Ready for the end of winter!

Last Saturday the temp was 15 degrees then it started to drop..by Sunday morning we have -24 and high winds... All my goats are in the barn, its cool in there but better than outside! We have 'warmed' to +2 and no wind. A wicked February, I have 2 does to kid soon, I am hoping for warmer temps soon. I am counting the days till April 1st! Cold weatehr chores are no fun...yes smashing ice out of tubs......I use the tubs that are made out of rubber..that you can jump on, sledge hammer.

We have made the decision -- no more winter kidding. Once a year in April!
We rasie Reg Fb Colored Boers and sell brood stock. I am have worried, hover over and made lots of barn checks in this cold weather anticiapting new kids.

The last of my traditional marked Boers are sold. In a couple weeks all will be picked up,

Finally a small herd.........more fun, less work. I clean my barn every 5 days or so. Its easy cleaning when the manure pack isn't deep. I bed with lots of straw. All Reg Full bloods. I have my Red buck, 14 does.....4 blacks and 10 reds and 4 October 07 red doelings. And I made a promise not to buy any more!

Jerry
www.fletcherthreeoaks.com

We've got a half inch of ice coating everything here today. Not fun at all. I had to make paths to the chicken coop & barns, using old woodstove ashes. I dare not step off the paths, either! Still, we're not as bad off as the folks in the North. At the very least, our temps are "do-able", being in the 20s.

I've come to the conclusion, living by myself, and getting older, that I do NOT need to have this many goats (13 adult does) and kidding going on in this kind of weather! Next year for sure I'm cutting my numbers drastically. Or aiming for later kiddings.

NeHi

I felt the same way about my goats so I am down to four does of which three are due to kid the end of this month and the first of next month. One did not settle, Blast her. I think she did the other day though when she crawled into the buck pen. July babies in the Ozarks. That stinks!

I am sorry you got the ice. It just brushed us and gave us a thin coat that will soon be gone.

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Corky

LEAD ME NOT INTO TEMPTATION. I CAN FIND IT BY MYSELF.

I also am tired of this darn cold.
Bring on the snow, that means it is warmer. we really have not had a lot os snow this year, but the cold and the lovely wind.
Last night I got 2 feet of snow in about 1-1/2 hours. Then it stopped and was beautiful. The wind even stopped once the snow stopped.

We have finished all the kidding but one, and she should be holding off a couple more weeks. Luckily it was never the real cold days that they kidded in.

I agree, I would love it to get to about 70*.

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Raising Beautiful Cashmere goats, to produce the best quality cashmere.
www.freewebs.com/sweetgoats
Lori

What a lovely winter scene.....NOT! This is our driveway. Can you see the page wire fence on the left? Nope? That's 'cause it's buried under the snow! ARGHHHHHH!!!!!!!

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"The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap."

I live in Middle TN just south of Nashville. We call February the season of mud. I am grateful when it freezes because then you can walk without sinking. I feel sorry for the buck and his friend--they are in the moshpit right now probably hoping for that good hard freeze we are expecting again tonight.

The best thing about February--it ends in 28 days. usually. this year is 29 due to leap year I think.

I dream about balmy March weather. Still muddy but I can live with it knowing that the daffodils are up and the trees are greening again.

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Vanessa
Lebanon, TN

I am no fan of winter by any means but when I start feeling like that, I try and remember what it's like when it's stifling hot, deer flies, giant black horse flies, spiders, etc....and I'm not in such a hurry for summer. I do love springtime though! We're also not having too harsh of a winter either but if we had those kind of temps, I'd feel the same way. Brrrrr!!!!

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Cloven Trail Farm
Lord help me be the person my dog thinks I am!

Ja-Lyn's Radio Flyer, aka "Rad" on his 17th birthday.
9/14/93 -12/3/10.
Rest peacefully my soulmate, I'll love you forever.