Northern (lower) Pond

This is what the area looked like before the pond.

The lower pond required the excavator which Nostra didn't particularly like when it was parked near the house in the evenings.

And these are the current residents of the lower pond.

World Water Day

In celebration of World Water Day, which was on March 22...(you're forgiven if you didn't know), we decided having water retained on the farm would be advantageous. The alternative is that the water disperses off the farm, usually eroding the soil beyond.

The end of February, Carlos and his capable team (consisting of his son and his daughter) started to work digging ponds. This is what the front field looked like before they got started.

These were the tools used on the front pond.

And this is what it looked like when it wasn't even finished.

Once completed, we waited, and waited, and waited....

On April 15th, the rains came, and came, and came... (along with a tornado to the N.W. and much destruction elsewhere), and the pond filled very quickly just as it was supposed to.

And then the word got out...

And then it really got out...

And life was good.

(Senior FH-V, your sunset on the water, as you requested)

Harmony

Eggs!

Life is good...an egg a day for the past four days. Not bad for old hens!

Whatever....!

This has nothing to do with me....or goats...or chickens... or almonds...but I'm posting it anyway...

A surreal picture of morning fog.

And it happened to be perfectly positioned above Blanca's horns...

Meet Brute

Brute is Blanca's brother and born a head taller, hence the name. He's a handsome boy, and currently on loan to a farm not too far away that is run by a couple who would like to transition from a cow dairy farm to a goat dairy farm. As third-generation cow dairy farmers, it's tough to switch completely, but they are starting with a small number of goats. They acquired three does (a mom and her two kids). They weren't sure when their goats would go into heat, so they brought Brute over for what they intended to be a spell (true definition of spell: Long-term slumber party sex fest that has now lasted more than 6 weeks). Will he want to come back? Will he recognize us? We think so...on both counts.

More garden treats...

Japanese eggplant, more eggplant, green peppers, basil and Pitanga fruit, and more Pitanga fruit.

Meet Blanca

Blanca is our prized possession. She is Chochi's daughter; a little princess who became the Queen of the herd at the ripe age of 2 weeks old...

She has unique coloring for a Saanen and is considered a Sable Saanen, or a "Saanen in party clothes." Sables are the result of the interaction of recessive genes from the sire and from the dam. It was only recently that the Sable was recognized as a separate breed. Fortunately they have the same traits as the Saanen in terms of size, milk output and temperament.

Like her older sister before her, Alita, she loves to climb trees.

She's going to the masquerade party tonight...

Actually...this is the time she should be going into heat. Perhaps we need to bring out a little Marvin Gaye, Frank Sinatra, or maybe she's more of an Elvis fan?

Meet Mochi

Mochi took over for Sonny (Sonny Crockett) as far as being the elder Billy goat in this very small herd. It was time to bring in new blood, and the opportunity presented itself. He was acquired on a trade and supposedly has sired many. He was a bit feral when we he arrived at the farm with overgrown hooves that made him look more like a Clydesdale horse than a goat. The lack of horns didn't help either. Male Handler had to sprint after Mochi within the first half hour after arrival because Mochi decided the change of scenery was just too much for him. On that particular run-about, Mochi ended up in the center cavity of the big willow tree at the bottom of the orchard (the trunk had split into three a couple of years back) and he could not get out. Imagine the goat thought process on deciding that was the perfect hiding place?

That was probably the last time Mochi indicated he is capable of any speed, and over the months has settled right in. Soft spoken, and downright slow, he's a perfect addition!

Unlike Sonny, Mochi will eat food from a bucket (usually salad trimmings). Sonny only played with the bucket, thereby dispersing the food scraps without eating them.

Mochi does not like to have pedicures but he's into dying his own hair. 

While we know the procedure that Mochi goes through to color his hair, which involves urinating on his beard and right front leg, we cannot say how Donald Trump obtains his own color.

Photo Credit: MARK KAUZLARICH / REUTERS

Perhaps...?