5.5.09

It's another gray day here. We've gotten rain every day for the last 6 days, yesterday wasn't supposed to but it did end up sprinkling. Sheets on the line for hours, still damp when I brought them in. I love the rain and storms but it does take some working around when it lasts so long.

The goat girls are doing marvelously ! Ruby almost takes food from my hand and was standing in my chair this morning :) She's not nearly as friendly or at ease as Matilda and still acts like a wild creature in captivity. I think Ruby may end up as just Matilda's companion, but that's ok too.

Everything is mud and the goats are making it muddier because they're heavier. I haven't decided what to do yet but I'm thinking about putting river rock in the muddy half if the chicken pen. I know most goats are made to live on and around rock but rock is different than smaller river rocks or pebbles and I'm worried they could get into their feet. And I think our girls came originally from the Mothers Womb, Africa, and maybe their feet are made for packed dry earth.

I'm very worried about hoof rot or something because of all the damp and mud *~* I have to wrestle them still to check their feet but so far their feet seem fine.

I came a cross a great goat forum yesterday http://goatbeat.net/ Lots of great information and very nice people. My other main sources are http://fiascofarm.com/ and Peggy

I got a few more things planted today, rhubarb, butter crunch and more thyme. It sprinkled the whole time I was outside and it felt quite fine :)

I cleaned waters all around but forgot the poor fish. Tho the rain will cause them to turn brown again soon enough, it's the little pips from the oak trees that fall during their fertile time. They darken the water with tannin. The main goat water doesn't get any and we keep AC vinegar in it anyway. The fish pond get a lot this time of year but I haven't found any good place to move it to. The chicken water is always so filthy because of the mud ducks it's hard to know if the tree pips get into it or not. And for some reason Star like to stand in the outside dog water so it get muddied as well. i do keep ACV in it and the inside water tho.

Last week I ... listed soap for sale, made flea biscuits for the dogs and listed some for sale and planted more banana peppers, Mugwort and some cannas i traded duck eggs for.

Most of the peppers I thought I had lost seem to be making it afterall. Almost all of them have wick, the bells, cayenne, more banana and wax peppers :)

Last Thursday at the farmers market I had gotten several plants but I couldn't remember how many or what all except for the Rhubarb. I got a lot more than I realized :)

Mountain Gold Tomatoes (heirloom)
Butter Crunch Lettuce
Crookneck SquashLavenderRosemary
Cantaloupe
Golden Bell Peppers (heirloom)
Black Diamond Watermelons (heirloom)
Cucumbers
German Thyme
Rhubarb

I've also found a new place to buy whole raw milk for butter and cheeses and Nik. It's a little further then i was driving but not to far and very worth it :)

The other day I saw that they have machines like x-ray machines that tells everyone's temperature as they walk by. Very creepy ! I wonder if they take into account that some peoples bodies burn hotter than others. I also wonder how long it will take to add that to google earth thing so that they can really find hot spots *~*
I haven't finished this weeks menu yet and need to today but I do have 3 days ready.
Today - chili cheese fries, all from scratch.
and two more meals for this week are ...
Baked ham and rice with butter, pepper and onions and canned green beans.
Oven fried fish with puppy-pones (hush puppies baked in a corn pone pan) with wild greens and carrots.