Help? I don't want to hurt my husbands feelings....

[Okiemommy]

So how did it go? What did you get?

If it makes you feel any better, so at least you're not alone, my husband got me a new laptop, rather than getting the screen replaced on my old one That we also have to "pay for later" It is a better one. He also bought me a jumpstick with giant memory storage(which does have a practical application for me b/c I like to take lots of pics and we like to download music. ) and he got me a drawing book because I repeatedly said these words: "If you don't get me anything else for Christmas, get me this book!!!"

My DH isn't good at getting me things for Christmas either...last year he got me and the kids a dvd player. I admit it's nice, but it was basically just another thing for my almost 18 month old twin boys to destroy.

I do appreciate the stuff that he's given me over the years, even though some of it doesn't always make sense....and it still frustrates me because I feel sometimes like he doesn't know me that well. But men aren't as deep as we'd like to make them out to be.

 

[TanksHill]

Well, we discussed the expense and weighed the options. I decided to keep the machine it is amazing. Its a Brother innov-is. Which means it does all kinds of fancy embroidery and quilting as well as all the regular stuff. They offer classes once a month at the shop to learn how to use it etc.. My husband thought that would be some "me" time doing something I enjoy without he kids. I definitely agree.
I have been doing some research on how much custom embroidery pieces sell for and I think I may be able to make some money with this machine. I am excited about the possibilities.
We both have been very careful with our extra misc expenses. So I should be able to pay for the machine rather quickly. I hope, knock on wood.
Last week I made my 5yr dh some gaucho type pants for school. They have to wear uniforms and unfortunately most don't have elastic waste. She is very picky so I whipped out 3 pairs. it's like driving a new car. So easy to use.

I still need to save for a fence this will just put me back a bit. Nothing new. Maybe I am not meant to have a fence. Who knows.

 

[FarmerChick]

She is very picky so I whipped out 3 pairs. it's like driving a new car. So easy to use.


*********WHIPPED OUT!
wow that must be some machine to be whipping out 3 pairs fast! COOL

ah, nah, don't worry, your fence will come. most things usually do and you will be fine with waiting a bit....I learned to wait for alot of things..LOL

 

[TanksHill]

You know FC I was going to ask you. My Dh made a good point I don't need to fence in my entire property to get a couple of goats. If I intended to just have two what type of fence would you recommend? Something they couldn't get over. Would that anti climb wire fence on steaks be sufficient? I think he is softening to me getting animals, that and he knows I have been very patient.

 

[justusnak]

Congrats on the new machine! Wow! Sounds great! Now, I was thinking...maybe...you can make some extra money with it, and save for the fence you want!? Quilts go for a high price when home made. Home made purses, with embroidered initials maybe? Let them pick from a few different materials....pay half up front, then put thier Init's on it. There are so many possibilities out there to make money...if you can sew..which I cant! LOL Custome made drapes or shower curtains? Have fun with the new machine.

 

[freemotion]

What about electro-net? You can move it and rotate their grazing area. It is not too expensive...and meanwhile, you can do what we did...we took over six years to fence our two acres, but it is a fortress now.

If you'd told me it would take six years, I might not have started....but my mantra has been: Little strokes fell great oaks. You just have to start with that first stroke! I am SO GLAD we did...I can leave the pasture gate open 24-7 without worry. I still lock the chickens up at night, though, nothing is racoon-proof.

We used Redbrand horse fencing, which is four feet high and pretty indestructable, and most importantly, keeps things OUT as well as IN. We used six foot t-posts so there is room at the top for a strand of electric tape, which keeps things OUT as well as IN. Now we will be able to sell this property in a heartbeat in any economy in our area....not that we want to, but we could if we needed to....or found a better place!

I bought a roll whenever I could scrape together enough money, and installed it. Sometimes I had two rolls in a month, sometimes some months went by without any. Actually, sometimes many months went by! It felt so fantastic when it was finally done.

It keeps the chickens in, too. I clip off 2/3 of the flight feathers on one wing so they can still get on the roosts and on the goats' backs (it doesn't take much to amuse me) and they stay in the four foot fence. I did not have to reclip the wings of the heavier breeds. I gave up on the guineas. They could fly with no feathers at all, I think.

Hope this gives you some new ideas and inspiration...

 

[FarmerChick]

here is a great site to show fencing options
I like Premier

http://www.premier1supplies.com/


When you go in the site, click on fencing. Then there are pictures of animals you want to fence in---pick goats....then you have all the info on permanent fencing, temporary fencing, movable fencing.....IT IS A FAB SITE!!!




you can browse and get an idea of what is available out there.

there are people who use dog runs....yea it is simple if you are talking 2-3 goats. you need a couple to add together. heck here the dog runs are in freecycle and people practically give them away in my sales paper.

or if you want truly permanent, any STURDY livestock fencing is good. and if again, 2-3 goats, you sure don't need to give them tons of room........they need room, but if you stay small then you don't require tons of room and cleaning it out and such.

hope some of that helps.

OH THEY WON'T climb the way you are thinking. they muscle their way over fences and such. I had a 3 ft high hog panel around a buck cause I separated him, and then 2 barb wire strands on top of that....well he stuck his head just under the wire, leaned his big body into that 3 ft panel and just warped it over...oh yea, he got out..HA HA

 

[Cassandra]

If you just want a to graze a couple of goats around your yard, you could buy a few panels of chainlink dog fence and move it around. I borrowed a contraption like that from my aunt one time as an emergency chicken contianment area.

They had 5 panels that were 6' tall and 10' long. Plus one door panel of the same size. The whole thing was around $350, I think. It made a 10' x 20' pen.

It is HEAVY, though and you would want to put some thought into setting it up if you plan on moving it every few days. You may put it on skids, for example, so you could pull it with a truck. But, they are STURDY!

Just a thought. Congratz on the sewing machine. Sounds awesome.

Cassandra

 

[prairiegirl]

Glad to hear you like the new sewing machine. I've been dreaming of a new one for the last couple of years. But, being the practical one that I am, it's still a dream. I know there's money to be made with the embroidery feature. I have a friend that used to embroider birth announcements on baby blankets.

Our neighbors have kept up to 9 goats (a couple of them bred) in a small dog kennel. I think a dog kennel would work if it were only a couple of goats.
Can you check with freecycle or craigslist? What about posting a want ad at the local feed store?

The fence will come. I hope it's soon.

 

[TanksHill]

I have thought about those panels many times and found a few here and there. The problem is I live on a hill. The area where I would like the goats to roam is sloped down hill away from my house. Not the easiest terrain. It's the last portion of my 2 acres I have to use, because it's kinda scary. At the end of the property there is a 30 foot kinda cliff that goes down to the street below. But that is an acre away from where the goats would live. it's very hard to describe. But you know I am working on a couple of money generating ideas right now. Maybe that fence will come sooner than later.