What did you do today?

[Nanno]

Well hello there! Nice of you to drop by and catch us up! I'm sorry about Zoki. I'm sure you're doing everything you can for him, and even if his life is short I know it will be happy. Sounds like your move to Nevada was the right choice. Your view is stark and wild and beautiful.

[Nanno]

Our electricity was out this afternoon and Phil couldn't work at his computer. So I pulled some costume stuff out and we did a photo shoot with Hammer and Tigerlily. This is what Phil did with it when the electricity came back on: 

  goats640.jpg (Size: 61.77 KB / Downloads: 131)

[nebs]

ha ha!

[Charlie Horse]

The one with wings needs to be a sheep. We all know sheep go to heaven and goats go to hell.

[Taffy]

What will you two think of next?!

[Nanno]

Today was bittersweet, for three of our beautiful packgoat prospects went to a new home. It is exhilarating to finally come full circle and sell our first goats when all we've done to this point is buy and breed. But it was also sad to say goodbye. I'll miss the playful, romping babies, Sledge and Hammer. Tigerlily misses them too, and Jezebel spent all afternoon softly crying for them because she's not sure what she's going to do now that her kid has no playmates. Nubbin is taking it in stride. 

I'm going to especially miss Snickers. He's been sweet, gentle, and easy-going since he first came into this world, and he may well be the best prospect among our three 2014 boys because of his good and willing attitude. I am going to miss his gentle eyes and unassuming nature. I am so happy that Phil and I took him hiking with us yesterday. We had no idea it would be the last time, and we got some fun pictures.  
   

   

I know this is Colorado, but no, we're not sharing a joint! I put a cookie in my lips to see if he would "kiss" me. Yes, he certainly did!  
   


The nice couple who bought the goats originally only called about Sledge and Hammer, and they were thinking they would only buy one. But they fell in love with all three and couldn't decide between them, so they bought the lot. I wish the new owners all the best as they start their new adventures in goat packing! And maybe we'll even see our boys on the trail in the coming years since the couple lives on the other side of our own mountain range.

[Nanno]

Yesterday was Halloween, and what better way to celebrate than with goats!? 

Our town of Rye has a big celebration each year where they close off Main Street, all the downtown houses and businesses decorate, and people like Phil and I who live further from town park along the street and decorate our vehicles and hand out candy. We didn't bring our camera, but I'm hoping the pictures my friend took will come out good enough for her to send them to me this week. 

Phil and I dressed as circus clowns and we brought Finn and Sputnik as our circus goats. I used red and black vet wrap to decorate Finn's horns, and green and purple for Sputnik's. Both goats had mini tennis balls stuck on their horn points (vet wrapped firmly in place) so they would be safe around the crowds. I was very proud of the boys--both goats were extremely well-behaved and no one got bonked with a tennis ball even by mistake, but it's better safe than sorry, and the horns looked great with stripes! The boys looked like they were wearing jester's caps with bells on the ends. 

I also made Finn a little circus rig from some spare harness parts. He wore a surcingle and side reins, and I decorated them with red and gold bridle and rein flags I once made for a medieval horse costume. It was really cute! Sputnik wore a little saddle horn bag with the intention that we would fill the panniers with candy. But we were so busy having fun with goats that we never collected the candy. 

The goats were amazingly well-behaved all evening. Finn couldn't get enough of everyone's attention. He loved the kids, shook hands with several adults, and adored being stroked and petted. Sputnik was a bit more leery of the petting. He was very good about it and even seemed to enjoy having his forehead scratched, but I had to make sure the kids pet him up near his face or neck where he could see them. He wasn't cool with people walking up behind and petting him from the rear--it startled him and he would jump or swing his head around to look. Finn didn't care where people touched him--as long as someone was petting him, he was in heaven. Sputnik much preferred performing over petting--he ran through his repertoire more times than I could count and never got tired of the routine. Sputnik was so noisy in the truck on the way there that I wasn't sure he would make it through the night without having some sort of meltdown. But he settled down as soon as we unloaded and he was shockingly good about everything. Neither of the goats were alarmed by the lights, eerie noises, weird costumes, masks, or fog machines. Both of them loved the candy and popcorn! Finn had so much fun that he refused to get in the truck when it was time to go home and I had to pull him in by force. Once in, he jumped back out before I could tie him up and we had to start over. Sputnik bawled all the way home, which is something he's never done before. He usually only bawls on the outward journey. So I think it's safe to say that both goats had such a marvelous Halloween that they didn't want it to end. I felt like one of those tired, hassled parents telling their protesting, crying toddlers that it's time to go home.

