TBT: MENDING FENCES

TBT this week has to do with mending fences, not as in fixing broken relationships but really mending an electric wire fence around the perimeter of the goat pasture which not only keeps our goats in but other animals like coyotes out. Winter snow/gusty winds with broken tree branches usually knock down the wire in various spots. SO on the Spring checklist of things to do is find and fix that downed wire ... 

This needs to be done before we can get our goats back.

You may remember our neighbor farmer was kind enough to take our goats for the winter when Natureman went in for his operation and started treatment. Now that spring is coming to the End of the Rainbow Valley I am really missing those goats more than Natureman... I also haven't ever experienced a spring in the last 18 years without at least a couple of baby kid goats frolicking in the pasture.  It's just part of the joys of spring here. 

A FB posting of an acquaintance holding her 2 newborn Easter baby goats kids really pulled at my heartstring and made me scour photos of some those of our past spring kids...

Mancha

Jacqueline

Crouton and Sally 

El and Baby Pantalones

 

There have been so many over the years it's hard to believe I've even forgotten some of their names-

a couple who didn't make it to adulthood like Peanut, born so tiny and I had to bottle feed him/ one who was born so strong and big but died of complications of his castration/ a couple cases of kids overgrazing when that fence was down/ they figured a way under it.  Learning firsthand the hard way about poisonous plants for goats like azaleas, China berries, sumac, dog fennel, bracken fern, curly dock, honeysuckle, nightshade, pokeweed, red root pigweed, black cherry and Virginia creeper... 

The kid goats have grown up with our barn cats over the years and been really good companions. Sleeping and going out to the pasture together... 

In fact, our 2 working barn cats moved up to our porch this winter when the goats went on vacation to the neighbors. It's time for Blanca and Bebe to have their buddies back and move back to the barn...

You see for the most part there has been more life affirming with goat kids here on the farm. And we could use a good dose of that this spring after a hard winter...