Memorial weekend was spent putting up hay (early this year AND much better quality than last year). It was hot and humid, but family and friends helped to make heavy work light. It is a good feeling to see the barn full of hay... like seeing rows of fresh canned vegetables from the garden on your shelf...or a freezer full of meat... something very deep and hard-wired within tells you that you won't starve this winter.

Angora Goat Show and have some exciting wins to report! Unable to take my truck, I packed what I could into my VW bug (amazing what you can get into one of those things!). And for those of you who were wondering how long it would take for me to put a goat in my new VW... I did.... plus 7 rabbits... all my camping gear, CAGBA show and inspection stuff, clothes, fleece and a rabbit grooming table.

I took only one particularly lovely fleece from a dark brown doe named HMFF Clementine and am thrilled to report that her fleece took Grand Champion Colored Mohair ! You will find this gorgeous fleece for sale at my ebay store: Herbalmaid Gallery

Another exciting bit of news is that a lilac cream French Angora doe from litter #1 took Grand Champion Doe. This doe was bought by Cheryl Meyer of Nebraska and was shown by her daughter, Sarah (pictured above)

A broken black French Angora buck from litter #2 took 1st place in the junior buck class. His two litter mates (both solid blacks) took 2nd and 4th place. See photos of these and THREE NEWLY WEANED LITTERS on the rabbits page.

Dairy goats really pay their way on the farm and only take about 5 minutes of your time per goat , twice a day, to milk, strain and chill They are adaptable to YOUR schedule and can be milked on whatever 12 hour schedule fits in best with your life. (I milk at noon and midnight). The dairy goat turns forage and concentrates into a valuable product used for drinking, cooking, freezing (for next years bottle babies), making cheese, soap and lotions.

Goats will produce milk on forage alone, but the higher the percentage of protein in the feed, the more milk you get in the bucket. Need more? Add alfalfa or dairy concentrates. Most dairy goats produce at least a gallon of milk per day (on dairy ration) and can maintain this production for the better part of a year (sometimes longer)..

On this months Dairy Goats page, I have featured a lovely 3 year old doe that is started into handmilking and doing beautifully. (Hannah milks her too). She would be a wonderful homestead milker.

The meat goat herd has taken on a new look with the addition of Pinto Macho's genes. Not only are we seeing larger bone structure, but also an array of interesting patterns. I will be growing this one out for possible use next year. He looks like a cross between desert storm fatigues and Bambi.

I have four meat does for sale this year. .. three older does and one 2006 model. See the meatgoats page for a special deal on all four.

As always , if you have any questions about anything you see on these pages, just drop me a line at hmffarm@fidnet.com