Category Archives: Kids Journal

Goats

June 8, 2016

Guest Post by
Kit

On May 28, we had some new additions to the farm, three little baby goats. At only a month old, they had never been away from their mother, we had to become their moms. First we named them, we took a family vote. We all decided on Dolly for the girl, she is the most stubborn, and she gets her way. We have to hold her the most and get her used to us handling her because we will be milking her in the future. Then there is Jeb, he is the one with big black patches on him, he has the biggest horns and just likes to play. Lastly we have the runt, Jethro, he looks just like Dolly, but he is the littlest and just likes to be around us.

Dolly the little girl

They totally depend on us just like they had with their mother. So we had to get them used to us so they thought of us as family, and they would trust us so we can feed and milk them. We got them and we just played with them, all the little kids were holding them. They really loved all the attention. we got little harnesses for them, so we can let them graze and can control where they go. Then we showed them their house and the yard they would stay in and graze.

Jed learning how to use a bottle

Because we are their “moms” we have to feed them just like their mother did. It was hard to get them to take the bottle, we had to get them to open their mouths and to actually stay drinking it. It was very messy. When we first started they would hardly have anything, and they needed three ounces each feeding, three times a day. Now that they have been with us for a week and a half, they have figured it all out. We got special goat bottles that are more like what they are used to so it got easier.

Now we just hold the bottle out and they come and know how it all works, they even follow us when we have the bottle. That’s how we get them back into the yard now, just hold out a bottle and they will go where you want them to. Dolly took the longest to figure it out, and she wasn’t eating as much as her brothers, or what she needed to at all. She just figured it all out today, things have to happen when she wants them to or not at all.

The first night we had them, they got out! lucky they didn’t want to explore, and just went to the house. we fixed the gate so they can’t get out anymore. one day we went out for their feeding and Jethro had his head stuck in the gate. Who knows what other surprises will happen with them. One thing the goats really like is to be held, one time Dolly was sitting on my lap and she fell asleep. First day we got them, Jethro let me hold him like a baby.

It’s really cool and funny to see how much personality they each have. Jethro really likes to nibble on our clothes, fingers, and even hair, if he can get to it. Dolly always plays “king of the hill” (or in this case log, rocks, or even our backs if we are bending over) she can pretty much climb everywhere and beats her brothers at it. Jeb is just there, he kinda does his own thing but he is the first to get the bottle when ever he can just pushes Jethro out of the way.

Tippy

March 28, 2016

TIPPY
Guest Post by Emma Kieffer

I’m going to tell you about our dog Tippy. We got her from my great uncle Mark, he got her to herd cows but she was too afraid so he gave her to us. She is a very good dog.

Tippy is a great play mate, she is black with white on the tips of her toes. One of my favorite things to do with Tippy is play chase, we chase each other around. Another thing like to do is to take her on walks, sometimes we walk her on the road but usually we walk her around our property. Tippy is not very good at playing fetch but she is amazing to play fetch with when she wants to.

Tippy guards our farm. She looks after our farm animals by barking at predators. We put her by the rabbits and the chickens, so that she scares off predators. She warns us when a coyote or a raccoon are near our animals. The main predator she scares off is coyotes, she barks at them and that scares them away.

Tippy has trouble obeying us. She likes to chase after our cats. We are training her not to chase the cats. First we put her on a leash and we tell her to sit, second we put a cat in front of her, then we tell her to stay. If she stays she gets a treat.

I love Tippy so much, she is a great dog. She is one of the only dogs I’m comfortable around.

How Chickens Help the Farm

March 17, 2016

How Chickens Help the Farm
Guest Post By Emma Kieffer

I am going to tell you how our chickens benefit our farm. They lay colorful eggs for us. They also give us meat. They help us fertilize our gardens.

First I am going to tell you how they benefit our farm by laying eggs. Eggs make a delicious breakfast. Sometimes if we don’t gather the eggs they will hatch and a chick will come out. After we eat the eggs the shells go to the compost and make a great compost.

Next I am going to tell you how their meat benefits our farm. It makes a delicious Chicken Noddle Soup and Chicken Curry. We know that they are healthy and we feel more comfortable eating them because we know what they eat. After we eat the meat the bones are put in the compost. To me I like their meat more than store bought chicken.

Last but not least they help us fertilize our gardens. While they lay their eggs ,walk around and sleep they poo. Their poo is our fertilize. We first shovel out the chicken poo. Then we put the poo in the compost and let it sit, then we fill up Home Depot buckets and dump it on the flower beds.

All of these things are some ways chickens benefit our farm. They are so much fun to watch. I love to watch them free range, which means they eat whatever they want to.