February 6, 2008
It's one year after the fire. That day and its images will forever be etched on my mind. A fire, or even the thought of a fire, was not on my radar. It was a beautiful sunny day in the 60s. Today it's raining like crazy and in the 70s, but fire is on my mind. I thought about leaving the milkers in the out pen and open area, but turned them into the general population pen instead. I bred Harper Lee this morning to Pink Prophet (Milky Way - Pink Perfection). Prophet's littermate, Pink Majesty, was one of the beautiful yearlings that died in the fire. She was the blonde doe on our 2006 Christmas card. I still miss her and wonder what she might have become. Three of the yearlings we lost in the fire were bred, so we lost their offspring.
It's kind of appropriate that it's Ash Wednesday today. I plan to go to church at lunch. Even in my tears this morning, I have so much to be thankful for - a new barn, some wonderful goats, great friends and family, and a faith that sustains me. Hug your goats today and count your blessings.
Anna
On the morning of February 6, 2007, our barn was destroyed by a fire. 14 goats and one cat were lost in the blaze. Within 10 minutes the entire barn was gone. What you see above is what remained of our barn.
We want to thank all of our wonderful friends, neighbors, family and the kindness of "strangers" who have given us tremendous support. 12 of our goats were rescued by men who saw the fire from the road. They risked their lives to break down pen fences and we are truly blessed that so many of our goats and cats made it to safety without injury.
Our insurance company will not cover the loss (a long and aggravating story), but we will have a barn raising. If you have ideas, experience or would like to help in any way, please email us at jubileemaid@charter.net. Several people have asked if they could send donations and we do have a paypal account at jubileemaid@charter.net.
Our farm name "Imani" means "faith" in Swahili. Through this devastating event, we remain full of hope, faith and gratitude for our wonderful friends.
With love and thanks,
Anna Pearson and Julie Burke, 2/8/07
Our beautiful barn, before and after...
The Barn Blog
2/12/07
Welcome to our Barn Blog, a photo journal of rebuilding our barn after it was destroyed on 2/6/07. We'd like to keep everyone updated about how the project is going, how our goats are adjusting, and how our friends and family are keeping us sane!
We had a busy weekend with lots of folks stopping by with feed, hay, fencing, equipment, money, food and hugs. In the midst of some really dark moments, we were surrounded by love, prayers and help. I don't know what we would have done without you.
Some of you know that the insurance company wanted to send a fire inspector out despite the fact that they have already denied our claim. On Wednesday we were told he wouldn't be here until Monday and that we could not touch the site until further notice. We still had bodies to bury...needless to say, some choice words were said to the insurance folks and he managed to get here on Saturday, thankfully. We were finally able to bury our goats on Sunday.
We now have temporary shelter for all the goats and a make-shift milk room. We rather like walking out the back door and the girls are right there ready to go.
(L) Mandy with Anna getting goat baby therapy in the "milk room". (R) Friend and neighbor Mike Silva sitting in the outer milk room.
Aubie T. helps Ben with carpentry.
Aubie has an addiction to animal crackers. "Ok, Cyndi, hand over the cookies and no one will get hurt..."
A goat memorial...
The goat on the left was Her Pink Majesty, the heart and soul of our yearlings. If you received our Christmas post card this past year, she was the star. Each night when we go to bed, we sit at the computer and look at our pictures. We're still crying, but pics like these make us laugh. We took these to do the Christmas card, and we're so grateful we did.
Majesty and Alley Cat (the black goat with the reindeer antlers) followed us everywhere and became a part of our Sunday ritual to walk the trash down to the main road. They frequently went to the front door to get Anna to come out --- the doorbell would ring and all Anna would see was these two innocent goat faces looking up at her expectantly.
Majesty was a lap goat. A girl and her goat...it's a beautiful thing.
.
(L) A young Majesty also enjoyed forays into the house. (R) Stanley the cat checks out the creature in Anna's lap.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
More on the wonderful people who have been bringing much needed supplies and love:
This past Sunday, Dave and Debbie Martin came from Fairhope (3 hours) to bring us a replacement disbudding box for the one Dave made for 20+ years ago, hay, and a check. Last night in the midst of horrible rain and tornado sirens, the Schneeflock family came from Summerdale (almost 4 hours) to bring us a really cool goat duplex hutch, a kid house, checks, and gift cards. These goat friendships go back over 20 years! We knew each other before our goats were all registered and we had “show champions”. Nancy Fitzpatrick, also from Fairhope, stopped by on her way from vacationing in the mountains and brought the girls the best alfalfa/timothy hay they’ve ever eaten! WOW! We are humbled and blown away by the friendships, support, and encouragement that have stood the test of time. Goat people are awesome!
