Shalali Infante and Pint-Size Farm, located in New Mexico, breeds miniature jerseys, Nigerian dwarf goats, and American Guinea Hogs shipping animals all over the U.S.

Monday, 05/26/2008- Sally gave 12.3 pounds (1.5 gallons), Janie gave 28.9 pounds (3.53 gallons), we got 15 eggs, and Oreo gave her standard.

Being a holiday, the CLs did not need to go to work, so we worked on chicken tractors. We got all the birds moved into chicken tractors. We have 50 in each.

Tuesday, 05/27/2008- Sally gave 12.2 pounds (1.47 gallons), Janie gave 30.6 pounds (3.69 gallons), we got 14 eggs, and Oreo I think stepped in the bucket and spilled most of the milk.

We went to CNM (Central New Mexico Community College) and DS1 took his placement test. He tested out of English 101 and can start taking English 102 in the fall. His math score was a little lower; he will need to take a preparatory algebra class before he can take College Algebra. So, we decided this summer would be a great time to do this. That day was the last day to register, and classes actually started the week before. It took many hours there, taking tests, talking to advisers, registering, getting textbooks, getting a student ID, et cetera. We decided that he needs to take the bus, so that evening we looked at bus routes.

I was late to milk, late to take the girls across the street, and DH had to make dinner from leftovers. I also cut my mom’s hair.

Wednesday, 05/28/08 Sally gave 9.8 pounds (1.18 gallons), Janie gave 18.5 pounds (3.44 gallons), we got 16 eggs, and Oreo gave a standard amount.

We decided to let Oreo out of quarantine 1 day early. Boy oh boy, did the goats fight. They were head butting, butt butting, side butting. Poor Oreo, they were not very welcoming. She has spent the last 2 weeks wanting to be with them, and then she wanted to go back into her safe pen. Poor girl. Finally, by the afternoon, they were leaving her alone, but she is definitely not part of the herd yet. Coco not had her babies yet. I also got blood drawn on Janie and sent off both samples. I’ll know in a few days what the verdict is.

DS1 and I were looking at bus routes again in the morning and found a good route. We decided to take it and had to rush, as we only had 20 minutes to walk to the bus stop, which is close to a mile away. We all hustled and made it. DS2 went with us too, it was a field trip day. We had an adventure that took us to wrong bus stops, but we got to eat at a favorite restaurant (The Frontier). A bus we were riding on also got rear-ended. We finally came up with a route. Today is his first class, so again I’m going with him on the bus. It was a long hard day, but we got it figured out.

We had some trouble with the chicks. They need more protein. They are starting to peck at each other, quite badly. We have been delayed in adding the extra protein we have planned to give them. The tractors took much longer than we anticipated, so…we are behind. We are trying to remedy the situation quickly. I’ll update more. Time to go move the tractors.

Oh boy, I’m behind.

Sunday, May 25, 2008- My DS1’s 16th birthday. Wow, where did the time go? We didn’t do plan anything special, as we are going to have his party in a couple of weeks. I usually make them a special dinner and desert if their part is going to be delayed, but with the farm, chickens, and stuff, I didn’t get my act together for that. My mom, came to the rescue. She invited us for burgers for dinner and when we got there, she had made a delicious cake for him. What a great grandmother and mom! Tonight I’m going to make his favorite dinner (green chile enchiladas) and peach cobbler. For his birthday party, I’ll make the fancy cake.

Sally gave 13.5 pounds (1.65 gallons), Janie gave 29.4 pounds (3.54 gallons), we got 18 eggs, and Oreo gave her usual 3/4 quart. Sally held up in the morning. Usually I get between 7-9 pounds from her in the morning and between 3-5 pounds in the afternoon. She gave 4.9 pounds in the morning and 8.8 pounds in the afternoon. A few days ago she gave about equal in the morning and evening. I think it is from the schedule change. Since they are going across the street at a different time, we are feeding different times too, so…that may have an effect.

In the morning, the CLs started working on moving the chicks to the Chicken tractor we finished the night before. This one is at our farm. First they had to move the tractor from NCL’s house to ours. DH, DS1, and DS2 helped. Then they started working on the next. I was milking in the morning, and then I was picking up grass clippings from the landscaping company that save them for me. They delivered 2 loads, but wanted to know if I could pick up the next load as they were so busy. I don’t know if I can regularly do that, as it is hard for me too. I might have to say goodbye to his source of greens for the compost.

