One of These is Not Like the Other

We have been having some challenges around the Farm these days. Let's just say that there are holes in certain fences for certain, erm goats. (Hi my studmuffin!) This can create, let's just say issues.

Here I am wondering why the publicist is taking pictures and not dealing with the issue at hand

Which is basically: one of these is not like the other!
 

 Can you guess which one?
That's right!

Luke the goat keeps escaping from his pen and getting into the doe pen. I appreciate that my studmuffin wants to come visit but there are times for such things and my little buck has to learn some restraint!

The publicist is about ready to lock Luke up in the barn if he doesn't stay in his pen. I have to admit I would miss his little face if that was to happen. So everybody keep your fingers crossed that Luke gets to stay in his pen.

Tomorrow: A Happy New Year AbbyDay

Wordless Wednesday - Something to Crow About

Now if any of you know why Blue Guy felt the need to jump up on the gate and crow please let me know. 
Thank you.

Playtime for Matthew and Jillian

It has been quite chilly lately and that tends to make us goats frisky. We run around to help warm us up. The other day Jillian and Matthew were running and jumping and butting like crazy goats.

Jillian started by running and leaping on to the spool and then off. The photo is fuzzy because she was moving so fast!

Then she decided to play with Matthew. The two of them often have fun together. They started by butting heads.

Then when Matthew got distracted Jillian bit him! Blue Guy was watching so he was a witness.

Look - you can see her nibbling.

Matthew didn't like this and he cried and Mallory came running.

She got between them and gave Jillian a maaaaing to.

Then Matthew decided to go graze and all was well with the goat world.

I hope you enjoyed watching the goats play.

Tomorrow:  Wordless Wednesday - Crow to the World

Goatucation: Goat's Milk Caramel Sauce (Spiced)

This week I am letting the publicist tell you how she makes caramel sauce with my rich milk. She has been making lots of caramel sauce. LOTS of caramel sauce. This time she made spiced caramel sauce. She has also made orange caramel sauce. Like I said she has made lots of sauce.

She starts with 3 quarts of my rich milk in a large pot

                                               

Then she puts cinnamon sticks and cloves in cheesecloth

and ties it up.

She uses fresh grated nutmeg

And two vanilla beans; split and scraped.

Once all of that is in the pot - with a pinch of salt - doesn't it look yummy?

she brings the mixture just to a boil.

She turns off the the heat and then she adds sugar(3 cups)until it is dissolved  and baking soda.

 It foams. 
A lot.

After she stirs down the foam she puts the pot back on the burner until it comes to a simmer and lets it simmer for HOURS. Until it gets thick and turns a beautiful well, caramel color.

When it gets thick enough she pours it into jars. It can keep in the refrigerator for up to three months. She laughs hysterically at this because so far it has not lasted a week.

I hope you enjoyed this goatucation.


Tomorrow: Playtime

AbbyDay Delayed But Still Good!

Hi there! It's Abby! I wasn't going to give up my day on the blog just because it was Christmas. I knew all of you would not be able to make it through the week without my blog post!

I hope you all had a nice weekend. I know I did. I found out from the publicist that I am going to be a movie star. IT'S ABOUT TIME.

Really.

Look at this face

It was MADE for the movies! Don't you think? But now she is giving me lame excuses about not having some kind of "memory card" for the camera. What is the deal? It is my big break! Pfffffttttt! I will be able to blow this Farm.

Oh well. There is not much I can do until I get to star in the film so for now I will leave you with still photos - how passe - of me eating my Christmas treat of corn stalks.

Go away now! I don't do stills any longer.
I am destined for bigger and better things.
Moving things!

I AM A MOVIE STAR GOAT!

Tomorrow:  Goatucation -  Goat's Milk Caramel

Exciting News for the Blog!

I hope that you all had a very wonderful Christmas. 
Burp!
erm, excuse me!
I guess you can tell that I did too - I had my apples and my grain AND all of us goats had corn stalks too! That was our Christmas surprise from the publicist and male person. Nothing like a taste of summer for Christmas.

I am sure you all had good things to eat as well. The publicist said something about spiced  goat's milk ice cream with goat's milk caramel. She sure does lots of stuff with my rich milk!

Now I will tell you the exciting news! The male person was very good to the publicist for Christmas this year. Look what he gave her:

Do you know what that is?
It's a video camera!
She has never had one before. She was stupid and thought her Canon Rebel shot video but it doesn't. 
Silly publicist! 
So the male person got tired of her complaining  did something really special and got her a Sony Video camera all of her own so now she can put videos of us Happy Goats on the blog!

As soon as the memory card arrives. 
It is back ordered. 

The publicist said stupid fool electronics company "that's OK I am an adult and I can wait." So as soon as it gets here she will post video of us being, well Happy Goats or fighting over food. One or the other. We do both in equal measure.

 Happy Boxing Day!


Tomorrow: delayed AbbyDay

Merry Christmas

All of us on the Happy Goats Farm want to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas.

I will be taking tomorrow off so I can chew my cud and off gas my extra apple treats. I suggest you all do the same. Take some time to ...

 

 Enjoy your kids

Munch something tasty

 Play

Think about family members that may be far away.

And tell your publicist what you might think of a lack of apples!

  Don't forget to take a nap when you are all done. Be sure to be comfortable...