We are also thankful for the new friendships – Shelly Jones we’ve known for less than a year, but who took our four bucks in and is caring for them like they were her own. Cathy & Bill Blankenship are housing our 10 young yearlings when they need room for their own new kids. Our wonderful milk test buddies, Mandy Rains and Paul & Teresa Travitzky, all left work to come to us the day of the fire and have been daily support ever since.
Our neighbors have been wonderful! Jewel Gentry, from next door, brought us buckets, badly needed paper towels, and supplies hours after the fire. Her son, Mark Gentry, dug up the waterline to the barn and capped things off so we could take a hot shower. His teenage son, Brandon, did everything he could to rescue the young kids from the fire. He was home from school the day of the fire and was able to get help. Floyd Culpepper, from across the street, offered up a much needed prayer right there in the pasture. We are still using their shovels, hoses, and tools. These are all neighbors who have enjoyed watching the goats, and especially the kids, over the 5 years we’ve been in Deatsville. Thank God for people who really know what the word “neighbor” means!
Julie’s Taekwondo buddies (Cyndi Fezatte, Adena Helm, Val McGraw, and Cindy Lopez) have been here daily to offer love, support, and sweat. They helped Anna birth the new doe kids the day after the fire. They (along with Cindy Fezatte’s teenage sons) are responsible for starting the clean-up process by pulling out all of the large metal and twisted t-posts.
Anna went back to work on Friday. What an outpouring of love and support she received from the South University family! They knew what a passion Anna has for the goats and all of them have reached out to her. Even the students have donated paper towels, flashlights, goat cookies (animal crackers), and supplies.
Even more amazing is the support in the form of checks, medical supplies, wormer, encouragement, prayers, and so much more that we have received from the greater goat community. Dairy Goats Plus Forum and Come to the Farm are holding auctions for us. People from Anna’s WSU Goat List have been so supportive and helpful! The North Alabama Dairy Goat Association is planning a benefit BBQ for us on March 17 at Shelley Jones’ farm. Goat people are WONDERFUL!
Mike Silva, our neighbor with extensive construction experience (and cool tools!) will direct a small group of us with a large back-hoe on February 24 to clean up the rubble. Some time after that (we’ll let you know), we'll need strong bodies with cordless drills to help us sink the 6 x 6 posts, put up the supporting 2 x 4s, and build trusses. After that, we’ll pour concrete in the new milk room, feed room, and a small front porch. We'll need lots of able bodies to put up siding and a roof. Then, we’ll have a day to dedicate the new Imani Farm barn and celebrate what God and good friends can do!
We are committed to rebuilding. Folks who may not understand what our goats mean to us might be thinking, why not just sell them and cut our losses? Our goats are our "kids" and our lives would be so much less full without them. We are thankful for the joy and laughter they bring us each and every day.
Here are some pictures of random goat cuteness over the years...
Jinx gets a kiss.
Satsuma and Redeemed looking innocent.
Bill the Cat, ever watchful over his herd.
February 15, 2007
Wow, so much happens in a day, it's hard to know where to begin.
First, we'll say that we have turned the whole insurance mess over to a Higher Authority, both literally and figuratively. We are hopeful that there will eventually be a good outcome, but we don't expect it anytime soon. All those Katrina cases are just now hitting the courts so we know the Wheels O' Justice are grinding through muck when it comes to insurance. The truth of the matter Post-Katrina is that almost everyone is having to sue to get what was supposed to be covered. After this experience, we recommend that everyone review your policies. You'll probably still have to litigate to make 'em act right, but at least you'll know up front. Maybe insurance was a good idea "back in the day", but now we're thinking self-insurance may be the answer. I've paid enough car insurance over the years to buy 2 decent cars, and enough health insurance to buy at least a whole body, let alone the arm and leg.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, it's COLD here and the goats are asking for hats and mittens. Some have offered to walk to the road with signs reading "WILL MILK FOR FOOD!" Thanks to our friends with hay, this won't be necessary. For those of you in AL, you know that hay is going for $7.00 a bale if you can find it due to the drought this past summer. We are so thankful that some of you had some secret stashes and pulled some strings.
