3 Weeks!

Frankincense is now 3 weeks old!  He is growing very, very fast.  He is quite the social goat...He nibbles and jumps at anyone who comes in the goat pen.  He may need some training!  Since he is 3 weeks old, it is time for his coccidiosis prevention regime.  He gets a round of "di-methox" which helps keep the nasty parasites away!  I know of several goats in my area who seemed to have issues with cocci, so I feel it is a good idea to give him this treatment.

He wasn't exactly sure what I was doing.  But, he got most of it!  Actually, Elly May "attacked" me as she associates the drencher with something sweet (I occasionally dip the end in agave or honey).  Silly Elly May!

Happy Frankincense!

Summer won't "officially" be here until mid-June.  But here in Central Texas, we are experiencing the changing from Spring to Summer very noticeably.  "Blue Bell" the Great Pyrenees thinks that the lazy days of summer are already here...

We have seen several large snakes on our property recently--one even in our yard!

The cactus are blooming too!  I am always amazed at how such a prickly plant can produce the most beautiful dainty blossoms!  In this picture you can see a dewberry in the background (another lovely creation that grows among thorns).  We have enjoyed lots of yummy berries recently as well!

Stay tuned as Edna is due tomorrow!

A Poem

My sister is a budding poet.  She wrote this sweet poem in the pages of her journal and shared it with me recently.  I think it perfectly captures how we feel about the new addition to the goat pen!

Frankincense

Charlotte pushed,

Charlotte yelled;

Out came the head;

"That was quick," we all said.

Wet was the kid,

And black as night.

He is a buckling,

With a lot of fight.

Charlotte licked him clean.
He stood on his wobbly legs,
And nursed him so he wouldn't be lean.

Frankincense is his name,
Maybe someday he shall have fame.
Unlike perfume he doesn't smell sweet,
But like a buck,
And in his rut his smell won't be a treat.

We named him after a movie,
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers to be exact,
Meaning his name doesn't lack.

Frankincense is the First Fruits of our farm;
So he is the Lord's goat,
And brings us special charm.

The wise men brought Frankincense to the King
And so we give to God this precious thing.
We hope Frankincense's life is a blessing!

Yes, Frankincense has been a lot of fun!  I want to explain the line "he is the Lord's goat." In the Bible, God established a pattern of giving ALL the firstborn/first fruits to Him.  (See Number 3:13, "For all the firstborn are Mine...I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from man to beast.  They shall be Mine; I am the LORD").  Amazingly, this is a picture of Jesus, the "firstborn" Son of God, who took the punishment of death for our sins that we might experience a complete and renewed relationship with God.  The concept of giving the firstborn is a vivid picture.  Thus, the line about Frankincense being "the Lord's goat!"

Notable pictures from the goat pen:

Frankincense now weighs over 20 pounds (he is a little over 2 weeks old)!

Edna is due on Friday!  She is getting quite barrel shaped!

Coloring Time!

Please note, for this post I am referencing several pamphlets that I obtained
from the American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA):

The ADGA sets "breed" standards for dairy goats.  They recognize 8 different breeds of goats:

• Alpine
• LaMancha
• Nigerian Dwarf
• Nubian
• Oberhasli
• Saanen
• Sable
• Toggenburg

Each of these breeds have very unique positive qualities (and sometimes drawbacks)!  I sometimes get asked why I chose Alpines.  Although Nubians are probably the most popular breed of goat, I chose Alpines because I had convenient access to purchasing some Alpines in my area.  I do like there excellent milk production and hardy breed.  While some breeds (LaMancha in particular) are described as "laid back," Alpines are basically the opposite.  But that is what I like about them!  Who wouldn't want a goat with so much spunk they try to escape when their owner opens the gate to see them? Ha!

Anyway, Alpines are of French descent.  There are some "French Alpine" registered goats, but most Alpines are "American Alpines" because their specific ancestry cannot be traced back to France.  (Interesting note, if you breed a French Alpine and an American Alpine, you get an American Alpine.)

