Live Long and Prosper

Llama Thursday

Just as Wednesday is Hump Day (camels), Thursday should be Llama Day and a llama should be released each Thursday in a random part of the country for us to all watch on tv.  Because we all need a smile at least once a week.

More grinding

So I got some more turkey ground up and this I left plain so that I could make meatloaf or meatballs with it and season as needed.  The sausage I made earlier needs more seasoning.  I think because I used turkey and not pork the recommended amount of seasoning wasn't enough to sweeten it, as pork is a sweeter meat.

Also putting the grinder on the counter and not the breakfast bar made the suction cup stick much better.  I didn't have any issue with it.  I think the breakfast bar let air in because of the wood grain.

I also tried making some cracklin with the turkey skin.  I think I cooked it a little too long and I forgot to salt it.  It kind of tastes like burned bacon.  But ketchup helps it.

And finally I have a logo for the farm!  One of my buddies that I play Warcraft with made it for me.  Thanks Ryan!

Turkey sausage

I started getting some turkey meat ready for grinding.  Took some time to get the meat off of both wings.  My new hand crank meat grinder was all washed up.  I was eager to give it a try since the reviews on Amazon seemed pretty good for it.

 I had to make sure to get the tendons and silver skin off the meat so it wouldn't bind up the grinder and ruin the sausage with icky tough bits.  The dogs were happy to clean up the bits I cut off so it wouldn't just be trash.

Bone says, "More turkey please, ma'am."

 The beginning bits of meat I had cleaned and ready for the grinder.

I thought I had taken pictures of the grinding happening but I got distracted when my parents called in the middle of it.  (Since my phone is also my camera).  The grinder worked fairly good, except the suction that holds it to the counter would occasionally give way.

I hope to get my seeds started soon and will post an update on that as well.  I know people want tomatoes as soon as the temperatures hit fifty degrees so I want to try and get a jump start on the plants being ready.

Kids for sale

Yes deceptive title to make you read.

The goats are up on craigslist and server facebook groups.  Hope they find happy homes.

2 ADGA registered Nubian bucklings for sale, born January 16. Each kid is $150.00. They are very friendly and colorful goats and would be great herd sires or wethered show goats. They are currently intact. I have them on their mother still and will be weaning them in March. I will take a deposit of 50 dollars (non-refundable) to hold one until then. I will also castrate if requested with the deposit.
The Mister: Lighter Kid with white spot on head. Registration number: AN1713783
The Frosted: Darker kid in front. Registration number : AN1713784

Wood

I like having a wood burning furnace.  I like that I work to have my heat made and not just pay some corporation for it and flip a switch.  It makes it seem like I own my heat.  Granted I do enjoy being lazy and just flipping on the space heater, but the wood furnace heats the whole house.

I gathered another three loads of wood from the neighbor's and stacked in behind the garage.  It is a nice pile and I am rather proud of it.  It will help keep the house warm the next couple of weeks while the temperature is dipped down.

Eggs

I think it is now safe to say that we won't have to go back to store bought eggs any time soon.  Provided nothing happens to the chickens.  Got five eggs today and I think the ladies are well on their way to all laying.

Thanks for the basket Mom!  It comes in handy with this many eggs.

Building and fixing and maintenance.

Rob changed the oil in the vehicles today.  We stopped at the auto part store on the way home last night so he wouldn't have to go anywhere today.  Perhaps that was our first mistake.

While he was changing oil I went to look at the battery on the big tractor since it wasn't turning over even after being charged.  I took of the cables and found that the lead connector on one was broken.  Not sure if I did it when I was taking it off or if it had happened at some earlier point.  Either way it was busted.

So off Rob went to the auto part store for a new one.

I replaced the connector and while waiting for the battery to charge again I worked on building my milk stand for the goats.

Then Rob ran into an issue with my truck's oil filter.  Wrong size.  Which was annoying since we told the guy at the counter the year and make and engine for my truck.  So back he goes to the auto part store.  After arguing with the guy at the counter that we never said my truck is a diesel (cause its not) and that we never said it was 4x4 (cause its not) he finally got home with the correct filter.

While he was gone a did a small repair on the hoop house for the goats.

We got the battery back in the tractor and Rob finished the oil change for my truck.  The tractor fired right up - much happier now with a fully connected battery.  And we dragged the telephone pole, that the Ameren guys left for me, back to the garage.

The new goat is settling in. She is behind Camo with her head over his back, sleeping.

 And pictures of the kids, cause why not?

Ice

The temperature is dropping and the ice is forming.  I put together a little extra comfort of several hay bales stacked together in the goat house.  The new goat loves it, the others just munch on it.  The chickens didn't feel like producing much today, I guess because of all the clouds.  But I have been getting 4 eggs fairly consistently, and a peak of 7 one day.  I think the girls are well on their way to full production.  Rob will be taking some eggs to work to sell soon.

I also got in my meat grinder and cheese making kit.  I hope to get the last turkey processed soon and made some sausage from him.  I will make my milking stand and start milking Miss in the mornings and begin my attempts with cheese, butter, soap, and yogurt.  Very excited to get some goat milk for ourselves.

Miss is getting thinner though, so I may have to dry her off sooner than I would like.  I hope the new goat drops kids and can take over for her as she is in better condition.  I will make sure to get Miss in better condition before her next pregnancy.  I feel bad that I let her get so thin, but she is still up and alert and keeping her kids in great shape.  I know that sometimes with animals it is live and learn, especially with certain animals needing more feed or less as the case may be.  I am just disappointed in myself that I didn't catch on sooner.

I will correct my mistake though and move on.

The only thing I can't fix is Camo and I don't think I could have done anything more for him. The day after he came up lame I took him to the vet, and made sure to doctor him to the best of my ability.  What happened to him was a freak accident and I am still not entirely sure what he did to cause the leg injury.  He and Miss lived a whole year in the portable goat cage and never had a problem.  I hate to cull him, but I don't see him getting better.  However I wonder if her couldn't survive as a three-legged goat.  He was very interested in the new doe and runs around just fine on three legs.  He isn't in pain, except for when I doctor him and manipulate the leg.

I think I will talk to the vet again and see if there is something else that I can do for him.  He is a blue papered Nubian and a friendly buck, I would hate to lose him.  It seems I have talked myself into another vet bill.

New Doe

Her previous owners called her Twilight but her registered name is Astrids Godiva Truffle.  So I may call he Godiva (snicker snort) or Truffle.