We continue to get wonderful support from people, some we don't even know. This is what we're focusing on right now. When there's nothing but bad news in the news, it blows us away when we see first-hand how good people are.
I was able to get out this afternoon and get some pics so ya'll can see what's happening with the critters.
Hot Flash and Phoenix sucking down dinner last night. They're currently residing in a Grayco PackNPlay because it's just too darned cold! And we want them near us...like in the bed near us...shhh, don't tell Anna...
Maggie, Yum Yum and Bill get a wet food treat. We're spoiling them, too.
I just bought this Pack N Play at a Flea Market today in anticipation of Juliet's kids. Prentice and Stanley generously offered to warm it up for them.
This fine goat residence was developed by the newly established Caprine Creative Housing Authority. We especially like the spacious "double-wide" effect with the goat trailer.
More from the Caprine Creative Housing Authority. This delightful duplex comes with a large fenced in yard, hay feeders, lighting, indoor plumbing and even a non-functional bug zapper. Not that we need one right now. That's Juliet in the right side of the duplex...looking like she's going to do something about kidding. Or not. One never knows with goats...
Several folks helped us move all the metal scraps over to one side. We are now ready for the bull dozer to clear the area and make way for the new barn. Last night, I happened to notice in my "policy" that "debris removal" is covered, WOW! But wait...oh...it says something about "when due to volcanic activity". Whew, thank goodness we had that coverage here in Volcanic Alabama.
Some of the girls are checking out the addition of the "Schneeflock Chalet". The Schneeflocks are the kind souls who drove all the way up here to deliver this shelter in nasty, cold rain earlier this week.
February 16, 2007
Another busy day, this time dealing with keeping humans warm. The good news is we're getting a new furnace...the bad news is not until Tuesday. And amazingly enough our home warranty policy (not to be confused with The Insurance Company Who Shall Not Be Named) is paying for most of the work. We're going to have a goat slumber party in the great room where we have a gas fireplace thingy. I don't think the goatlets will mind a little company.
Speaking of which...It's a boy! And a girl! Juliet kidded last night after Anna got home from work. Nice of her to wait for both of us to be home, wasn't it? The proud father is Fortune Teller. Below are some pics of Flash and Phoenix meeting the new kids on the block. Oh, HA! Get it...? New "kids" on the---never mind.
(L) Hot Flash checks out the new girl, Fortune Cookie. (R) And the new boy, Julian.
Phoenix shows off the lambar for the newbies.
Did we mention that it's COLD here? This is Anna milking Diana Ross in the mudroom this morning.
February 19, 2007
In which we discover "you might be a red neck if..."
"You might be a red neck if..."...you got hay stored on yer front porch. (p.s. the vehicle on the right is not on blocks...)
And "you might be a redneck if"...you got goats sleepin' on yer couch.
And "you might be a redneck if"...yer date on Saturday night has long floppy ears and hay breath.
We had a busy weekend and are very excited to report that we bought some much-needed tools! A wheel barrow, shovel, pitch fork, rake, wrenches, hammer, bolt cutter and other goodies...all shiny and brand-spanking new. When we got back, we found a pallet full of hay stacked by the front porch. Our friends Morrell and Buck had dropped by and also brought some much-needed goat equipment. We worked on the Hoop House and fenced in an area in the side yard for the new goatlets.
Anna puts the finishing tweaks on the goat babies' hoop house with a little help from Phoenix and Hot Flash.
Several goats have emailed themselves to show their support. The one on the right includes a special message to the insurance people.
February 20, 2007
Well, it's been two weeks now and in some ways it seems like yesterday, and in others like years. We have believed from day one that while we couldn't yet see what good could possibly come from this, we're receiving blessing upon blessings. God's always got a plan, no matter what happens. It's the faith and trust part that can be a challenge.
For instance, a good friend of ours knows a manager at a local hardware/lumber company, and we found out yesterday that he's offering us all of our building materials at cost! We are still humbled and amazed at the outreach we're receiving.
After taking yesterday's "Hay on the Porch" pics, we wanted to add a couple more, just to show you how good people are.
(L) A volunteer fire fighter returned with this huge bale of hay for us after containing the fire. (R) Girls will be girls: Raisin and Jaguar play Queen of the Hill.
