Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

Back to work this morning and I really don't want to be here. Oh well... the next few months will go fast and all-in-all, with all the holidays and sick time and vacation time I have accrued - I won't be here that much between now and "R" day!

I'm trying to spread the breeding out between all the bucks... but, so far I don't really have any "planned" breeding for Conan the Kiko.

Here's where I am right now: I want to breed the Nubians to Chester the pygmy for more Kinders. I've decided that I love the Kinder/Kiko crosses and want more of those. In order to do that I need more Kinders! However, the challenge of breeding a Pygmy to a Nubian doe is a serious one! I'll have to have the does up in the front pen and literally assist in every breeding. It may or may not happen - I'm nothing if not a realist, lol. If I can't get the Nubians bred to Chester - then Conan will definitely get the privilege.

I want to breed this year's Kiko/Nubian cross doelings to the Kinder buck. He's very parasite resistant also so I think that will be a good match. It will also give them, hopefully, a smaller kid for their first freshening.

I'm thinking of breeding the Kinder does back to Dusty the Nubian for more milkable doelings with better udders. Dusty is an awesome udder improvement buck.

And, they pygmy doe to Chester.

*All plans are subject to change and fencing failures, lol!

(NH is doing well.)

 

[Mini Horses]

(NH is doing well.)

Fantastic. Eases my mind.


I like your breeding plan. Maybe collect chester & AI? I've done horses, have that equipment. Goats aren't much different just a huge amount smaller. Otherwise a ramp behind and stanchion in front. FUN for all.

 

[baymule]

Glad NH is doing well. Tell her we miss her.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Otherwise a ramp behind and stanchion in front. FUN for all.

That's the plan(ish). Might not be anything more than some hay bales placed in a "U" formation with the doe backed up into it. With lots of this going on -

Glad NH is doing well. Tell her we miss her.

Will do!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Looks like Luna is going to be a very willing little milker. It's only the second day so I might be a bit optimistic but so far she's doing great. She hopped up on the milking stand with just a little encouragement. Stood like a rock while I cleaned her udder and only shuffled a bit when I started milking. After the feed got low she got antsy - but a little more feed and she stood for me to strip her out. Hope we're not just having beginner's luck, lol.

I don't have time to milk twice a day so I guess her pint per milking is gonna have to do us. It's better than nothing right? And, I'm going to have another trained milker. I expect she'll produce more next freshening. I probably won't milk her more than a couple months - less if her condition starts suffering.

 

[Mini Horses]

If you keep milking and feeding, she'll possibly increase a little, as I'm sure you know. Mine do. Plus, when I let the kids stay on them, near weaning I do have to start to take some to keep them producing...but I find they are easy to become 1X day milkers because they have already been producing "as needed". Makes sense. My 2 are evening milking, not much any other time and I'm not pushing it! It's enough to make some cheeses for winter, have fresh milk & cream, etc. More than I need. But, I so enjoy the milk -- and the milking if I am not RUSHED for time.

Next year --- after "R" day, we can both consider a 2X day doe for our needs. My concern is that I will need to bottle her kids if I want good production 2X day. You use cheeses on your Keto … have you made or consider making Parm? (for me, next yr)

I'm thinking you are hand milking as your equipment is just more effort to set & clean for a pint. Right? I'm still using my Henry ones...or hands. They like the Henry and it keeps everything "contained" so, no straining. I like that!!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I'm really not going to push her to milk because it just dawned on me that I'll likely only be milking for a couple weeks. Totally forgot about the surgery I'm scheduled for on the 19th. Not sure if I'll feel up to milking afterwards. If I can make it through the first few days after surgery I can surely keep going. But, no idea how the body is going to react. I can probably skip one day and be ok...

Hand milking only right now.

 

[Mini Horses]

Hmmm...hope surgery goes well. Hey, lots of sick leave to use.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Hey, lots of sick leave to use.

Yep - that's the reason for the timing, lol. I have 192 hours of sick time, 43 hours of comp time and 16 hours of personal business time to use up before I'm outta here. I also have 183 hours of vacation. That's almost 11 weeks of time and I've only got 21 weeks to go before I'm outta here. That's not counting Labor day, three days at Thanksgiving, 12 days at Christmas and all the weekends in between. And I will still earn a day of vacation and a day of sick time each month that I'm still here. Gosh, the PTO just keeps rolling in, lol.

I plan on using up the sick time, the personal business and the comp time, and just a few days of vacation (enough to keep me under the limit) - but I think I'll let them pay me out for the rest of the vacation days. It'll be like an extra month of pay.

If I used up the vacation time also - I'd only technically have about 20 days left to show up here. But, I'd feel bad doing that - there's things I need to do before I leave - and can't leave 'em stranded like that.

So, I think that within the next 5 months I will only have to work something like a little over 40-ish days. WooHoo!!!

 

[baymule]

Once you retire, you will be busy. But instead of rushing about to meet a "time" you can do what you want, when you want at your own rate of speed. I have slowed down and I enjoy what I am doing now much more than when I was a whirlwind of go-go-go.