Ramblings – January 2019 – Fable Farms

Farming is a constant learning process. Take today as an
example. I learned two things today. The first, is that the cow hooves I buy
the dogs to chew smell horrendous!! Seriously, I searched the house high and
low convinced that Boomer had an accident. Then  I discovered the smell was coming out of his
other end…the end chewing on the cow hoof. Oy!

Second, I discovered I am capable of having some pretty in depth and interesting conversations….with myself. For instance this morning I in the back yard with Boomer, dressed in my pj’s I was encouraging him to do his business before I froze, when I looked up and saw the goats walking along the fence line out towards the woods. I began my good mornings to them, calling out each goat by name. I got through the group and realized someone was missing. I did a quick head count to double check. Yup definitely missing one. Then I realized Beauty was the doe that was missing. She’s the first due to kid and so large that yesterday I joked her belly looks taunt enough to split open and purge the kid in true “Alien” (the movie) fashion. Seriously, look at the size of her! The doe standing slightly behind her is also pregnant and due about a week afterward. I’m not trying to give her a complex or anything but she looks like she’s carrying a full litter!

I gave another good look around the pasture for Beauty, but
couldn’t find her. With her coloring, she’s usually pretty easy to spot. Not
ready to panic yet, I gave a few yells, calling her name. This usually brings
her running or at the very least, she’s yell back to me.  This time I was met with silence. “What
ifs” started running rampantly through my head and so began my interesting
conversation.

Me: I’m sure it’s nothing. She’s not due for another 11
days.

Also me: Have you seen the size of her? And let’s face it
you aren’t the best at recording breeding dates accurately.

Me: That “may” be true but really….11 days! Do
you think I could have screwed up the date by 11 days??

Also me: Yes.

Me: That’s mean. Have a little faith!

Also me: How are you going to feel if she’s up there having
problems birthing and you didn’t check her because you were sure you couldn’t
possibly have screwed up the due date?

Me:   …………..

Apparently, I really know how to push my buttons because I  turned around and hightailed it into the house
and shimmied into my farm clothes in record time, racing back outside and
heading up to the goat pasture. Fortunately, before I ever got that far Beauty
came waddling out of the woods. Once my heart meandered back from my throat to
my chest, I looked suspiciously at Beauty, convinced she had done this
intentionally. She’s got a great poker face though and gives nothing away.

Yup, farming is a constant learning process, all this excitement and it’s not even lunch time yet. Who needs Hollywood when you’ve got goats.