Changes

It has been a time of change around here this week, both sad and happy.
First we lost our beloved goat, Iva, after a short battle with illness. My heart has been heavy with guilt and sadness, but we were quickly faced with finding a companion for Iva's buddy, Milton, who has never been alone. He's a bit of a surly fellow so I searched for a friend who could handle his moods. He's been getting lots of extra attention in the meantime, accompanying us on a blackberry picking excursion down the hill.

Mmmm, blackberries!

Introducing Stella! She's a 2 year old milk goat, a mixture of breeds, and very sweet. She rode home in the back of the SUV like a champ and seems pretty at ease with this crazy place. Also she loves to eat! So far the goats have butted heads gently in greeting, but I'm keeping them separated for the most part until she's settled.

 

She's a first-time freshener meaning she kidded and is now being milked for the first time this year. My goat milking experience is pretty limited, so it has been a learning experience for us both. After my first attempt, I quickly set to building a milking stand.

It'll take some time to adjust to the new routine of 8am and 8pm milkings, but so far it has been great. Her milk just tastes like milk, not the pungent tang I was expecting. I'm pasteurizing it for now, until I feel more confident about my own sanitary practices and the goat's health. She's not producing enough for cheese or ice cream yet, but I'm hoping the boost in grain and regular milkings will up her supply and provide enough for recipe experimenting.
Another bright spot of the week was finding a new home for two of our roosters. The flock of seven baby chicks produced two new roosters, and four roosters quickly proved too many. I posted the two oldest on craigslist, and this nice couple came to collect them.

We have a strict don't-ask-don't-tell policy with chickens we give away, but hopefully they're ruling a harem of hens somewhere.
This hot summer has really given us permission to relax a little more than usual in the afternoons because it's way too hot to do much of anything outdoors. These are the times I will remember when I think back to summer.

Sharing popcorn with Pepper.