July 2011 Photo Collage

July has been another busy and colourful month.  I can't quite believe we are 'almost' in August already.  Does anyone know how many craft days there are until Christmas?  Have a great August.

Busy on a Goat Farm!

Looking after more than fifty goats is very hard work for Sarah and Ian the farmers.  I am sure the help from willing, over enthusiastic little campers is much appreciated!  First Euan had to remove the old hay from the troughs of the youngest goats and give it to the middle sized goats.

The youngest goats were very hungry for fresh Hay and goat 'cake'.  One was so hungry it had a couple of nibbles of Euan's hair.  In Euan's own words it made him 'quite angry!'.  I think the goat thought it was carrot.

Hungry goats eat a lot of hay twice a day.

Theses guys push and shove to get to the food, they have bad manners and there was some butting of heads and even standing on each other.

Euan was brave and got into the pen with the youngest goats.  As soon as the goats started doing what came naturally to them...

He got out quite quickly!

The older goats eat silage and they seem to love it.  Then for their afters they have 'Goat Cake' pellets.

While all the children were busy Ken and I had time to bond.

What a charmer.  He is about two years old.  It is amazing to think that the kid billies will grow that fast.

Up close and personal!  Such a cutey with a very soft muzzle.  He was a Gentle Giant.  He shared an important job on the farm with Billy Kid, the other big Billy Goat.  Between them they are the 'Daddy' to a lot of kids!  They are doing a great job.  Poor Billy the ladies prefer Ken.  I think it is his enigmatic charm that does it.

A very photogenic boy.

The funny looking goats are sheep!  Three sheep live with all these goats I think, they think they are goats.  They are enjoying their cake.  After the 'Tour De Fleece' I am looking at all animals and seeing potential fiber everywhere.  I am not sure goat fibre would be great but these Suffolk sheep had lovely fleece.

I think Cashmere goats would make a fantastic addition to my three chickens.  Euan and I would also like a pet pig!
I did get some crochet done while I was away...honest Guv!  I will try to dig it out of the 'post' holiday mayhem and share it tomorrow.  The weekend here looks set to be a Sunny one, I hope you are enjoying yours.  Today we are going  to my parents to celebrate my Mom's Birthday. 

Camping in Somerset July 2011

Here is my old tent, in a field on a Goat Farm in Somerset.  I am back home now, happily back in the Land of Blog, safe and sound and clean again.  None the worse for my experience but running water, comfortable chairs and electricity feel like luxury.

We had a couple of camp fires, baking potatoes, cooking sausages and toasting marshmallows.  Sadly the toasting Marshmallows resulted in my friend taking a trip to Accident and Emergency!  A Marshmallow fell of it's stick and gave her a nasty burn!  It has really put me off toasting Marshmallows.  They will no longer be part of my camping experience.

The weather was more than kind to us and the river was very welcome for cooling off.  I don't really deal with precise temperatures there is just freezing, cold, chilly, mild, warm, hot and very hot in my vocabulary.  It was very hot.  The river was great for cooling off and not just for Lacey...

We all took a dip!

Sarah was lucky enough to see a kingfisher at the river but I had too much noise accompanying me.  I did admire the flowers though.

Edit : My bro thinks this may be Great Willow herb, I thought willow herb too but am open to
 offers :)

I do not know what these are but they are beauties, I will get around to identifying them but if any one knows I would appreciate it....

This one I think is Himalayan Balsam described as beautiful but dangerous.  It escaped from Kew Gardens in the 1830s and is currently taking over the British countryside as an invasive weed!

  We were in good company with the Lords and Ladies on the riverbank.

All the fresh air of the open countryside even made sleeping on an airbed possible.

Tomorrow I will post about Euan's experiences with 'Goat care'.  We had a very hands on experience and got involved with the daily chores.  We missed our chickens terribly and Euan liked checking the Hens on the farm for eggs.  When I got home the 'Girls' all clucked happily for a while, they missed their Mama.  I want to be a goat farmer when I grow up!  I fell in love with a billy goat called Ken, I think he liked me too.  I always think the best thing about going away is coming home though.  It is just a shame I had to leave Ken behind.

End Of - Tour De Fleece 2011 - Phew!

A Camping We Shall Go!

I have been getting ready to go camping, the thought and the excitement of it is exhausting.  I never travel light!  A friend asked if I wanted to go to Glastonbury for the day, I love Glastonbury, so the trip has grown into a two or three night excursion on the above farm in Somerset for my friend Sarah and her dog Jake, myself, Henry, Euan and our dog Lacey.

It is a working goat farm.  The facilities are basic to non existent.  My view is this is character building for the kids and myself.  We are practicing for our trip to Cornwall in five weeks.  I love the Somerset countryside Goats or no goats!  Henry is worried about the lack of basic amenities.  I think it is very funny!

The farm is down the same Lane as England's longest Ford!  The river Axe runs through the campsite and I have just read the owners have been creating Rope and Tyre swings this afternoon.  My boys should like those!  I chose the site because I am hoping it will be peaceful, also you can have campfires, which on many 'camp' sites you cannot these days.  I am hoping will will be able to try advanced bush craft skills such as toasting Marshmallows on a stick and boiling water for a pot noodle.  I really hope the Insect repellent I ordered online arrives tomorrow or Tuesday as we leave on Wednesday morning.  We have blow up beds, blow up pillows and sleeping bags at the ready.  All that 'blowing up' will also be character building for the kids, as will fetching water and sorting the technicalities of morning ablutions!   I must remember to pack a couple of crochet projects and the spindle may sneak in somewhere.  Oh and I can't forget to pack some eggs!  Euan ate the first one soft boiled for tea tonight, he dipped in the obligatory toasted soldiers.  We have had four eggs now and Euan collected his first this morning, he was so proud of it he came down the garden singing an 'I have got an egg' song.

Eggsiting News Alert!

How marvelous!  I feel like a proud parent.  I know it is late but we have only just discovered our first egg!

Isn't it a posh one!  I was not eggspecting that for a week or two!  My girls are so clever.

I could not be prouder if I had laid it myself!  It is eggsactly what we have been waiting for.  I can now officially undertake egg collecting patrol each morning.  Bless those chickens, I love them.  Even if they didn't lay eggs I would still love them, they are part of our crazy household.  They will be 18 weeks old on Tuesday.

My my, how time flies.  My little girls have grown up!