When I got back from the grass clippings, the CLs were ready for a lunch break. While they ate lunch and rested, I started working on the tractor. They had not really gotten started on it, because when they were moving the chicks, they found 5 with bloody backs. It looked like they had gotten pecked on by others. So, they had to set up a “hospital” area for these 5. They used the old pig pen where the piggies were when we first got them.

I got the door made for the tractor. By then they had come back, and we started covering the hoop with chicken wire. Then I had to go pick up DS2 who had gone to a party at our friends’ (where NY is pastured). We got to see their new piggies, their chicks, and turkey. We also saw NY. He remembered us.

After milking, we moved the fence across the street; it was time to start a new lane. I got DS1 to help filter the milk so I could get started on the fence change. The wheat grass did come back, but it thinner, so they go through a lot of it. We did it in record time, as we needed to hurry and get to my parents for dinner. DS2 helped me the whole time, usually, after the 2 people stuff is done, I send him home, but we did it in record time. He even was thinking of time saving things. When we got close to the end, he suggested that he go get the cows while I finished up. We made it to my parents only 10 minutes late.

After a delicious dinner of burgers, potatoes, chocolate cake, and homemade ice cream, we came home. I gave DH and DS1 hair cuts. Then I had to clean up the milking detritus.

Saturday, May 24, 2008- Sally gave 13.3 pounds (1.6 gallons), Janie gave 28.5 pounds (3.43 gallons), we got 16 eggs, and Oreo gave her usual 3/4 of a quart.

The CLs moved chicks into the first finished chicken tractor. They seemed excited to be out in fresh area. After milking they were done moving the chicks and we decided to work on the tractors that night again.

In the afternoon, we (whole family) moved the pigs to the compost bin. Oh my goodness, those pigs can squeal. DS2 thought they sounded like a banshee. Next time hearing protection is in order. I made harnesses out of rope and they thought I was trying to hog tie them. Wow! Once they got to the compost bin where some of the corn and beans had actually sprouted, they were in hog heaven. In fact they are hardly eating their food I bring them, they don’t need it. This will help cut down on the food bill (the plan as well as having them turn the compost for me).

I did get a chicken fountain for my chickens and some hog nipples. I got the nipple set up, but the pigs don’t seem to figure it out. So, I think I’ll end up getting them a bowl waterer (automatic). I have not gotten the chicken fountain set up for my chickens yet.

We worked on the chicken tractor until about 9:30. I don’t remember what we had for dinner.

Friday, May 23, 2008- Sally gave 13.1 pounds (1.55 gallons), Janie gave 29.7 pounds (3.51 gallons), we got 16 eggs, and Oreo gave her standard. Sally gave roughly equal amounts in the morning and afternoon.

I don’t remember much of this day. The order came in from UNFI. This order was made expressly because they forgot my nutritional yeast the last order and guess what? It was out of stock this time. ARGH!!!!!!!! Supposedly, they are going to make an exception and send it on the next truck. I sure hope so.

DH got back from his out of town trip. He arrived mid-afternoon and didn’t have to go into work, so we got to see him. He started working on the truck. He put new shocks on it.

We worked on the chicken tractors after dinner until about 10:30. I don’t have much more recollection of that day.

Thursday, May 22, 2008- Sally gave 13.5 pounds (1.62 gallons), Janie gave 29.2 pounds (3.5 gallons), we got 19 eggs, and Oreo gave 3/4 of a quart. I don’t remember what happened this day, except a few fuzzy details.

OCL picked me up and took me to get my truck. I got it inspected for exemption from emissions, as it is diesel and then I got it registered.

We worked on the chicken tractors until about 10:00.

For Wednesday May 21, 2008- Sally gave 15.1 pounds (1.81 gallons), Janie gave 29.6 pounds (3.54 gallons), we got 16 eggs, and Oreo is holding steady at 3/4 of a quart. Poor little girl, Oreo (or Poreo as we have been calling her) really wants to join the herd. She now has one more week before her quarantine is up. She seems healthy enough.

