This blog is a place for me to share pictures, tell stories and write about our family, our farm in Dover, Arkansas, our Faith in Jesus Christ , and our love for nature, animals and people. I hope it often makes you laugh, sometimes causes you to think, and sincerely gives you insight into who we are as we travel this amazing journey.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Lowry B.
Our latest goat kid, born Thursday night, Feb. 24, just before my hip surgery, turned out to be spectacular! He’s every bit as big as the others and they are two or more weeks older then he. I haven’t seen him in person yet but Claire took these pictures for me. His dam is Cana (poor thing, she’s tiny!). She only has singletons and not only are they always born huge, but they always stay huge due to her abundant milk. I’ve named this guy after my surgeon, Lowry Barnes, M.D. I hope he’s not offended! (I don’t think I’ll even tell him!) Isn’t he colorful!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
First Place at First O’Rama!!!
Well, she’s done it before, but she was only a Cloverbud and could not be judged. They don’t judge you in 4H until you are a Junior. This was her first year as a Junior. Her first year being judged. And she won! Twice!
First Place, Fashion Review, Purchased Casual!
First Place, Fashion Review, Purchased Dressy!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
More New Kids
Cheatah had a set of twins today, bucklings named Kit (white) and Jesse (tan). She was so polite about it – having them in the middle of the day and in 69 degree temperatures. She obviously has much better manners then her sisters who both kidded in the middle of the night in 1 degrees. Kid total: 7 bucklings, 4 doelings, 4 deaths.
Can you believe how big these guys are at only a couple of hours old!?!
Can you believe how big these guys are at only a couple of hours old!?!
Friday, February 11, 2011
The Goat Drama Never Ends
Ted went out about 9:00 P.M. to do his last check on the does and found this pair, just born, out in the does’ pen. Their dam, Brook, is one we didn’t think was quite ready. They were still wet and quite cold and didn’t perk up as quickly as we wanted so we brought them in the house. It’s only three degrees outside! We’ve milked Brook and given each kid two ounces of colostrum. We’ll give them another two ounces in a little bit.
This is a doeling and her name is Frankie. Her core body temperature was low so she’s lying on a heating pad and we’ve been blow drying her. She’s warming up, though and is not as weak as she looks - just resting.
This big boy is Tommy. He’s doing well and is quite huge!
It always seems that some drama takes place on the coldest day of the year! Tomorrow will be in the 40’s and the kids will go back out to mama. Please, girls, no more kids tonight!
TWO HOURS LATER!!!!
No one ever listens to me!
I woke Ted up at 4:00 A.M., finally satisfied that the new kids were warm enough and feeling that they really needed to nurse their mama, and sent him back to the barn with them while I crawled happily into bed. He was gone a bit longer then I expected and when he returned, I heard “baaaaaaa”. I couldn’t figure out why he’d brought them back with him! “Two new ones!” he calls into the bedroom! Sure enough, when he went to put two back, there were two more. This time, it was Meanie.
Here they are after they’ve been dried, fed & given Goat Drench, and navels dipped. These are clearly ready to nurse and so, after just an hour, they are going back out. No names for them yet – two doelings – ClaireAnna was too exhausted to think about it. Kid total so far: 3 bucklings, 4 doelings. We're expecting more kids soon! Thank goodness we're not expecting any more cold weather for awhile!
(Names have been chosen. The white one is Olga and the red one is Piney.)
TWO HOURS LATER!!!
More kids! When Ted and Kate went to the barn to take the second set back to their mama, they found a third set of kids!
IT’S STILL ONLY 6 DEGREES!!!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
A Visit From the Snow Geese
ClaireAnna took all these pictures today. You can double click to enlarge them. This is the first time we’ve seen a whole flock of Snow Geese on the farm. 
Today we’ve learned that Snow Geese come in two colors: white or blue/ grey. The grey coloring is from a single dominant gene. The white bird is homozygous for white. Birds of either sex can be either color. Mated pairs tend to be the same coloring but not always. ClaireAnna’s made Punet squares to see what coloring the offspring will be based on the genetics of their parents.
(We turn everything into a science lesson!)
Today we’ve learned that Snow Geese come in two colors: white or blue/ grey. The grey coloring is from a single dominant gene. The white bird is homozygous for white. Birds of either sex can be either color. Mated pairs tend to be the same coloring but not always. ClaireAnna’s made Punet squares to see what coloring the offspring will be based on the genetics of their parents.
(We turn everything into a science lesson!)
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Payback Time – The Blizzard of 2011!
Last night at 10:00 pm the skies were clear and there was zero snow on the ground. We woke up to this much accumulation and we are expecting it to snow heavily for the rest of the day and into tomorrow. I guess I’m getting my payback for making fun of all my northern friends during their latest blizzard! Trouble is, we don’t even own a snow shovel! And no street plows or salt trucks will be coming! I don’t think I’ll even leave the house till most of this melts…….. on Friday…….when our temps will be in the 50s! Nanny Nanny! Ooops! There I go again!!!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Mini Mania Continues
We may not NEED a miniature cow, but wouldn’t it be FUN to have one! We have friends who raise Dexter Cattle. Dexter’s are much smaller then the average cow. 
They had a little heifer born last spring that is even smaller then their other Dexters. So……we’re buying her! She’ll just be our pet, to go along with our other mini creatures and be in the petting zoo! Isn’t she adorable! She’s only 8 months old right now, but she isn’t going to get very big at all and she’ll be the perfect size for kids to pet and lead around on a halter. Her name is Ellie May. Welcome to Harmon PFarms, Elli!
You can tell how small she is compared to Ted in this picture. 
They had a little heifer born last spring that is even smaller then their other Dexters. So……we’re buying her! She’ll just be our pet, to go along with our other mini creatures and be in the petting zoo! Isn’t she adorable! She’s only 8 months old right now, but she isn’t going to get very big at all and she’ll be the perfect size for kids to pet and lead around on a halter. Her name is Ellie May. Welcome to Harmon PFarms, Elli! 
You can tell how small she is compared to Ted in this picture. 
Saturday, February 5, 2011
FINALLY! THE KIDDING BEGINS
Lola had triplets! (One kid is hiding behind her.) This is her second kidding. Her first year, she had twins, but she is one of triplets, so we knew there was a possibility. She has a HUGE bag and we think she’ll be able to feed them just fine. There are two buckings, Oreo and Icarus, and one doeling, Snow. In the picture, Oreo should be obvious – looks just like his dad. The other two are white with light tan heads. Happily, this kidding went well, the kids were up and cleaned off by the time we found them. All kids have nursed and seem vigorous. 
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