snakes

Ducklings

Our first 6 ducklings hatched this week.

corn crib 2008

The old corn crib... 2008

Spring Goats

The last of the Spring kids have been born. Sad to say we lost a few. In the picture you can see last spring's group first with the green grass. (The plants are just starting to grow, but I needed to see green so I found an old picture to add.) The top two are the kids born last year. Gertrude is the tan one with the white belt. Splosh has the white face & body with black ears and Shirley has the white wiggle on her face. There are a few others that were born before the herd joined our farm last year, but I'm featuring the ones born here. Hansel & Gretel are the next two going clockwise. Then Christian. The bottom 2 photos show the birth of Sun. His littermates were Uniqua and Anders. Frostie is on the bottom left. Mrs. Black is the nanny in the middle who is raising Frostie and Christian. You can see Saddle nibbling on her ear, sad to say Saddle didn't make it. So it seems we have added 9 goats (5 girls, 4 boys) since we started... and the first year has hardly begun.

We tried milking Mrs Black and the other two goats that had delivered at the same time. She had the most milk of the three and took to nursing the little ones on her own. We will let the other females run with the buck to see if late summer brings more kidding.

This year's boys have all been fixed... we don't want any unexpected early kids next winter. Last year's boys will have to be sold or go to the butcher. Any orders?

Grant Applied for

Integrated Perennial Weed Management On-Farm Research Mini-Grant Program
http://asap.sustainability.uiuc.edu/org-ag/

Which of the following best describes your farming operation?
Integrated crops/livestock operation

Which of the following best describes your farming operation?
Sustainable (low chemical use)

How large is your farm?
0-50 acres

Briefly describe your farm. Include the following information: How long you've been farming this land, crops and livestock raised (including cover crops), rotations, soil condition and fertility program, and current weed control strategies.
Started 2007. Livestock currently diversified, including goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, guineas, a horse & pony (considering more). Pastures in transition to organic (unregistered, but no pesticides for over 10 years), row crops previously rented - options being researched actively. Interested in testing intensive multispecies rotations.

Which of the following perennial weeds do you see on your farm?
Canada ThistlePlease describe the problem perennial weed(s) on your farm and the approach you've taken to date to control them.
Grazing and mowing & hand burning thistle has has limited success using goats & horses. Considering row crops this coming season.

Just Kidding!

We had our Spring Kids arrive early this year.

So far 2 sets of twins and 1 survivor from 5 born before we knew 2 does were kidding.
The first set of twins we named Hansel and Gretel. They arrived 1/27/09.
The survivor of the group found 2/18 we named Christian. He spent the night indoors.
The group was born in the common area and the cold or the Billies got 4...
We figured after Hans & Christian, the next boy would have to be Anderson.
Early the next morning, twin girl kids were brought in out of the cold.
They were named Saddle & Frostie. You can see them in the tub with Chris...
Now there are 3 momma goats in the house basement, all pretending not to belong to the 3 kids...
We brought in the next momma to be too, hoping to avoid the cold and the lost bonding time.
3 does with milk, and I wake over and over hearing the kids cry... finally gave in and bottlefed them a little...
what would La Leche League say?

3 little piggies, one stayed home, 2 went trick-or-treat

The 3 little piggies went to the orchard for fattening up, then two went to Como, Illinois to be processed. One and a half are now in freezer camp on the farm. One is being kept for breeding. Half of one was sold to a repeat customer who visited the farm often during their stay here... Farmer Alan used corn to entice them to follow him where he wanted them to go. Instead of prodding and scaring them, he had very happy animals willing to follow. Contact is the key.

3 little piggies...

On Halloween

The girl who stayed home...

The Fennell Twins, Hana & Nora, with their friend

... at the KSB Medical Group parking lot in Polo as their mom's left work to take them trick-or-teating in Polo, Illinois. 2008