Our goat friends the Sheikhs drove up from South Alabama the weekend after the fire and left us with this glorious trailer filled with hay, feed and lots of equipment. We're especially fond of the nifty fitted covers.
And most blessed of events, the furnace guys are here this morning installing a new furnace! Apparently the old one was 37 years old, so it's heading off to furnace heaven.
My duties today include keeping an eye on Mystic Moon, who is due to kid.
Mystic Moon enjoying the Sheikh's tasty South Alabama hay, thinking about kidding...
We hope ya'll are enjoying reading the Barn Blog as much as we're enjoying posting it. Feel free to send us email at jubileemaid@charter.net. We want to send out a huge thanks to everyone for your prayers (which are being answered in a big way!), donations, and encouragement. We don't know how we'd have gotten through it without you!
February 21, 2007
We're happy to report that Bill the Cat (a.k.a. Mama Bill) is getting back to his old, affectionate self. He was very traumatized after the fire and didn't even want us to pet him. Yesterday morning, we found him rolling in the cat nip plant and wanting some love. Bill loves baby goats and sleeps with them in the winter. We're thinking he felt like he had let us down or something. In the past few days, he has taken up residence in the Sheikh's trailer amidst all the hay. Smart cat.
As for the humans, the new furnace is fabulous! If your gas furnace ever starts making noises like it's going to blow up, it probably is.
Mike from Myer's Heating and A/C visits with Hot Flash. This guy is top notch if you live in the area.
In other news, the big huge scrap pile is history and is headed for the recycling center. We are now ready for the backhoe on Saturday.
Scrap is loaded onto a flatbed while the girls supervise.
It's a damp rainy day here, and while we wait for Mystic Moon to kid, here are some more pics of random goat cuteness from yesterday...
(L) Mama Adena with Fortune Cookie. (R) Adena and Cyndi with Phoenix and Flash.
February 22, 2007
We had a busy night taking advantage of all the very needed supplies that goat friends have donated or let us borrow. All the milkers and the does due to kid within the next week got their feet trimmed thanks to Sheila Lee of Just 4 Goats and the Hartfield’s from Mississippi. Sheila is a South Alabama friend who donated a bunch of much needed supplies including hoof trimmers, buckets and feeders. Our friendship with Michael and Belinda Hartfield goes back a bunch of years in dairy goats. After a hurricane in the mid 1990s that devastated Anna’s Dry Creek Farm buck barn, Michael and Belinda showed up to help rebuild. Last year, after Hurricane Katrina, we took some water and our generator to them to use. Now they’re helping us again. It’s our prayer that somehow we will have an opportunity to give back and minister to the people who have helped us.
As if we hadn’t had enough excitement, Anna fired up the Sheikh’s disbudding iron to disbud the kids born the day after the fire, Hot Phoenix and Hot Flash. Clippers from the Hartfield’s and disbudding irons from the Sheikh’s helped do a first class job.
Anna has always believed that God sent her to Montgomery for the job at South University. This was once again confirmed as Vic Biebighauser, the university’s president, presented her with a sizable check from her South University family to help in the rebuilding effort. Staff and faculty from the Montgomery, Savannah, GA, Columbia, SC and Tampa and West Palm Beach FL campuses contributed.
We received another donation from the Mississippi Dairy Goat Association’s benefit and from a treasured goat friend in North Georgia. We are once again overwhelmed with the kindness of friends and the way that God is working to provide for our needs. He is the One who deserves the glory!
February 23, 2007
It's a boy! And a girl! At about 7:30 am, Mystic Moon (bred to Milky Way) gave birth to two gorgeous goat children, Blue Moon (the boy) and Mystic Luna (the girl)! It's always such a treat when they wait until we are both home to kid. :)
Here are some pics of the big event (beware, kidding is messy business):
(L) Mystic Moon gets ready to deliver Luna. (R) Heeeere's Luna!
(L) Goat Mid-wives Panther, Diana Ross and (R) Chiffon clean up Blue Moon.
February 25, 2007
It's been a busy couple of days since we last updated the blog. We'll start by posting some pics of our dangerous attack goats:
Cyndi says, "Oh, aren't they sweet...I think I'll give them some goat snacks..." <theme from "Jaws" in background>
When goats attack. "Don't go into the pasture..."
"Look, girls, I don't have any more!"
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...on Saturday we had a work party to bury the ash and rubble.
Mike Silva breaks out the big toys to dig holes, bury the rubble and level the area.
