Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The Road To Being Certified Organic

Below is a link that should be helpful in the road to being certified organic.
Join us as we proceed in this direction, perhaps we will meet alone the way to living heathier lives.
http://www.luresext.edu/goats/training/organic.html#term

Monday, February 21, 2011

saanen doeling and prospective goats.

Here is more photos of the saanen doeling and  prospective goats.

Here is our doeling at about 5 months old in late summer 2010, now near a yearling and breed for July 2011 birthing.
Hope to get new photos of her soon.
Peaches is breed to a regerstered Nubian belonging to Faggard/Armstrong families in Vancleave Mississippi, so Peaches will have Snubians from very good milking lines on both sides.

Below is Sahrina from Aafke van der Zalm Parker's farm.
All but Peaches are from Rock Point blood lines, we are not sure but Peaches could be from the Rock Point lines in Ga.
We have made arrangments to pick up Sahrina this spring 2011 when she freshens (have babies/kids).
Sahrina will be eight years old this year, and has a wonderful temperament.  Aafke said Sahrina is very sweet and eager to please.  She is a very steady milker and gives 10 – 12 pounds per day. She is a little short on leg, but otherwise a well put together doe with lots of body capacity.  Her udder is nicely shaped and she has nice, straight teats.  She is very easy to milk by hand or machine.  She will be in milk by early April 2011.
We hope to breed Sahrina and the others Saanens with a regestered Saanen buck next fall/winter from Aafke van der Zalm Parker's farm.



Below is another shot of Peaches in her temporary Mississippi home, she is recieving wonderful care from the Faggard and Armstrong families.
Thanks so much you all, we love you guys.



Below is Mirage, we hope to aquire this one.
 Aafke van der Zalm Parker's older doe at almost nine years old now.  She has good bone and a nice, wide stance. Her longer body gives her lots of room for babies.  The last time she was on milk test, she milked around 10 – 12 pounds per day.  She is a consistent milker with a sweet temperament.  She Linear Appraised at 87 points.  Her dam milked almost 16 pounds per day.
 Here below is Mocha Latte’s dam's name was Cocoa and she milked around 12 pounds per day.  Mocha is a coming eight year old, and she is quite tall and long.  Her udder is not pretty (not well attached and the teats point out), but she milked 12-14 pounds per day during her last lactation.  Aafka said Mocha really likes being a milker.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

The Begining Of The Herd

Here is Peaches our Saanen doeling, we purchsed her this Aug 2010.
Shes the begining of our new herd.


I have had dairy goats in the past, but due to differant circumstances had to retire the herds despite the joy they had brought.
I am hopeing to re-start a dairy herd this coming spring. Peaches pictured above had been hurt while her previous owner had unintentionaly over trimed her hoofs.
The previous owner sold  me two older Malancha does which I purchase for $100.00 dollars each.
They are in a nice permenant home with people that love and care for them, the folks who have added the Lamanchas to their herd are goat setting the little Saanen called Peaches until we return from the wife's eye surgeries here in Baltimore.
We hope to return home by spring.
The man in Tennessee that sold the Lamancha goats priced the little Saanen we now call Peaches for just $45.00 because of her injurys, I bought her on the spot.
Peaches has now healed and doing just fine.
When we get back home besides having a organic milk herd, we hope to be able to take in injured or retired goats as a place of refuge.
We have through the years developed an appreciation for the working goat and their service to humanity.

Monday, November 22, 2010

The idea of organic farming for me personaly has been conceived from a spiritual vision in 1993 to minister to the area called the Appalachian Mountains.
This vision has matured with the idea of providing for families and small communities throughout the Appalachians and beyond.
We realize the family unit is the nucleus of all true self sustainable communities.
It is of the up most importance to build a healthy community one person or one family at a time, starting with ether grand parents, fathers, mothers and children.
Just as the biblical account of people seeking thier hopes of a better existence, the United States was founded on such principles as freedom of religion, the pursuit of happiness and other great hopes and dreams.
All these ideas came from a time long ago in other countries were corrupt government powers controled people by oppressive laws and unfair taxations etc...
People left the tyrannical governments to forge out a better existence.
The Europeans among other pioneers of early America came and dwelt among many of the native citizens, most of these pre-existing citizens understood the land belonged to the Creator.
Thus being good stewards of the land, its waters and all the animals were understood it was mankind’s responsibility and service.

During and after WW II even more Europeans would arrive, bringing a renewed commitment to family spirituality and health.
We now have more immigrants coming seeking a better life than their previous one.
May they remember the Creator of us all and join in preserving this land and its bounty from destruction.

With this premise we hope to rekindle the dreams and aspirations of our fore fathers in returning to the appreciation of the Creator, and His abundant blessings and kindness toward us all.
May He that rules over all things reshape us into the stewards of His pastures.