I am really trying to get better about posting in a timely manner. Once a month isn’t bad by my standards. I know a lot of farms post weekly or even daily, but honestly, I don’t know how they find the time so bear with me here.
Whats new…. hmmm well… we’ve added a new buck to the herd thanks a share with Lisa from 3G Family Farm in Kelseyville. Hopefully he’ll do some good things for our herd. We’ve finally cut this year’s hay field and sent some samples off to the lab for testing. Results should be back soon but it looks really good! 
The garden has really been taking off. Note to self: plants love the chaff out of the barn full of goat manure as well as the llama manure from out front. Within a week all of our plants have doubled and tripled in size thanks to our “special” mulch formula/fertilizer. We also purchased some goslings the other day to help with snake deterring as well as keeping the weeds down and some bug control in the garden. So far (even being only 2 weeks old) they’ve put a hefty dent in the unwanted foliage in the garden with our gosling tractor. They’re pretty cute also. I can’t help but enjoy it when they follow me around the back yard and the garden talking in their different tones and poking their necks out as arrogant geese do. Especially when they raise their tiny little wings, stretch, and run all at the same time. So cute!
We finally got linear appraisal over with so we can finally retire for the year and take some overdue vacations. Our first trip is
going to be our to Pt. Reyes to camp for a few days with the horses (FUN!) then we’ll see after that. Our WWOOFers we had at the house the week before appraisal did a great job clipping, however; not all of the victims were very cooperative.
Linear Appraisal is an excellent tool to use even for those who show. It gives a breakdown of each animal that you’ll never hear in the show ring. It also confirmed for us where we need to improve even though we were already heading that direction. Our girls didn’t do as well as they should of since none of them except two filled their udders. All of the bucks did decently. Last night we went out to feel juniors and some milking does after our linear appraisal lesson. We’re on the right path as far as I’m concerned to making the improvements we need. There are a couple does who will be cut either before or after kidding but otherwise, it’s not completely a lost cause. On our trip home from linear appraisal we had a blow out on the horse trailer. That makes either 6 or 7 flats in the last few months. It’s really beginning to get old. The blown out tire did a good number to the fender but otherwise we made it home in one piece. The horse trailer is now out of service until further notice. Need to get 4 new tires put on it…. ugh.
Recently, we’ve enjoyed taking the horses up in the hills out past Paskenta. On Memorial Day we took them on a nice complex trail just east of the Yolla Bolly. The horses were pooped and I ended up with poison oak all over my face. We then took them out to Black Butte Lake which Scooter (my mare) and I both confirmed (she confirmed by trying to murder me the whole time) was one of the most boring trails we’ve ever taken. Note: if you have an old horse, a show horse or are not a trail rider go out to Black Butte, you’ll have a blast. The only exciting events out at Black Butte turned out to be us almost stepping into a ground hive (thank goodness Scooter saw it) and during one of her tantrums from severe boredom she almost backed into a fairly large rattle snake. Right after the Black Butte ride (because the horses didn’t even break a sweat) we trailered them up to Thomes Gorge trail. It was a nice trail. Very interesting, ups, down, big rocks, steep hills, switchbacks, creeks, and everything else we look for in a good trail. The horses enjoyed it but pooped out before we got to the end (b/c we had to climb all the way back out also). I’m looking forward to taking that trail again. Scooter cracks me up. She’s so incredibly alert (unlike Chip), she sees everything before anyone else does. On our way down the trail we caught two coyotes running across our path and up the hill. They were leaping over all of the burnt brush and kept looking back. Im sure there’s some good hunting up there.
Black Butte Lake does have some other good aspects such as very clean water and great swimming 
This past weekend, my sister and I enjoyed the Jr Rodeo in Corning then we headed down to the Horse Expo in Sacramento the next day with our grandma, Meme. I found a nice helmet that fit amazing and doesn’t look rediculous. SO much shopping! We also watched a good seminar on bitting your horse and the effects of certain bits. It’s nice to refresh on horse knowledge. I was going to buy a bareback pad while we were at the expo, but glad I didn’t because I found a lady in Gerber who was cleaning out her track room and had a brand new one with all of the features I needed for only $5! I couldn’t believe I almost paid $70+ for one at the expo. Goes to show, shopping around is always a good idea.
Things have been going really well since Shane is now our of the academy. The fire house is officially picking him up as a full time employee with all the benefits as of July 1st (after 6 years of working there). Feel like we’re on the right track now The house is also coming along. All of the rooms have been painted and new windows have been finished. I need to finish painting some trim today but other than that, it’s come around quite a bit since we moved in. Even our hall bath got a giant face lift. We bought an 8 foot pool the other day to keep cool in. Quite a sight. I’ll attach a picture below….. now off to do chores!
