A New Beginning

Okay.... here goes, my first post.  

Just in case there are select few out there that are interested in happenings of my life, here is an ongoing diary of Blue Antler Farm.  What is Blue Antler Farms?  Well, the simple answer is that it is my home.  But the more complicated answer is that Blue Antler is what I have been dreaming about for the last 4 years.  For years I have read Martha Stewart and Sunset magazine, watched our friends collect pounds of tomatoes off their home garden, and attempted home soap-making in my tiny apartment kitchen.  I read about a more sustainable living, but could not even recycle.  But more importantly, what I wanted and needed was space.  Space to cook, space for a friend to crash after a glass of wine, space to entertain, and space to grow my own food.  Well, Blue Antler is my answered wish.

For the last three weeks we have been moving and unpacking boxes as well as painting a few rooms.  Well today was our first big step in making this place a real farm.

Everyone!  Please welcome Buttercup and Oreo!

These two lovely girls are baby Nubian Goats.  We drove up to visit Split Rail Farms in Penngrove, CA and fell in love with them.  We originally wanted Nigerian Dwarf Goats, but decided that we had the space for a larger breed.   Our plans for these two ladies is to use them as lawn mowers.  We have about 2/3 of acre that needs clearing out, so these two are going to do the work of weed whacker.  In about a year and half, we'll choose one of them to have a romantic weekend at a stud service, and then fresh milk, goat cheese, yogurt, butter, and soap for us!  Oh I am so excited!

So what's it like driving an hour and fifteen minutes with a baby goat in your lap?  Not so bad!  Not a single bit of poo or pee on us!  Feeding them has been much harder.  Since these babies are still only 10 weeks old they are still being bottle-fed.  And although we made a beautiful baby bottle out of Lagunita beer bottle and some nipples, it is nothing like mother's warm milk.  It was a little disconcerting, but we will get over this little hump.  Hopefully they will be hungry in the morning.  Here is picture of me trying to feed Butters (Buttercup).  Not the prettiest picture, but who looks good trying to feed a goat?

So that is it for right now, it is getting late and someone (um, me) needs to get up early to try and feed those goats again.  Wish me luck!