Sunday, March 05, 2006

Marching on...


The goats have all gotten CDT boosters as of this morning. We're expecting to hear the patter of little feet this month, so that's an important task. I've trimmed the hooves of twelve goats so far. That's 48 hooves. There are a lot more to go.

I've gotten lots of practice on my small Massey Ferguson tractor since yesterday. I'm almost proficient in the use of the bucket to scoop up manure from our huge pile from last year, and placing it on the vegetable garden. It's got a rototiller, too, so I then engage the tiller and till in the manure, preparing for Spring planting. I've got a new asparagus bed readied and will plant that and the seed potatoes this afternoon after a little rest.

It's always to learn a new skill and I'm happy to be able to do this at my advanced age. Speaking of this -- a new friend, who is less than a year younger, gave me a tour of her farm on the back of an Arctic Cat ATV this week. Yikes! She drives fast. Over hills, up and down, over streams and rocks -- we were flying! It was scary and fun, but my back hurt from riding with both legs over (like riding a horse.) The ATV I'll buy will have nice, civilized bucket seats. I've pretty much decided on the one I want and will let you know when I can actually purchase it.

We're at the end of the fencing project. The waterers should be installed early this week.

I've been buried in paperwork, developing spreadsheets to record farm expenses and income and getting it all ready for doing this year's taxes.

In the greenhouse, seedlings are up and I'm already transplanting tomatoes into individual pots.

There are plenty of signs of Spring around the farm now.

2 comments:

Leslie Shelor said...

Your spring is way ahead of mine. Great to hear about the farm chores and I'm really envying that tractor!

Sky said...

Yes, you are ahead of us, too. Wondering where you are.

We have daffodils and crocuses blooming, a few blossoms on the candytuft now, lenton roses in bloom, daphne o'doro fragrantly blooming, and day lily foliage barely up but no bloomscapes yet.

We can hardly wait to see our blooms - tulips, irises (bearded, siberian, and dutch), and hyacinths before the perennials begin to wake.

My elderly parents live on a large property in the country and travel about on a golf cart which we enjoy playing in when visiting. They had goats for many years, and theirs had their babies in December's frigid weather. I don't remember my father ever trimming their hooves and wonder now if he neglected them in that way. Can goats remedy the issue by grazing and being active or is this something which needs to be done regularly for all goats?