Fall

yes, Fall is upon us here at the mini homestead. We are making cheese almost daily, canning/freezing/drying are in full swing - here in NM the smell of roasting green chilis is in the air. I am guessing it is about time to be thinking about who to breed to whom......
Our tentative plans are Willow will visit Prairie Wood Huckleberry a blue eyed black and white Studmuffin (PrairieWood Player X MCH Lost Valley KW Orion *S). Joie is going with our own little man CBF Entei (Prairie Wood Sweet Shalom X MCH Lost Valley KW Orion*S) before he leaves to do some breeding at another farm and then is up for sale. CBF Chikorita, Entei's sister is possibly going to Prairie Wood Dreamer (Prairie Wood Calico X MCH PrairieWood Pinnacle Blues) or Lost Valley Tae Bo's Reflection (Lost Valley Only Time Wil Tell X MCH Lost Valley Tae Bo) OR Prairie Wood PuttinontheRitz (MCH MK Abital OB X Kaapio Acres BT RAcketeer). And Miss Priss will go to a Local Oberhasli buck. We won't be breeding Shihara until much later (April OR in the fall of 2oo8) depending on her size and readiness so we aren't making plans on that yet. If you are interested in any of the breedings posted, we will begin taking reservations in NOVEMBER. A $50 non refundable deposit will hold your doe until birth - please specify first and second choices. Right now we are NOT planning on keeping any boys as bucks to sell so reserve does ONLY. IF you are interested in CBF Entei feel free to contact me, he will be available this winter. We will be keeping a few does this year so availability will be limited.

More Pictures of Shihara - ShowOFF!

Here is an update photo (or two) of beautiful little Nizhoni's BB Shihara's Mace. I'm just blown away by this sweet beautiful little doe.
My daughter just loves this little girl.
Almost can't wait to see how she does at the shows in the spring.
D.

The Girls are Back in Town

Last year, with a heavy heart, I sold two of my Oberhasli doelings, well, they are back. The owner was unable to keep the girls and they came home. It's fun seeing them back in the pen though I had not planned to have any more big goats. I'm still trying to figure it out. Anyway the one in the back is Joyfull Surprise and the one in the foreground (I apologize and will post a better picture later) is La Dolce Vita. They are out of Anglen Farms Rita and Vassajara's Vito. Looks like we might have more Oberhasli's next spring. So, if anyone is interested, let me know. I have promised a doeling or two to the last owner but anything else is up for grabs.

Nellie the Lamb

Ha Ha, Here is a cute (but off perspective) photo of our Nellie. My precious hubby decided we needed a homegrown source of meat. Boy, does G*d hear his prayers! A neighbor came bearing a newborn Barbados lamb whose mother rejected her. She knew we had goats milk so we recieved Nellie. She will be used to breed for a future supply of homegrown lamb meat for our family. I think sometimes we've gone off the deep end but she's a sweetie pie (a bit loud but sweet). She follows my hubby around like a "Mary's little lamb" wagging her tail the whole time. It cracks me up!

Bosque Farms Fair

Every year we look forward to our local Bosque Farms fair. It is a blast. Doesn't mean much but just some good clean country fun! We took several items, showed goats and chickens and overall did REALLY well. Tiny Shihara won 1st in both 4H and Open division as well as taking RESERVE champion over a class of does way bigger and older than her. Judge was very impressed with that little doe. Alyssa also did Champion Showmanship with her. Nik did 3rd and 2nd with "Chicki". Suzy took 2nd with Skye in Open (not old enough for 4H). Joie took 1st in Milking does OPEN and Best of Breed. Entei the buck took 3rd but the judge said that was a real hard class to place as all three bucks were very nice - she had positive comments for Entei's dairyness, wide Escutcheon, strong legs and wideness throughout. Nik entered his Banty Cochin pair and won 1st for 4H and one of his Buff Orpingtons, she also took first. Indoors Alyssa did 1st for earrings she beaded, 2nd for a drawing, 1st for a knitted scarf. Nik did 2nd for his Stilts he made and mommy did 1st for the woven shawl i made, 1st for my crocheted hat, and 2nd for the beaded bracelet. All in all it was a great experience and a good time was had by one and all!!
This is our fun outlet before the "seriousness" of County Fairy.

Nizhoni's BB SHIHARA

Welcome our newest doe - Shihara! She is now a week old and just as cute as can be. We have HIGH hopes for this little one. She has a great pedigree and hope she will take the place in my daughter's heart of the double teated doeling that Patience threw.

Alyssa has had a hard 3 years in the goat project from Willow having a false pregnancy, to a doeling that died at birth, to Patience's double treated doeling.....We so hope this one will be the CHARM for her. She is out of Nizhoni's Arwen Evenstar and MCH Steele Ballew's Blue Bayou (will kind of replace the little buckling that had double dwarfism we hope!) WE are really looking forward to what next year will bring to our herd with the 3 new doelings and the 3 Seniors and the new Herdsire. Though, we do have a few outbreedings we will do so we can keep the lines going we are working on. Will keep posting on breedings as they happen and if there is a breeding that interests you, please feel free to email us NMgoatgal@gmail.com Thank you for checking on our progress!

Farm News

Things have been busy around here. We are finished kidding and have been busy giving shots, burning horns, and selling a few babies around here. After kidding, it's beginning to look a little sparse in the goat pen (until the spring again! LOL) We have two more for sale: the black and white wether (Willow's son) and the Black Mini Oberhasli Missy. We were going to keep her but we really don't need two mega milkers like her mother Miss Priss. We are drowning in milk and the Nigies aren't even milking full time yet. We just finished a show and it wasn't as good for our farm as the last show - oh well, you can't win them all! Chicki and Entei both took 2nd and were the youngest in their classes AGAIN. Joie did 6th - not where we expected her at all but she is still one of my favorites - she really has a nice easy to milk udder and though it isn't as big as Willow's she has a lot in there. Talk about sweet - great in coffee!!!! My daughter just got her new doeling from Nizhoni's and she is a doll - I hope to be able to post a picture of her on Monday. She is 4 days old and cute as a button. Lots of great genetics behind that little kid!
D.