Mike's wife, Mavis (L), and his sister, Debbie (R), provide food and drink and otherwise hold down the fort.
(L) The area is now clean and ready for hand-raking. (R) Cyndi uses a nifty tool called a MagVac which picks up nails and small metal tire-popping objects.
Here's an email from some friends
in South Alabama and Anna's note back to them:
Anna & Julie,
Was thinking about you guys and how things were going when I look at the web
site and wow!
What a great idea! I really enjoyed the stories and the pictures of friends
(human, feline and goat). I really liked the goat photo with the message to the
insurance company. It gave me a much needed laugh.
It restores my faith in people to see how much love and support can come
out of a tragic situation.
Look forward to checking on your progress through the web site and seeing
you at the barn dedication.
I'm glad you like the blog. We've been able to keep everyone up to date, get rid
of some emotions, and even have fun. We have a lot of blogging to do tonight
because we flat did some work today. We rented a backhoe today and buried most
of the ash/rubble. Thanks to you guys that rental fee was PIF and I also bought
a MagVac (like a rake but with a long, flat magnet on the bottom). Basically you
just "vacuum up the nails and metal pieces. My guess is that we picked up about
100# of metal today. The amazing thing is that there's still a lot more. I say
it's more fun than cleaning house any day. :-)
I feel much better looking at a site that's now mostly dirt. It gives me a sense
of closure and more hope for a new barn. This week and next weekend, we'll work
on getting the site more level and do some fencing. Two weeks from today, we
will start sinking 6x6 square posts to frame up the barn. I think Mike and I
pretty much decided today that we're going to use metal trusses, so if you know
a good source, please let me know.
We also put down crush and run (2 loads) in the entire buck pen. It has been
getting messy every time it rained, so it was time. With heavy rain on the way
tonight, I guess we'll find out how it holds up. (That stuff is heavy.) I used
some muscles today that I haven't used in a while.
I am amazed, overwhelmed, and humbled by the support we've gotten. It really
does restore my faith in the goodness of people. I've gotten checks from goat
people as far away as CA and New England. I don't even know who they are and
don't recognize the herd name. Nothing short of miracles.
Thanks again for the part you guys played in all this. I think about you every
day as the girls eat your delicious hay.
Anna and Julie
February 26, 2007
Greetings from the Land of the Tired. Anna is thankful it's Monday so she can go back to work and get some rest! Yesterday was a bit of a challenge. I'll let Anna's email to a friend last night tell the story:
Here's why I feel old tonight...
We rigged up a beautiful yearling pen after milking this morning complete with
the Schneeflock Chalet and a Hoop House. Our fence was the new state-of-the art
tall Electronet with the solar charger on loan compliments of Terri Babb. We
thought we had it all together when we went to Cathy & Bill Blankenship's to
pick up the yearlings in the Sheikh's trailer. (Our trailer had to stay in the
pasture because it is part of the Creative Caprine Housing Authority's
double-wide housing.)
Once home, I trimmed hooves and wormed everyone. The yearlings look great and
may even have grown some at Cathy & Bill's. Jem the Flying Goat decided she
wanted to be with us and jumped out of their holding pen. Hmmm...Jem has been
moved more than once due to her leaping tendencies.
Fortunately, we took out Jem and Pink Soire first. They were totally spooked by
the Electronet, and then Jem sailed over it like it wasn't there. After the
second escape, it was obvious that the extra tall Electronet would not hold
Jumpin' Jem. I told her in no uncertain words that I had sold better goats in
the past for jumping shorter fences. Jem won that battle and the yearlings are
in a pen upfront for the night. They settled in like this was home. :-)
It looks like Monday Julie will be buying more cattle panel and metal posts to
rig a fence for the yearlings. So much for good intentions. Goats have a mind of
their own.
AP
The yearlings' temporary home with the Blankenships. As you can see, they had top-notch quarters.
The Blankenships have fierce Guard
Chickens. "Touch our goats and we'll peck holes in your tires..."
Jem and her crew settled right down after a gourmet dinner...
March 1, 2007
It's a girl! And another girl! First freshener Izzy (IsaBelle) had two beautiful baby girls this afternoon, all by herself. I came home from an errand and there they were! I called Cyndi and she and the kids came right over to help get the kids cleaned and fed and Izzy milked.
Izzy on the milk stand with Travis. She did great for a first-time milker!
