Shearing, YAY!

Well, over the past weekend we sheared our little sheep. It wasn't as bad as we were afraid it would be. Last year we used 'Hand Shears', the big Scissors! UHG. The sheep freaked out, we nicked Gilli once or twice, and they bled for a couple minutes, and it took DAYS to get half of her sheared before we gave up because she was getting wilder and wilder and I assume it was because we were stressed, having nicked her and causing her to bleed. That was one of the more awful things.. eew.

So this year we opted to buy our own set of "Clippers", the electric shears that are the same concept as Barber clippers or something. Since I grew up with dogs ALL around, I got to be pretty good with clippers so I was pretty confident in my abilities to shear a sheep with a set! And Jon is good at most whatever he sets his mind to, so no worries! Although they look pretty mean, I had thought. But as I'm showing Mom (whose taking the pic) the points are actually dull and just act as a 'spreader' to help the wool feed through the blade easier.. so they're actually very safe.

First we got the into the old barn, set up with water and hay to calm them down (the dogs ran them a little harder then I would have liked--still working on that!). We set up and got to work and soon found that with Jon's hurt knee, and their small size, it was going to be difficult to 'set them down' the way you would a larger sheep to do the shearing (pro shearers set sheep on their tails and sort of shift them and scoot them around with their legs and feet). So we decided to try whatever was comfy for us and the sheep. You'll see in some of the pics that the sheep are laying on their sides, backs, or standing with their head held or put between the knees. All these positions seemed alot more stable and relaxing then when we tried to 'set them down'.. they really seemed to get agitated when we put them on their tails and with the size it really wasn't working at all.
Here's Gilli.. talk about wide.














We had meant to shear ON the tarp, but as you can see, it didn't work out that way.. here's to picking straw/hay out of the wool!








I get the feeling that Jack isn't impressed with us at this point! ^



I didn't get any good shots of Gilli during shearing other then this one... isn't her wool great looking! It's so soft and white, I just want to crawl into a pile and nap! :)


And here we go, almost done! Still needs cleaned up, but I think at this point the 'tagging' as Dad calls it, is done. That's where you clip their 'nether parts', eeww... that was not fun.. it was the only bit I didn't like.


YAY! We're going to have a baby~! (she's 'bagged up')










Celebratory smooch!








And here they are, all done! (Calling for the Goats, whom they've become quite attached to).

BTW With these clippers, I nicked one of them (I forget which tho) just a tad, a spot on a neck fold that was about the size of a pimple (just a little pink dot) so I'm VERY pleased!! No actual CUTS, no blood, nothing negative. YES! And of course, smarty pants Jon didn't nick anyone :op

A side Note,,,

I took some shots of the old Barn here next to my little plot so I plan to add some pics slowly over the next few days as I get them resized and such.. check back to see updates. Til then, here's McSquizzy playing Frisbee.


Cheers for another night.

Why I Love Wiggly Wigglers!

Check out Wiggly Wigglers and you'll love them too! They're funny, green, ethical and thought provoking! It's the most entertaining part of my week! (well, almost!) They're great fun and you can listen free.

clipped from wigglywigglers.blogspot.com clipped from wigglywigglers.blogspot.com clipped from www.wigglywigglers.co.uk Tune in to it! Subscribe to the Wiggly Podcast Wiggly Podcast Archive Wiggly Video Channel Click the play arrow to listen right now! Planet Earth. Be part of it... Our aim is to ensure that everything in the Wiggly Catalogue helps, in some small way, Planet Earth get on with its job. Here at Wiggly Wigglers, helping the planet isn't about joining a club, or taking a vow, or giving up things you love. Instead, just get out there and have a go: make some jam, plant some spuds, change your washing-up liquid. And, when you're done, curl up on the sofa with some of the books inside and find out more about the amazing place called Planet Earth. Welcome to Wiggly Wigglers.

Midas Goes...

