Happenings

So much has been going on around here lately that I've neglected to update our blog.  Here's a sample of the happenings:

We've had quite a few new calves and are expecting more to be born in early December.  We put in 21 embryos back in March and are hoping to get a much higher ratio this go around....

We attended the NADA 3rd Annual "Gourmet Beef on Grass" Conference and Select Sale.  It was a lot of fun!  We got to catch-up with old friends and make some new ones.  We sold a couple of our Devons and bought a couple, so we really didn't make much money.  We did get some different blood lines, though!

We've been milking one of the Devons we bought at the Select Sale and the milk is fabulous! We were really amazed at how much cream there is in the milk and have been making fresh butter. She's a "beef" Devon too, not a Milking Devon! 

We've decided we really want to get more involved in milking...making fresh butter and raw milk cheese, so we're working on plans for a milking barn and trying to determine the best location for it on the farm. Right now the girls and I are hand milking in the barn with no electricity and no hot water.  We have to take everything down there from the house every time. It's a lot of work, but the milk is worth it!

We purchased some of the Rotokawa Devon that were brought over from New Zealand by Bakewell a few years back.  They arrived in October and we just LOVE them! They really look like those "folk art" cow pictures. I'll get some pics posted on here soon!

We also purchased a new Devon bull and are really looking forward to seeing what he can do in our herd.  We already have quite a few heifers out of him that we purchased earlier this year and like them alot.

We've decided to sell out of our Katahdin sheep and focus more on our Large Black Hogs.  We've just fallen in love with them and really don't have the time to do both.  We gave our daughters the choice between the two and the pigs won!

Our twin daughters turned 13 this summer and now our baby girl is turning 10 in December.  Where has the time gone?!  They are really growing up and starting to become more interested in the operations of the farm.  We hope they will want to carry on and build on what we've started here.

It looks like we're going to be hosting a field day here on the farm next spring.   We'll post the dates as soon as we know them. Guess we better get busy so we'll be ready!