The animal kingdom is sometimes harsh but pragmatic. When our pregnant doe, Mocha, had triplets, I was so excited. Not only was this our first set of triplets, but all the kids were girls. Shortly after the birth, I realized that Mocha did not seem to have the desire or capacity to nurse all three kids. In fact, in the first few hours after giving birth, she was only nursing the strongest kid. I had to hold up the two […]
Tags: Goat Chronicles, goats, homesteading
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
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
Interest in aquaponics is at an all time high. It has captured the imaginations of people who want to grow their own food in a limited space. Fish and plants grow in the same water without the use of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Sanger High School’s Agriculture Department requested our assistance in the design and construction of an aquaponic teaching lab. The goal was to make a full-proof system that would suit the budget of the average homeowner. The […]
Tags: aquaponics, Fresno California, homesteading, schools
