Last week in May

Our New Lambs!

Good Morning: I know your surpised to see a blog so soon. Well I am inbetween cheese making days and so I thought I'd write. Our Memorial Day was very nice. My parents came over for a short visit. We went to some friends house for a BBQ. We took potatoe salad and cheese and crackers...of course. We stayed until 5pm and came home and did chores. I worked in the processing plant cleaning and getting ready to make cheese on Wed. Oh yes, my hose that I was so excited about was to short - so now I have to get about 30 more feet....have to wait for the farm store to order some more hose now. I was so bumbed. Oh well I'll be carrying milk for the batch on Wed. The processing plant in town came and picked up my milk on Sunday evening - only 100 gallons. So thats why I can't make cheese till Wed. We only have four baby goats left to bottle feed. And two of them will leave this next weekend. Only to return in a week to be goat sat for a week. Ali has picked out a pack goat and its in this group and then a single buck that will probably join our freezer goat bunch when its weaned. We are all done kidding until July if those two does took. So we are onto bigger and better things.

We are working on our new loan - so we can stay here. With the economy and all, its crazy with the finances. We pay what we can and try and sqeeze by on the other bills. We are one of those families that don't have health insurance - and no unemployment left to speak of. But somehow we are doing it and we are still here on the farm. I think God has something to do with it personally. But It will all work out the way its suppose to - because we do trust the Father Above. We are thankful for what we have and enjoying the grace God has given us.

David has a new market tomorrow starting.. Tumwater. Its a short market 11-2pm. We haven't done this one in two years. So it will be interesting to see how it is now. We have plenty of cheese left from last week - so I don't have to package and label for tomorrow. But will be back into swing of things Wed.

My chevre turned out great yesterday. I took it down from hanging and put it into the refrigerator. This will be packaged for this week. My Grande' Rosa and Pepper Rosa are getting a nice rind on them and will also be packaged up Wed. I think I'll be making NW and Black Jewels on Wed. I'll have helpers here to learn how to make cheese and run a dairy all day... so lots of help. Ya!

Maggi and the Frizy

David has been working with Maggi (border collie and blue heeler mix pup), to catch a frisby. She is doing great. So when we go outside there is Maggi with her frizby wanting someone to throw it for her. We also have a lambs now. They will be put in the freezer about October. One of them is for my daughter and her family. And two for us. We also worked on a new flower bed in front of the milk parlor. But the other new garden is where our blueberry's are. David made it square and added the plants we bought from the Herb Festival. It looks great. That is the other photo.

Our Blueberry garden

Well I'll write more as soon as possible. Have a Great Week!

Memorial Day Weekend

Good Morning:

These pictures are of our 4-H sleep over weekend.

I just want to say that I really enjoy writing to you all when I get a chance to sit down. Its a great jounal of our life on the farm. I know sometimes its kind of dull - but then there are the times when things are hopping. So put on your running shoes for this weeks blog;

May 19 - This was a day off - truely. Couldn't make cheese didnt have enough milk, goats have been liced and wormed and the girls have been trimming toes during milking. I did go out and clean the processing plant and dust the high spots and scrub the low. My inspector is coming tomorrow to test the thermometers on my pasturizer and inspect the farm and the processing plant. We worked on the yard and my parents came over. I made dinner for us all and looked through old pictures they brought me. (Boxes and boxes) Mom decided after a friend passed away that she didn't want us kids to have to go through all her stuff when she passed away. So she thought she would start disperssing it now. So that is what is going on. And since I am working on the family photo album I should get the photos. They are great too. Looking at people that are not in our lives any longer and remembering. So today was a relaxing day.

May 20th - I made some Grande' Rosa and Pepper Rosa, 50 gallons so it makes about 35 pounds of cheese. I had to package and lable cheese for market on Thur. This is going to be my first day alone at the Olympia market. David will start Broadway in Tacoma market. So I need to have alittle extra cheese packaged cause you never know what your opening market day will be like. The weather is suppose to be sunny so that always helps bring the people out. The girls worked onHistory and math and Bible today for thier homeschool class. David did running around picking up bits and peices of stuff. Like grain and Hay and such. We didn't get to go to Church this evening - due to the extra things going on this evening. The goats are producing great and everyone is healthy. We do have one doe with diahrea in a pen and are doctoring her. She doesn't look very good... but you never know.

