Clouded Percreption

I was out in the barn the other day, cleaning out the pens. Usually this is a daily chore that I undertake with out putting much thought into it. Aw, but "TODAY", it would be different. For the first time in a long time, I had my eyes opened, and behold I saw things for the very first time in a new light.

These are moments I believe the Holy Spirit speaks to us and most of us go about our daily lives and think nothing of his gentle whispers. He speaks ever so softly and tenderly, that at times we believe it is only our own vague thoughts. He had me stop, look around the barn and take a visual inventory of all that my husband and I have accomplished and all that he has blessed us with. So many times, I am too busy to stop and see our progress in terms of blessings and actually accomplishing our dreams and goals.

I absolutely LOVE the moments when God speaks to us and we actually see through his eyes and understand our lives on his level. God had given us a farm. God has given us a barn, God has supplied us with a life that he knew would suit our needs and answered  my hearts cry.

I would love to have tons of money and have the most miraculous barn, pens, fencing, self waters, you name  it, that life could offer. Animals are my love and passion. Too many times we think of all the things we do not have instead of all the things we have. If I were filthy rich, all of my money would most likely go into my animals and facilities. I get frustrated most of the time because our farm is put together as an as needed basis. In other words most or our pens are make shift and are for now things, that usually become permanent. I want fancy expensive pens that you don't have to hold together with wire. I want gates that actually function properly and you don't have to climb over just to get in the pen. I want all of our property fenced in so that we have separate pastures with gates big enough that our tractor can go through for mowing.

My point is, that my desire to have things just perfect, clouds my heart from seeing the blessings my father has so graciously given me. I am so blessed beyond measure to be able to have animals that I have always desired, a farm to actually manage and work, property with excellent prospects to expand in the future. I looked out over my daily routine and saw, "through my fathers eyes". Wow! I truly am blessed. God has so richly blessed me. I have a husband I adore, a partner that helps all of my dreams come true, animals to care for and love, and a farm to help take care of. My whole life I wanted to be and marry a farmer and low and behold, I have become one. "

"Thank you Father for my daily routines and all the many things you help me to accomplish on a daily basis. I am forever grateful.", your daughter and child, me.

The Thrifty Homesteader: 5 reasons to milk test your does (or cows)

The Thrifty Homesteader: 5 reasons to milk test your does (or cows)

The Thrifty Homesteader: 5 steps to getting started with milk testing

The Thrifty Homesteader: 5 steps to getting started with milk testing

New Way to Offer Pat Coleby's Minerals

 Free Choice Minerals

I have been an avid follower of Pat Coleby's methods of raising livestock. I purchased her book 'Natural Goat Care" in 2007 and have been following natural alternatives for taking care of  my animals since. In her book she suggests making a stock lick, which is loose minerals all mixed up and feeding it to your livestock by top dressing it to their feed. As time went on I had learned that she had changed the way she was using the minerals. To my relief and to all those who have large herds, this new way is more more efficient and 100% easier.

Instead of mixing the minerals together by certain amounts, and feeding each animal a certain amount in their feed, you put the minerals in single containers and feed them all free choice. She also has added straight lime, as well as salt. The list of minerals needed are,
1. Copper Sulfate
2. Yellow Dusting Sulfur
3. Dolomite or Min-Ad
4. Sea Kelp
5. Straight Lime
6. Salt
7. Baking Soda (Not recommended in Pat Colby's book, but I chose to always have it available for all livestock)
 If boron would be needed, she still suggests feeding the proper amount required for each animal individually. Also, you must always keep dolomite out anytime you have Copper sulfate out. I just always make sure each container is full and top dress them when they need it.

Proven Results

I have been following this method of giving the minerals free choice for 4 years now, and my goats have never been healthier. The very first time that I put them all out free choice in their own containers, I was so afraid that I was going to kill my herd and they would all keel over dead from copper poisoning. Well to my surprise none have and I am so convinced this is the best way to offer minerals that I tell everyone I can. My animals health is the most important thing to me and this way of caring for them has kept my herd from all sicknesses and diseases.

They also have had no worms to speak of going on seven years now. Each fecal test comes up negative. I am 100% convinced in Pat Coleby's methods simply because of the proof in my herd. 

Cheap way to make mineral feeders

I am very resourceful and try to make use of things. Instead of running out and buying mineral containers, I decided to use old coffee cans, cut the fronts down and screwed them all to the wall in a straight line. These coffee can mineral feeders work great for goats and horses.

New Beginnings

Hi Everyone,
I have not posted in a very long time. A lot has changed in my life in the last three years. God has led me down so many wonderful journeys and different paths. I will have to update you on all the new beginnings and wonderful blessings that have happened so far. I must say God sure can amaze you and surprise you.

