Selling Down

[FarmerChick]

Time to unload some goats. I have plenty and I think I will be sending about 40 to the sale. Older does from the big herd that aren't my "pet" types.

I hope the market holds decent prices now?

That would put me at about 30 left...that would be enough to get by. Tired of "too many" critters. Getting older and just trimming hooves and shots and worming etc. takes a toll, never mind kidding time! yikes...they all seem to blow at the same time.

It just seems funny while some are into buying critters to start being more sufficient I am wanting to unload. Oh to be younger again..LOL

But with Tony on layoff this is a good time to take a large group to the sale. Bank up money for feed for the remainder of the herd thru winter.

so just chatting about what is happening....time for a small change and this will start it. Time to get the farm back into a workable, easier mode ya know. I always said I was going to live simpler, well, a little less animal work would be a good start..LOL

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Good luck!! I hope you get a great price for them!

Funny that you are downsizing and we are trying to upgrade LOL

Wish you were closer! or vice versa! I'd get a couple!

 

[TanksHill]

Sounds like a plan. Good luck on the sale. I wish I livedcloser to come and see.

 

[Dace]

Good Luck Karen.
You are thinking ahead Best of luck getting your goaties sold off...wish I could buy one, but then again, I don't know what I would do with one! LOL

 

[Beekissed]

so just chatting about what is happening....time for a small change and this will start it. Time to get the farm back into a workable, easier mode ya know. I always said I was going to live simpler, well, a little less animal work would be a good start..LOL

I try to explain this to my sister but she keeps buying more animals and then runs herself ragged trying to maintain them. And she quit her government job making $80,000 a year to de-stress and simplify on this farm! I try to tell her less is more but she goes to the livestock auctions and brings home every cute little orphan she sees!

 

[FarmerChick]

thanks guys---fingers crossed for a good sale price! LOL

beekissed---I hear ya on this one. I too think more and more that "less is more" -lol- and making money on animals is tough on farmers. You need monster herds and truckloads of lower cost feed etc. to make a real profit. So I know my goats are just keeping themselves in feed and my time is getting more and more precious!

So unload time!

Your sister hasn't seen the light yet...LOL...but she will. One day ya wake up and say, hey what the heck am I doing? Everyone has their light bulb moment! HA HA

 

[enjoy the ride]

I seem to have missed the gene for being hypnotised by cuteness- thank goodness.
Right now I have 6 goats- one off farm being raised by someone else and one buckling to get the girls preggo then go to freezer camp and another buckling who will not pass go-straight-to freezer camp.
The three girls are my pets and will retire here but I'm afraid the boys can't stay.
This year will be harder than most because I really like the breeding buckling- he's totally sweet and a character, which is my formula for being attached. I love the animals that make me laugh.
But he will change when he's 250 lbs and tries getting his way- what's cute at 100lbs is scary at 250.

I think when you care for the health and happiness of your animals as well as your own, it should make you think long and hard about adding another to the pile. I sold my filly this year because I was not spending the time she needed to train for a useful life. I really wanted another dog as my girl is 11 now and not very healthy but you can't see a vet without it costing $300 in my area. So one at a time now.
I hope you get the price you need for your herd, FarmerChick. Hopefully with the holidays coming up, the market will be good.

 

[FarmerChick]

ETR
LOL your post has me laughing cause I can relate perfect with your post! 250 lbs of "wanna play" and push ya to the ground and mash ya is not a fun game...LOL

I made that mistake in the beginning of ownership --the bucklings would love to push against my hand and we would have war games...LOL. I learned real fast that was not a game I wanted to play with them....when the size kicks in the game becomes severe!

yea boys here are straight to sale. Most does go to sale straight away but a few of the best are kept for replacement.

BUT---I am lucky I got past the cuteness gene also. Hard to do but real farming has no place for "everyone being a pet"--I wish it did but it doesn't.

Your post made me laugh!

 

[Beekissed]

That part always gets me too, but I've learned to put it in perspective, like you all. As for dogs and cats, if I get one it has a home for its lifetime. For livestock, it can't be that way and still have money for your family.

Now....if one were independently wealthy, I could see having a small collection of animals endowed with the "cuteness" factor!