I will be back to blogging on Saturday to let you know what the publicist made me for my Christmas treat.

I am hoping for APPLES! And GRAIN! 

Together at the same time!

Oooh, wouldn't that be great?!

So enjoy your holiday and know that we will be enjoying ours.

Wordless Wednesday

After a very busy holiday shopping season, the shipping assistant takes a well deserved nap.

Mallory and Luke - Oh My!

Sometimes I don't like to write the stories I write, but I have to. This is one of them. The love of my life, Luke, had a date with Mallory the goat. It's not his fault, it's his job. He is the buck on the Farm.

I know he doesn't love her like he loves me and they only danced the Argentine Tango. He saves the rhumba for me.

Mallory went over to his pen and made eyes at him. Harumph!

 She even wagged her tail! How could my poor studmuffin resist?!

The publicist let him out and he started to lead her in the dance.

 Mallory followed beautifully but what is this? An intruder?

Where did Matthew come from and why is he there?
The publicist then took Luke and Mallory into Luke's pen where they could dance without erm, company.

Luke is so affectionate....*sigh*

I don't think Mallory appreciates him. She looks bored don't you think?

MATTHEW! Get back in your pen! Baaaad goat!

 Finally Mallory had danced herself out and wanted back in her pen.

Luke doesn't love Mallory, he was only doing his job. But I am still a little bit sad. It's tough loving the only buck on the Farm.

Tomorrow: Wordless Wednesday

Goatucation: Or Should I Say Chickucation

I noticed that there were lots of questions when I updated you all about the chickens on the Farm so I thought I would devote today's Goatucation to answering them - hence Chickucation. I can share. I am a kind goat. I also know I have not been very good about answering my comments but the publicist has not been feeling very well and she has been putting me to bed early so I apologize for that. 

So here goes..

Lin asked: Do you have to leave the lamp on all of the time to keep them warm? The male person keeps the heat lamp on when the temperatures are going to be below freezing. This helps to keep the chickens' water thawed and to help keep the chickens warm. It was especially helpful for them when we had that nasty cold snap when it was below zero. Brrrrr!


Daisy said:  Those are some lucky chickens! I'll bet they lay happy eggs. Well, Daisy, I don't eat eggs myself but I know the publicist likes them very much. They have very bright, yellow yolks and the chickens are VERY free range - they even go and visit the neighbors - so they do live a happy life.

Cici asked: What do your chickens in snow? Our chickens seem to stay in their chicken house when there is snow on the ground. The few that did venture out either ran into one of the goathouses or stayed underneath their chicken house. I can't say that I blame them.


Aunt Vicki asked: Do the chickens make fewer eggs in the cold weather? They did. Instead of the 8 - 10 we usually get we were only getting about 5 - 7 during the cold snap.  They are back to normal now.

Jen asked: Do the eggs freeze? Yes, they will if the publicist or the male person doesn't get to them in time. Or if the chickens lay them somewhere that's a surprise to them. They crack open when they freeze. In the really cold weather the publicist goes out and checks the laying boxes at least once an hour.


Nanny Goats in Panties said: The male person sounds like a keeper to me! This is not a question but it is very true! We goats love the male person. He does lots of nice things for us. I am very happy with him right now - he just cleaned out my goat pen in the barn. Wasn't that nice of him?

I hope you enjoyed this change in Goatucation. If you would like more Chickucation just let me know and I can do some reading up on the feather fiends, erm, friends that share my goat pen.

Tomorrow: Mallory and Luke dance the Argentine Tango!

 

Luke Enjoys His Corn

As you read yesterday we were treated to some of the dried corn the male person had put aside for us. But it wasn't only us does that got to eat the yummy treat - my little studmuffin Luke was given some corn too.

As you can also see he had to contend with thieving chickens just like we did. If Luke put his head down to me like this I would run away.

But as soon as Luke was distracted that chicken stole some of his corn! Can you imagine?!

  It's a good think eating corn put Luke in a good mood. He really likes these little treats.
Doesn't he look like one happy goat here? Hi my love!

 He is one handsome corn eating buck!

I wonder what the publicist will bring out of the basement next.....

Tomorrow: Goatucation which for this week with be Chickucation.

A Sweet Summer Treat

Oooh, we were lucky goats today.
All thanks to the male person. He sure is good to us! Last summer when the corn harvest was ending he saved the ears of corn that weren't big enough or were only half covered in kernels and he dried them out in the warm summer sun. Then he put them away in the basement.

Well, today the publicist decided to give them to us. It was such a nice treat on a grey, muddy day. Mmmmm, corn! It was a bit of a goat and chicken riot when the publicist brought the treat into the goat pen.
 

I took my ear off to the side so I could eat it all by myself. 

Well, I tried. Soon there was a crazy chicken trying to steal my corn! Harumph!

Jillian - as always - really got down to some serious munching.

Matthew and Mallory jumped up on the spools.

Abby never misses a treat! (You will see more of her corn crunching on AbbyDay)

I think Jillian looks silly in this picture, don't you? It looks like she has a corn cigar.

Of course the chickens never miss a snack. There is Blue Guy right in the middle.

 More? More?

Oh no!
No more!
That was such a good treat!

Tomorrow: Luke enjoys his corn