The picture of the barn is part of our new farm that we just moved to last fall. The barn and land is in need of much T.L.C. My husband and I have begun clearing the land and cleaning out the barn. The barn was used for storage and had years of junk stored everywhere. It took us months just to clear out most of the junk. The land too had been over run with weeds, trees and junk.

We have not had the time to begin restoring the barn to its original beauty. It is in so much need of repair. Before winter came, we placed glass in all the windows, boarded up all the holes and repaired what we could to just get us through the cold months ahead. In the freezing cold months of winter we worked long and hard on the inside to build kidding stalls. We have bred for February babies this year, which I hope to never do again. We also had to build regular pens, hay feeders and mineral troughs.

The restoration of the barn does not take precedence when you have have livestock to attend to everyday. Something always comes up and the work is never done. We had planed to plant a field of hay, but have not been able to get into our field this year at all, due to all the heavy rains.

I will keep you updated on all the progress of our farm and post pictures as new beginnings arise and changes take place. Until my next post, May God Richly Bless You.

Pat Coleby's Methods Part # 2

While writing the articles on Pat Coleby's methods I realized that many of you have problems finding all of the minerals that Pat Coleby recommends. If there is enough people wanting her minerals then I will start selling them. My prices will be cheaper than the Jolly German so If you would like information on the minerals then please contact me.

In this article I am going to explain in detail how I care for and feed my goats. The lick recipe that was spoken of in the first article is kept in a small bucket with a lid, each day I take 14 bowls and I feed each and every goat I own, whether they are does, wethers, or bucks 1/4Th cup of grain daily. I put 1/4TH cup in each bowl then I add 1/4TH heaping teaspoon of Pat Coleby's Lick Recipe on top of the feed mix. She suggests 2 grams a day of the lick recipe and 2 grams equals about 1/4TH of a teaspoon but I give just a little bit more so I heap it. I then put 1 TBS. of oil, (flax seed, coconut, Canola, Olive, what ever I have at the time) on top of the grain mix and mix it all together. I only add the oil to get it mixed in good to the feed. I also bought a huge jug of Black Strap Molasses and filled and empty mustard container up with the molasses and I squirt a little in each bowl just for stickiness and taste. I also add less than a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar.

Every week on Monday's Instead of the other oils, I use Cod Liver oil. Pat Coleby recommends this oil in her book: Natural Goat Care. This is so they receive the proper amounts of Vitamin A, D and essential fatty acids EPA and DHA. I also give Apple Cider Vinegar  added to their water twice a day. (Not the kind sold in grocery stores).  I use to buy the organic kind online from Swanson's Vitamins  www.SwansonVitamins.com. Their prices are extremely reasonable, but as much as I used and adding shipping, it was not cost affective. I searched online for ways to make homemade Apple Cider Vinegar and found a site that I highly recommend. This site has excellent pictures and really good information on goat care, recipes and other things. Check it out sometime, http://lindercroft-smwon.blogspot.com/search/label/homemade%20ACV.

In feeding hay I feed every goat Alfalfa hay twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, my husband takes care of this chore. We also water once in the morning and again at night and this is daily. In the winter time or on cold days they all receive hot water. They love hot water and I know they all appreciate it.  Each barn also has baking soda, sea kelp, and a salt block, out for the goats at all times free choice.

When I am milking the girls get three cups of feed each day morning and night. I always start them out with a half cup each and slowly increase this dose to where by the time they kid they are getting the right amount. Some goats will not need this much others may need more depending on their body condition and how many kids they are feeding with their milk. It also depends on the amount of milk they are producing. I have never given any of my girls more than three cups at a time. I raise Nigerian Dwarf Goats and they have done great on this amount.  Our goats also get to roam our woods freely on a daily basis. We have nothing but woods all around us so there is always plenty of browse for them to forage for.

Once in a while they will get treats of vegetables, fruit and raisins. I have a juicer and the pulp of the vegetables and fruit make great treats for them. When giving raisins they only get four each. With the fruit and vegetable pulp they each get a couple tablespoon fulls.  You want to be very careful in giving your goats new things and how much you feed them. Goats rumens can get severely off track if given too much of a new thing all at once. I have one goat who loves to drink coffee so once in a while she will get a cup of coffee all to herself to drink lol. It is the funniest thing to watch her. She will literally climb all over you if she smells you have a cup of coffee. She is the only one who likes coffee.

I believe I have written on everything that I do for our goats as far as feeding goes. If there is any subject on caring for goats or making goats milk soap that you would like me to write on then please leave a post or contact me by email. If there are still questions or anything is unclear then please contact me and I will try to clarify or help in any way I can.