May 21 - We were both on the road about 7am for market. The girls are home today. I left them with some chores and some schoolwork to do. Market was pretty good. I met alot of nice people at this market. David did pretty good at his Market too. When we got home at about 4pm the girls had thier friends over. I paid Katie and Nichole for helping the last weekend milking and doing chores while the girls were gone. I have to package up an extra 20lbs of chevre for the Seattle Art Musem order. And David will reload up the car for Pikes Market tomorrow. My parents came and picked up the girls and took them to where thier motorhome is parked right now - so Ali could climb under it to get a number off the front axel.

May 22 - David left at 6:15 and took Ali incase they get really busy due to Memorial Day. So it was Danyel and I all day. I had so much cheese to label and package it wasn't funny. I started working on packaging cheese while Danyel milked the goats this morning and finished about 11pm. We had to borrow vaccum sealer bags from Black sheep creamery - I ran out... OOPS!

They loaned us some and I was on my way again. Danyel and I did some running around after Biology. I started making cheese in the morning too - Chevre. I thought about the milk I'v been hauling down to the processing plant - 52 gallons each batch. Its heavy and time consuming. So we went to the farm store and had one of the gentlemen help us figure out how or what we needed to make a nozzel for the bulk tank and then buy 70ft of hose. I think it will work. We got home and I finished my cheese and tried my new contraption in the bulk tank... it fits. I'll try and make cheese on Sunday after church. It was really pretty out today and I washed the table and chairs on the deck. Watered some of the plants and planted a few more in the pots.

David and Ali got home at 7:30pm. Danyel was n't finished milking yet cause we started at 6pm cause it was pretty warm out. My back hurts and so do my legs. But all is well at the dairy.

May 23- I was up at 5am to clean the parlor and cut up samples to take to my market. I need to leave at 6:15 or close to that. I am driving to Adna to pick up Meg (Black Sheep Creamery) and we are car pooling, or as it is truck pooling to Puyallup for the market. We arrived at about 8:30 in puyallup and the market starts at 9am. David went to Proctor street in Tacoma and had left our house at about 7am and was set up ready to sell by 8:30am. I did get set up in time and was selling right off the start. I am inside the pavillion and in front of one of the big open doors. So I wore my coat all day at the market while it was hot outside. But the market was busy and I sold alot of cheese. At this market there are three cheese venders. David did very well at his market too. I had David buy some pork steaks at the market for dinner. He also brought me a bunch of spinach and some greens. We were both home about 4:00 and I went out and cleaned the parlor then hung my chevre that I made yesterday. Then into the house to cook dinner. David unloaded and counted the cheese and the tills. We all got to sit down about 8pm. I fell asleep about 11pm but took a nap at about 6pm for half an hour. Ali had a friend spend the night - so they slept in sleeping bags out in the barn in thier fort.

May 24 - Sunday. We got up at 6am and went out to do chores. I cleaned my parlor and then headed to the processing plant to clean and wash dishes. I want to be ready to make Black Jewels and NW Comfort today - using my new hose to get the milk to the pasturizer. I'll let you know how that works on my next blog.

You all have a great Memorial Day and remember the men and women that have given thier all for us to enjoy the little freedoms we now have. Please enjoy these freedoms as it may be the last ones you'll know. And you need to remember what it feels like so we can again work for our independance when the air has settled. Have a great day.

Back in the Saddle Again!

Good Morning: Ice and One of our Boar bucks lounging --- One of Ali's frogs

Well chores are done. I am in the house and its only 8:30am. Pretty good for lately. The girls have run down to the neighbors to check on her stuff while she is gone. David is on his way to pick up two round bales of hay. The house is quiet except for the crunching of dog food by the Maggi. The weather is kind of foggy and the moisture is in the air. Its suppose to be a nice day today. The local processing plant is coming to pick up my excess milk which is over 200 gallons for this week.

My parents are in town so they came by on Wed. to see us and bring me some goodies... books photo's, towels, and linens. And my understanding is they have more for me.

I thought we had this week pretty together but plans changed about Thur. morning. The girls left by 4pm for the Search and Rescue Confrence in Randle. Thier friends, Katie and Nichole came and spent Thur. - Sat. morning here to help me with chores. It worked out great. I sent them to do the haying, graining and watering and I milked and cleaned the parlor. I didn't have time to make much cheese this week. I did get 100 gallons of milk turned into cheese.... but I have to say it got away from me this week. So David had market in Olympia on Thur. and Then Pikes on Friday. Sat. morning we both left the farm at about 6:45am for our farmers markets, David was in Longview and I was in Tacoma. Our sales were pretty good. Katie and Nichole finished milking Sat. morning and then thier mom came and picked them up. When Katie comes she has to bring her milking doe which works out great for all of us. But this week I had an email from a gentleman who had a nubian doe he wanted to give to me.. she was dry. So I asked him if it was alright to give the doe to a 4-H member in my club and he agreed that was fine. So Katie went home with two goats on Sat. She was very pleased and can't wait to show the doe in the pack compotition at fair this year.

