On the difficulties of fencing goats, and other things
Today was supposed to be pretty straightforward. I borrowed a young person and my friend's truck so we could move some hay from the storage barn to the barn where the goats are actually living. This sounds pretty easy. However. I can't back the truck up to the barn to load because of some flooding and major mud issues, so we had to carry the bales one at a time about 50 yards to the truck. Keep in mind I am now sporting my March muscles, which are tiny and sad compared with my July muscles, when we put in 2000 bales of hay for various people before we're done.
March muscles are a little different. Much smaller, for one thing. I've spent most of the last few months complaining about the cold and huddled in front of the wood stove. We moved 15 bales today and it felt like murder.
We got to the farm where the goats are parked to find them all contentedly staring at me from the wrong side of the fence. Again!
This time I'm pretty sure they just jumped the fence. I was chatting with the homeowner yesterday and she told me the coyotes have been howling like crazy every night, and I think one or two of them managed to get into the area where the goats are living. Unless there was a whole pack, I'm not too worried about them actually doing any harm to the goats, but the goats don't know that and probably jumped the fence to get away. We got them back where they belong and after some careful maneuvering with the truck, got the hay unloaded. My fondest hope is that I won't have to haul any more hay in my car this winter. Things are coming back to life and the goats should have plenty of snacks soon.
The rest of the day has been full of the daily chores that aren't exciting to do and even less exciting to talk about, so I will include some pictures of our cats when they were babies. I ran across them today while meandering through the archives, and they're so cute I can't help but post them.
Tomorrow I will move the fence so the coyotes can't come in across the slough, and hopefully everybody will be where they belong. Fingers crossed.
Hey, let's throw in a puppy, because they have taken over my life and my entire phone is now full of pictures of them.
Be well, everyone, and check your fences!
I have thought about getting some goats. But we have a lot of coyotes in the area. And I don’t want to feed them
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Goats are a wonderful addition to any farm. I might be biased! If it's just one or two coyotes I don't worry as long as the goats are a decent size. Around here they mostly eat rodents. If it was a whole pack and they got a smaller one separated from the group I would be way more concerned. Fencing, ad always, is the answer. And apparently an enigma.
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I could fence in an area for night time. Fencing is so expensive
It's really expensive! The portable electric fence is the easiest to manage because it can be moved anywhere you want to park them, but it's not cheap.
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That’s true but its easy for coyotes to get around. I have to give this more though. And go visit some of the people here who raise goats to see how they are doing it
What part of the world are you in?
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Kansas, US
NW of Wichita
Oh yeah. I bet you're drowning in coyotes! All those open fields!
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hahaha March muscles! I grew up on a farm and totally get that! By the end of August, I was always a machine, but in the spring, after a first full day of work, I'd wake up the next morning and be unable to get out of bed. My dad insisted otherwise though :) Love the kittens and pups too; my phone is full of photos of my cat (birthday present from my hubby) and a kitten we rescued here in Mexico. Thankfully (?) my landlord said no more pets, or I'd be bringing a dog or cat home here daily ... there are so many who need homes here.
I found your post because @insight-out featured you in her Pay it Forward Curation Contest entry. Feel free to join us with an entry of your own anytime; we'd love to have you :)
I didn't realize that everyone has experienced the March muscles until I mentioned it. I thought it was just me! My machine is slower to get started these days but hopefully it will be up and running by hay season!
What kind of farm did you grow up on?
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haha I guess it's pretty common after all :)
We had greenhouses with cucumbers and tomatoes and in the field, onions, potatoes and tomatoes. Besides dogs and cats, no animals though ... always a sore spot for me :)
That still sounds pretty great. We can't grow tomatoes here without a greenhouse. Still waiting...
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It was. As a teenager I didn't appreciate it, but as an adult, I really appreciate the understanding of it all, and of course the work ethic I got from the experience.