I certainly hope that Annie doesn't mind that I blogged her blog, but this is just priceless! I love it. What an angel of a woman, and what a insanely cute goat! I LOVE MIDAS!! Go Check out Annie's other posts at annie.bedlamfarm.com It's VERY entertaining and even thought provoking! Cheers!!

clipped from annie.bedlamfarm.com Annie DiLeo - Bedlam Farm Goddess MIDAS GOES... Posted At : November 6, 2007 6:21 AM | Posted By : Annie DiLeo    To UPS!!     Well not quite.  Here Midas meets up with our UPS driver (whose name I embarrassingly can't remember) to see if he's getting a package.  He appears as if he found out there's nothing for him and I'm getting "The Look"!

Bethel Missouri Fiber Arts Festival

A real fun, family friendly weekend!! Lots of good finds, with booths selling everything from Raw Wool and Roving to Spindles, Spinning Wheels, everything you can imagine for Crochet or Knitting and Weaving, lots of Wool Products, crafts ect ect. COME AND SEE!! Everything for the Sheep, Goat and Rabbit enthusiast! Bring your products and set your booth up, see site for details! FREE ADMISSION!!

clipped from www.worldsheepfest.com 29th Annual World Sheep & Fiber Arts Festival Labor Day Weekend • Aug 30 - Sept. 1, 2008 • Bethel, Missouri Schedule Saturday 9:00 a.m. Leadline Registration 9:00 a.m. Queen Contest - Show Barn 9:30 a.m. Leadline Entry Deadline 10:00 a.m. Leadline - Show Barn 10:00 a.m. Shearing Demo - One Stop Ten 11:00 a.m. Sheep Dog Demos - Dog Arena 11:00 a.m. Sheep Knowledge Contest - One Stop Tent 12:00 p.m. Mutton Busting - Show Barn 1:00 p.m. Shearing Demo - One Stop Tent 1:30 p.m. Junior Lamb & Goat Show - Show Barn 2:00 p.m. Fleece Competition (Judging) 2:00 p.m. Sheep Dog Demos - Dog Arena Sunday 8:30 a.m. Church Service - Show Barn 9:00 a.m. Sheep to Shawl Competition - Fiber Arts Tent 10:00 a.m. Silent Fleece Auction 11:00 a.m. Sheep Dog Demos - Dog Arena 12:00 p.m. Mutton Busting and Sheep Games- Show Barn 1:30 p.m. Parade - Line up at North End of Bethel 2:00 p.m. Sheep Dog Demos - Dog Arena 2:00 p.m. Shearing Demos - One Stop Tent 3:30 p.m. Specialty Sheep & Goat Sale Monday 12:00 p.m. Registered & Commercial Sheep Sale - Show Barn

"Versailles"

This is where I have one of the best times all year.. I can't wait to go back!

clipped from www.jacobscave.com Meadowlands SPRING -  June 5,6,7 & 8  2008 FALL - OCTOBER  2,3,4 & 5  2008 Bring your Pigeons, Poultry, Small Animals, Crafts, & Collectables ADMISSION: $5.00 Per Vehicle Per Day BUY - SELL - TRADE OR LOOK GATE HOURS: Thursday: 6:00 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday: 6:00 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday: 6:00 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday: 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon GROUND RULES Not responsible for losses. NO Horses, Cattle or Swine All animals must be properly contained "Quiet" Time on grounds from 10:30 p.m. until Dawn Inappropriate behavior WILL NOT be tolerated Grounds Security for Parking & Assistance Camping in the rough $5.00 per night Refreshments Available on Grounds Jacobs Cave Meadowlands Is Located Between Versailles and Gravois Mills, off Missouri Highway 5 on State Road TT. For Information Call Jacob's Cave: 573-378-4374 email us: jacobscave@earthlink.net

Things I Love...

About the Farm. About Life on the Farm. Perhaps just things I love about Life. Who knows where this will go. BTW that's Mr Thing (doesn't have a proper name yet) with his momma, Myrtle. They're so cute. The chocolate in the corner is his big sister, Ms Thing. The three of them stick together like glue.

