pond

Six of my nine hens

The tadpoles...as eggs in the pond and as tadpoles in a bucket

And last but not least....the mallard babies

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

It's one thing if he says something to me about it but it is something totally different when I go to check the grand total again to make sure I have enough to put in the duckling order and its GONE.

I figured we had a little over $100 in there. I know what he put in, money from the sale of some of the fenceposts....he was supposed to get the other half of that money but I have yet to see or hear about it. I sold the platform for our mattress and put that money in there $25, and then we had at least $20-25 from egg sales and more in change so that is over $100 that is gone.

He told me that he took the $60 from the fenceposts out and put $20 in gas in each car and then spent the other $20 on tolls....okay, he doesn't go through any tolls so where the H#!! has he been going that he needed $20 in toll money???

That still leaves $40 that is missing. I took his $50 in birthday money and put it back in there to replace some of what he took but I just don't understand why he feels he needs cash for gas when we have a separate account just for gas. He does this crap all the time. He's buying junk with it when he gets gas so I don't know about it. I find wrappers and bottles all over his car so I know he's doing it. I guess it could be worse he could be running around on me..... He's having an affair with coffee, soda, and donuts....

It just kills me that he is so willing to spend it so freely. He has gotten better about it but it still feels like a smack in the face when you count on something being there and then it is just gone.

Get a separate private account for savings, and give him a weekly allowance. He will figure out that when its gone, its gone

 

[lorihadams]

I got 25 bales of hay yesterday! We met a lovely old man that is a friend's stepfather...he is practically deaf and had horrible gloves so chad gave him his leather work gloves cause he almost sliced the tip of one finger off last week. He sold us the hay at $5 per square bale and some of them were extra long and pretty and green, orchard grass/clover mix. He has been selling it as horse hay but it should be good for the goats.

Now I have to find straw that won't kill me....the local feed store wants $5.75 per square bale for straw.

I am thinking I can do waaaaaay better on that price...even Home Depot was selling straw bales last year for $4 a bale. I have a friend with horses so I'm gonna put in a call to her and see where she gets her straw for the horse barn. I may get some manure from her too and I definitely need to get a big old bucket of red wigglers from her husband....need to get my worm farm going again.

We got another 4x8 raised bed built yesterday but the gentleman that was supposed to deliver our compost/topsoil mix yesterday called Chad and told him that another driver rolled the dumptruck he has been using on his day off. It will cost us more for poorer quality soil but I know I can go to southern state and get some bags of mushroom compost and I'll add a bag to each bed to bump up the nutrient content.

At least I only have to do this once, right?

 

[TanksHill]

Lori, you need to write a chronological list. All of the things you have done to prepare for your goats. something us newbies who want goats can follow.

Fence, check
barn, check
meds, check

And so on. You seem to really have covered everything. I can't wait for your girls to come. So when are they coming????


About the mushroom compost. I heard once that it did not have the highest nutrient quality. I could be wrong but check into it.

Great job on the garden bed. I wish I could add a couple more. Hummmm where could I put them????

have a great day.

g

 

[Javamama]

Wow, that's high for straw! I have found that with all they hay mine waste there is no need to buy straw. I bought 2 bales last year and haven't opened the second one yet.

 

[lorihadams]

I know, right! They are taking preorders for alfalfa bales.....brace yourself....$12.75 per SQUARE BALE

I definitely won't be going there for my hay needs.

I am starting from scratch with dirt so I need to build up the bedding a bit.

As far as a checklist goes.....yeah, I'm still working on that. I have been trying to check out different places to see what I absolutely have to have. I need to put in an order to Hoeggers for the plastic jar lids, mini strainer and pads, and I'm looking into their essential oils and homeopathic stuff.

I have the following:
*Barn....check- 12x16 shed found on CL with 2 attached lean tos
*fence....check- 4x4 red brand goat fencing on 3-4in wood posts
*gates...on order from TSC, one 10ft gate and one 6ft gate
*steps to get into shed...working on it but not done yet
*electricity to barn....friend lined up to do the work when no rain is coming
*supplies...partially done-I have hoof trimmers, blue kote, probios powder, molasses, baking soda, sweet pdz, and nutridrench
*hay feeder-check....built with leftover lumber and 4x4 goat fence
*milking stand....on hubby's to do list
*feed, mineral, and water buckets...check- using shallow black rubber buckets from TSC for water and 2 section mineral feeders that screw in to the wall
*hay...check--orchard grass/clover mix....lovely and green
*straw for bedding--still looking
*milk pail...check-2 L stainless steel two handled cooking pot with stainless steel lid from TJ Maxx for $16

*goats---coming after they kid at the breeders, one is due April 12 and the other is due April 16

It has cost us around $6,000 to get everything the way we want it but that is hubby's fault I would have been happy with a shack but he wanted something that was professional looking cause these are expensive goats from excellent dairy lines and are registered. Some of her doelings go for $600 each. They really are beautiful goats. She has worked very hard to refine the lines and only keep the best milkers with the best teats and udders and she will not sell the ones that aren't correct for full price as milkers, she labels them as "pet goats" and sells them for less. She is very picky but sometimes has a waiting list for certain does.

We plan on breeding ours and selling the babies to help cover costs for the year...he wanted professional surroundings to help bring top dollar for the babies. Truth be told, he would have waaaaaay more if we had the land. We already have chicken customers that are asking about milk shares.....geesh.

 

[BeccaOH]

Oh, Lori, I just got 20 bales of straw at the livestock auction for $2.50 each. QA told me that this Monday there was decent straw that went of only 50 cents a bale!

Auction hay was going for $3 to $4 a bale on the 21st. Some still looked so green with alfalfa that I felt that I could even it eat. You have to be ready to take at least a stack of 20 when you buy, but you can get good deals. I think the feed store is still at $5 for both hay and straw here.

A farmer around here wanted to clean her barn out of winter hay last week for $2 each, but QA couldn't get in touch with her. So I think that deal fell through. :/

 

[lorihadams]

We haven't been to a livestock auction around here....I think the closest one to us that I know of is like an hour away. I know I can find straw bales cheaper than that. That is just ridiculous.

$25 bales should last us a while....we have 3 adults and we don't plan on keeping any babies for now but we haven't seen them yet so we don't know.....nigis are so dang cute..... If I have a good looking doeling in the mix I may keep one but I really need to sell the rest to recoup some of our startup costs.

My goats are both first fresheners so probably won't have more than one or two babies each but stranger things have happened....one of Ksalvagno's first fresheners had quads this year....