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Penni the Goat Mama

– Pay no attention to my shushing of my husband…LOL

Our Great Dane, Penni ‘s first introduction to Montana, Clark, and Lott was….well, shall I say, exuberant??!! The excitement was immediate, and intense. That of course, is Penni ‘s way. She is big, her excitement is big, her movements are big, her voice is big, and her heart is huge! Penni demands to be “Mommy” to every new baby critter she comes in contact with….the new Kids were no exception.

Basically, the afternoon and evening were all about trying to welcome, and help make our little ones feel comfortable and safe….and allow Penni to get some familiarity with the little critters that she can see through the windows of the house. If we wanted to have any peace at all, this was non-negotiable. I knew that it was going to be the kind of day that would require a lot of patience, and a good, sturdy leash.

As big as she is, Penni can still stick her head, all the way through to her shoulders.

Getting her head out, is not as easy.

Does this picture look familiar??

She is ever watchful…these are her new babies.

Once a baby is smelled from head to toe, and slobbered on all over…they are hers. Be it chick, kid, or poult…her motherly instincts are strong….either that or…..no, I don’t want to think about the “or.” It’s never been the “or”….but sometimes it looks like the “or.”

Today, the leash came off….but NOT inside “The Stick” (Candlestick Park)….only on the outside of the fence. Thank goodness for this reduction of intensity. The exuberance is still there, but she has brought it in a little bit, and is more able to control the instinct to just mow everything down to get to the kids. They are responding with a little more calmness around Penni too. Everyone is adjusting…WHEW!!! Right now, the adjustment period is strictly for the big dog and the kids…the little dog’s introduction will be several days from now…after more of the exuberance wears off.

Other than that, the kids had a good night….no surprises. They seemed warm and cozy, and everyone seemed well….very well. I think they slept just fine.

I think they are happy!!

Thank you for visiting today!!

I hope you have a wonderful morning, day, evening, or night…whenever you may be reading this!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

Goats, Great Dane, Penni the Great Dane, Rasing meat goats, Spanish Goats

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The Boys

Last night’s sleep was pretty restless. It felt like I wrestled all night with the logistics of the kids’ arrival. Then, I had this dream…..

It started out with Tony and I wrestling with the thought of where to store the hay…yesterday we purchased, loaded, and hauled 10, 80 pound bales of Willamette Valley Grass Hay from our neighbor who is in the hay business….anyway…back to my dream….

….so we were trying to decide where to store the hay….time was running out, we had to go pick up the kids, but I hadn’t cleaned out the x-large dog carrier yet, nor put a layer of straw (or pine shavings) inside of it for them. It seemed like nothing was in place…the gate to their “base camp” had not been hung, they had no water, and everything was still in the back of my SUV. We had no time left we had to go. I was flustered. So we get there and the rancher already had the goats boxed and ready to go. They were boxed up in a moving box. He said, “Just leave them in here, and when you get home, put the box in the barn, leave, and then check on it in about a half an hour. So we did. When we went back to look, there was like this beautiful, glowing light in the barn (old chicken house) and lots of little animals….hedgehogs, burrowing prairie dogs, a small cat like cuddly thing that turned out to be a baby mountain lion (in no way did it look like a cougar cub), various miniature birds that looked like hawks, and seagulls, and two tiny, tiny baby deer…..spotted, and only about a foot tall. But there were no goats…not one!! I thought, “hmmmm…I need to get them some water” … and then my alarm went off.

Hahahaha….that was too weird.

Welcome little ones!!! We picked up our two….no, three little kids from the rancher at Cozine Springs Ranch ( http://www.cozinespringsranch.com ) – never go to pick up animals with extra money in your pocket…hahaha…our plan was for two! The fact is, we couldn’t split up the twins…they were bottle raised together, and are very sweet. The brown one was raised with the herd going out to forage with mama from the beginning. He will be a good teacher for the two bottle fed kids…they have a job to do.

We carried the two bottle fed babies into their new enclosure, but the brown kid wanted a different kind of entrance. He needed to feel out the territory first….then once he had feet on the ground…he checked out the hay….kept walking and started munching on a patch of grass….YES!!! Exactly the job we need them to do.

Their names…..introducing….. Lott (as in Ronnie); Montana (as in Joe); and Clark (as in Dwight)…in that order! Hence the need for their stadium…Candlestick Park II…in case you haven’t guessed, or just plain have no idea….it’s all about the 49ers…as in football that is.

So there you have it….our introduction into the world of goats…livestock….growing this farm. Will it be sustainable?? At some point will we start producing income, instead of sinking more money into it?? Will I ever have to mow again?? There is one answer for everyone of these questions….only time will tell.

I have found that this breed is nicer looking in person (or in goat in their case, LOL) and not as photogenic. They are a rugged breed, the Spanish Heritage Goat….built for ranging outdoors most of the time, and in their enclosure only when they want to be…but not yet…they are too little, and fluffy, and cute. How was their first interaction with Penni our Great Dane….that’s tomorrow’s story.

Thank you for helping us welcome the newest members to the farm, today.

I hope your day was wonderful!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami