New Year, New Goals

Happy New Year

We've been making steady progress toward a few of our long term goals for the farm.

The goat barn is almost done.

We've placed reservations on two livestock guardian puppies due in spring.  They come from a farm with goats and chickens.  The parents are experienced LGDs.

The goats and I have embarked on a daily exercise ritual.  We spend about 30 minutes each afternoon jogging up and down the mountainside.

Jerry and I have been auditing local stockyard auctions trying to get an idea of the FMV for a few healthy feeder calves.  After talking to a few bovine experts we've got a plan to purchase two calves from a CL/CAE free herd. We just need to find one nearby.

I am taking my DHIR tester training course online this week and have prepared the paperwork to start our first year on milk test.  I am very excited.  I hope Lily earns her star.

Since bringing home our sweetheart buck Trump Card two months ago, we expect Lily to be bred for Easter babies.  I am taking her for an ultrasound in two weeks and I hope to know for sure then.

I plan to have Joyful Hearts CB Adelaide and DesertNanny BE Trump Card linear appraised.  I am still working on finding a host herd within a short drive.

We have plans to repair the irrigation system in the 5 acre pasture above the house and I hope to begin re-mineralizing it and seeding it with good forage for the goats and cows.

The last year has been the best year I can remember.  I learned so much and enjoyed many new and exciting experiences.  I hope that 2014 is full of more new adventures.

Meet "The Trump"

We are proud to announce the arrival of our future herdsire "DesertNanny BE Trump Card" aka "The Trump".

Photo courtesy of Sharon Warren, DesertNanny

The Trump hails from the great state of Arizona and the awesome DesertNanny herd belonging to Sharon and Glenn Warren.  You can check out their amazing animals HERE.

Photo courtesy of Sharon Warren, DesertNanny

His pedigree is full of milk and good conformation.  I am really looking forward to seeing the beautiful babies he will add to our farm.

Desertnanny BE Trump Card

We are making plans for The Trump and our girls to get better acquainted.  

My First Batch of Goat Milk Soap

 My little yearling dairy goat Lily has me a little overwhelmed with milk.  She may be a dwarf dairy goat, but she milks like a much larger doe so I have been challenged to find new uses for her milk.

This week I made my first few batches of goat milk soap.

I started with (Beekman Boys) Dr. Brent Ridge's basic unscented goat milk soap recipe which I found on Martha Stewart's website HERE.  I added a few herbs, raw honey from my bees, vitamin E, and ground oats into the dark bars for me.  Then I ran it through a soap calculator online just to be sure my ratios were good, and Voila!  We have soap. The light colored bars contain a few drops of peppermint oil in them for my hubby.  

The soap still has to cure for a few weeks to be sure the lye has cooked out, but I used to make cold process soap often- and this soap was so mild after initial processing that I was amazed.  

We have soap for a year in under two hours.  

Do you make soap?

What is your favorite soap recipe?

Grand Opening!

Welcome to Three Rivers Farm

This is my new blog.  The place that I will be discussing all things related to animal husbandry and herd management.  I am a newbie to farm living.  I was born a city kid, grew up in the suburbs, and got bit by the "rural living" bug in my thirties after a job took us out to the country to live on a 30 acre dairy farm.  Those were the most exciting years we've spent and I loved every minute of it.

Later, I spent years in college learning about crop science, forage crops, and rangeland management.  With our move to the new farm last December, I have determined to start implementing the skills I developed through all those wonderful farm classes.  It may not be a pretty sight just yet, but things will fall into place.  One piece at a time.

I hope to realize my dream to be attached to the land and animals that feed me, and to treat both with dignity and respect.

Thanks for stopping by the farm. Come again soon!

Heidi