THEY'RE HERE!!!

It has been a long and exhausting 48hrs here, but we did it...We got the pens finished the shelter in place and drove to Fort White and collected our goats....Only took us 8 weeks to get them home...

I only managed to snap a couple of photos with my phone because as soon as we got home and them unloaded it stated to rain...Then we had to run to town and pick-up Sara from Daycare....Maybe tomorrow I will be able to take the Nikon outside and try for some better photos.

Boots in the back and Princess (the goat previously known as Deenie) in the front

Not a great photo of the goats but I love the over exposed Americana feel of this photo of Sara, whom is VERY happy to have the goats home...Boots of course is hers and Princess (goat formally known as Deenie) is Big sisters.

And lastly Farmer Brown aka Hubby with the goats...You get a real sense how small they are in this photo...I love the fact that as Nigerian Dwarfs they will not get much larger either.

Blessings Kelsie

Sharing this post at:

Farm Girl Friday @ http://www.deborahjeansdandelionhouse.blogspot.com/
Farm Photo Friday @ http://farmchickskitchen.blogspot.com/

Potpourri Friday @ http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/

Fall Farm Friends Friday @ http://www.verdefarm.com

Show and Tell Friday @ http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Pedro the Donkey

Pedro lives in the planted pines around the corner a mile or so from our house..

We love to stop and visit him...He always eagerly trots up to receive some over the fence loving...Such a sweet boy he is...

He seems so sad living all by himself...Wish we could bring him home to live with our goats.

Blessings Kelsie

Sharing for

Outdoor Wednesday @
http://www.asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/

Goat Pen - Part 2

We are only running a week behind schedule on bringing home the goats (Part 1 Here) ...Hubby is having to work on it after work and unfortunately the three days last week he arrives home before it got dark it was pouring with rain...

Farmer Brown aka hubby putting in fence posts last night after work...

We also had a delay, as we wanted to speak with the neighbor that was using the land for the melons about the new crop he put there...We had only expecting him to replant it with Bahia, but he mixed in a "bird seed" crop (forget the real name) and though we were not informed this was going to be the case on our land, we thought it only right to talk to him before we mowed and fenced part of it...

He does not pay for the use of our land, the but in exchange for planting the melon crop would reseed our back 3acres with better pasture grass than what was there, as well as he amended the soil...In previous years he has also cut and hayed back there so we did not have to try and cut it with our small ride on mower...We also might get some friendly neighbor fencing going on this year....More about that later if it goes ahead as planned.

But any-who, back to our goats...This small temporary grazing area is 60x40 square ft and should be more than enough room and grass for 2 Nigerian Dwarf goats until we can raise the funds to securely fence the perimeter of the property...at which point we can bring in sheep as well...

Farmer Brown aka Hubby has finished building and painting their shelter and I can't wait to see it...He has it over in his work shop and will be bringing over to the pen tonight after work ....

Remember this?...It is a 10x10 dog kennel which we will use to shut them in at night (or if we are out for the day) so they do not get eaten by predators...We will be adding chicken wire to the top and then a canvas tarp to give them additional shade and protection from the rain and preditors...

I know some of you are wondering why we are securing the top of a 6ft high pen for goats...Well we learnt the hard way with our chickens that bobcats can and will enter from above if they can find a way to get in, and since this pen will be placed under the oak tree we do not want to serve them up a goat dinner....

We plan on Wed, since that is one of Farmer Brown aka Hubby's days off, to stretch the goat/sheep fencing and swing the gate...Hook up the auto watering system etc.

I think we are right on track for them to be home this Thursday *happy goat dance*

Then my challenge is going to be make the 10x10 kennel not look so blah...I would love to shabby chic it up...I have my eye on some old shutters...Suggestions welcome....Please

Blessings Kelsie

Banner and Anniversary

Took a photo for my big daughter to send to her Love for their anniversary...

Happy Anniversary M&M

Turned out super cute so I re-edited it and made it into my new banner...What do you think? Does Big daughter have the makings of a hand model hehe.

Blessings Kelsie

Home grown Pear Pie

I believe I have mentioned occasionally that we have a few (14) very old, very large, super productive pear trees at our place...I know...Joy, Rapture and all those fun noises...Well the trouble is everyone of them are "cooking pears"...not the kind you could just pick off the tree and nosh on...So what does one do with so many cooking pears??

This was one of 4 box we took to Miracles Happen Ranch a few weeks ago

Well many of them go to a friend for her goats and horses to enjoy....I send some home with my MIL...I actually enjoy watching the squirrels and birds devour them....and many get run over with the lawnmower and/or get composed...My chickens do try very hard to make a dent but alas, we still have hundreds of pears EVERYWHERE....

Well this afternoon I took some advice I was given to "treat them like apples" and made a Easy "pear" Pie....I simply followed the recipe here
http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/easy-apple-pie-recipe/3/
but substituded pears for apples....

The perfect way to end the evening...
Delish pie from home grown fruit and a glass of milk...

Blessings Kelsie

Sharing this post at:
Farm Girl Friday @ http://www.deborahjeansdandelionhouse.blogspot.com/
Farm Photo Friday @ http://farmchickskitchen.blogspot.com/
Potpourri Friday @ http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/
Fall Farm Friends Friday @ http://www.verdefarm.com
Show and Tell Friday @ http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Fertilizer Friday @ http://www.tootsietime.com/