Kidding Around

 

Kidding season is over for the year. Looks like we have a huge herd with all the kids in the mix.  They are so much fun to watch. 

This one is Topaz/Walker buckling. 

Our only blonde Leo kid born this spring, Rosie's little buckling.

Isley's little doe.

Topaz's other buckling. Yes, we had a few bucklings this year.

Amazingly Effective, Nontoxic Fly Repellant

by Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist on July 19, 2011

in Green living

Flies seem to be everywhere this time of year.  I was out at a local farm just yesterday and the flies were very noticeable and quite annoying as I went about my work.
Seeing all those flies reminded me of a simple, nontoxic and very effective fly repellant that I observed in action at one of my children’s field trips a couple of months ago.
The class was visiting a petting farm with a large open barn where donkeys, horses, goats and other livestock were available for the children to observe and interact with.
Despite so many animals in a small semi-enclosed area, there were no flies buzzing around!   Curious, I asked the owner about this and he pointed to plastic bags partially filled with water hanging over every stall.
He explained that a clear bag of water with a penny at the bottom would repel the flies very effectively.  He went on to explain that the “eye” of a fly is actually hundreds of eyes and the reflection of light on the bag of water keeps them away.
“Why the penny at the bottom of the bag?”, I asked.
Grandpa the farmer answered that he wasn’t exactly sure but the penny did seem to increase the effectiveness of the hanging bag of water alone.  He added that he didn’t know how many square feet of area each bag covered so he just put a bag over every animal stall to keep as many flies away as possible.
He also had put up a few bags over the picnic area and it was so nice to be able to eat lunch without flies swarming everywhere!
Try this fly repellant method for yourself!  If you do, please check back and let us know how it worked for you!   Please note that this only works for flies, not mosquitoes and other insects.

Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist.com

Garden Time

    The Iris's are blooming early this year because of the warm spring we are having here.  I really like these flowers and their sweet smell just wish they bloomed longer.  I plant several types of flowers in my vegetable garden and around the yard.  Jett, my grandson, was here on Monday. We walked all around looking at Momaw's flowers.  He is very gentle with the blooms and  for a almost two year old, he seems to appreciate all the beautiful colors.  Jett thought my snow peas, that are blooming, were Momaws flowers too. 

                                                    Jett saying cheese!!!

My snow peas are in full bloom right now. Purple Tip green beans and corn are

looking good so far. All depends on if we get rain when needed this summer.

Okay I can't stay completely away from goats.  Here is Leo looking at us.  The girls are out in the field enjoying all the green pasture.

                                       Popaw and Jett had to go visit LEEOO.