Monday, March 26, 2012

Got Milk Goats!


Guppy has a herd to work.
 

The two older girls are big size 5-year-old Alpines, and the third is a good size 2-year-old who will be kidding for the first time most likely later this week. She is due March 30.



The Chamoisee (light brown) is Xolia, the Sandgau (black with light points) is Xtravagant (Ravi), and the cute young Cou Blanc (black and white) is Anastasia (Sia Sia).



Dozer likes his new herd mates!


These girls came from a dairy in Estancia called "SunSong".
Tami has many lovely Alpine, La Mancha and Saanan goats there.


Kino rigged up this little house from a variety of materials to haul the goats home in the back of the truck. 



They also have the horse trailer to get into.


Ravi is a fancy ADGA registered doe. She seems to know it too.
The other two have the potential of also being papered.

But it is the fresh milk and cheese (and buttermilk and yogurt, and kefir and...) that I look forward to enjoying! 

Taking Care in Algodones


Kino and I have moved to Algodones where we are Care-taking a house for a friend that has relocated to California and who is looking to sell his place here in New Mexico. 


There is a no-animals-in-the-house rule, so Guppy was very happy to see her cats arrive the second day!


Even Dutter is warming up to Guppy now. 
They are not as close as Fuzzer and Guppy, but working on it!


One of the birdie houses...


Dozer is a calm wild horse! 
On his first day in the new corral he was happy, but this was about the most exuberance he showed.
 

We have been raking and cleaning up the limbs and such and Dozer has helped a little with the weeds (and grass)...



Mustang (yard) makeover...


The cats like the trees!


On Saturday I came home from the Farmers Market in Santa Fe to find Kino and Dozer repainting the "for sale" sign. Dozer makes a great ladder.


When they were done I worked a little with Dozer.



His turn-at-speed is a little stiff, but he's getting there...


He is a sweet boy...


And his backing is coming along well.


Dozer (and Guppy) and I had a good time...


But he really loves his Kino!



The weather is warming up now, Guppy took a break in the shade while the boys tooled around.


Kino hauled over Dozer's trough that morning. This wild horse loves his feeder! 


Future site of Dairy Goats...


Friday, March 23, 2012

March Dogs. March Horses. March Goats.



Zuli and Buck are back together on the job. 
Zuli is happy to be herding goats again.


Buck has learned a lot in her absence.


And I think Zuli has a more serious attitude.


Doonie too is glad to be herding goats and enjoys her days off grazing with Pecos or Chopo as well.
Though she did have a fine attitude living in Bernalillo where we worked together as a team on being a team. She developed an even sweeter demeanor and was generally a happy horse. 
I think Dozer even taught her to be kinder and gentler to the other horses too. 
She is less physical while acting as dominant mare. 



Swirly, Rocky and Curly sit together watching in different directions as the herd moves along nearby.
Meanwhile Alphabet walks along amongst the goats.


Changing range... 
These goats and half the herd crossed the dam and headed south up the valley...



While these goats went down into the arroyo.


Neither herd saw the other... but these guys knew they were split up, as did their dogs.


Curly was with the herd heading south here, Rocky and Swirly were with the herd in the arroyo. Alphabet was in between and his influence brought the herds back together.


Alphabet looks for the other herd...


And seeing where they went he heads back around the dam...


leading his goats to the other side of the arroyo...





Where they too could see their missing companions.



When they were rejoined Alphabet happily cantors into the middle of the herd.


The goats browse some more in the arroyo while the dogs watch...
(from left: Alphabet, Rocky, Curly, Swirly, Zuli)



Back home the pups come to see their goats and older pack mates.