David and I drove to Battleground and went to the herb festival on Sunday. What a nice relaxing day. It's not often we get to be alone and go somewhere fun.

David bought some tomatoe plants at the farmers market on Sat. and so Sat. evening he built a raised flower bed and planted the plants. So our goal at the Herb festival was to pick up some herbs for his rose garden he's working on and to get some more veg. for the raised bed.

We got some cucumbers and squash to plant on the edges of the tomatoe garden. Can't wait. We got some fennel, basil, lavenders and a few other herbs to plant around the farm.

We got some goat milk soap at the Herb festival too from Silver Star Farms - awsome soap. David found a planter there too for his strawberries. We stopped at a garage sale and picked up a few things.

This morning we are going to do some lititure and bible study for homeschooling. Danyel has biolgy and Ali will work on her science. I need to find places for the pictures mom and dad brought to me and do some laundry. Won't make cheese until Wed. morning so I best use my time wisely and get some stuff done around the house. David wants to mow the lawn and plant plants.

Have a great Day

Keeping up with Farmers Markets and Home

Hello: The sword fights the whole 4-H Group for the sleep Over

Wow! its been along time since I last wrote to you all. So you know what that all means right.... This will be a catch up chapter or book. I'll condense it down or I'll have to be writing for a long time. Here goes.

The first thing that happened is my X husband died of cancer on the 16th of May. My daughter from Texas flew in on Friday. I made cheese all week - about 150 gallons into cheese. I did a presentation at the Proctor Farmers Market. I made my marinated Feta white sauce and put it over noodles (that were sold at the market). I also made my lemon and honey chevre and a ranch chevre. It took about an hour for the demonstration. Ali went to the market with me so she could man the booth while I taught. David went to Longview Farmers market. The days before I had made 80 garlic and dill packages - 50 plain chevre's. And about 50 of the Marinated feta and the fresh feta as well as Grande Rosa and Pepper Rosa. I was busy counseling my older children about their dads death and comforting them. It seemed I was on the phone or hands in cheese that week.

We were also working with our 4-H club getting ready for our sleep over. We had a meeting every week on Wed. for about 2 hours each time. Our club had to make the swords and get the map ready for the "Risk - Lord of the Goats" Game.

Our family went to the funeral on Tue in Longview. It was great to see all the family there. David's mom and dad even came for the funeral. As well as my girlfriend who lives up the road from where my x lived. In all it was a good funeral as funerals go. Tami flew back to Texas a few days after the funeral. Danyel and Ali and I drove into Longveiw on Wed. to have lunch with Tami and Mike and Heather and Jamie and CJ.

Our sleep over stared on the 24th at about 5:30pm. Everyone showed up and we milked the goats and did the chores. Then we went to Hope Grange and unloaded our gear and ate dinner there. Then made our crafts and got into our groups for the game on Sat. We roasted marshmallows and made somemores for dessert. Lights out at 10pm and then the alarm went off at 5:30am . We all got up and dressed and headed back to the farm for chores and milking. We finished the farm chores and headed back to the grange where one of the moms made breakfast for us which was french toast and goat sausage, juice and fruit too. Then we packed up our stuff - cleaned the Grange, vacuumed the carpet, swept and mopped the floors and put the tables back. Then back to the farm for the game. The kids ran all over the field having sword fights to win territories. It was alot of fun. We built a fire and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows for lunch - and ate the left overs from dinner and breakfast. It was a fast weekend.

David went to the Tacoma's farmers market on Proctor street. To get ready for the weekend ment I had to package and label cheese on Monday and Wen. and that was a busy week. I have to say I was glad when it was over. But the next week was just as bad.

We had a 4-H meeting to get ready for the youth fair. We were suppose to work on showmanship and clipping with our club from 9-2pm. I had cheese going too! It seemed I had to keep moving. David did the Olympia market on Wed. starting the 16th of the month. So all together we had three markets going each week. Danyel and Ali went to a Civil Air Patrol Spring Conference for the weekend. Katie and Nichole came to spend the weekend with me to go to the Youth Fair and help me do chores for the weekend. It was a busy weekend again. We had to get up at 5am to milk and do chores in order to be at the fairgrounds by 7am to get the animals ready for show by 9am. We did it. We had to do the same thing on Sunday for the rest of the Fair. David did Pikes Place on Friday and Tacoma on Sat. and then came and hung out with us at the fair. The girls got home about 5:30pm on Sunday -- just in time to help with chores.