(not in any particular order)

I love hearing:
*the sound horses hooves make on the ground
*Dad on the tractor hauling feed
*A rooster crowing (NOT ten roosters.. ONE rooster LOL)
*hens clucking and scratching in the dirt--free!
*my radio playing BXR (station that plays ppl like Mat Kearney, John Hiatt, Snow Patrol, Keene, the Decemberists) while I'm in the garden
*wild birds singing in the trees early in the morning *or anytime really*
*our goat Tinkerbelle mumbling at us
*Nessa Rose' tags jingling on her collar
*our sheep bah-ing :)
*baby geese and ducks chirping and singing
*Piggies oinking and grunting (they make alot of different sounds actually)
*the voices of my family
*wind in the trees

I love seeing/watching:
*baby piglets playing and rooting in the dirt
*Pippin and McSquizzy playing Frisbee
*the sun rise, especially if the horses are out grazing
*clouds go by, and taking pictures of them
*Ness learn how to herd the goats and sheep
*LinG and Squizz half burying each other, digging for a little critter in the garden
*the dogs dancing to Bob Marley's music
*Mr Weasley (our ferret) bouncing across the floor
*the chickens scratching and grazing
*the geese and ducks swimming and eating
*the white sheep munching grass in a bright green field
*wild, untouched places
*moving water (love to hear it too)
*Jon with sick or hurt animals, he's so soft and gentle
*flames (I plan to cook outside a lot more this year.. even in cool or icky weather!)
*anything mothering a baby

I love smelling:
*wood smoke
*horse hair
*the air before, during and after rain
*my hubby
*homemade pie or cookies in the oven
*homegrown stew in cast iron
*grass
*damp hay
*a dirty horse stall (kinda gross I guess)
*sheep wool (with Lanolin still in it..ohhh heaven!)
*moss by the creek
*newborn anything, talk about the 'new' smell lol
* and bunnies, they smell nice. Just like cats.

I love how the dogs wake me up in the mornings, and then how whoever it was that did the waking will go around and lick the other dogs on the paw or forehead to get them up. Or how some mornings the boys won't get outta bed til their master/dad does.. while the girls get up with me. They're a fun bunch of dogs.

I love listening to Mom talk about her animals and the jewelry she's making. And arguing with Dad over wool prices and can dos, can't dos, shoulda done's and 'whata-ya-gonna-do's'. I love listening to Uncle Russell talk about, well, anything. And Aunt Mary about her goats. They're like her kids, and she knows each one and every bump, and every scrape on them. And I really enjoy listening to Uncle Den talk about his hobbies and the things that are important to him. I really need to see him more. And of course I love to nose into my sis' life and get pics of my niecy, MY baby girl, Ryli. And always, I love hearing my sweetie talk about his honey bees and underground houses and solar power and bio-fuels. I love him.

It's good to populate your life with people, other beings, and things that you care about.. and I suppose that I'm pretty rich in that respect. I just forget sometimes. I plan to meditate on that this year and not let last year get me down. Just because I lost the babies doesn't mean that I have to lose everything.

Well, it's getting late and this cold has me really tired and this is getting really long. So I guess I'll close. Before I do, I appreciate all my family who reads this.. I love you guys. Don't let life get you down. Make a list like this, to remember when it's a crummy day and you're sick and tired and worn down. It might make you feel better to read about the things that you love!! =) I'd love to read about those things, so send on the lists if you like! Share! :)
Toodles!

Happy Late St Patrick's Day!