Good luck with the greenhouse some day :)
Thank you! We moved out of the city when my son was 11 and I'm not sure he will ever embrace this life. He does appreciate more of it the longer he lives in town, but it will be a cold day in hell before he ever mucks out a barn!
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hahaha perhaps 11 wasn't the best time to bring him there :) Nothin' like a pre-teen to know exactly what he likes or dislikes!
Oh yes! And the perfect age to be grossed out by everything! Except somehow he was never grossed out by his room....
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Coyotes! That's insane. We have foxes, but not coyotes. You are such an animal lover - I love this about you, and love catching up with your posts because of it. I'm not a fan of cats, but can admit they are cute...
I've always had cats but they always lived outside until the last ten years or so. I was never a cat person until I met my orange cat, Yoda. I'm a Yoda person. I love all the critters though. Maybe not the coyotes.
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Ha! I love the March muscles! Ugh I know the feeling there. I did some brush clearing on a slope yesterday for a few hours and it felt like I had worked on it for twelve hours straight! I think that next winter I might have to do some exercising or just lots of hiking so I am not quite so 'out of shape' when the Spring arrives. :) Cheers and have a great day.
I always intend to, but the lure of hibernation is too strong! It's definitely time to get outside and work, though. I hope you're not too achy today. Glad to hear you're feeling better. Have a great day!
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Ha! I 'intend to' as well and never really do. I love the hibernation too much (or just enough) as well. I do try to do at least one project every winter though and this winter it was working on developing a spring area (that gets a lot of surface water) for irrigation use. After a week or so of working in the cold water shuffling around stones and digging I called it 'good enough' and decided to work on it more later in the year when it is warmer.
I have the same problem. I have all kinds of time on my hands but outside is too miserable. I think hibernation is biologically necessary. Or maybe just psychologically.
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I find it vital as well. I call it my 'downtime' and tend to make up for it the rest of the year by overworking and doing everything I can possibly do in a day. It is a key to maintaining a balance for myself that I have done for quite a number of years now with zero regrets. :)
I always tell myself that winter is the perfect time for indoor projects but I don't do those either! Downtime is more important sometimes. As a culture I'm sure we don't rest enough and living the life I do requires it.
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Those tricksy coyotes, they have the will to find a way, don't they?
It's funny, now I muse a lot on fences since ramping up the farming around here. Build a wall, and the livestock will pay for it! I also recently listened to several permaculture people speaking about how the richness and diversity of life intensifies along edges, so creating more fences and boundaries encourages this natural flourishing in a garden. Then I start getting philosophical and contemplating liminal spaces. Thus forming those March muscles you describe hahaha!!!
Thanks for a wonderful read and kitten pics
Hahahaha! Yes, make the livestock pay for the fencing! They're the ones that break it.
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That a smart cat... what was the book about? Quantum physics? :D
I think he's plotting to take over the world.
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and he will succeed cause we all know cute cats always win!
Hahahahaha wrong side of the fence! 😂🤣
March muscles are real. I added it up, and we moved about 1500 pounds of soil on Saturday. I think I may have slightly pulled an oblique.
Time to start doing push ups to get ready for spring, I suppose. :)
If we were smart we would work out all winter. Nobody ever does. The break is so nice we all enjoy it and then complain about how much everything hurts when spring rolls around. It's the circle of life I guess!
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Work keeps me pretty active all the time, but there's still a degree of atrophy.
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I think I need a t-shirt that just says Atrophy. Great conversation starter and often an accurate description of me!
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Hey there @goat-girlz! I had a great time reading your post :D That's why I decided to include it in my entry for the Pay It Forward Curation Contest (or PIFC in short). PIFC aims to support undervalued authors who create quality content. I think that yours falls in this category :)
Here is my post about your post :P I hope you like it :)
Cheers!
Thank you so much!
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No need to thank me :) You made a great post :)
I don't know how you can do all your chores and still find time to make an interesting post :-)
Some days I absolutely cannot. I try my best!
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