February 2010

Winter drags on. The vet came out to check on the goats and to see if she could tell if they're pregnant. Short of taking them in for an ultrasound, it's kind of like a box of "Cracker Jacks". Is there a prize in that box or not? Have they been overfed (they're obviously larger) or will there be kids next month? Just a few of the questions asked by new goat herders. Being an optimist, I'm gathering up supplies for my "kidding kit" and reviewing the goat kidding videos at Fiasco Farms. I can't say enough kind things about Molly's very extensive collection of goat information.

January 2010

Glad to say goodbye to this month of ice and snow. It's been a terribly cold winter with little opportunity to get outside and do much beyond daily animal chores. The hoophouse, however, has offered a nice respite, with plants growing prolifically. Lots of spinach, mustard greens, swiss chard, bok choy, beets, turnips, radishes and a range of lettuces.

Most of the month has been spent inventorying my seed collection, perusing new selections in seed catalogs and making lists of things that need doing.

December 2009

I added six Muscovy ducks this month—one drake and five ducks. They're hanging out with the chickens until I figure out their shelter needs. Three of the ducks put themselves to bed each evening in the chicken house, but the drake and remaining two ducks head for the pond at sundown. They show up for breakfast each morning in the chicken yard. Watching them swim in the big pond is a treat, joyously splashing and playing like children.

King of Hearts went back to his farm at the beginning of December. He lost his "goaty" smell after several weeks here. Male goats have some interesting habits, such as encrusting their head in urine, curling the lower lip and sticking out the tongue. Apparently, this is VERY attractive to female goats. I don't get it.

Strawberry plants are blooming in the hoophouse, in spite of recent temps in the low 20s. Collards, Swiss chard, spinach, turnips, radish, beets and several lettuce varieties continue to do well.

November 2009

More berry plants went in this month in raised beds—gooseberry and elderberry join blackberry, raspberry, strawberries and blueberries in the orchard. Garlic is planted, a little later than last year, but rain kept me from working the ground. I'm using my own seed grown from this year's crop.

I've put up a shelter to store hay and straw until I can get a barn built. The pastures need a lot of work next year to improve grazing for the animals.

October 2009

Milk and egg production has slowed down with October's arrival, along with cooler temperatures and fewer daylight hours. This means less time to get things done on the farm, and I'm finding most of my evenings after work go towards animal chores, making weekends even more precious. This month will be devoted to preparing for the winter ahead -- winterizing animal shelters, tending the hoophouse garden, and making sure the goats will be back in milk come spring.

King of Hearts, a Nubian buck from Humbug Farm, will spend the month here at Argosy. Hopefully I'll have goat kidlings come Spring.

September 2009

The raised beds are finished in the hoophouse and the plants are thriving: lettuce, collards, swiss chard and some volunteers that popped up on their own -- tomatoes and cucumbers. I've left them to grow, hoping they'll make some progress before the cold weather sets in. Two sets of paved walkways, separating the three raised beds, are nearly finished, leaving the other half of the hoophouse to complete. In this next phase I'll build potting tables, provide an area for potting soil and organic amendments, and access to water -- when I find some extra time. I also put in blackberry and raspberry beds in the orchard.

The goats are now registered with the American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA).

August 2009

This year, like last, August was a complete blur. Most of my time was spent harvesting, canning, freezing or drying produce. It's a real challenge to keep up with both garden chores AND animal chores.

One of my hens hatched another chick, bringing the total born at Argosy this summer to four.