(L) ClaraBelle and (R) TinkerBelle and
Clara...they ate like little champs today. Congrats to Izzy and new father Pink
Stud Muffin (aka) "Red" on their first kids! We're sure Stud Muffin is passing
out cigars over at Shelley Jones' place (their wonderful temporary home).
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...today was a scary weather day but the goats are thankfully all safe and dry. Our hearts go out to the folks in Enterprise after the terrible storms there today.
We've ordered the lumber to get the posts and trusses set and we plan to sink the posts on Saturday. Anybody with muscles and nothing better to do is welcome to help us run the auger and set posts! We're planning to hire a crew with a boom to set the trusses next week or the one after. There are 23 total each weighing approximately 250 lbs. We decided this would be a good job for folks who do this sort of thing all the time. The boom and boom runner will run $105 per hour, so we figured we'd be better off paying folks to do it quickly and correctly. Not to mention, we really don't need to add falling off ladders to the "Stuff that Went Wrong" file...
March 4, 2007
Whew doggies, another busy weekend has flown by. We had a big work party here on Saturday to auger the holes and set the monster 6x6x16 posts. Who HOOO! Exciting stuff but we got a long row to hoe before we have a barn. Anna is really ready to go back to work on Monday!
(L) Robert McCormick, Ben Bedient and Mike Silva run the auger. (R) Steve Miles, Robert, Mike and Ben hoist the first of many posts.
(L) Mike and Nathan run the cement mixer. (R) That's a lot of posts!
(L) Anna trimmed hooves all afternoon with help from Austin and Travis Fezatte and Kelly Miles. (R) Will Miles shows Dad how to put up goat fences.
In other goat news, just before milking time this evening, Kismet decided to kid! She delivered a beautiful baby girl who favors her father, Macho Man. He's a first-time daddy and passed out cigars which all the other goats promptly ate. We'll get some more pictures of the latest babies after we soak our feet.
March 6, 2007
Baskets of Babies today! Within about an hour we had 5 goat children -- 2 boys from first-timer Raisin and 3 (2 boys and a girl) from Pink Petunia. I'm afraid to go outside for fear of finding additional screeching urchins out there...
(L) A basketful of kids and (R) Goat Mid-Wives Panther and Chiffon assist mama Petunia with kid cleaning.
(L) TinkerBelle and ClaraBelle check out their new living quarters compliments of Schneeflock Builders and Goat Ropers, Inc. (R) First-time mom Raisin (who has not shut up since she kidded -- "Muuuuhhh!") wants to know what on Earth just happened and where did those 2 wet things run off to??
March 16, 2007
Wow, it's been 10 days since our last update...where to begin...we are up to our bellies in babies right now -- 21 just since February 7. All are happy and healthy and every single mom has done beautifully. Raisin has finally stopped her incessant chattering, but Mia and Boo Radley have chimed in since kidding. The neighbors are probably ready to stuff socks in their mouths.
Progress has been slow but we're hoping to get the rest of the posts sunk and set this coming weekend. If you have no life and nothing better to do, please join us for a good time and a sore back.
We are eternally grateful to Kenny and Janice Bradley for bringing their tractor to re-auger the post holes. When we started digging 2 weeks ago, we discovered our barn is directly over an iron ore deposit.
(L) Kenny saves the day with his tractor and auger. (R) Nathan, Julie, and Nathan's cousin, John Hoyt, put the posts in place.
(L) Mike visits with his buddy Blue Moon after a morning of Post Wrastlin'. (R) Hallelujah! Our new milk machine arrived!
On Sunday we had to say good-bye to Dora, Julie's favorite goat (shhh...don't tell the others...). She had been sick for a long time and lived to be nearly 10 years old. She was the goat that got Julie hooked on the goat-beasts for good. We know that she, Majesty, and all of our caprine loved ones are now romping in heaven's pastures and generally making a ruckus.
Dora basking in the alfalfa.
March 19, 2007
It's Monday and we are tired but exhilarated after an astonishingly busy and productive weekend! We have the greatest friends in the whole world, as you will soon see...
Ok, first of all we have 557 baby goats (well, ok, 21 babies as of this second) so here's a picture from last weekend when our friend Mandy came to visit. We love it when she visits because it usually involves yummy food. This woman can do some serious cooking. Thankfully our healthy diets went down with the barn. Mandy also helped us shove two 1,500# round bales of hay off the back of the truck. She hasn't been the same since.
