Homeschool Experiment

We have been talking about water in science this week. One sub topic being surface tension. So we headed to the kitchen for some simple experiments with water. 

We added a cup of salt to half gallon of crushed ice and melted it down to water. (More a slush.) Then we took the temperature which was 6 degrees. Finally we put a bag of pure water into the freezing salt water and had ice within literal seconds.

We also experimented with floating paperclips in a bowl of water, and losing tension when a drop of soap is put in.  They guessed how many drops of water on the head of penny before surface tension is lost. It was funny to hear them keep upping their guess as we passed the number they initially guess.  The answer is...well you figure it out.  

Busy Work Day - Welcoming Spring

I have been working on being more organized with the care of the livestock.  So I put together a calendar on Google Calendar to keep track of what needs doing from hoof trims to de-worming. 

Today, I got the second dose of Quest Plus in all the goats (minus babies).  I was also able to get Genevieve on the stand to trim hooves and give her a BoSe injection for her selenium needs.  

Leandra did a little project for me and made my little "herd check" board neat.  Now everything is written nicely and quite organized.  This information gets transferred to paper in my notebook.  

I was finally able to get out with Al and get the sheep de-wormed as well as hooves trimmed.  I am so impressed on how good Basil's hooves look.  I wish I had a before and after picture of her hooves as well as Othello's.  Absolutely great compared to before.  Basil's hooves were literally two inches longer than should be.  Othello had a few that were about an inch or so too long.  They came to us this way.  I was worried I wouldn't be able to fix the issue, but I think they both should be fine. The other sheep had very minimal growth even for a year of growth. 

After that, we got started on placing the last of the railroad ties into the garden and moving more compost/mulch where it needs to be.  Some small raised containers were put in the garden as well (these are the containers we made using cement trays and 2x4s).  The garden will eventually be expanded more toward the east where the new sheep pens are. 

We were then able to auger the holes for the new fruit trees.  We bought two plum trees and two peach trees, but put in enough holes to add one more of each into the orchard.  The existing plum tree is not looking to hot and may end up getting cut down if it doesn't grow this year.  

 

Meanwhile, the indoor seedling are growing.  Some of my pepper seeds may be too old, but the Advarski peppers have emerged.  I may have to start some other peppers if I don't see growth soon.  Some of the onions have come up as have all the tomatoes.  A handful of the herbs have come up as well. 

 

I should be able to direct sow some seeds into the garden this week.  Those include peas, greens, and some root veggies.  

And now with daylight savings time we have a little extra time in the afternoon to get things done.  Tomorrow, school needs to get back into full swing.  Last week had three separate trips to town which throws it all completely off. 

The Big Six

Our youngest turned six today.  There will be no more sixth birthdays in our home.  

Caleb had been counting down the days for a while, but by this week he knew what day it was and he was fully aware how many more to go.  He even knew the date.  Yesterday, when we were in town together, he asked me what the date was.  I said, "It's the tenth." To that he replied, "Then it's Thursday, tomorrow is my birthday".  

He chose to have eggs and toast for breakfast, waffles for lunch, and chili for dinner. Unfortunately, the ice cream he requested wasn't able to be made since our chilling bowl was not frozen. So we will have to do it tomorrow. 

Leandra baked Caleb a very rich chocolate cake yesterday and frosted it today.  The girls were drawing a coloring book for days in order that they had a gift for him.  

Gramma and Grampa gave him two Lego sets and he sat with me today to pick some gifts from Rainbow Resource online.  I had already purchased a small stuffed toy for him the other day, so he had about $42 left on his birthday amount.  He chose a card game, two Lego platforms to build on, and a Lego set.  (In hind site, I should have asked my mother first. I think it is a duplicate.)

At any rate, he is sitting at the table building his space ship Lego set and having a grand time.  

Kid Pictures - Finally!

