Spring is buzzing!

Well, as I write this, NC Promisedland Z Bella is in the kidding pen. 

Bella's Baby Belly! 

I don't know whether she will kid today or not, but it would be great if she did! She's linebred to On Firestone Creek UP Sonic Boom *S, so I am crossing my fingers (believe it or not) for a buckling that is as well put together as Sonic's dad, Uproar, and one capable of producing lots of milk. After Bella, Sunnee and Palindrome are up for their part in the show. Palindrome looks like she is going to burst any day now. Both are due around mid-June. After that, it's Karamu's turn, along with Blanca and Namby (our experimental meat/dairy goats). So what can I say besides babies, babies, everywhere, and these are going fast, so if you have any interest, please contact me to get on the list.

In addition, I wanted to say that I'm proud of On Firestone Creek PALisade for kidding with triplets at Addie Pepoli's farm (Proctor Hill Farm). She had a rough delivery, and one of the little doelings almost didn't make it. Then the same doeling had problems with her legs, probably from being all cramped up because PALisade isn't a huge doe. Well, the doeling is doing terrific now, and she will be joining us here at Firestone Creek in the summer. Her name is Pure Joy; there was no choice but to name her that because, as you can see (below right), her name is spelled out on her side!! Palisade will be

Proctor Hill C Pure Joy
(Challenger and Palisade daughter)

staying with Addie, and hopefully she will earn her milk star this lactation! Her udder looks fantastic this freshening, and her progeny are looking very nice, too. Her daughter Firestone Creek R Minnie Me kidded with triplets a few weeks ago, and her udder is impressive, especially on a first freshening (see below). She is now living nearby at Run Joey Run Farm along with Jody's Girl, who is also reaching high production as is her daughter. Jody gave me around 8 cups of milk right after freshening while also feeding two kids. It's her fourth freshening, and she is producing well. Her daughter, Til Lee, born at Run Joey Run Farm is also producing very well with several kids on her. 

On Firestone Creek Farm Minnie Me

These lines go back to Hollywood out of Lost Valley. While they could use better attachments, which I hope to see in future kids, the teat size, ease of milking, and production is definitely there! 

On a sad note, Minnie Me's sister, Palabra, who is still living here at Firestone Creek, kidded a few days ago with a very large doeling that was dead at birth. She was overdue by about 6 days, so I was worried about that happening. She is a smaller doe, and she has been butted around a bit by a few of the larger girls. I think the doe was probably dead a couple of days. I assume that is probably what happened. She's sad, and I'm sad, too. I started milking her though, and so far she has very good production and excellent attachments and placement. I wanted to make sure I at least milked her some just to get her used to it. 

Other things going on around here:  
1) gardening and composting
2) recycling of several things around the house
3) vermicomposting

Glad summer is almost here!