I'm back...

Hello everybody! I have changed the name of my blog so that I feel like I can blog about all the great things that happen on the farm here!
Let's see, what's been going on since I've last posted? Adam will be 5 months old on March 31st, he is still nursing on his momma, I have been pretty much separating Abbey every other day since January to get milk. I plan on weaning him on April 1st. He has changed in looks so much I can't believe it! I will post comparison pics.
I found out about a month ago that Praline, our little Nigerian Dwarf goat is pregnant so..I am pretty excited about that! Her little udder is getting full, it is so cute! I can't wait to see the little "kids".
We have lost one of our miniature silky fainting goats and Kem our doberman, they are sadly missed. :(
My classes for getting my license back are going great, I would say I am about halfway done with all of it. Woot Woot! I can't even imagine what it will be like to drive again...wow! I am very excited! Will keep you posted on that.
I will also be adding 6 Rhode Island Red chickens and a Rooster to the mix! I am very excited about that too!
Just need to get an area ready for them and then I will be going to get them. My very own free range eggs..wow!

Hmmm...that's all I can think of right now, it's good to be back..lol!

Pics of new wagon and milk

Hello all! I thought I would be writing more in my blog but..there is only so much to say about milking a cow, I think. There is a lot of fluctuation in Abbey's production, I guess I thought it would be more predictable. One morning 2 gallons and that evening a couple of ounces! I am perplexed. Last night I got everything ready and went to the barn but after feeling her quarters decided not to milk because I just knew it would be another couple ouncer, that has happened twice. This morning I got a little over a gallon..hmmm. I will go out this evening and see how full she is.

Here are some pics of my milk, my new wagon and some scenery! God Bless!

Adam invited an orphan over for dinner AND breakfast before I caught on!

Tag is an orphaned calf that Al and I bottle raised and he has been hanging out with Abbey and Adam...UNTIL...Adam invited him to come to his "house"(or udder I should say!) to eat..lol! I took care of that real quick. I feel sad for Tag though..he is in with a bunch of cows that he just doesn't "fit in" with..he just stands by himself and bawls...awww. I just couldn't have him taking all my milk though..he is a PIG! I only got a couple of oz. the evening that he must have drained her dry. I was in shock! I am going to try to move Tag in with another group that he may fit in with better as there are a bunch of calves in that group. I am getting approximately 1 1/2 gallons of milk a day now, give or take. Some days Abbey is really good and others not so good..I wouldn't say wild by any means or really bad but just a little more fidgety than others.
Went to town yesterday for my first check-in/drug test at ASAP yesterday. All went well...I will say again, I am VERY thankful and grateful for this opportunity to work on getting my license! And very grateful to God for my amazing husband!

I have a lot to get to today so...ta ta and God bless!!

Production seems to be on the rise!

Good Morning all! This morning I had a record of 1 1/2 gallons! I have tried something new the last two times I have milked Abbey and I'm not sure if I should take credit for this but there does seem to be a correlation. I have been rubbing her belly softly and leaning my head on her. Usually she seems a little agitated the whole time she is in the stanchion but..since I have been rubbing her belly...she just stands there very still...not even eating..lol! It is so ADORABLE! I really think it's time to order more jars and get the stuff I will need for making mozzarella. I knew when I carried the milk home it was heavier than it had ever been before. It is so exciting to come in the house and see what my "take" is for that milking! Awww..I sure do love my Abbey girl! She's the best!
Last night we had Thanksgiving with the neighbors. It was very pleasant! The food was great! I was a little concerned because I know that they both drink and the other guy they invited drinks as well. Fran(neighbor lady)says..I know you all don't drink but I hope you don't mind if I have some wine with dinner. I said "not at all!". I struggled with some thoughts about having some wine but golly it feels so good to know that I did not have any and had a great time!! Thank you Lord for the ever growing strength you are giving me! When I think of the sacrfice that Jesus made for us all, it seems a pretty small sacrifice to not drink. I am certainly not condemning any one who would take a drink but for me...one is too many and a thousand is never enough!! I always try to tell myself in those situations that I could only have one but deep down I know better. Also, I'm sure Al would have been disappointed and tempted as well. He has about 10 years sobriety now :) Anyway, it was a great time and we really enjoyed ourselves and it was nice to not obsess about having a drink. I had a few mental struggles but it did not overwhelm me..AWESOME! It was also a blessing in disguise that I had told her a few days prior about some of my struggles with alcohol. That was just one more incentive not to drink. God is so awesome!
I took them some milk also and Tom actually had a glass with dinner..it was great to see him drinking Abbey's milk :)

God is good..all the time! God Bless!