The next week I had Grange - so I had to make a potluck dish. I didn't have to prepare anything as our speakers were going to talk about the Levey for Evaline School District. I had to make a potluck dish for a funeral that our grange was doing the lunch for too. I made four batches of cheese for the week, 200 gallons. And again packaged and labeled enough cheese for four markets. Danyel and Ali again are gone on Friday and home on Sat. They went to a Civil Air Patrol Search and Rescue thing up in Randle WA. So Sat morning I had to get up at 4am to set up the milk parlor and milk the goats (1 1/2 hours) and be over in Adna to pick up Meg (Black Sheep Creamery) to go to the Puyallup Farmers Market (1 1/2 hours drive). David had to leave also by 7am to get to the Tacoma Market, so he got up at 4:30am to bottle feed 9 baby goats, hay all the goats, water all the goats, and grain the ones in the pens. It all came together somehow.

So Now I am up to this week and its Tue. Monday we went to two events. One in Shelton Wa, Farm to Table workshop - we only got to stay for an hour.... but wished we could of stayed longer. Then we went to Seattle for a Chef Greet and Meet. It was local wines and cheeses. We sampled our cheese to chefs - who we hope will want to buy our cheese. This event was from 5:30-8pm. Needless to say we got home around 10pm. The girls had to milk and clean the parlor and feed all the animals without our help. They did good.

Oh! yes, and Danyel turned 17 on the 6th of May. We will celebrate her birthday with Ali's in June. And Mothers day - Heather my #2 daughter came and spent the day with us at the farm. I got a great email from Jami and a card and call from Tami. I really am doing Mothers day next Sunday - The Herb Festival - Just David and I are going!

Today I made our raw goat cheese and our chevre - used 100 gallons of milk.

Tomorrow is another day and we are getting ready for four markets again this week. We also got a 30lbs order from the Seattle Art Museum Taste. This is up from 10lbs every week. David will deliver this on Friday. So I know my schedual makes some tired. And now that you mention it I am tired too!

Have a Great Day, until next time.

I'll try and blog more often..... or at least a word or two each week.

Good Morning:

Well as you all suspected we are running around like a chicken with its head cut off. We are up to four different markets right now. I am making cheese three days a week, between 35-50 gallons a batch. We are just about ready to put our second batch of aged cheese in the cave over in Adna. The sunshine is going to shine today and that gives me energy to do this running around stuff. So lets recap the week:

April 6th - We took a trip to Olympia to tour the capital building and walk along the waterfall. It was great. The picture is my grandson and granddaughter and thier mom from Montana the other daughter and husband are from Texas and then of course my two daughters and I - David was taking the photo. My daughter wanted to try a new cheese, dill and lemon rind. I made her a small round to take with her. Of course we all tasted it and it was good.

Tue. April 7th - We got our chores done and did some of our homeschooling. We have our house back after having it full for 5 days. Food, visiting and catching up was good. We got busy cleaning up the farm and lost track of time. I made dinner and was getting ready to sit down and eat when the phone rang and it was our Master from Hope Grange.... reminding us we had a meeting and the speaker would be there at 7pm. We ate in 10 min. and got to the grange a little into the speakers talk - but we made it. We got home around 8:30 pm. The guy that spoke at the grange was from Raintree Nursery... and he had some great tips for pruning and some information on some new plants that are coming out for the NW. I think I still had some labeling to do for the markets - since we sold out almost all our stock last weekend. I made a batch of Chevre.

April 8th - We had three does kid, one had triplets 2boys and 1 girl. The other two had twins one buck and doe and the other two does. Its funny because most of the people that want kids from us want does and my goats are having a hard time delivering for me. Anyway all these kids are sold except one buck. The other 8 does left are bagging up so hopefully its will be soon. The Olympia Farmers Market is coming this morning to inspect us -make sure we are doing what we say we are doing. And they said we are alright to sell at thier market as a guest this year. So we will sell at thier market on Thur. starting April 16th. We started chores a little late due to our running around, David went to town to get dog food, grain. and also Hay this morning,and cleaning up after a full house of people. Danyel had biology this morning too. Cloe our Anatolian got bred today so we'll have puppies soon. Bernie is the dad. We are also trying to turn Cloe loose with the goats in the barn. She does fine in the barn but when we take her out to the pasture she is afraid to come back into the barn so that is a tug a war. We have tried everything to get her to come back in. Maybe its just time. David was trying to dig a hole in the top field and he broke his tractor its 5:30pm so off to the tractor store to get parts. Looks like we are not going to make it to church this evening. By 7:30 he had the tractor running again and came in to eat dinner. I am still labeling cheese for Pikes Place on Thur. We sure used alot of cheese last weekend. I think I went to bed about 10pm - after along day.