After being totally frustrated at not being able to get blood from Janie on Tuesday, I called a friend who had AI’d Sally for me last year to see if she could palpate Janie (feel inside to see if she could feel the fetus). She had not been trained in that, so she didn’t feel comfortable doing this. But, she did know how to do a tail bleed. She offered to come right over and show me how to do the tail bleed. Wow, how wonderful. She is 7+ months pregnant. She brought her 2 children, a 4-y/o little boy and a 2-y/o little girl. It was a really nice visit, as I had not seen them for a long time. They got to see all the new additions to the farm. Her DS’s favorite part was the “snarfling pigs.” So, now I have my blood sample for Janie. I didn’t mention yesterday that I am going to hold onto this blood sample for a week, and then take another and send them in together. This way, they will have 2 samples for comparison to see if her levels (proteins from the placenta) are falling, rising, or staying the same. If they are rising or staying the same, she is still bred. If they are falling, she is not bred.

The bees did well overnight. They all stayed in their new box.

I forgot to mention that we are now taking the girls across the street at night, as it is getting too hot during the day for them to be there, and they don’t have a shady spot to rest in.  So…the Tuesday night was the first night.  I was concerned about them, so I woke up at 3:00 a.m. and had to walk into the yard to see how they were doing.  There were also a bunch of other things going on, which is probably why I woke up.  Buttercup was barking, the ducks were running quacking around the house, and there was a terrible noise that sounded like an air raid siren in the distance sounding at regular intervals.  Anyway, I woke up at 6:00 yesterday and got up and had the girls home by 6:30.  I guess, I just like to have my girls at home.  Actually, with staying overnight, they stayed a lot longer than normal, and if they eat everything growing, then they don’t have anything else to eat, so…I wanted to get them home in case they were hungry. I think maybe we should change it, so that they go over when we are done milking and then come home before we go to bed.  I do like that better.  They didn’t go last night, as it was way too windy.  It was terrible all day yesterday and it just kept getting worse and worse.

The contents of our kitchen trash is remaining the same, even though the boys took it out a few days ago.  The wind knocked down the big trash receptacles and blew out the trash.  It ended up all behind the house, so I’ve been gathering it up and taking it back into the kitchen trash can.  The wind has stopped now, and it cooled down considerably.

After milking I made fried potatoes with ground beef with green chile and we had that with beans and tortillas.  It was kind of late, so I didn’t get to a salad.  After dinner, the CLs and I started working on the chicken tractors.  Our original goal was to get 1-2 totally ready, but with the wind we couldn’t work outside, so we got all the automatic waterers ready.  We are going to work on them again this evening.  I need to be ready and get milking and dinner done early so that I can be ready to work at 6:00.  Yikes.

Well, time to get cleaned up to go milking.

For Tuesday, May 20, 2008- What a day.  It started with DS2 telling me that the cows were mounting each other.  Mounting cows is often a sign of dominance, and trying to establish hierarchy; but when a cow stands to be mounted, i.e. doesn’t run away when the other cow mounts her, it is usually a sign of heat in the “standing” cow.  So, Janie was standing for Sally to mount her.  ARGHHHHHHHHH.  This would mean she is not pregnant.  But, one would think if she slipped her pregnancy, she would have had some discharge or mucus or some signs that something went wrong.  Well, she has had no such signs.  So, I’m going to re-send in her blood for another pregnancy test so we can see if she is still bred and having false heats or if she has slipped this embryo too and then, we have the issue of major reproductive problems.

My friend came by (the friends that are pasturing our steer, NY Strip Steak) to take a beekeeping lesson.  We worked all 4 hives.  One was very vigorous and full to brim with brood and eggs.  I thought I should split it this coming weekend when I had more time, as I didn’t have a box ready and really didn’t have more time to mess with it at the time. The new hive (the swarm I caught a couple of weeks ago) is doing well.  There is definitely a queen, she is laying eggs, and they are making honey.  The 2 weak hives are still maintaining.  They seem a little stronger than a few weeks ago.

DH went out of town for the rest of the week.  He is doing some training at Lake Tahoe.  Our tenant’s toilet broke yesterday.  It needed a new flapper valve assembly.  I went out and got the parts.  I didn’t get a chance to start on it until after milking chores.  I got the toilet tank off and got to the Point of No Return quite easily (I thought it would only take a little longer at this rate), I hit a snag, corroded nuts and threads.  As I walked back to the house to get the monster channel locks, I noticed a HUGE swarm of bees in my apple tree.  The monster channel locks did not help me at all.  Okay, this was more than I could handle.  I called my dad.  I figured I’d deal with the bees the next day, but the toilet needed my attention, as I couldn’t let the tenant not have a toilet.  So, my dad came to my rescue and helped finish the toilet. Then we also figured out the bees.

