Barn Awning

        We're always looking for more ways to make our animals more comfortable. All of the renovations we've been working on recently have had that end goal in mind. One great feature about our barn is that the entire south facing side is completely open to the outside. This is ideal in the summer and really allows the air to flow freely through the barn helping keep down mold and mildew, as well as keep our animals cool. However, in inclement weather the open face of the barn can prove more of a problem. We set out to devise a plan to help keep water, snow, and cold out of the barn during rainy and/or wintery weather.

Here's what we came up with!

        Healthy goats and sheep can handle the cold very well, however it's the wind that can cause the most harm to an animal trying to stay nestled for warmth. The tarpaulin is the perfect (and inexpensive) solution. Not only does it keep the wind from whipping through and chilling the livestock to the bone, but it keeps horizontal rain and snow drifts out as well. It was important to make sure the outside wall design was modular so we didn't lose the best aspect of the barn in the warmer months, but durable enough to withstand the mountain winters. A simple pulley system allows the tarps to be rolled up, essentially turning them into huge blinds. We're pleased with the design and the barn stays much warmer now even on the coldest of nights. The water containers are frozen less frequently than before. Feel free to click on the above pictures for a more detailed look at the tarp and pulleys!

The Boys Are Back In Town

        Our three boys have been busy! Last fall we let The Damon out with Eglantine and Rosie to see if he couldn't do his duty as the herd sire. Turns out, he accomplished the task!

We're proud to announce that Eglantine and Rosie are both pregnant with TWINS!!

        We didn't have The Damon breed with Kikki or Eva. Kikki was still weening Eva at the time, and Eva is much too young to have kids. Even though she is physically able to have kids, there are a lot of complications associated with a tiny goat getting pregnant. So to be on the safe side, we kept Kikki and Eva inside on the big day.

The Damon: proud soon-to-be daddy goat!

Sammy: excited to have more (hopefully) does around.

        The jury is still out on whether or not Star has been living up to his potential. The only things we've seen him mount are the Gator (a six wheeled farm utility vehicle), and the walk behind mower. We're hoping he's just very secretive about the deed and isn't really into mechanical objects only. Time will tell! Soon we will give a call to the vet to have some ultrasounds taken.

Starlight

Goat For Sale, Trade, or Barter

CPE needs a new home for Samuel! Samuel is a very happy and healthy purebred Nubian buck born July 6th, 2011. He has been de-horned and will soon be ready for breeding.

What we are looking for:
      -outright sale of Samuel for a price TBD
      -trade for other livestock (i.e.-goats, sheep, turkeys, et cetera)
      -a mutually beneficial trade of breeding services
      -establish a network between ourselves and another goat farm


We would love to talk and work out some sort of deal that can benefit us and the buyer. We're more interested in starting a relationship with other goateries than a plain cut and dry exchange of money.

    If you would like more information, please contact us through e-mail at cparavel@gmail.com.

Eva Update!

 I'm pleased to inform little Eva's leg has healed beautifully! For those that may not remember, she broke her leg a few weeks after she was born and had to hobble around with a cast. Now the cast is off and her leg isn't giving her any issues at all!

 

We have GOATS!

AH- the JOYS of Craiglist! I had been researching the various breeds of goats and was trying to decide between Alpines and Nubians when this posting appeared on Craigslist: "Downsizing herd" I responded to the posting and was able to talk to Barbara about the ladies she had available- an Alpine and her daughter- an Alpine/Nubian cross. Oh boy!

Early in the morning we covered the Murano cargo area with plastic and loaded a large dog crate. Hopefully the girls would fit in the crate- or we would disassemble it to make a barrier. Lil, Whitt (my husband), and I set out in the pouring rain to see and perhaps bring home the girls. The rain was puddling on the road. The wipers were struggling to keep up with the deluge as we made our way to Barbara's farm.

The barn was perched on the top of a knoll and our walk up the path was slippery. I felt like the snail in all of those algebra problems- you know the one that climbs up the wall of the well but keeps sliding back? Barbara opened the barn door and we were greeted with a chorus of baas, bleats, neighs, meows, and the smell of billy goat.

The fainting goats were clustered in one pen. Some of the fellows really looked like Dr. Seuss models- top knotted hair and curious splotches. The dairy goats were clustered in another- dainty and demure. The fellows surged to the sides of the enclosure and begged for scratching. Lil immediately complied. The ladies reservedly evaluated the visitors before approaching the gate.

Harvest, the momma, decided that all was good and accepted scratches and loving. Her daughter, Rose, however remained aloof. Barbara mentioned that Rose had been plagued by the attention of the bucks earlier in the morning and was just calming down.

We spent some time chatting with Barbara, asking questions about the history and care of the girls. Meanwhile, we met the rest of the herd, a rescue horse, and the rest of her menagerie (which greatly resembled ours). Though we had arrived swearing up and down that we were just looking, and would make a carefully considered decision...half hour later we were rolling away the proud owners of two does.