It's all about the MILK!

It's a crazy time right now. From this kidding we ended up with 6 kids which translates to 18 bottles per day. First thing in the morning I make them all, then I have an older child with a younger child go to feed them, while Hannah is milking the 2 mamas. We get a few things done and then it's time to feed those babies again, make lunch for us, put littles down for naps. Again, I get a few hours to accomplish some things and then it's bottle time again and the evening milking. It's a lot of work initially and for about 3 months. At the end of the three months we will have weaned the babies and dropped down to 1 milking per day. Whew! Let me say though, - it's worth it.... lattes, mozzarella, and the creme de la creme....

Chevre a la Blanchet!!

First we start with this. She gives us a gallon per day!! Good Girl Lani Kai!

Then we make 18 bottles each day. (3xday for 1 month, 2xday for 1 month, and then 1xday for last month)

Cafe Latte made with goat's milk... sooo good!

Blanchet Chevre!!

The rounds are plain and the squares are garlic and basil.

If only you could taste these. They are delicious! We came home from church and enjoyed some with multigrain crackers... D.I.V.I.N.E.!

Such a sweet gift...

My sweet sister in law, Karen gave me this "Mom Pot" many years ago. It's meant to hold all the gifts of flowers that my little blessings bring me. It's only about 2" tall. I do so love when they open the screen door and say, "Mama, I have flowers for you!"

It's gotten a lot of use over the years, as you can see by the chip on the edge. It usually sits on my kitchen windowsill full of daisies or dandelions. It was sitting empty this morning and it made me think of this verse from the Bible. "But now, O Lord, Thou art our Father, We are the clay, and Thou our potter; and all of us are the work of Thy hand." Isaiah 64:8. Which led me to think of this verse, "Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work." 2 Timothy 2:20-21. My chipped Mom Pot reminds me that I am not perfect. In fact, I am a sinner saved by God's grace. The day I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior, I became that vessel that could be sanctified and useful to My Maker! S0 this little gift reminds me of Karen, my little treasures of my children and the biggest treasure of all - my salvation! I pray I will always be a "vessel of honor, sanctified, and useful to My Maker.

Drum Roll, Please...

I know you are all waiting with bated breath so ....drum roll, please......AUSTRALIA is where we shall get the names for the newest goats. Australia sure has some crazy names for beaches/surf spots!
Here are a few... Butterbox, Winkipop, Narooma, Bombo, or how about Queensie Bombie?!
Some of these surf spots are rated only for "professional or kamakaze" surfers. WOW! So it looks like this batch of babes will have crazy names (for registration) but, of course, the buyers can always call them what they like.

Today the Fed-Ex truck pulled down our driveway and 5 of the adult goats that were in a pasture (well, that is a relative term - more on that later) near the driveway just stopped eating and stared at him as if to say, "Hello? Whatcha doin'?" He was pretty smitten with them. He said to me in his very thick Spanish accent,
"Oh, there is a great dish using goat".
I replied, "Oh, Cajeta sauce?" (which is divine!)
"Oh, that uses the milk - no, the one I mean uses the meat, but maybe your kids wouldn't like that too much."
"No, they actually probably wouldn't mind since we eat venison."
"Well, this dish is pretty spicy too, mabye the kids won't like that."
"Well, some of them would really like that - what's it called?"
" Birria." he replied.
Hmmm, he's got my curiosity up, I'll have to look it up on Bing!

More Goaties

They are just SO cute!! 3 more little ones arrived yesterday. She had 2 boys (bucks) and a girl (doe). Now our herd is up to 13. YIKES! So now we enter the CRAZIES! We milk the mama goats both morning and night (7 am and 7 pm) and we bottle feed the babies 3 times a day. This crazy schedule will last for about a month and then we can cut out the middle of the day feeding. During this time we are pretty much married to the farm. I'm a home-body at heart so I don't mind too much, but it does make our Sunday church and fellowship time rather tricky - especially since we don't live close to church. That's ok - we love our church and it's worth the drive and this crazy time is short lived and so worth it because we have GOAT MILK again. YIPPEE!! I'll be making cheese soon.

Name Suggestions?

Aren't they the cutest?! Once upon a time we lived at the beach. It was heavenly to smell the salt air and feel the cool breezes in the open windows and hear the sounds of the buoys. We sure miss that. Since we can't live at the beach - we bring the beach to us by naming our goats with beach names. Each kidding season we pick a different area of the world - it makes it a little easier to keep track of ages that way too. So - what should we name these 3 cuties? We have both Northern and Southern California beaches, also Hawaiian and Washington beaches. Tell us what you think!

Just like Grandma's!

These biscuits are SOOO good! I love biscuits that are big and fluffy and these are just that.
My favorite aunt, who gave me this recipe, is from New England. She claims that these biscuits "partner well with chowdah, stew, and baked beans". This is true. They are a wonderful addition to a supper dish, but I like to make them for breakfast and serve them with honey or jam. DELICIOUS!
I'm going to share the recipe with you, I promise - you will love them.

Sift together:
2 cups of flour
2-1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Add 1 heaping Tbsp. shortening (I use non-hydrogenated from Spectrum)
Add enough milk to stir to soft dough (about 3/4 cup)
Bake 10-12 minutes @ 500 degrees.
Yields about 6 large biscuits.

It's a GIRL!!

Lani Kai had 3 darling little doe goaties this morning! Aren't they the cutest!

We would like to sell all our kids from this kidding season (we have another goat due in a week or two, as well) - so if you or anyone you know is interested in Kinder goats, leave me a comment and we'll chat more about it. :-)

4th of July 2011

And one more of sweet Mary!

Our Super Fun Independence Day Celebration

A sweet family in our church hosts a HUGE 4th of July party. This year was their 10th annual!

Here are some photos of the fun we had.

This is like bobbing for apples - summer style

Happy Independence Day 2011

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord....Psalm 33:12a I pray our nation turns back to the principles that our founding fathers had. God providentially put all those brilliant men together for forge out our Declaration of Independence. I wish our government leaders would read over it regularly and see the wisdom set there within and abide by it, rather than looking for ways to change it as if it should ebb and flow with the current culture and times. I love my country - this United States of America! I am so thankful for:
the freedom I have to worship the Lord, Jesus Christ without fear or worry
the freedom to speak my mind freely (as I did above)
the freedom to vote for my representatives and initiatives
the freedom to go anywhere, live anywhere we choose
the freedom to homeschool my children
the freedom to have as many children and God would bless us with
the people who serve in our armed forces in times past and present to protect these cherished freedoms!
I am proud to be an American - I just wish America still stood strong on the principle of bringing glory to God!

Here are the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic - Enjoy your Independence Day!

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps;
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;
His day is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery Gospel writ in burnished rows of steel;
"As ye deal with My contemners, so with you My grace shall deal";
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with His heel,
Since God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Since God is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat;
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet;
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! hallelujah! Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lillies Christ was born across the sea,
With the glory of His bosom that transfigures you and me;
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free;
While God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! While God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
he is wisdom to the mighty, He is honor to the brave;
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of wrong His slave;
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on.