I was taking photos of the new kids on the block, and Wendy, who just gave birth that morning, comes right up to me and stares into the camera. So here’s a pic of the new mama. Both mom and kids (twins again) are doing great! For those of you who are counting, that gives us a total of six kids born in 2014!
Tags: Goat Chronicles, goats, homesteading
Bronco is a lot smaller than Seahawk and is having difficulty standing and nursing. Thankfully, she is doing better today than yesterday. John goes out several times per day to make sure she is getting adequate milk, but it is still kind of touch and go for the little thing…… Feb 9, 2014 Update: By day three, Bronco was strong enough to walk and nurse on her own!
Tags: Goat Chronicles, goats, homesteading
Today’s guest blogger is our son, Jeremy. “What’s it like to grow up on a farm?” Only a few years ago, I might have answered that farm life was at best bearable and at worst downright misery. But if you were to ask me this question today? I would say – without hesitation or equivocation – that growing up on a farm was by far the best thing that could have ever happened to me, an upbringing I wouldn’t […]
Tags: family, growing up on a farm, J and J Aquafarms
That’s Casper the friendly goat and Jennie, our Livestock Guardian Dog. Livestock Guardian Dogs stay with the herd as full-time members, protecting them from predators.
Tags: Goat Chronicles, goats, homesteading, livestock guardian dogs
Farmer John answers your questions about farm animals at J and J Fish Farm Stay. GOATS What is your favorite animal? My favorite animal is probably our goats because their personality is similar to a Golden Retriever. I also like our Livestock Guardian Dogs because they are friendly like a dog but also do a lot of work on the farm. Why did you make a floating goat house? Goats are vulnerable to predators like coyotes, racoons, bobcats and dogs. […]
Tags: chickens, fish, Goat Chronicles, goats, homesteading, livestock guardian dogs
A chicken tractor is a great solution for mobile and secure housing. It is called a chicken tractor because the birds are constantly pecking and scratching the soil. Soon, the area covered by the run is devoid of vegetation and bugs. We resurrected an old abandoned farm trailer. We had to repack the bearings to get the trailer to even move. We welded together a metal frame to which we secured reclaimed barn wood. Corrugated roofing from […]
Tags: chicken coop, chicken tractor, homesteading, recycling
These cute little guys are Barbados Blackbelly sheep. They are “hair sheep,” meaning they grow coarse hair instead of wool so there is no need to shear them. They are parasite tolerant and disease resistant, making them a favorite of homesteaders: “These exotic-looking sheep are a perfect choice as a homesteader’s sheep because they do relatively well on poorer forage, can be raised with very little grain, and do not require intensive management.” –Wikipedia
Tags: Barbados Blackbelly sheep, homesteading
Today’s blog was written by our son, Matt Young, a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia. I’ve always thought it was cool that my dad was in the Peace Corps, but being a volunteer now myself gives me an even greater appreciation for having an RPCV father. Everything I see here sheds light on some aspect of my dad’s character and personality. Everything I do reminds me in some small way of the influence that his service has had in his […]
Tags: Fishing in Zambia, Papua New Guinea, Peace Corps, RPCV, Zambia
Our livestock play an important role on our integrated farm. The cows and goats provide a non-chemical solution to weed control in the pond area. Our chickens help aerate and turn the soil. All of our animals are free range, virtually eliminating the need for antibiotics and other drugs. The waste products of the animals are eventually broken down into rich compost. The end result is healthy grass-fed animals, with the added benefit of weed and erosion control.
Tags: chickens, cows, erosion, Fresno California, goats
