Gardens, Goats & Dogs

March 5, 2009 by Debbie.

All it takes to put our dogs in cow-heaven is a trip to a semi-local butcher shop. Six bones weighed out at 33 pounds ….. better than 5# each! These leg bones last a long, long time and it will be a long, long time before they are allowed in the house. Until then, Bud and Pudge thoroughly enjoy their new treats. Heide does chew on one every now and then, but it’s such a dog thing to do and SHE’S not really a dog…..

The gardens are doing well - here’s the garlic, onion and parsley bed. We’ve had high winds (as usual up here on the hill), higher than normal temps (85 today) and much less rain than normal so any growth is fantastic!

The old broccoli bed is starting to play out in the grow house. The new one is a ways away from producing - notice how dry the ground is in the new bed. I’ve watered by hand every other day and still can’t keep the ground damp.

The lettuce/greens row in the growhouse is producing well with kale, swiss chard, spinach, mixed greens, lettuce and weeds. Soon the heat will just be too much and I’ll have to pull the plastic off the sides of the growhouse. I have a new bed of lettuce ready to set out to replace this bed. Pictured behind the lettuce seedlings is the final harvest from the cold frame.

Here’s a neat way to grow tomatoes -

http://www.minifarmhomestead.com/gardening/tomato.htm

I’m going to try it this year. I’ve heard good results. Anyone can grow tomatoes this way, even if you grow them inside in apartment or outside on a balcony.

Suga’Baby is such a danty eater. You can tell by her belly bulge she’s about a month away from kidding for the first time.

Betsey is also a careful eater …. not Mercy. She really gets in to her food, feet and all. She learned this trick early in life when she was the smallest. None of the other goats wanted to eat out of a feed bucket that had been stepped in (God’s protection against disease and worms that could be carried on poop picked up in the hooves). Mercy figured out that no one would fight with her for food if she stepped in to the feed bucket. Mercy and Betsey are also due to freshen in April/May. I will be so grateful for fresh raw milk again!

Life is good here as it is where you are too, I know. I had planned to do a book review of a few of the books I’ve been reading but spring fever just reached out and grabbed me today so I thought I’d share what’s going on here at Beulah Land instead. Book thoughts to come soon!

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