Farm Gleanings

On Thursday we finally separated Mama goat from her baby so that we can milk Mama.  Aspen (the baby buck) is old enough to be without his mama.  He now lives in his own pen with our other buck Sequoia.  We have been faithfully milking Mama twice a day since then.  Until we get into a rhythm I am not counting on a specific amount of milk from her.  That said, we already have over a gallon, and that is without this evening's milking.  I think tonight I will make a batch of yogurt.   I can't wait to get into the full swing of things and have a surplus of milk.  I have grand plans to make cheese, yogurt, soap...  Hopefully Mama will continue to give us milk.  The sheep and goats are fed all stock feed, plus access to hay and the grass in the pasture.  As a special thanks to Mama, when she is on the milk stand she gets the expensive sweet feed from the Co-op.  She is anxious to be milked and I am not sure if it is because she gets to eat the expensive feed, or if its the pressure of a full udder being lifted.  In any case, I am thankful she doesn't put up much of a fight to be milked.  The first couple times she didn't want to walk to the stand.  Once there she happily chows down, and doesn't mind us milking her.  But man oh man, my hands are sore!  Hopefully they will get stronger as they get used to milking her.  Since Hubby is working two jobs (bless his heart) most of the daily farm chores fall to me.

  This afternoon my hands were black from the garden.  I weeded, harvested a (small) handful of green beans and added mulch in between the beds.  Our peas are coming up strong and could probably be harvested now.  I am unsure if I should let them develop and risk pests, or if I should harvest them now even if they are on the smallish side.  Thoughts?  The tomatoes are starting to develop, as well as the peppers.  Our corn is starting to feather at the top- is that the official terminology?  Thats the best way I can describe it.  Last year we had absolutely no success with corn, so we are giving it one more shot.  I have been freezing stalks of rhubarb as it comes ripe.  Next year we should have a good crop of both rhubarb and asparagus.  Our potato bed is full and flowering.  The bees will be busy!

  I planted more beans (thanks mom for the seeds!) today.  Hopefully California seeds will grow in Maryland soil despite the late planting.