They also are the only breed with specific coloring names.  According to the ADGA Breed Standards, there are 8 different colorings for Alpines, called by their French names.  The French names are always hard for me to pronounce.  Personally, I like to call them by their English colors (i.e. "that tan goat...")!  But in order to clarify for myself, and for any others who might be a bit confused about Alpine colorings, I am posting the technical French coloring list below:

• Cou Blanc (White on the front, black on the back--like Elly May)
• Cou Clair (Light shading to dark)
• Cou Noir (Black on the front, white on the back--opposite of Elly May)
• Sundgau (Black with a few white markings--just like Frankincense)
• Pied (Spotted-imagine what throwing a pie at a goat would look like!)
• Chamoisee (Black face, dorsal stripe, and legs--like Charlotte)
• Two-tone Chamoisee (Light front--like Edna)
• Broken Chamoisee (Similar to Chamoisee, but with some "irregular" markings)

To give a visual:

Elly May--Cou Blanc

Frankincense--Sundgau

Charlotte-Chamoisee

Edna--Two-tone Chamoisee

And, Edna's kids are due in less than two weeks.  She carries the potential for all of these colors.  It will be a fun surprise to see what color goats she has!

Udder-ly Amazing

Since Charlotte kidded, she been producing lots of milk.  Many people wait to drink the milk until two weeks after kidding, but I couldn't wait!  It tastes so good!  I have been milking just in the mornings.  Just a few days after she freshened (gave birth), she milked a full 1/2 gallon (4 pounds!).  However, I think some little ornery buckling is drinking more than his share.  Frankincense will soon be separated from her at night so he stops taking all of the milk.

Enjoy this "Udder Update!'

Before kidding.  Yes, Charlotte was REALLY dry!

A few days after kidding.  Yes, Charlotte is really FULL!  She didn't choose to fill her udder until 24 hours before giving birth.  I was getting a little concerned, but she filled up in time to give little Frankincense lots of milk!

Edna a few weeks ago (tiny teats)!

Edna just a few days ago (you can see how her udder is forming and growing)!  Edna is a first freshener (this is her first year to have kids), so she is growing an udder for the first time.

I found this picture of Edna from back in December (right after she was bred).

She is now so pregnant!  She likes to just lay around and let her big belly rest!  She is due in just about a week and a half.  It will be great to have more baby goats around!  I am getting excited again!

Parenting a Buckling is Hard Work!

As cute as he is, Frankincense is getting a little ornery! Check out these pictures which capture a glimpse of the difficult job Charlotte has parenting her little buckling...

"Mind if I use you as a jungle gym, Mom?"

"I'll just sit here a while!"

"Can I have a taste of your dinner?  Those humans just expect me to drink milk all day!"

"Wait a minute, this is yummy Mom!"

"This REALLY is good."

"Son, let me eat!!!"

I must say we had the most amazing storm last night!  There were 50 mph gusting winds, pounding rain, constant lightning, booming thunder, and a power outage!  It was powerful!  But the refreshed atmosphere made for a beautiful sunset!  Wow!  The heavens declare the GLORY of God! (See Psalm 19)

If a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...

If a picture is worth a thousand words...

Then a video must be worth a MILLION!

Dashing Through The...Goat Pen!

Hello Blog!

Frankincense is now a week old!   He now weighs 16 pounds!  And he has learned to dash around the goat pen.  That made it a very FAST week...in more than one way!  See the sequence below...

 Just standing...

 But not for long...

Here I go...

Hurry, the race is on...

I've got to get back to my mama...

Almost there...

All tuckered out...

It is fun to see how Frankincense is growing and thriving!  I praise the Lord when I am in the goat pen for allowing me to experience "up close" the marvelous ways that He designed little goats to grow and develop.  

It is amazing to watch Frankincense try new things on his own (like using his racing abilities or climbing something new).  Sometimes he fails and falls over, but he gets back up and tries.  His struggles are all a part of him gaining strength.  What a good reminder!  There are so many life lessons from the goat pen!