Hello, I am new here!

[Oakshire_Farm]

Since I could not post in the General Chat I thought I would introduce myself!

I have a nice little 6.5 acre farm on the Lovely Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. And on my little farm I have a Shire Stallion, his son a QHxShire, my 3 wonderfull Jersey cows, a llama, 2 goats, 1 lamb, 1 rabbit, 2 dogs, 2 cats, a chinchilla, a tropical salt water fish tank(90gal) and 2 tropical fresh water tanks(55gal & 90gal)

I ride my Shire we just do a bit of basic dressage, we dable in pulling little logs up and down the driveway for fun, my QHxShire is my trail basher extrodinair! no hill to steep, no river to deep, we will cross it! lol

My 3 Jerseys, Mable my first cow, bought her as a 13 month old heffer, frendly as a puupy dog, I had a holstein previously but had always wanted a Jersey. She was the greatest cow ever! So I started looking for a nother Jersey or two, I was talking to my vet one day he told me to call a lady that lived about a half hour from me. I called her befroe the vet was out the driveway, and it turns out that she had Mables mom and younger sister! So that evening I went to meet them and had them home by the end of the week! So I now have Annabelle (7years old) Mable (5 years old) and Else (2 years old) I milk all the cows and raise bull calves that I pick up from local dairy farms. I would love to start up a raw milk dairy but untill the laws change in my area it is not an option. The laws are pretty strict about raw milk sales I have heard of people doing the cow share program, but I have not looked into that much yet??

My 2 goats are just pets, I have taken them both in from horible situations nad they are just living out there lives with us! My 3 year old daughter loves them. My llama is just another pet, he is a great trail riding companion, I have a pack for him and I can pack a lunch for both me and my horse in and take off for the day! My little lamb is a 6 month old hair sheep, I got her as a pet, but to breed to have lambs for the freezer every year! and then we have our bunny he is a velveteen lop rabbit, he is the barn bunny, he likes to think that he is a dog.

Then we have the dogs, Kali is a 4 year old mini bull terrier, she has a bad case of add. We love her despite of the fact that she is compleetly usless! Bart is the old man a Rotti X Lab he is going to be 12 with May, he was a great dog in his day, but his age has cought up to him and he spends the better part of his days sleeping under the dinning room table. The cats are mouse control, Jessie is a orange tabby, she can kill anything! The best mouser out there. And Katie is a silver tabby, is a ok hunter but prefers to sleep on the couch!

Anyways,,,,,, I have been a lurker on this forum for a while now, and thought that I should say "Hi" and thank everyone for beeing such a helpfull resourse!!!

Checkout my little farm at www.freewebs.com/oakshire_farm

[Ronney]

Welcome to the site As you've been lurking you will know we are a friendly bunch willing to share experiences and occasionally agreeing to disagree
I can't imagine what Vancouver Island looks like, or even Canada for that matter, but you sound to have a nice little place. All you need now is some pigs to feed that lovely Jersey milk to.

Cheers,
Ronnie

[Onthebit]

Welcome!

Are you milking by hand or do you have a machine? Im trying to find a portable milker here in Canada. Anyone have ideas? (I am not willing to pay 2 grand+ either-I can get one shipped from the US cheaper)

[Slev]

ahhh, the Shire horse, developed back in the 1700's by Robt. Blakewell. Upon your next lamb purchase/find, you might want to check out the Border Leicester sheep as he also is credited/partially with their origins, that way you could spin up a warm hat & scarf to wear up there in the Great White North, aye? -welcome!

(maybe Admin can post across the forums to get all lurkers to sign up and post, ...I have my rabies shot)

[Oakshire_Farm]

Thanks for the welcomes!!

Onthebit, I machine milk, I bought it used for a lady, I still paid $800 for it but I have been using it with out a problem for about 7 years now anbd it is worth every penny. I used to milk a hostein with it and shew would give me about 6 gallons 2 times per day, so hand milking was not an option!. I now have it set up to milk 2 jerseys at once!

Slev, I love the Shire horse, such a amazing breed. he is a realy suck though, he would rather just eat than work! I got a hair sheep so that I do not have to worry about shearing her, she is just going to be a pet, it will be her offspring that will head to the freezer.

I also forgot to mention that I do raise pigs once a year, we just buy weaner pigs and raise them up. And we also have a small flock of chickens. THis is the year I am going to make arealy effort to make a garden! Although it is hard to be self sufficiant on 6 1/2 acres we are pretty close!!

[gone-a-milkin]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Patriot is my idea of what a horse should be! Beautiful.

I grew up near Burlington, WA and have been out to Vancouver Island many times. I still miss seeing the orcas, and also ~smoked salmon! and the oysters, fresh super-small oysters. *sigh*

[Skip]

I enjoyed the picture of your daughter with the goat. As a child, I had read Heidi and ever since wanted a goat. I also had a pair of red rubber boots that for some reason I have fond memories of them. To this day I am searching for red rubbers, but am content with the green pair I have. As long as my feet are dry I am happy.

[sungirl]

Hello OakShire Farm! Sounds like you have a great set up and some wonderful Jerseys. I have been to the island a couple times with a pretty place it is in the fall.
My husband and I farm in QC near maine & new brunswick. We have Jersey, Herford cattle, Saanen, Alpine, & Boer goats. Hair & wool breed sheep. I am currently spending some of my time working with some pink layers of white Silkies and some other older chicken breeds. To top it all off I also have a small stable which some of out local 4H members keep their project horses.
enough about me, Welcome! I do hope you enjoy this website.

Patty.