During the time of working on the toilet and the bees, I had DS1 finish dinner.  I had had a pot of spaghetti going all day long, and wanted him to make the pasta.  He did this fine, but he didn’t know the pasta had to be drained, so after it was done, it sat in the hot water for another hour or so.  Needless to say, we had spaghetti sauce on mush.  I was so hungry, it tasted okay to me.  By this time it was 8:30.

After dinner, I washed the butter from the other day, bottled the buttermilk, skimmed 8.5 gallons of milk for more butter and to make clabber.  During this, I had a long conversation with my cousin on the phone (my cousin who is designing and putting together my website).  Then, I finally went to bed.

Yes, Yes, I’m behind in my journal. I’ll try to remember what happened each day!

Monday- 5/19/08- Sally gave 13 pounds (1.56 gallons), Janie gave 28 pounds (3.35 gallons), we got 19 eggs, and Oreo gave 3/4 of a quart. Oreo seems to be adjusting to her new stanchion. DS2 says that she “needs” to lick his head while he is milking her, so he has to bend forward so she can reach his head, as her head is is locked in the head gate. Coco is getting closer and closer to kidding. Her little udder is about the size of a soft ball. Pretty cute. I cannot wait for those baby goats to arrive!

Today was the last day of art classes until fall. While the boys were in class, I went to the chiropractor for my upkeep. I came back and parked under a tree in the driveway and had a little snooze. Then I did some reading and we came home.

Once home, we took a load of hay to the barn on the little white farm truck. We got 24 bales on it - 18 alfalfa and 6 grass. I’ll have to get hay again in about 6 weeks. Yikes.

The piggies are really digging and rooting up their new area. I think they are hungrier, and so are doing more rooting around. Next week, they’ll get moved to the compost pile in the barn yard.

This evening, we are going to move the fence across the street to the area that he may hay on, which we had thought would not grow any more grass, but YIPEE, it has, so we have another month or 2 of grazing across the street. Yeah!!!!

Sunday, 5/18/08- My mama’s birthday. Happy Birthday!!!!! Sally gave 12.3 pounds (1.49 gallons), Janie gave 27.6 pounds (3.35 gallons), we got 17 eggs, and Oreo gave about 3/4 of a quart.

Oreo was not sure she liked her stanchion. It made it much easier for DS2 to milk her though. No more laying on his pansa (stomach) to milk her.

Today NCL and I went to the meat market to pick up our meat trimmings. WOW, we got a lot. I could not believe how much they had. We filled four 5-gallon buckets and barely made a dent in what they had. Before that, we went to Home Depot to get some buckets to store my sprouting beans in and some smaller buckets to make more sprouting buckets for the wheat, as I am now sprouting beans and wheat/rye for the animals. We also went to Plants of the Southwest to get some bedding plants for NCL. I picked up a couple more herbs too.  We also went by a money machine so I could take out $500.00 (trying to get enough cash together for final payment on the truck on Wednesday).  The machine said it could not process my request, so I got back in NCL’s truck and we drove out of the bank parking lot and onto the street and stopped at a traffic light.  We heard a loud yell, and the man who pulled up to the money machine was waving at us.  I hopped out and ran back across the street.  My $500.00 was sitting there.  I couldn’t believe it!  What an amazing act of kindness and honesty.  I managed to run back across the street and hopped back into the truck just as the light turned.  WOW!!!!!!!!!

When we got home, we made more grub buckets; we now have a total of 11. We put 5 in with the chickies just because we had them. Once we move them to the chicken tractors this coming weekend, we will put 2 grub buckets on each tractor.

NCL’s DH began working on the tractors. He got them all wired up. They are nice hoop houses. Wednesday, we are going to finish them. We have enough tarps to cover them with. We will run chicken wire along the bottom so the chicks cannot get out.

DH rode in a 1/2 century or I guess I should say 6/10 of a century in Santa Fe.  He took it easy because of his knee.  He said it gave him no problems.  He plans to do a full century in Albuquerque next month.  I hope it won’t hurt his knee this time.  He has been exercising and building up slowly this time.  I’m so proud of him.

Saturday, 5/17/08- Sally gave 14.2 pounds (1.77 gallons), Janie gave 28.4 pounds (3.48 gallons), we got 20 eggs, and Oreo gave about a pint.

