Growth Spurt

We have had a growth spurt here in the Commune, but instead of goats, it is with new suckers..err members.  A few weeks ago Dan joined the group, and now Jen and Desi are joining in the experience as well.  The more the merrier, spread the wealth, many hands make light work, and all that.  For me it just means less times I have to milk.  This is the time of the year that my hay fever reaches a fevered (hah) pitch and as soon as I walk into the barn I start to get that itch in my throat, that one that sits right near the back where you can only scratch it with your tongue and while scratching it feels ohh soo nice, but the second you stop it is torture so you don't want to stop but while that itching feels good, it sounds like you are choking so everyone nearby looks at your funny and runs over and starts giving you the Heimlich.  Then the sneezes start and the snot faucet turns on.  Pure misery. 

I know Trent would say that it is because I'm not drinking the goat milk, if I did it would cure my allergies, as well as my greying hair.  To that I say:  I've been taking a spoon full each morning along with my vitamins.  So far no luck.  However I don't think my heart is really in it so that could be holding me back.

Nevertheless, welcome new members!

Training Day

We have sold off the White Saanen that was giving us grief due to the mastitis that it had.  It is too bad that we didn't handle that better, but it is a lesson learned for next time. 

The next task is to teach our newest goat to come in and get up on the milking stand all by herself.  She is still pretty shy of me, I have to lure her into the barn, then grab her collar and lead her over to the milk stands.  This last time, she only needed a bit of prompting to jump up onto the stand herself.  The times before that I had to drag up so she is slowly learning.  The first one of us that can get her to do the whole process by herself gets a medal.

The heat is here to stay and it looks like the milk is slowing down a bit.  One of the pastures is mostly dry and I'm not sure if the goats are eating anything out of it anymore.  We are getting low on hay and will have to make another hay run at some point in the near future.  With just 1 more goat to sell, things are looking pretty stable for the time being.