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Cold Weather Tips

1. Give your little goats straight right  out of the tap HOT water. Mine all love it and drink it like tea. If you want them to drink more.... you can put a tiny splash of molasses in it. I fill 2 unused 5 gallon gas cans with water and haul it out there on a child's plastic toboggan. It'll slide even without snow. The sleds can also be very useful to haul hay etc.
2. Use snow as an insulator ....  my Mike and I  shovel snow all around the buck shed....think igloo.... I think it might actually keep the water buckets from freezing as fast too.
3. Free feed hay...Keep those 4 stomachs moving food through constantly.....generates heat 4. I don't believe in artificial coats.....It smashes down the fluffy insulation of their own coats. The only time I might use them is if one of the goats was feeling under the weather or a newborn. A sweatshirt sleeve cut off with leg holes added is a quick fix for the little ones. An old insulated vest with the zipper along the back works great for a goat that's  larger
5. We have a few pieces of old plywood wired to posts to act as wind blocks near the feeders. I want those little pregnant goats to get out and move around even if its nasty. Exercise is important.
6. 15 below expected??? ....like last night....put in new bedding HEAVY :) So cold you're worried about frostbite on those tender ear tips?.....a coating of Vaseline will take care of that...along with possibly saving chicken combs and feet.
7. In my bigger barn we insulated the steel walls last year  with tons of Styrofoam egg cartons and meat trays ....always recycling... and Mike added plywood on top ....with the 4 heat lamps on in there(hung like chandeliers)...I always worry about cords ....the water doesn't even freeze in there...My new babies are toasty :)
 8. A little advice for the poor caretakers.....there's a saying at the post office and I am a walking carrier. "There is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing" Wear what you must, this isn't a fashion show ... lol ..... and there's no need to suffer :)
Next year the newer biggish  barn I have... WILL have fencing and electricity and insulation .... and I will have a warm place for my bucks. Then I will not worry anymore :)  Maybe........
Happy New Year!   Is it spring yet?

Life is good here! 

 Welcome to our little home on the information highway. My name is Beth  and I am the proud owner of a small herd of Nigerian dwarf dairy goats and a flock of various poultry. Heritage  turkeys, Fawn running ducks, African grey geese and Polish chickens make up my free ranging flock.
Michael is my partner in crime . The honey do lists here are huge and I fear what the place would look like if it relied on my budding carpentry skills.
Private "Radar" O'Reilly is our beloved German shepherd and along with his newest helper Savanna, they are  in charge of all security matters, real or imaginary. Three  cats who "choose us", help with inventory control and our newest addition last year were three hives that  started out with over 39,000 honey bees!
My Own Private Idaho is a natural, organic, green place.  A place where all living things are cherished and encouraged to thrive. I believe that God knew what he was doing. You won't find any chemicals, pesticides, inorganic fertilizers or many drugs used here. It's not that I'm against modern methods and medicine. They certainly have their place. I just believe in quality nutrition and holistic care that fosters a strong immune system first.  We have found natural solutions to almost all dilemmas a small farm might encounter.  We reduce, recycle and reuse. Nothing here is wasted. We try to work with nature, not against it. Our six acre farm is located in Harvard, Illinois pretty much smack dab in the middle of the  Wisconsin/Illinois border . Not in Idaho yet...
 
You are what you eat!

 Living in the country has allowed us the opportunity to know our food and "Eat Real" The health benefits are obvious. The food is pure, the workout has a purpose and I just dare you to try and feel stressed while in a pen of four legged little kids. Along with our turkeys, honey and eggs, I have large organic vegetable and herb gardens that nourish both Michael and I and our animals. The addition of fresh milk and cheese has been quite a treat.
I met my first Nigerian, "Little Dude," a neighbors pet wether, when he knocked on my door and promptly introduced himself while I was doing dishes one day. He was very friendly, small enough not be a threat to anybody, including small children, and frankly just too cute :) What a great personality this little goat had. To "Little Dude" I will be forever grateful. I also learned how to milk the neighbors  doe so they could go on vacation and found the experience inspirational. The feel of a warm udder on a cold morning, a peaceful quiet time, in a busy world, to reflect upon one's day. To me it was almost like meditation.  I was hooked. I had to get myself some of these "little goats".
 All of my goats are purebred and  registered with both the American Goat Society (AGS) and the American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA). I am also a member of the Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association (NDGA) and have my herd name and tattoo registered there. My foundation stock carry some of the best bloodlines in the industry. I only purchase my animals   from caring, thoughtful breeders that frequently test their herds. I myself  test regularly for Johnne's & CAE. The results will be available to all prospective buyers. If you are unfamiliar with these diseases, I urge you to research them. Without them buying a new goat can be much like playing Russian roulette with your entire herd.                                                              
My goal is to naturally raise healthy, beautiful and friendly "little goats" that can prove their worth in the milk pail.                                                                                                                   
Due to bio-security concerns, I choose not to show. I hope to have my whole herd appraised soon :)
  I just adore these "little goats" and I hope you will too. My goats are generally pictured in their natural state with full coats. I feel that they need their coats for warmth, insect and sun protection. I also find their coats to be an excellent indicator of their current health. Although unconventional I hope you can see, as I do, that their caliber still shows through.

Please feel free to contact me anytime. I just love to talk goats! 

"Will you teach your children what we have taught our children? That the earth is our mother? What befalls the earth befalls all the sons of the earth. "This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself. "One thing we know: our god is also your god. The earth is precious to him and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its creator."
                                                        
Chief Seattle