Planting again

I guess I just can't help myself.  Along with picking up a couple of seed packets, yesterday I brought home rootstock for a peach tree (Florida King variety, a self-fertilizing and "old time" strain, according to Lynn), two American hazelnut shrubs, and five berry canes: two more raspberry varieties, a boysenberry, a dewberry, and a blackberry.  I also grabbed a 3 pound bag of Russet seed potatoes.

The hazelnuts and the peach tree are in pots next to the front porch, until I figure where they'll be safest and happiest - hazelnuts are apparently attractive to squirrels, turkeys, and deer.  If we need to, hubby can put the doors back on the old chicken coop and we can put them in there to protect from marauding wildlife.

First cheese of 2018

I made the first cheese of 2018 now that Molly has (finally!*) switched to regular milk from colostrum.  It's a feta, and half of it was ordered by Larra the waitress up at Leo's.  Leo ordered yogurt and a bit of milk.  We're still working on the colby and cheddar cheeses from the latter half of last year - good stuff.  I shared a colby with Frank and Caroline, but told them hubby is not willing to allow a cheddar out of the house.  LOL  Frank said I need to make more cheddars this year, because he also loves a good sharp cheddar.

I have renamed Molly's second-born white son.  He is now Herbie the Love Bug.  It fits him, and sounds a lot better than "Whitey" so Herbie he is.  I also just got an email from Frank saying their kid and family want Herbie, and can I hold him until March.  He'll get attention (they have school-age children, just like the family I bought Brownie from) and he'll be mate to Harry (Prim's son) Houdini's daughters, making to offspring grandkids of both Molly and Prim.  Prim is still milking from when she kidded last February - just half a quart usually now, but over 11 months after kidding is impressive for a goat.  I am getting between a quart-and-half and two quarts in the morning from Molly, and that is with leaving her udder half-full for the twins!  She is likely producing over 3/4 gallon of milk in a 24 hour period.  Any wonder that I am trying to cross those two nannies' bloodlines?

It's warming up and clouding up to rain again (forecast to start tomorrow night and run until Tuesday morning) so pictures will need to wait until better weather.  I have the idea to see if hubby can get a video clip of me and the kids.  We'll see if goats cooperate.

Meet the new goats

OK, while I napped this afternoon, hubby went out and snapped a few pics to add to yesterday's attempts at pictures.  I've already taken to calling the firstborn Brownie Junior, and his little brother Whitey.  Maybe not the most imaginative names, but I tell them they got better first names than the triplets did last spring.

Whitey and Brownie Junior, tucked safely in the corner

believe it or not, Brownie Junior is definitely bigger than Whitey

shortly after birth, me trying to point them to the right part of Molly's udder

newborn Whitey hunting for the teat

I kept trying to point them in the right direction, but they were a bit confused

Brownie Junior, nearly dry after birth

Cocoa Puff was a bit curious and more than bit jealous

hubby and Cocoa Puff ... I really like this pic!

As mentioned in a caption, there is a definite size difference between Brownie Junior and Whitey, and I am already noticing character differences.  Brownie Junior is quite the adventurous little twerp, so in a night or two they are going into a crate for overnight so we don't have a repeat of overly-adventurous kids getting out at night.  Meanwhile, little Whitey is probably going to be a very affectionate goat.  He already loves having his nose stroked, from tip to forehead.  I did that this afternoon (once the rain stopped) and he just lifted his head right into my hand with a "Oh I like this!" look on his face.  I do hope I can find a good pet home for him.

I got my birthday wish

So back in August when Chocolate kidded, I noticed Prim and Brownie dancing in the back of the pasture and remarked about how I would love to have new baby goats for my birthday (this was five months and one day prior).  Prim may not have been listening, but apparently Molly was.  She kidded twin boys this morning.  Hubby tried to take pics, but the kids were too unsteady on their feet, so the pics aren't clear.  Still, as I remarked in Christmas phone calls, "If I spend my birthday midwifing baby goats into the world, that would be a good birthday!"

And so far, it has been.  It is still so cool to have twin kids born on my birthday ... that's not exactly something that can be planned.  Hopefully, we'll get clear pics tomorrow - right now one is racked out sleeping, and the storm clouds are rolling in.  While last week was colder than all last year's winter, it has warmed up in front of the rain to almost 70F.