An Adorable Addition

Guess what beautiful people? I got a baby goat! Awww...how precious is that?  After the loss of Chewy the pony, I have felt a little empty because his care required so much time and really filled in the extra hours on our little farm.  Without him, I have spent more time with Willow and the dogs, however, they are all seniors and are happy to just be joyously and lazily retired. So...I thought it was time to have a little one around the farm, and who more deserving of a companion than Clover the goat?

I have a future goal of getting some goats for milking, to make goat cheese and soaps, but we have so much produce to tend to this year, our first BIG produce year, so we have decided to start the milking goats next year. That means we have banded our new little guy and he will join the ranks of highly adored, family farm, pet. We had milking Nubian goats in years past, so this will not be new to us, but what will be new, is learning all the things I can make from the goats milk, instead of only consuming and selling it in milk form.

Nugget

The kids have named our new little guy, Nugget. He was drinking milk from his mama goat before we brought him home, so getting him to take a bottle has not gone over well. He is stubborn and wants nothing to do with it, even though the seller gave us goats milk to bring home with him. He is a month old and I am hoping to get some milk in him for at least another couple of weeks. He is eating and drinking water like a champ fortunately, and I am at least getting some milk in, but it is still by using a syringe. I have tried a bucket but he just spills it. If I have any concerns about dehydration or weight issues, I will take him to the vet, but he is healthy, playing, and already growing, so we are quite pleased with our new little stinker. He actually escaped the yard the first day, looking for his mama, and made it out to the road. Our neighbor happened to be there to see the great escape and helped in trying to capture him.  Luckily, he was bleating and loud so we could easily track him down and he ended up stuck in some tall thorny bushes where Travis was quick to pull him out. He sure is a fast little dude, tee hee.  That was certainly not his fault.  He was just scared because, of course, his world was rocked in a big way and he didn't understand. Male goats can be hard to place in homes if they are not used for breeding. Often times they end up as food so I am super happy that we can give this guy a good home, even though it is a hard transition in the beginning.

Oh my golly, what a nerve wracking, silly adventure that was! He has since become more relaxed in his new environment and no longer has the need to try and leave the farm. He stays very near to Clover and enjoys the goat pen and large pasture. There is plenty for him to nibble on, climb on, and much space to romp and run.

In the beginning he got out of the goat pen a few times, only to cry on the other side to get back in with Clover until we decided to leash Clover up and bring her out, without him. Then we watched and saw where he was escaping so we could close in the gap. He can still squeeze through tiny spaces but it won't be long before he will be unable to do that. The goat pen is the safest place for the goats to be at night time.

We take Nugget out into the pasture with Willow and Clover every day to explore, play, climb, and forage.  He has been with us for eight days now and is adjusting to our routines and daily life. Please wish us well that he continues to grow, be healthy, and relax in his new environment.

Daily Life

The rest of our days have been filled with getting the kids organized in school, both at their school buildings, and on-line for some classes/days.  

Travis is still going to the Odell garden daily.  It is looking amazing and there is still tons of empty space to fill in with produce if we need it for even more expansion!  It is a lot already, so now we need to work on cleaning it, weighing it, bagging it, and getting the walk in freezer set up to store it. Travis shares a lot of what he does, how he does it, and the progress he is making on our 3 Corners Farm YouTube channel, so feel free to check it out.

I have had a slower week of baking breads, but there is always meals to plan and prepare, dishes to do, laundry to tend to, and animal care. Not only have we been introducing a baby goat to our mix, but I have been shaving down our old collie dog, Baby, a bit each day because she is just too hot. It is stressful for her so I choose to do it myself instead of take her to a groomer. I shave in quick increments of time so as not to overwhelm her, a little bit each day.  

We even got to have a visit with a few other families who live in our area.  We visited outside on one of their decks, with a fabulous view.  It was very cold that evening but so worth it!  It was enjoyable to meet other families who's kids attend the same schools as ours.  We can all help each other out and share produce, car pooling, and thoughts. What a wonderful thing! 

Front Yard

Since then, the weather has been extremely warm, reaching about 80 degrees Fahrenheit daily.  It is sunny, calm, and beautiful, almost like being in the filming for a movie, it is so perfect!  I refuse to think ahead into a summer filled with fires and drought because all we can do is prepare for the worst to happen so that we are ready if needed, and carry on with living, enjoying every minute along the way. 

Video blog

I am working on perfecting our video blogs on YouTube to include some of the beauty of where we live, and also share a lot of our little farm's happenings, so you can meet us and see all the progression for yourself. 

We formerly lived in a 1920's craftsman style house in town where we worked diligently on improving our credit scores, working in harmony at our jobs, while also learning and trying all that we could about homesteading.  Then...we took the plunge, sold our house (which was a really stressful ordeal but that's a story for another time), and we moved our kids and animals to this little manufactured home with a bit of acreage. Since then, we have perfected this lifestyle and are growing a business from it's bounties, and we have both even quit our former jobs.

I hope our story inspires others to pursue their dreams, or whatever it is that your soul longs for, no matter what that may be for each of you.  It IS possible to live the life you dream of!

Right now, our daughter is asking me to bring the bunny out with her.  She wants to get him out of his cage and enjoy this beautiful day, so I am happy to oblige them both in that. Perhaps I will play with my new baby goat, too. We are just so beautifully blessed! 

Until my next blog, I send you many blessings and much love,

Amy E. Darr

3 Corners Farm

Mosier, Oregon, U.S.A.