Feeding frenzy...you could lose a finger!
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...on Saturday we had a ton of friends here to do some serious work. We were able to get the rest of the posts sunk and set. Amazingly enough, they are even straight!
(L) "Mud!" Robert wheels the "mud" (construction-speak for cement) while (R) Cyndi scrapes.
(L) Tempers flare as Pat and Kelly share a "close" moment...Cyndi is calling for help. (L) Steve and Robert discuss how to disarm Pat.
Robert, Mike and Julie head up the Mud Crew.
Travis is The Mud Mover. He just LOVES his job!
While we were slinging mud, Steve, Anna and our neighbor Bill worked on replacing a non-functional goat gate. They also raked a ton of gravel out.
Steve in action.
With all of the posts set, we were ready to hoist the 2X12X16's to the top for the trusses on Sunday. Who HOOOO! Most of these pictures fall into the "Don't try this at home" category. And if you're from OSHA, please move onto another page while these unknown people do unthinkable things with the backhoe.
Robert and Julie use the backhoe (thanks to Mike for getting it for the weekend!) to raise the boards.
(L) Robert uses the backhoe to nudge a post into place while (R) Julie nails the board.
As if heights aren't scary enough...we had a visitor in the woodpile...
Julie, Robert and Robert's son, Ryan, hold a visiting Rat Snake. Anna promptly fainted...
After we finished the bands, Cyndi and crew arrived with reinforcements. The next step was to drill holes for the 10" carriage bolts to secure the bands.
(L) Jim and Robert on drill duty while Julie runs the backhoe. (R) Cyndi scales the ladder to tighten the bolts.
(L) Julie learns a new trade while (R) Jim says his prayers...
(L) Ready for the trusses! (R) Anna on the backhoe.
The Crew...Ta daaaaaaa!!
April 16, 2007
We've been remiss in updating everyone on our fascinating if not frustrating lives of late, and we shall mend our ways henceforth...
At last, the Mystery of the Disappearing Cat Food on the back porch has been solved! We came out to milk one morning to find we had some bats (of a sort) in our belfry. Behold, the Amazing Flying O'Possum Brothers:
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...here are some pictures of the Stringing of the Trusses (sounds almost Christmasy, doesn't it?)...
And if that isn't cool enough, check out the roofers...
May 29, 2007
Ok, we've been bad and haven't updated the blog in a while. Mea culpa...for those of you who doggedly keep checking, here's the latest!
We had the concrete poured for milk room/feed room/front porch. Yep, our barn is gonna have a porch. Complete with Kevlar Goat-Proof porch swing, chairs and hammock.
June 11, 2007
HOW DRY WE ARE...nobody knows how dry we are...
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...we are now officially in the midst of a Stage 4 Extreme Drought here in Alabama. In fact, just yesterday we saw a tree chasing a dog down the road. Legislation is also being proposed for a water pistol buy-back plan. The phrase "When hell freezes over" has been changed to "When it rains in Alabama". Reminds us of the good ol' days of Johnny Carson's late night monologues:
"It is so dry---"
"HOW DRY IS IT, JOHNNY?"
"It's so dry that water skiing is now banned because it kicks up too much dust."
So we're praying for rain, and grateful that we were able to buy some hay last week from some folks 2 hours away and from a friend in Letohatchee. Listen up "illegal import" runners, if you want to make some money, start running hay.
In other news, it's official. We are now milking in our very own milk room and not on the back porch! Who HOOOO! The goats were absolutely petrified of the change last night and created such a ruckus we were afraid Animal Cops were going to show up. ("Police! Drop the goat, step away from the milk stand!) Goats are creatures of habit and the milkers were not pleased to be so rudely tossed back into the pasture with the non-milkers yesterday. We owe a huge thanks to our boot strap construction crew for the Cadillac of Milking Parlors.
Note the freshly painted milk stands and washable wall material, not to mention the fabulous concrete floor. The goats apparently thought we were sending them to the guillotine. Oy.
Here we have the amazing Pre- and Post-Milking areas. First, the milkers come in to eat on the left side, the Pre-Milking pen. We then drag them kicking and screaming into the Parlor for more torture and milking. Emergency human back surgery ensues. After milking we shove them through the other trap door into the Post-Milking pen where the girls continue to squall and write their congressmen. Ok, so in theory, this really was a great idea...
See, they don't look too much worse for the wear, do they?