It's time to harvest hay again.
You might remember that the weather didn't cooperate for our first cutting,
so that cutting went to a local dairy farmer who could use the hay quickly...
before it got moldy from moisture.
Once this weekend's rain is over,
we will be keeping our eyes on the weather forecast for a warm, dry streak.
In preparation for mowing, Sam and Oakley and I took a little time yesterday afternoon
to pull out milkweed plants that were growing in the hay.
Sam and Oakley watched...I weeded!
The hayfield has turned into a butterfly wonderland...
most likely due to the huge amount of clover growing there.
Every kind of Pennsylvania butterfly made an appearance,
except the monarch.
And now that I pulled out the milkweed, we might not be seeing
too many monarchs in the hayfield.
Sorry monarchs....but the horses don't like milkweed!
Sitting there watching the butterflies made me think about their
short, but amazing lives.
Pretty miraculous, really.
But then, so much of our beautiful world is miraculous, isn't it?
On the way back to the barn, we stopped to visit with the goats.
Smilin' Jill...
Handsome Smoochie...
gotta love those horns...
Adorable Dot...
Shy Sissy...
Little Miss Nettie B....
Inseparable Gracie and her mama Missy...
Just too tired to get up, O'Malley...
our only gal without horns or beard (she was born that way.)
It's not the whole herd, but just the ones who made an appearance.
Today we move the bucks to another pen.
Rotating pens, to let them rest for a while helps in
the battle against parasites.
Last night's dinner....
straight from the garden...
yummy spaghetti sauce.
There was enough for dinner with three quarts leftover to freeze.
Well, it's Friday again...
and my buddy Tyler will be here this weekend.
I'll tell you all about our fun on Monday.
Hope your weekend is everything you need it to be!!
Comments
Hope you enjoy your weekend and that you get some dry weather for haying!
What did you mean by this comment?"Today we move the bucks to another pen. Rotating pens, to let them rest for a while helps in
the battle against parasites."
Parasites?? I have (5) goats. (3) males (2) are wethered and (1) just 6 months old and (2) females. I have had them for the last two years. I am in PA? I treat with food for intestinal parasites every 6 months and powder for thier coats. Should I be concerned with something else?
Your vast knowledge for all that is farm is needed lol
Thank you, Jude M.
Because goats are extremely susceptible to intestinal parasites, we do all that you do...worming paste, another type of wormer in their water before moving them to another pen, medicated feed. But we have found that it also helps to rotate your pastures. Even better is to let another species of animal graze in the old pasture after moving. Parasites are not transmittable from species to species for the most part and so we let the horses graze down the goat pens after moving them to the next pen. We always have at least one pen "resting" without goats....and then keep moving our goats every couple of months.
I usually freeze or can as is and then add meat when we are ready to eat.
Enjoy your weekend!