From April 17th

At this time, we are unsure of which kids are going to be available.  We would like to watch how they grow for the next several weeks before posting them for sale. 

Cuppa Joe out of Mocha Latte and Nashville

Amaretto out of Mocha Latte and Nashville

Jack Frost out of Wendy Darling and Nashville

Shiver Me Timbers and Jack Frost out of Wendy Darling and Nashville

Cinnabon out of Amber (weighs 3# 10 ounces; up from 1# 9 ounces)

Cupcake out of Amber (weighs 2# 8 ounces; up from 1# 4 ounces)

Snowy Serenade out of Wendy Darling and Nashville

Stormy Skies out of Jersey Girl

Mocha Latte and Nashville's babies: Kahlua, Cuppa Joe, and Amaretto

Thunder Rolls out of Jersey Girl

Kahlua out of Mocha Latte and Nashville

Long Time No See!

We have missed fresh goat milk so much!  This was a beautiful sight to behold.  Yesterday I milked two does, Amber and Mocha, and got under 5 cups.  Today, I milked four and got just under 9 cups.  

Mocha kidded on February 19th, so she is a little over two weeks fresh. 

Jersey kidded on February 22nd, she is also two weeks fresh.

Wendy kidded on February 24th so is also pretty close to two weeks fresh.

Amber kidded on February 27th and has been milked since her kidding date due to her premature delivery. 

I was so pleased with the udders this morning (minus Amber's which will not be full capacity).  These were so beautiful and despite the fact I was going to take pictures, I forgot the camera!  I know, right? 

I'll be getting pictures of the udders soon and posting to the blog in a post as well as under their information in the Senior Does page.  

But this liquid gold? Oh yes...it was missed. (I just hope we actually get some because we have three bottle babies.)

Baby Playpen and Dehorning Day

 

The two newer bottle babies, Cinnabon and Cupcake, have been moved out to the yard with Serenade.  I put up a small play yard and covered half with a sheet to give shade and shelter. They are all doing so well.  The biggest one is Serenade, then Cinnabon, and finally Cupcake.  At night they will be put into a cage in the milking room until they are big enough to be outside at night. 

Cupcake is walking around well and nursing absolutely great.  She is gaining weight and absolutely precious! 

Cinnabon is a sweetheart and doing just as well.  She nurses well and gets around great. 

Leandra and I pulled out the dehorner today and got to work dehorning the babies.  It went pretty well except for the smoke filled room and stinging eyes (mine).  A few of them moved a bit and got some hair burned, but no injuries!

Amaretto and Kahlua were caught resting in the shade on this warm day.

Behind the hay bale, I found Stormy Skies, Cuppa Joe, and Jack Frost.

I found Thunder Rolls behind the tree.  He jumped up as soon as I got there.  

Here is Cuppa Joe (forefront) and Shiver Me Timbers.

And Jack Frost again...

Jersey's babies...Thunder Rolls and Stormy Skies.  

All are doing very well and we are glad that kidding season is nearly done except for Genevieve, our unregistered doe, who is due in April.  They are beautiful babies and at this time I am not sure which I am keeping and which I plan to sell.  

Amber's Premature Delivery

Amber struggled early on with parasites and anemia.  She was mid treatment when she kidded, but unfortunately I believe she kidded a week early.  Amber did not have much of an udder yet and her babies were extremely small.  

Sunday afternoon, I looked out into the goat yard straight into the dome where she was laying and I saw her laying on her side.  I instantly started worrying because I knew I had just checked her udder.  

I sat with her during her kidding and she did fine, but the babies were definitely too tiny and weak.  

P9 - Doeling - Hickory Hill Cinnabon - 1 pound 9 ounces 

P10 - doeling - "Biscotti" (she doesn't appear to be healthy or strong enough to make it) 1 pound 10 ounces

 P11 - buckling - deceased - 1 pound .4 ounce

P12 - doeling - Hickory Hill Cupcake - 1 pound 4 ounces