April 9th - we have a 4-H club meeting to finish up some of the loose ends for our 4-H sleepover. The club must finsish thier Risk Map so I can take it down to get it laminated. The sleep over is the 25th. - Jami and the grandkids are leaving about 7am for Montana to pick up her husband and come right back as her dad has cancer and isn't expected to live much longer. David left for Pikes Place at 6am and I am woring on packaging cheese today for this weekend. Our fresh feta is ready to be cut and packaged so I'll work on that. The rest of the feta will go into the olive oil for marinating. I need to call Thurstan county about the health certificate they were suppose to be sending me and I haven't recieved. We need that permit thing to sell on Thur at Olympia. I have to get some brakes pads for David cause his friend is going to change his pads on the car while he is at market on Sat. in Longview. I also have to call the Seattle Art Musem and get information on how to do thier visa purchase. The new visa machine is working great. Danyel had biology today and we got some math done. Our house is quiet. I am getting my last min. stuff together for my Sat. market.

April 10th - David took his order for the Seattle Art Museum, and left at about 6am for Seattle. He called me and said he was in Seattle by 7:40 this morning -the traffic was really light. I am making Black Jewels and NW Comfort today. So I'll be home all day working on the finishing touches of labeling and weighing and making some aged cheese. I have a guy coming out to pick up his kid. Danyel has biology today. We got some lititure in today as well as some math. David got home about 7:30 and the girls and I had just got in from doing chores. It was a busy evening - we had to pack up both vehicals for Sat. market - tents, tables, ice chests (packed), garbage cans, hand washing station, money box, and anything else. We got done about 11pm. And I went to bed. I have to be up at 4am .

April 11 Sat.- I was up on time went out and finished the cheese process, cleaned the milk parlor for the girls. Got the girls up at 5am to do chores they need to leave at 7am for Civil Air Patorl. I am leaving at 7am I am going to Tacoma and David leaves at 7:30am for Longview. All's quiet on the home front as everyone is leaving. I didn't sell as much as last weekend but the weather was really messy. David did about the same as last weekend. We all got home close to 4 and 4:30pm. Some people were here to pick up thier baby goat at 4:30. As soon as we get home I head up to the milk parlor to clean it and set it up for the girls to start milking. We are having something easy for dinner like Pizza. By 8pm we are all in the house, David is home with the pizza and we can put our feet up.

April 12th - We got up did chores and went to church. It is a quiet Easter. I put a ham in before we left for church. No one is coming for the holiday. The older children are in Portland at thier dads bedside. And that is alright with me - cause that is where they should be. Jami and the grandkids are coming here tonight and then will leave tomorrow for Montana to pick up her husband and then head back here to Oregon. They got here about 9pm and the kids went to bed and we all followed shortly behind.

April 13th - We got up at 6am and got busy doing chores. Jami and her children got up at 6:30 and got ready to leave by 7am. They have to go over the mountains and there is word that snow is coming and she wants to beat it. She did too. David went and got hay at 9am and when he got back and the hay unloaded we left for Olympia to get that health certificate for Thurstan county. The girls are staying home today. No biology for Danyel as the school is taking the WASL. I have a lady wanting to come and get a buck kid today when we get back from Olympia. We got the certificate - it was easier than Longviews. And then had a few pit stops before we got home. Turned in my cookbooks to be put together, picked up labels. Then stopped at the health food store and picked up some sesame oil. Then onto walmart to get a few things. We got home about 1:30pm. We unpacked and got back in the car to head to Portland. We are going up to see my X. Heather my #2 daughter is up there as well as her aunts and uncles. It will be good to see the family - Akin's. We got up to the VA hospital about 4pm. Visited with eveyone and prayed with the family. On our way home the girls called to say they were doing the haying. So that gave David and I an opportunity to go out for dinner and take our time coming home. We ate at the Oak Tree in Woodland. It was great to spend some down time with my husband. We got home around 9pm. Watched some Tv and wind down.

Tue. April 14 - The weather is good enough to start one of the burn piles on the top field. The girls opted to work on the burn pile than do school work. Had to take Bernie to the vets. He has been limping. When we got to the vets he stopped limping but the vet checked him over and didn't find anything wrong. So I don't know. I made Chevre this morning and will make feta this afternoon. We got chores done and the girls spent thier extra time helping with the burn pile.