[hihobaron]

Hello All
More rain here is SC 3 inches since about 10 pm Sunday night.
Well the goats normally have been sticking around BC1 or the horses.
They decided to head for higher ground this afternoon .
Yes I did note they went AWOL.
did a quick recon around the neighborhood. No goats visiting anywhere
Both have reflective collars and ID tags as well as ID chips implanted.
Well at any rate I got a phone call from people about a mile and a half away asking if I was missing a couple goats. Answer “YES”
Apparently they took to the hills behind BC1 and wandered into a small sub-division above us. people were out walking their dog(Ankle bitter type) and the goats followed them to their house. Yes both the boys are very people friendly.
They gave me a call from the number on the collar tags and asked did I have a couple real friendly goats.
Yep, that describes Pete and Sam to a T.
I fired up the one ton truck(It needed a road run any way) and drove up to retrieve my AWOL kids.
Pulled up and they were mugging people for treats, apparently people had given them a few crackers.
Yes, once you treat one of them you can not get rid of both of them.
Moving on:
My truck is extended cab, not crew cab.
Dose have seating in back but you better be a very small person.
So I had brought feed bucket with me. Told the people just turn them loose, I rattled the feed bucket at them set it in the back seat of the truck and got out of the way.
Goats in the truck cab in nothing flat.
People were laughing their head off , about having goats in the truck cab.
My response was “They drive Better than I do”
Anyway like other goats I have had as soon as truck started moving they both settled down on the seat in back and were happy to ride home in the cab of the truck.
Happy Trails 
We hold the High Ground here.
hihobaron
BTY: The boys wanted their life Vest put on for this rain.

[hihobaron]

Hello All
This is the start of a construction article that is made for the most part from scarp/salvaged materials. 
I am using it for goats but I also want it big enough if needed I can shelter a horse under medical care in it closer to Camp than the barn ( Hope I never get one that sick)
For all of you other folk out there the size can be expanded within reason to make a tractor shed,wood shed,coal shed ,etc. YOU could even camp in one. 
Moving on: My size needs.  8 foot wide X ten foot deep with a overhanging eve in front of about twenty inches.
To keep rain from blowing in and a mud hole from forming were the gate to get in and out is.
Center height close to nine foot and it will be a cathedral arch roof structure. Plenty of head room for a horse or tractor. 
The floor will be raised to allow drainage under plastic pallets covered with plywood them with 1/2 inch rubber mates.
Ok on with the Show:
I have some tube gate panels 8 and 10 foot long. That I am setting up and driving steel tee post at the joining corners then connecting the corners to the post to stabilize the whole base structure good enough to keep a horse in.

Next step: The Goat Inspection 


The Goats approve and like any Inspector have to trot off for Coffey and making deals with contractors.


The Cathedral Roof Structure (Cattle Panels 16 foot long by 50 inches wide) are arched over and fastened to the two top tubes on either side with weather proof "Black" Zip Ties. You will have to look close as the panels do blend in to good with the background cover.

Well Ya'll that is all for tonight's Redneck Goat Shed Construction Installment. 
Happy Trails
Tune in again for More on the Goat Shed Building Channel.
hihobaron
 

[Charlie Horse]

Hm. Thats actually a really good idea. I'd say its about the cheapest way to enclose a volume of space that large. Good thinking! I'd be sure to put plastic caps on the T-posts if horses are going to be involved just for safety.