DH and I made a stanchion for Oreo. We took a grate and cut it in half for the floor. Then we made a head gate and welded that to the floor. Then I cut up a small metal stand that had legs, and DH welded those to the floor of it for legs. We put it on paver blocks I got from NCL, and DS2 is set for milking Oreo and Coco, if she ever kids.

NCL and I went to Raks to get the cattle panels for the chicken tractors.  They went up again!  We also got a roll of chicken wire for the bottom of the hoop house to keep the chickies inside.  We took the suburban and the trailer.

In the evening, DH and I went to look at a ‘93 Dodge D250 3/4 ton diesel Cummings.  We bought it to replace the suburban, something with a little more power and ability to haul the stuff (hay, feed, stock trailer) that I need to haul.  We’ll pick it up Wednesday.  OCL is going to drive me to get it, as DH will be about out of town.

For Friday, May 16, 2008 - Sally gave 12.2 pounds (1.48 gallons), Janie gave 28 pounds (3.40 gallons), we got 19 eggs, and Oreo gave 2.5 cups.  Poor little Oreo, she is in quarantine for 2 weeks, to make sure she doesn’t bring anything to the goat herd.  She seems really healthy, but it is better to be safe than sorry, especially since she was not in the best situation when we got her.

Yesterday, I took the girls across the street by myself (without DS2’s help) as the boys were going to Cliff’s Fun Park in the afternoon, and I wanted to make sure they had time enough for lessons.  So, I hauled the water over, then I came back and got the girls.

After lunch, I took the boys to their friend’s house as his mom was going to drive them to Cliff’s, and I would come by after milking.

I had to milk Oreo, (DS2’s job) since he was at Cliffs.  Boy, without my farm hand, there is a lot of work.  He usually throws down the bale of hay for the girls, he brings the girls back, and he milks Oreo now.  I had to do all that work by myself.  If I had more $$, I’d give him a raise.

DH and I went and picked up the boys after milking and then we went for burgers at Fudruckers.  It was another latish night, as after baths it was 10:30.

Today, I hope to get another garden bed turned over (which would mean moving the pigs.  I decided not to put the chickens in there after all, since I am running out of time on getting my beds ready.  Time to plant is next week.  EEK!  I also need to go and get the cattle panels for the chicken tractors.  Our new babies in 1.5-2 weeks.  EEK!  Time to move into high gear!

What do I want in my garden????? Tomatoes, basil, peppers, green beans, cucumbers, zucchini, marigolds, dill, cilantro, thyme, parsley, garlic chives, oregano.  I want artichokes, and maybe a whole bed of green/red chile.  I also want to start carrots for the girls.  I can cold stratify the seeds in the freezer.  That is plenty and might not all get done.

Time to get ready to milk.

For May 15, 2008, Thursday - Sally gave 12.1 pounds (1.46 gallons), Janie gave 25.6 pounds (3.10 gallons), we got 12 eggs, and Oreo probably gave a quart of milk, but in the morning, I spilled some of it, and then in the afternoon, DS2 said a chicken dumped some out. We need to build a milking stand for the goats, as he is lying on his stomach in the barn to milk her, she is so small. We didn’t take the girls across the street because it was raining again. It was pretty cold yesterday with a breeze blowing with the rain. I am sure the rain has done wonders for the wheat grass. I know our fields are looking pretty green. I think I’ll go out and toss a few more seeds where it is clear none are coming up. We had a very busy day, and I had to milk on time yesterday; so the girls’ afternoon production was a little light, as lately I’ve been milking 1-1.5 hours later than I really want to; time just gets away from me though.

Yesterday was the boys’ art exhibit. DS1 got 2 second places, one in sculpted figures and the other in pastels. They both got several honorable mentions and excellence awards. Their art teacher has several independent art judges come in and judge the art in different categories. It is a really nice way to end the art year.

We had to set up the art work in the later morning-early afternoon. A lot of their works my mom had framed for them, but a few of the new pieces needed some matting or framing, so we went to Hobby Lobby and got some matting for their work. We went all the way up to the base of the mountain where the event was held and set up their entries. After that we went to have lunch. I got my allergy shot after lunch and then we came home in time to milk on time, make dinner, and head back up to the Heights for the art exhibit.

