This has been a very blessed spring on the farm! With winter kidding season now over, we have a final tally of 61 surviving -- and thriving -- baby goats! Amazing! They are loving the sunshine and green grass. The "Kid Creepers" have returned in full force . . . these are the drivers who inevitably stop to watch my kids playing in our yard, which completely aggravates the Pyrenees Pups! Mary Beth, my intern from OSU, has been a huge help with kidding this year. She even has a baby goat named after her! That is Mary Beth the bottle baby and star of elementary school visits, and inevitably there are funny moments when I tell Mary Beth to go feed Mary Beth!
The grass has turned lush and green early this year, thanks to a short winter. That helps to save expenses on hay, which is very good. Unfortunately, this has also meant that ticks were out early. Thanks to Frontline, the Pyrenees are managing tick season fairly well. I am looking forward to completing numerous projects on the farm this spring & summer, and am especially looking forward to my student assistant Aubry returning to work with me this summer. It is incredibly rewarding to work with young people as they gain hands-on skills in agriculture!
The last baby born this year is the adorable little girl that I am holding in the above picture. Her name is Jodie (after one of my dearest friends) and she is full of adventure! Although Jodie the Goat is younger than all the other kids, she manages to keep up with them during playtime. I am optimistic that Jodie will grow up healthy & strong and be a good addition to the herd. In the meantime, the does that did not have babies in the winter are now living with the young buck, Draco Dynamite. Here's hoping Draco has much success as a father!
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