Pictures from this morning's walk

[mammabooh]

Son and I took the girls out for a walk this morning and I remembered to take the camera along and actually use it!

The picture with the framework of a pole building is what we are building for the boys, along with a new pasture area. The building is 12 x 18, but the boys will only have 8 x 9 of that and will not have a floor. The rest will be for hay and feed storage and will have a floor. The rafters are reclaimed boards that used to be rafters in a friend's shed that he tore down. We are going to use old 2 x 4s for the purlins (that are so old that they really are 2 x 4 and are oak) that were piled up here when we bought the place...they were probably left over from when the house was built in 1902...they have never had nails in them! Hubby had a good idea to build another stand (like a milk stand) so I don't have to take the boys to the big barn for their hoof trims.

[Ken in Maine]

Nice goats and a nice... neat looking farm. So good to see goats in a clean environment. Congratulations!

[Clovers_Clan]

Such happy, lucky goats! You have a beautiful farm. Just a tip on the oak 2x4s: pre-drill for the nails! That barn should withstand anything!

[mammabooh]

Originally Posted by Clovers_Clan

Such happy, lucky goats! You have a beautiful farm. Just a tip on the oak 2x4s: pre-drill for the nails! That barn should withstand anything!

Yep...we found that out last night when we were installing the first row of purlins. Hubby had pre-drilled through the purlin, but not into the rafter and the nail proceeded to bend right over! So, now he's using a smaller drill bit, but going down into the rafter with it also.

The metal for the roof will be here Friday, so I'll post more pictures of it if we get the purlins done and are able to install the roof metal this weekend.

[maxbetta]

Beautiful herd, thanks for sharing!

[Backfourty,MI.]

Very nice pictures & the girls all look good! Been a long time since you've posted pictures of your son & man has he grown up!
We'd like to build a nice big building for our boys this year so they can stay in their pasture year around (now I bring them back to the barn every night) & was thinking some storage area would be nice too.

[mammabooh]

Originally Posted by Backfourty,MI.

Very nice pictures & the girls all look good! Been a long time since you've posted pictures of your son & man has he grown up!
We'd like to build a nice big building for our boys this year so they can stay in their pasture year around (now I bring them back to the barn every night) & was thinking some storage area would be nice too.

Yes, Jax is not so little anymore! He turned 11 in January, wears a size 8 shoe, topped five feet tall a little while back, and his size 16 jeans that we just got him for Christmas are beginning to look like floods. In my mind, he should be about 4 and still wearing toddler clothes and want to cuddle with me on the couch.

[crazygoatgal]

Your place looks so nice. Even your wooded area is nice. And your goats are just beautiful. I have always said that i would get lamanchas if i decided on a full size breed. But maybe I could do mini manchas since i have nigerians. Hmm? Do you know how their milk compares to that of Nigerians? I know the ND are supposed to have the highest in butterfat and protein, or so Ive been told, but how do the LaManchas rank? Would love to learn more about them.

[mammabooh]

Originally Posted by crazygoatgal

Your place looks so nice. Even your wooded area is nice. And your goats are just beautiful. I have always said that i would get lamanchas if i decided on a full size breed. But maybe I could do mini manchas since i have nigerians. Hmm? Do you know how their milk compares to that of Nigerians? I know the ND are supposed to have the highest in butterfat and protein, or so Ive been told, but how do the LaManchas rank? Would love to learn more about them.

I've never had it tested, but I think Lamancha milk is supposed to be around 3% butterfat and Nigerian Dwarf milk is close to double that.