I filled up the Jetta yesterday. I got 51 MPG!!!! Yeah!!! That is a 5 MPG increase. I got about 100 more miles to my tank. Unfortunately, with the price of fuel, I only increased my miles per dollar by 1. Last time I got 10.88 miles per dollar and this time I got 11.88 miles per dollar. I guess at least with the increased pricing on fuel, I should be happy I got any increase in this indicator. I don’t know if I mentioned that I did put a sign in my rear windshield that reads in BIG LETTERS:

DRIVING no faster than 55

TO SAVE FUEL

SORRY!

Well, I’m going to take off the sorry, and put:

46 MPG to 5 MPG- 100 MORE MILES ON A TANK.

On an unfortunate note, we decided not to use the horse meat for the grub buckets and meal worms, as we don’t feel really comfortable with the medication they used to put down the horse.  We are going to compost the meat.  So, we have needed to find another meat source.  Yesterday, I contacted a local meat market to see about getting meat trimmings for our grub buckets.  They usually pay someone to haul them away.  I was able to arrange for us to get a barrel a week at no charge of meat trimming.  We are going to arrange to try and get it on the weekend, so it will be easier on all of us when we each take a turn.  I’m happy about this.

Time to get ready to go milk.

For May 14, 2008 - Wednesday. Sally gave 11.9 pounds (1.44 gallons), Janie gave 24.9 pounds (3.01 gallons), and we got 18 eggs. Janie is sure dropping her production. Unfortunately, the nutritional yeast didn’t arrive, so I had to give them less of that. I had ordered 40 pounds of it, but it didn’t come in so, next week, I hope.

It rained, It Rained, IT RAINED, IT RAINED, IT RAINED. It was lovely; okay, it sounded lovely. I was trying to sleep. There was lots of thunder and lightening. Buttercup was not too happy. She felt she would be safer by running across our faces, going under the covers, coming up and whining in my face, to follow with panting in my face, jumping to the floor, whining to be picked up.

I continued my mouse cleaning/proofing work. I took it to my “baking cabinet” (where I keep all the ingredients for baking, and the pans). I took out everything, cleaned it all out, and put everything that could be chewed through into hard plastic containers, glass containers, or metal containers. I got to the ingredient half and still need the pan half. In the early afternoon, I started the pork to slow cook for enchiladas for dinner.

On Craig’s list was a fresh nanny goat, so DS2 and I went to check her out. Her kid died in birth, so she needed a milking home. She is a (guessing here) part Nigerian and part Pygmy. She is shorter than our other goats, but fatter. This girl needs a diet. When we got her home, we bathed her, as she was kind of dirty and icky. DS2 named her Oreo, as she looks like a crumbly Oreo, white in the middle and black on the outside. But she does have some white on her face too (the middle stuff leaked out a little ). DS2 milked her while I was doing the evening milking on the girls. He got about 1.5 cups or so. No too bad since she was supposed to have been milked at noon, and she had a bath and a new home. We put her in the calf pen, so all the animals could get acquainted before physical contact. We’ll see how it goes.

Coco is getting really close to having those goats. Her tail head is really loose. I know we are definitely ready for her.

I invited NCL for dinner, as her husband is out of town. We had pork green chile enchiladas with beans. Yummy. After dinner, she helped me wash butter and skim 6 gallons of milk. I cultured half the cream for butter and saved some for ice cream and some for cream cheese.

For May 13, 2008- Tuesday Sally gave 13 pounds (1.56 gallons), Janie gave 25.9 pounds (3.10 gallons), and we got 18 eggs. Tuesday morning the truck arrived to deliver the food I ordered for the animals and myself. It was 1600 pounds of food. Geeze. He said that next time he could not come down the street, as it is too narrow. So, I’ll have to meet him. Unfortunately, my nutritional yeast was left off of the order, so I’m going to have to place another order sooner than I had wanted to. He came before milking time. So, milking time was a little late.

After milking, I started to put away the food. I attacked the pantry. We have had invasion of the mice all winter, and so I finally declared war on them. All the food is in sealed containers that the mice cannot get into. I cleaned and cleaned, cleared and organized. It took all day, and then I still didn’t finish.

Tuesday night was my co-op nutrition meeting. So, I brought home even more food from that. On the way home, I had a flat, so I pretended to be on the NASCAR pit crew and worked as fast as I could. As I was about half way done, a county sheriff’s officer stopped to assist me. I didn’t let him help me, as I was already dirty and could do it. He stayed and helped out by shining his flashlight (this was helpful) and then he put the spare in the trunk for me as I was tightening up the lug nuts.

