Some days feel longer than others...
Today was going to be a relatively easy day. I should never say that out loud. We went to check on the goats that moved to a job yesterday. They are clearing a steep hillside that can't be mowed. That part was pretty easy.
These guys seem pretty happy, but they were in dire need of baking soda!
Then we had to move the big trailer from one side of the property where they are living to the other. The guys were totally out of snacks and were very happy to have some new pasture to explore.
We moved more hay from the storage barn to our barn, which is always fun. It got into the mid 70's today, so all the work felt a little more strenuous than it should have.
We finally bought plants that we have wanted to buy since before we ever moved out of the city! We wanted to grow kiwis, which should do really well in our area. You need a male and a female plant, and the store had one of each left.
I don't know a whole lot about growing kiwi, but I will have to learn in a fairly short time. The first thing we need to do is build something for them to grow on, because apparently they are quite vigorous.
Also, our asparagus is coming up! That's always one of the best moments of spring. We weren't sure whether we would get any this year because the chickens kept getting into the asparagus bed and scratching around and we were afraid they had killed all the plants. Not so!
I am absolutely exhausted and ready to sink into the couch for the rest of the evening. I cheated and ordered pizza, because I don't think I can stand up long enough to cook anything.
Last but not least, here's a picture for @annephilbrick. The photo is not great, but I thought you would be happy to know I got a geranium, even if it's not a Martha Washington!
Be well, everyone and don't think less of me for ordering pizza!
So glad I found your posts. Can't wait to see the progress of your farming life. What does baking soda do ? Provide sodium into their diet ?
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I see you answered that already. Note to self 1. Read comments. Note to self 2. Your not alone and you will often have the same questions as others.
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Hahahaha! I do that all the time!
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It's always lovely to hear about your crazy days!
That kiwi vine is beautiful too.
Thank you! For some reason this one really kicked my butt. I'll be in bed before dark, I think.
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Why baking soda?
The fresh grass has lots of natural sugar, which makes their rumens (first stomach) too acidic. The baking soda helps balance the pH and makes their poop look like it should. Little pellets instead of runny disgustingness! It's something I struggle to control every spring. As the summer progresses, the plants put more energy into fruit and seed production and the sugar content is diverted there. Sorry, that was a lot of science!
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Oh! I learn something new today! Thanks for explaining!
Are the dry pellet poops better for the farm or better as manure. Or is it a dietary improvement for the goats well being ?
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It's for their well being. Runny poop means upset stomachs. They yawn when they feel discomfort and runny poop means a lot of yawning! It would be cute if I didn't know what it means.
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Good to know I'm not the only crazy asparagus enthousiast. The kiwi does grow fast, ours was up and over a tall fence in a single year. It survived drought, hard freeze and it was half eaten by cattle once too.
Just stick a pole next to it and it'll be happy for a while so you have some time to think what kind of structure you want to have it climbing on.
That's good to know! It supposedly likes damp acid soil, which is all we have around here, so I'm hoping it does well. How long did it take to get fruit? And what part of the country are you in? I'm in the Pacific Northwest.
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Good idea to order Pizza after the day you had. 😊 🍕
Sometimes it's hard to stay awake until it gets here!
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Ahhh, now I want pizza! I'm guessing the goats aren't fond of it, though...
There were attempts to use goats to clear buckthorn (crazy invasive) out here in Minnesota, but i don't see it done much, lately. It looks like yours are doing a pretty good job on the grasses, there. Good luck with the kiwi!
I'm sure they would pick all the veggies off the pizza! My goats mostly get hired to clear blackberries. The grass is just to keep them fed between jobs. We don't have buckthorn out here. Sounds like I should be grateful?
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Lot of work but rewarding and sure to produce a sound sleep....:-)
Ps. Have you tried white asparagus. You grow it under hesian or black matting. It's a delicacy in Germany.
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I haven't tried to do the white asparagus. I think we could pull it off since sun is already in short supply around here. Maybe I'll harvest the first batch and cover the bed for the next round and see what happens! I know it's a delicacy and really expensive. I never thought of trying it myself. I understand it has to be picked after dark. So mysterious!
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My girlfriend and her friends in London always organise one person to fly back home and bring back over a suitcase of it to share around.
You always have it with hollandaise and cured smoked pork.
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Well dang! Now I'm hungry! If I manage to grow some I will make hollandaise and find some cured pork. I owe it to you to do it right because you gave me the idea.
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Hello!
This post has been manually curated, resteemed
and gifted with some virtually delicious cake
from the @helpiecake curation team!
Much love to you from all of us at @helpie!
Keep up the great work!
Manually curated by @solominer.
Hello...
@goat-girlz
😍 Geraniums are most beautiful wonderful flowers . They are easy care and will bloom all year...!! I'm sooo glad you purchased...even if it's not a Martha Washington...lol..!!!
I love ♡♡♡♡ Asparagus..♡..!!!!
Kiwi not so much... :(
And I ♡♡♡ Pizza...🍕🍕🍺.
:D
I've been pining over the Martha Washington for months, ever since you posted those wonderful pictures of yours. All they had at my store was red, but I love those too.
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The deep red ones are my favorite...!!! I actually really like the white ones too. I have a red and white growing in the same container.
I just put Martha out on the porch today... It's sooo big. I wish I could give you some cuttings. I seriously need to trim it back.
:D
I wish you could too! Maybe I will find a white one so this one can have a friend!
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