Pages

Every time you feel in God's creatures something pleasing and attractive, do not let your attention be arrested by them alone, but, passing them by, transfer your thought to God and say: "O my God, if Thy creations are so full of beauty, delight and joy, how infinitely more full of beauty, delight and joy art Thou Thyself, Creator of all!
- Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain

You can’t get to joy by making everything perfect. You can only get there by seeing in every imperfection all that’s joy.
-Ann Voscamp

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Future Giveaway! and Homestead Diary?

I've decided I'd really like to have a give away. Actually, I've wanted to do it forever, just have failed in the planning department. So, now I'm planning. I know exactly what I want to give away, but I'm going to keep it a secret until post number 200. That way I can celebrate reaching number 200. :) Seven more posts to go, and we'll be there...

I've also known for some time that I really need to keep a homestead diary. I don't know why I haven't done that yet, because it really is necessary to write down what I do when and how it works. There's no use in forgetting what works well, or repeating what was disastrous, is there?
I haven't decided whether I'm going to use this blog as a more extensive farm diary, or write in an actual book, or what. What do you all think? Would you be interested, or is this B-O-R-I-N-G?

I have some things to put into that diary now, so I'll share them here for today. Give me some feedback if you'd like. :)

Regarding goats:
September 29:. New hay: 25 bales timothy/orchard grass ($4.75/ea.) and 15 bales alfalfa($8.75 ea.). $263 HAPPY HAPPY GOATS!

October 15: I notice the goats are eating minerals like candy. They've never paid much attention to the minerals up to this point. I would have to throw them out and put fresh minerals in the feeder for them before. Now they will eat a 1/2 c. in a day. I wonder, is it because they don't have fresh browse and pasture any more? Is the hay somehow different than the old hay was? This new hay appears to be SO MUCH better quality, and they eat it so much better than the old stuff I had. Which mineral might they somehow be deficient in that they are doing this?

The happy goats were not necessarily healthy goats. I was overfeeding the goats on this very nice alfalfa hay. BEFORE: I was giving the three of them (all dry does) about a 4 inch flake of alfalfa in the morning, and twice that of the timothy/orchard grass mix in the evening. They were getting minerals (Mama Pro Goat Mineral) free choice and baking soda free choice. Had started eating a TON of minerals for some reason. This is the same way I was feeding them with the old alfalfa and timothy, but the hay quality was poor, and they wasted a lot. They were nowhere close to fat on that hay and had been eating it for 4 months.

October 21: I weaned them off of the alfalfa hay. They are now getting a section of timothy/orchard grass hay in the morning and another in the late afternoon, and free choice minerals and baking soda. So far, so good. Now to watch and see what happens. May need to watch Cupcake to make sure this is enough for her. Watch for some weight loss in Starlight and Japanzy. Still eating minerals like crazy. Japanzy and Starlight in heat.

October 26: Still eating minerals like crazy. I've started to put about 1/2 c. in the feeder every other day. Always gone by the next day. According to Mama Pro, the target amount to feed is 1/4 to 1/2 oz. per goat per day. I'm going to have to find out what that translates to in some kind of dry measure. I really need a kitchen scale...

Okay, all of that was in my head. No wonder I can't remember to drink water. It's cluttered up there! I feel better already. So, what do you think? Should I find a different place for this kind of information, or could it be helpful or interesting to any of you? And, if anyone out there had experience with any of the questions I'm running into and wants to chime in with some advice, feel free! I could use it. ;)

9 comments:

  1. Being interested in animal husbandry/homesteading I think your notes are quite interesting. Seems like a good platform for communication, exchange of knowledge and ideas to me. If anyone wasn't interested in your postings containing that info, they could just skim/skip over it, right?

    So whatcha gonna offer for your giveaway? Huh? HUH? Come on, give us a hint!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. hint-heck,I want-WANT.....I THINK WRITING THIS JOURNAL IS A GREAT IDEA -ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GET TO MY AGE -WHEN EVER THAT AGE APPEARS FOR YOU -IT WILL BE GREAT READING TO GRAND-CHILDREN-FUTURE HOMESTEADERS -JUST ABOUT ANYONE - I WISH I HAD A JOURNAL FROM MY GROWING UP YEARS---BLESSING OF PLENTY TODAY Patty-WE GOT GOOD NEWS-JERRY'S TUMOR HAS STAYED THE SAME SIZE,NOT GROWN

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mama Pea- :) Maybe a hint...maybe.
    Judy- Great big HOORAY! I'm so happy for you and Jerry. That's very good news!
    What a neat thought that my grandchildren may be interested in this. I KNOW that I would be interested in anything my grandmother wrote about homesteading on their dairy farm, or the sheep farm they worked at as a young couple. That would be a true treasure.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think your homesteading notes are just what people like myself (who are worlds behind you in homesteading) need to read to know a) what it is really like and b) how it changes. I think you will like looking back and being able to see how things have changed and how you have grown. I really think your homesteading diary is a GREAT idea!

    And of course I will be keeping a look out for that giveaway...

    ReplyDelete
  5. :) Thanks, Mama Tea. I think it's really going to help me to keep track of things if I can have the discipline to write things down. I'm pretty excited about that giveaway, myself. Can't wait!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I use my blog for a semi-diary, but use Microsoft Works calendar for the nitty-gritty stuff like when I gave meds, how many eggs, breeding dates & prices of feed. The blog is much more intereting though when you include those things that REALLY happen on the farm, you know, real life! Boring to some, interesting and informative for other.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Patty, I think it's a great idea - selfishly speaking, of course. The more we all share, the more we all learn! Sometimes all that information banging around in one's head just NEEDS to come out!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Patty, By all means keep a homestead diary through your blog. It might not be a bad idea to back up your electronic diary onto low tech (paper). Print it out because ya never know about electricity, power outs, computer crashes, etc. 'Never hurts to do both low and high tech.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Susan- You are so right, it does NEED to come out. :)

    Anonymous- That's a good idea. You sound like a good planner!

    ReplyDelete