My knee is getting much better..

Sunday while we were moving the refrigerator I hurt my knee! I almost cried it hurt so bad! I limped around Sunday and Monday and am feeling much better today! Thank the good Lord! It was all swollen and bruised. I was just a klutz all day Sunday...it seemed like everything I tried to do caused a spill or some small catastrophe..all is well now though. Al helped me Sunday and Monday with the milking, which I was very grateful and thankful for! Once again..he is my knight in shining armor..hee hee!
I am getting a gallon of milk a day regularly now. I still say she is holding out though..she really doesn't seem to like the whole process too much at all but tolerates it rather well. Except yesterday evening she kicked up her leg and knocked off all the teat cups! I was not very happy with her about that! I cleaned up and proceeded to finish and she was fine. She seems to behave a little better when Adam is in the barn with us as well..I can't always get him to come in but it is nicer for all when he does! I suppose she will get used to it.
I am handling the problem with not being able to get the suction cups off by using the automatic shut-off valve on the claw...seems to work ok.
Looks like another cloudy, dreary day on the farm...I am ready for some sunshine!! :)
We didn't get much rain yesterday but it is very soupy out because we must have been already saturated from the previous rains..ugh.
We have decided to keep both refrigerators in the kitchen, we have room and it will be a lot handier for me.

I hope everyone has a GREAT day! God Bless!

The start of another wonderful week on the farm

There is really not a whole lot to report. I really think Abbey is being stingy and holding out on me though..lol. She keeps looking back at me while I am milking her as if to say, "now that is ENOUGH!", it really seems to irritate her! Yesterday I got a record high of approximately 11/2 gallons, yippee! I have decided to stick with twice a day milking until I have to start my ASAP classes in a couple of months. Those will be in the evenings from about 5:30 to 7:30, I believe, and then another 3 hours there and back! I am not complaining though. There are some things in life you just have to do that you aren't real excited about. It's all good. Thank God for my husband! He is awesome! :)
I have cut my fingernails very, very short. I thought that may help in getting the suction cups off of Abbey's teats without causing her any discomfort whatsoever. I guess I just need practice because she still jumped a little today.
This morning I got a whopping 1/2 gallon, yippee! lol. I am just amazed at this milking machine! It is working like a dream and really is fairly easy to take care of and keep clean. I am going to order me a nice red wagon today(only because my husband thinks I should, lol ;) )it has a lot higher sides than the one I am using now and bigger tires. Looks real nice!

We are going to bring the new refrigerator down here today. Al brought the doors down Friday and I have them all cleaned up and ready to go. So now, we will have an extra fridge in the "mancave"(that's what Al calls it, lol!)I call it a garage! 

What a GREAT day! God is SO good!

Today went very well in court! Yippee! Hooray! I am so grateful for just the opportunity to work on getting my license back, I'm a little embarrassed to say this but I have not had a license for 16 years! Since I have began a relationship with Jesus, and changed my lifestyle I have come to learn and appreciate that a license is a PRIVILEGE and I am going to have to work hard to get them back and that is good. I am nervous and excited to think that I will actually be able to legally drive in about 6 months. I will be on probation for a year with ASAP(Alcohol Safety Awareness Program)and that is fine too. I will have to go to classes and NA/AA meetings but..it's all good. I thank God for this chance! :)  I know I say this a lot but I am SO grateful for my husband..he is willing to cart me around for all this stuff I have to do in order to be able to drive again..not to mention all the money he is spending for it...I will not let God down or my wonderful husband. Thank you Lord for this opportunity! It is so nice to know that whenever they want to give me a random drug or alcohol test, I have no worries..when I was on probation in 2001-2004, I was always having to worry about passing..THANK GOD that life is behind me now! Once again I want to say I am so grateful to everyone involved and anyone who may have said a prayer for me today!
I was in a rush to milk when I got home..it went ok except for this is the second time that I think I have hurt Abbey trying to take off the teat cups..YIKES! I am trying to do it the way Willie told me to...stick my finger in there to break the suction first but it doesn't seem to be working real good. Also it's hard to tell which teats are done because I know you don't want to leave them on if there is no milk coming out, I feel like a mechanic working under a car..lol! My only concern is causing harm or pain to Abbey..for the most part unless I hurt her..she is good as gold. I sit and rub her belly while the milker is doing it's thing. I am really thinking about going to once a day milking again. Tonight I only got 1/2 gallon. I will probably think about it some more..any suggestions are welcome :)

Gotta go get some rest, been go go going all day! Oh..I celebrated after court by buying myself some Ghirardelli chocolates...wow, they were good!! Life is good. God is good. God Bless