For May 12, 2008- Monday

Sally gave 11.3 pounds (1.41 gallons), Janie gave 27.3 pounds (3.28 gallons) and we got 18 eggs. I noticed something today, as I entered the milk and egg totals in my spread sheet - including today for the past 4 days, the girls have produced exactly the same total of milk, 4.69 gallons, but each day they have had differing totals. Pretty funny.

Today was errand day. Just before we were set to leave, I checked on the meat chicks, and several were trapped between 2 fences. I had to attend to that before we left, and we got out of here late. After I dropped the boys at art class, I went and exchanged the faucet. Then I went to visit my friend, (the homeschooling father) to see their new lambs. He was checking for queens in all of his hives, so I donned a veil and helped a little.

I picked up the boys, and we came home. After milking I browned some ground beef to go with the beans that had been slow cooking all day. Yum, Yum.

It looks like I forgot to mention that I caught another swarm of bees. This time my dad helped me, and this swarm was for him, so I guess I helped him. This was Saturday afternoon. He said they are doing well.

For May 11, 2008

Sally gave 12.5 pounds (1.51 gallons), Janie gave 26.3 pounds (3.18 gallons), and we got 12 eggs - ARGH with signs again of egg eating!!!!!!!!!. Yesterday was Mother’s Day. We took my parents to the Frontier for brunch. They always give a single stem rose to all the mothers on Mother’s Day. It has become a tradition. Two years ago, we took Mom-Chavez (my grandmothers) for Mother’s Day. I have pictures of her. She looked so cute in her white hat and rose in hand. The boys and DH got me a restaurant sink sprayer faucet for Mother’s Day. DH said that they would have a different one in stock on Monday with a faucet and a sprayer, so I decided to exchange it.

So, I don’t remember what I did yesterday really. I worked on the garden a little bit. I started getting the chicken tractor/rototiller ready. My dad came over to do some welding for me on our meat bird chicken tractors, so I stopped in the garden.

DS1 had his teen poetry group meeting. I made sure to milk on time so that I could take him and be the “designated adult,” as the adult usually in attendance couldn’t make it. The turn out was poor, I think because it was Mother’s Day. We left early so the people who worked at the theater where it is held could go home.

Last night I actually got some beans soaked for dinner today.

Sally gave 11.3 pounds (1.39 gallons), Janie gave 26.8 pounds (3.3 gallons), and we got 15 eggs. We lost 3 of the baby chicks I put under the mama hen. One drowned, one I found with no head in the mouth of another chicken, and the third is no where to be found. The other three are alive and with mama. When I found the drowned one, there were 2 more floundering in the water. Poor babies. So, now, after it is too late, I fixed it so chickies cannot drown in the water. I put some wire over the top that will allow the chickens to get water, but not the babies to drown.

So the girls have dropped a little more production. Hopefully they won’t continue to sink into milklessness. The pasture they are on is not great, but I need to keep them on it for another week or so, as the mowed pasture is coming back! Yeah! Also, the pasture he made hay out of is also coming back!!!!! So, I think I will end up with another 2 months or so of pasture.

We irrigated again yesterday and today, there is a green blush over a lot of the field. I cannot wait for a few more days to see how much more comes up.

So, I don’t think I got everything on my list done, but I got some other things and some of it done.

• I washed all the kombucha bottles and DS & I bottled 4 gallons of kombucha. The last 2 gallon crock needs another day or 2, so we will wait to do that one.
• I finished the garden bed.
• I got Buttercup’s run out changed out. Took down the propped up chicken wire, and DH & I went to Home Depot to get some fancy smancy new poke in wrought iron fencing that comes in panels that are 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide. It looks much better, and now I can use the chicken wire for other projects.
• I dug up some for the piggies.
• I mucked out more of the barn than usual (we usually rake the entire barnyard every day, but today I cleaned out the feeding area really well, as the waste feed was building up.

Tonight we had “stuff” for dinner. Ground beef browned, flour added along with milk to make a gravy with garlic, basil, sage, and a little Worcestershire sauce over pasta with green beans thrown in with the pasta at the last 5 minutes to barely thaw them.

Now, I think we can go to bed early. What a treat!