Happy happy news

We've been finding Goose eggs around the place with a couple of hens nesting. We have 34 in the incubator with at least one hen acting like she's going to sit.
It's especially exciting because we have a "sorta new" Gander that is just stunning. He's a blue splash African. Oh my.. and I think he'll be the daddy of many or all of these eggs that are going to hatch in about a month. He's mated all of the hens. His picture is up above with the white hen we got with him. She doesn't look too pure, but was supposed to be. I don't know.. I don't really care. She's a pretty girl! :) They'll go nicely with our Buff African/China hen =)

More sad stuff

A few days ago (before he sold his goats, so we didn't know who they belonged to) Dad told me that a doe had 'slipped kids' in the field above our house. When Jon and I walked up there our little former 'Bottle baby' goat " Tinkerbelle" came running crying at us, she had miscarried twins. A little buck and a doe. They were both Lamancha and were really pretty. They were extremely tiny and premature. Poor little girl, she followed me around (and still does) calling and grunting, I told her that I know exactly how she feels.
I buried her little ones near the pond where the goats like to spend time munching grass and nibbling on the Mulberry tree. I'm sure Tink will spend alot of time near them, whether she knows it or not. But the odd thing is, she followed me when I took them to bury them and she nuzzled them and tried to clean them. It was so sad. She acted just like a doe that had just given birth to live full term kids. She'll make a wonderful mother some day.. just not yet.

Rest in peace little ones.

Sad tidings--one

Today we shipped out my Dad's herd of goats, and two of my own. We took them to a local stockyard. It was pretty tough to part with mine, even though I had good reason. I detest stockyards. We walked behind the scenes and found pen after pen of helplessly sick, deformed, malnourished animals. It really upset me. I guess I don't mind eating meat, it's not one of my favorite things by any means. But, seeing how these living beings are cared for-the lack thereof- makes me ever rethink my traveling diet. When we grow our own meat, it's always kept humanely and treated with respect, not starved or allowed to linger in sickness and surely not let to stand deformed. Then one day, it's life is just over and it doesn't have time to startle or think about it. But those poor animals, most of which were so disgusting and poor looking, have to live in a world of purgatory til they die at the hands of someone who neither respects them nor cares for their wellbeing or ease of passage. That really bothers me.

I saw a flock of Katadin sheep-all young lambs- that seemed to have foot rot. A horribly painful infection of their hoof walls. It made me want to be sick. What honor can you get out of a life that profits from the pain of other beings? What would make a person sell a small flock of animals with such a horrid disease. Not only are they in pain, and could have and should have been treated, but they'll spread the nasty infection to other animals because it's highly contagious.

Where has the honor, kindness and reputation gone from people? How can you hope to have any shred of decency left when you take an animal who is almost too sick or weak to walk, and send it to a stressful and inhumane end, when it could have been treated and sold as a healthy animal and fared much better. Does it really pay off to sell a goat kid for $5 because it's so sick that no one but a fool or a saint wants its contamination, when you could prevent it's illness or treat it and get $25 or more for it. What sense does this make? Why is it so common? What allows them to feel any pride in their livelihood, or their own person when they're obviously such deplorable wretches. They sicken me. And they should sicken everyone else too!

Check this out..

Here's an interesting website that I really like to go to and look at their pictures and blogs. Very pretty farm...


Bedlam Farm

The little Green Egg

My Mom has been wanting some of my Americauna/Cochin chicken eggs recently. She's fascinated by the different colors I have. So starting today, I'm saving back some of the Green and Blue eggs for her to hatch. Today there was only one small Green/Blue egg from the Matriarch of my flock. She's part Silkie and Americauna. She has black skin and Steele Blue and Gray feathers. A very gorgeous bird as you can see in the pic over there. Anyway. I put the egg in my Granny's planter box (her favorite Moss Rose that comes back every year) with the rest of the day's collection. Then I forgot about them, ran in the house and fetched the Frisbees for the dogs. As I came back out, I noticed our so-called Retriever mix (retrieved something ONCE in her life..) "Red" in the walk way and she was hiding something! I got closer and closer, and she kept getting guiltier and guiltier with each step. I finally got up to her to find that between her front paws was the Green/Blue egg that I saved for Mom! ALL the other eggs were still perfectly placed in the planter. She hadn't touched them. I wonder why it is that every time I set aside something special like that, it seems that one of the dogs or animals in general, always seem to know and they take it. Go figure.