Got news this evening that my kids dad was talking and eating and laughing - things may have turned around. Pretty Cool. We ate some pasta from the market on Sat. Broccoli,Chicken Fetachinie (spelling wrong). It was great. David will monitor the fire alnight. Cloe was loose all day and she went out of the barn and CAME BACK IN on her own. WOW! I really want to leave her in the pasture with all the goats loose so she can have her puppies in there too. She has always been with the bucks so she wouldn't get bred. But since she is she can hang out with Bernie in the big pasture.

April 15th _ We have a 4-H meeting this morning and Danyel has biology. David is going to starat another fire since its going to be nice out. I am working on my cheese in the processing plant. I have three different cheeses going at the same time.

Farmers Markets Starting

This is the tour of 4-H kids checking out the dairy. They are tasting cheese and touring the processing plant. The other photo with Maggi (border collie/Blue Heeler mix) catching bubbles with Tami and CJ blowing the bubbles. The picture with all the people is my family at the Capital in Olympia.

Hello:

Its been awhile. We are getting really busy now. We only have about 20 does left to kid and we'll be done with this part of the dairy for one year. But oh, something else will take its place... Like cheese making. We are getting about 130 gallons of milk a week. Which I have been making it all into cheese. And I have no extra, so its also been selling. These are good things.... just haven't been to this point before.

We had a lady come out and spend the whole day, helped me make cheese and milked goats and observed our daily routine. Her name is Sherwin Fergason, she wants to start a sheep and goat dairy and make cheese. It was a great day and I hope she learned alot. I know she did - but I really hope she got inspired to start her dairy. That same day Amanda came by to trim her goats feet that are staying here for awhile. And she visited a bit too.

It feels like our days are running together. I think I'v mailed all 9 of our Farmers Market applications in and I also think I have only one more health department to pay.

You know the whole farmers market is great except if your sampling your product and then you have to deal with the government. And each county is a whole different game. Like one of our counties only charges $25 for their fee - then we have one that charges $260. This is for the same permit and they only come and check you once in most of the counties we deal with. I personally think they should charge the same amount and have it valued for what they do for you. After all they are getting payed out of my pocket and yours. Off of my soap box
I made 8 rounds of my non-pasteurized cheeses on the 27th. They turned out great. Took them over to the cave in Adna about 5 days later and they will be ready the first of June.

David went to Seattle Pikes, Thur, Fri and Sat. and did fairly well.

On the 28th the girls and I went to an Appreciation lunch put on by the police dept. for all the help in search and rescue and other activities that the Civil Air Patrol have helped them on. It was fun and the food was great. We all won prizes and that was great. But after that I have to get back to work. I had to label a bunch of cheese as David was selling it fast. I turned my Grande Rosa and Pepper Rose that I made. I also made a batch of chevre on 29th and so when you walked into the processing plant I had three different types of cheese out - doing something in their process.

Sunday the 29th we all went to church and came right home. We were suppose to have a 4-H meeting to finish up our map for the up coming 4-H sleep over. Well no one came so my girls finished the map and I'll take it down and get it laminated for the the sleepover. Made my chevre and cleaned the bulk tank. Chores have been going pretty smooth. We put Ice our sannen buck in a pen - he was limping and I wanted to see what was the matter. It was his front foot, and I think he got an infection in it from the mud in his pen. So I'll treat it and get him walking good.

David got a $75 order of cheese and I needed to mail it to Arkansas today. Pretty cool. I also received my new mailing packages. It will bring my shipping cost down to $5 instead of 25. Pretty cool. So send in the orders I am ready to mail out cheese. These are insulated bags and I just have to put my ice pack in and send them. Instead of the Styrofoam boxes that cost so much. Anyway thats pretty cool.

The girls and I are working on homeschool. We are starting our slow down school season, but we also go through the summer. We just take days off during the summer when we have other things going on. I usually have them work about 2 hours a day on school during the summer.

March 31 David had to go get hay this morning. And I made a 50 gallon batch of feta. Which takes about 6 hours. David is off. We are also starting to clean the house as my daughter and husband will be coming in on Thur. from Austin Texas.

April 1 - We had a tour of 20+ . It was great because I had all this cheese out and they got to see it in different stages. This was a 4-H club. They helped milk and feed kids. The weather was drippy so no tractor ride. After they left I had to label more cheese to get ready for This up coming Sat. which is our first farmers markets -Tacoma, Proctor and Longview. I took Black Jewels and N.W. Comfort to Adna to age. Then went grocery shopping. I really want to have most of my stuff done before my house is full of people.

