Spring in Full Swing

Sonnet is our best producer.
5+ cups a milking.

Wooohooo! After months of dreaming spring is in full bloom. This weekend we made three types of cheeses (mild feta, pressed fresh cheese with dill, garlic and chive, and chevre of all kinds). I'm         milking our 7 goat mamas every morning between 5-6. The 20 new kids all have a big sleepover and enjoy some grain each night which gives the moms a break and their udders plenty of time (12 hours) to build up some nice fresh milk for us.

I can't help remember my first morning milking when I came it to proudly show our visiting friends the 1/2 cup I had milked from Chianti. Now I am developing muscles bringing in the one and half gallons each morning! More evidence that good things often take a little time and practice. Our goat winner is Sonnet who makes 5 or more cups a milking. I am also very impressed with the udder and teats on little miss Rosemary who is a first freshener. She may be our top goat next year when she has a bit more time to develop. They are all very polite, with the exception of Bonnie who kicks very occasionally so that just when you have let down your guard she tips the bucket. She's only gotten me twice, but I have to be on guard. Most of them are so lazy on the stand that I can lean on them and half nap half milk on sleepy mornings. I really love my girls and even when I've stayed up to late, all I have to do is make it to the barn and any early morning grouchiness disappears.

So many cute kids have visited,
some to buy goats, many others just to learn more
and get a snuggle.

We sold all the 13 kids we put on the website quickly to nice families, so in early July, they will all go off to new homes. Lucky for us, a few are going just down the road so we will be able to wave at them as we drive by to the grocery store or ice cream!