Anyway, the egg wasn't cracked or scratched at all.. and is resting peacefully in Mom's incubator tonight.

Sleep good little egg.. grow chickie!

Wowwie Row!

Today, Hubby and I were de-worming the goats (giving the meds to kill parasites) when a rather strange thing happened. Here is how it went.

We were running a little late, coming home from town and needing to de-worm the goats and sheep before Jon had to leave. Which meant that I'd be on my own if we didn't get it done then, or we'd have to put it off.
I ran into the house and got the Ivermectin off of the shelf with the syringe to draw it out. And not thinking, I left the cap on the bottle. It's about an inch diameter so I thought I'd just throw it in my sweat shirt pocket. As things got going and we began catching the goats and dosing them, our oldest doe named "Row" affectionately after my Mom's pet name, began pestering us. We'd dosed her and moved onto the other does. But she kept after us, following us around and nosing in. Anyone who knows anything about goats knows that they're masters at this!

I thought it was really weird, because I'd expect that the de-wormer is really bitter (we give it to them on their tongue) and thought no one in their right mind would want to eat it. Although Row is a strange sort. She's probably 10 years old, which is a pretty good age for a goat. They do live several years longer, but does that have had kids every year slow down pretty young. She's a little slow poke who has a nose for trouble. I just didn't think she'd actually do something as stupid as reach into my pocket and grab the cap and make a mad dash for the other side of the lot! I didn't know she could move quite so fast. But she did, as if she knew what she'd done was bad. I ran after her, leaving poor Jon holding a squirmy, squawking little goat ready for his dose. I sensed that there would be trouble. Now usually, our goats will realize that something plastic is actually not edible and will drop it and go on. But I guess Row is just too far over the hill. Or something. Because instead of dropping it out of boredom, and the realization that "Hey, I can't eat this!" she tries to swallow it! So here I am, holding her in a headlock because she's positive that this is some prized delicious morsel that I want to steal for myself, and I'm sticking my whole free hand in her mouth trying to fish the cap out. Now, I've stuck my hand in a goat mouth before and it left me hurting. Their back teeth are really sharp. And very powerful. Hence the ability to grind up twigs and small branches. But this time, luckily my hand is fine. And Row didn't swallow that danged cap!!

Now that I know that Row has lost her marbles, I'll be much more careful! =)

Cheers!!

What's in a name?

What kind of name is ~Stall Tails~, you might ask. Well, there is a pretty good story to go with it and it goes like this.

A few years ago when my now husband, moved onto my family's farm, we were given a old Pig shed to use for our newly acquired chickens (and other things..) to roost in. And you can see in this picture (taken of Ice storm damage) that the shed is made up of several compartments that are probably 5 by 6 feet each. They each have their own door with locks to keep predators out.

Anyway. We had/have several sheds and try to keep a 'nickname' going for them all so we can easily know which one we're talking about and Jon called it, "the Chicken Stable". He grew up on a farm in another state, that only had cows. He said they'd had goats and ducks at one time, and his Grandpa had chickens but he'd never raised chickens before himself. So the name stuck as a running joke. Now we use it as a goat shed, with a dinky 'milk room', where we trim hooves and have shorn sheep before. the chickens moved into that 'stall' and keep it too messy to actually milk the goats in. Two other 'stalls' house our two Pot Bellied Hogs for the winter (you can't see in this pic, because the electricity is out, but there are heat lamps for the pigs). And the other 'stall' is just for goats to sleep in, along with another three sided shed in another part of this winter lot. The rest of the time, the animals roam around 'free range'. But it's just been too cold, and we've had fall kids (baby goats) so they have to be up by the house. But we still call it The Chicken Stable.

So yeah, that's how this blog got it's name.. cause it's all about the odd and quirky goings on, on the farm. I'll post from time to time about silly little incidents and not so humorous happenings.