April 2- We had a doe have triplets, boar cross sannens. Cute. We got our chores done and went downstairs to do homeschool. Sent David off to do some running around. Danyel and Ali went to the Winlock Lions Club to talk about Civil Air Patrol and be treated to lunch. They did well at their presentation. They took pictures of some of the stuff they have done with Civil Air Patrol. David took Bob, from church, to Pikes with him today. The girls and I cleaned house and are waiting for Tami and Mike to get here.(won't be until this evening). They did get here about 10pm and the girls hit the sack right after that.

April 3 - I got up at 6 am and got the girls up at 7am. We got chores done and Mike, my son - in -law made breakfast. Ran to Walmart to get a few more groceries for dinner. Mike B-B-Q some goat. It was so good. They had some of their friends over for dinner too. Lots of food people and children. I labeled and Packaged cheese all day too. I think we are ready for Sat. David got home about 7:30 and got to eat some goat and visit for awhile with everyone. He had a fair day at market. I started making Grande Rosa and Pepper at about 7pm --- Big mistake. I got the pasteurizing done, midnight and thought I should just finish at 4am.

April 4 - up at 4am and working on the cheese. I cleaned the parlor and got the girls up to do milking at 5am. They have to be ready to leave at 7:30 for Civil Air Patrol and David leaves for Longview market too. I should leave at 7am to be there in Tacoma by 8:30am. But the cheese took alittle longer and I had to hurry. David put the weights on the cheese, I ran and got dressed and hair brushed and left 7:15. Had to still get gas too. I had a wonderful day at market really busy. I had probably our best Farmers Market total ever. David did so so at Longview. But everyone was glad to see us at their market. When I got home my daughter & husband and grandson from St. Helens was here along with my adopted daughter. So I had 10 people for dinner. I made Spaghetti. It was all good. Had a great visit. I was in bed at 9pm.

Sunday April 5 - Up for chores. Two does had twins. Mike cooked breakfast for us all - Chocolate Pancakes with chocolate chips in it, then coconut on the top and more choco chips and then syrup. It tasted pretty good too! Went to church. Home again and started dinner. I am making chicken and dumplings. Also my son was on the couch sleeping this morning... He came home with the kids last night when they all got together. Well chores came quickly and we got the job done. Shawn brought his girl fiend and their two kids and his cousin Bryan and his son. So we have 18 for dinner. After dinner we cut the cake and blew out the candles. Shawn and Heather Birthdays - Mike and Tami anniversary. After dinner Jami and Justin and Ashlynn got here from Montana. Now our total is 21. Six left and the rest spent the night. I stayed up till 11pm visiting.

Monday April 6 - Got up at 6:30 and got the girls up at 7am. Got chores done and one Doe had a single kid. Today I have to make chevre and four people are leaving by Noon today. The rest are going to go to Olympia to see the State Capital and check out the falls. I had to pull a baby today. It was a big buck kid. I sold two buck kids also. We took the van filled with Jami and her two kids, Mike and Tami and Danyel and Ali and David and I to Olympia. We got to go inside the Capital took lots of pictures and then went for a walk around Falls Park. It was a really great day. Very pretty. We stopped to eat a hamburger on the way home. Got home at 6:30 and started milking at 7:15. I started my chevre at 8:50pm and will get it done before bed. Bed being 12 midnight. We have no extra's spending the night. But Jami and the two grandchildren will be back on Wed.

Have a great day and enjoy the sunshine.

Tours And Cheese Class

Cheese Class 3-21-09

3-24-09 Tour Cowlitz County 1st Class Co-op

David showing a baby boar doe to a baby 3.18.09 Tour

Well I hope this blog finds you all well and enjoying Spring! I havent seen spring yet - but I know its around somewhere. This last Thur. our article came out about my cheese class. What a response to it. I was so surprised. My phone and email were going crazy with people wanting to get into my class. I ended up closing it at 45 people. That I discovered was to many people for that grange hall. Some people couldnt get close enough to see the demonstration. So I'v set another class for July 25 at Hope grange 10am -2pm with a tour of our farm after the class.

We had a tour on the 18th of the GHEA Academy from Federal Way, WA. this one had about 40 people. I want to thank all the parents - they helped with the tour alot. I cleaned the processing plant and cleaned the milking parlor.

20th - well its getting closer to the wire. I have to make my soup - about 9 gallons of soup. And get my last min. stuff together. I actually went over in the evening and took most of my class stuff to the grange. So in the morning I just need to take the rest of the stuff - or things I forgot.

I have to make a gallon of chevre for demonstration tonight so in class tomorrow I'll hang it. My girlfriend did have some jugs I could buy her and she had a couple of gallons of milk I could sell at my class too. I'll only take about 10 gallons over to the class if anyone wants more they can pick it up at the farm. Got my Processing plant cleaned and the processing plant cleaned too. We have had a few does kid. One of the guys that is coming to my class will be picking up six of the doe kids. David had a headache at market today so he didn't do very well. But it seems when his market isn't doing good the dairy is. So we balance out. The girls and I got the chores done and the goats settled in for the evening. I ordered pizza for dinner - to much to do and get ready no time to cook. David got home about 7:30pm and unloaded his stuff. He had taken our order to the Seattle Art Museum that morning. He loaded his cheese up again. Bed was at about 10pm.

21st - I was up at 4:30 getting cheese packaged for David for market. The girls are up at 6am to help get chores done. I left at 7:30 to haul stuff over to the grange and get set up. Needed to cut up samples of cheese and set out all the pans. While I was there the girls ate breakfast, got dressed and finished the milking. I was going to pick them up at 9am. I had two ladies show up at 8:45am. I was still setting up. I came home and got the girls and thier friend Katie came and helped with the class. While I took the class on the tour of the farm the girls were picking up and washing dishes at the grange. Then I went and picked the girsl up, loaded the van with everything, mopped and swept the floors, vaccumed the rugs and put the chairs away. By the time the class and tour was over --- oh my I was so tired. My legs hurt so bad from standing in flat shoes. I actually cleaned the parlor and then came inside and sat in a hot bathtub while the girls finished the chores. David got home about 7:30 and counted his bank. He didn't do great but he did do pretty good. I was in Bed by 9pm.

22nd - David went to market this morning left at about 6:30am. I got the girls up and we did chores, fed babies and then came in and ate breakfast and headed for church. We had gotten a call on Sat. afternoon that the Dockside Bistro wanted to order some cheese and needed it on Sunday. So after church we went to Subway and got lunch then headed for Olympia. Got the cheese delivered and then stopped at the stipmall in Centriala and bought some jewelry & books.

Then we had some stuff to pick up at Walmart in Chehalis. We got home about 3:45. Sat down for 15 min. then headed out to feed babies and start chores. David got home about 8pm not so good at market. Bed was at 10pm.

23 - Getting ready for our tour on Tue. I made Chevre in the morning and Grande Rosa and Pepper Rosa cheese in the afternoon. Have to get all the cleaning done in the Processing plant and the milking parlor. Cutting up samples and cleaning our bathroom too. The lady from the bank is coming to teach us how to use our visa machine. One more step to being a real business. David will be using the machine more than I will. We also got a manual one, so if I need it I can take that one and do all the transactions at home. David did running around to day, needed dog food, banking and store.

No babies born for the last few days. But we only have 14 on the farm that are bottle babies. And only one of those is for sale. I have standing orders for babies and I am thankful they are so far patient with my does who are holding out on me. We are milking 42 doe right now. We have put Cloe (female Anatolian shepard) in the barn with Bernie. We are hoping for puppie by May. Cloe had to be chained to a pole in the barn. She hasn't learned not to chase the goats. So we'll test her every few days to see if she is learning to behave herself. Bernie is uninterested in her. She wants to play so she is tormenting him all the time. Well I got a call from our tour that there will be 50 + people. Oh my gosh.... thier first count was 30- 40 possible. Its crazy.

24- We get up and do all the prep work... everything in order for the tour. We are trying to decide if we should get out the tractor and trailor for rides. Cause it raining on and off today. We end up getting it out. So David will take a group down to the field and I'll take the other ones through the cheese plant. There were about 23 cars and about 60 people. We had alot of people here. They stayed until about 6pm because they wanted to milk too. I think they had a good time. I think we also came up with the right number for our farm for tours - 30. Its just so crazy. Well that night we ordered Pizza for dinner and sat in front of the TV relaxing.

25- Today I got the girls up at 7am to do chores. Danyel had a late Biology class today. David did the running around. I do need to go to the store to get food for our house. I rehung my chevre that was hanging it was cold in the processing plant and that makes my chevre not drain right. It will be done by this evening. I also turned the rounds and put the weight back on them until tonight. I have emails and blogs and mail to catch up on. So that is it for today. Enjoy the pictures.