Happy Happy New Year - 2012

Thanks for making 2011 The Simple Farm's best!

We look forward to what new growth 2012 has for us and for you!

PS - New baby goats on the way in the beginning of March!

Here's a glimpse of one of the things we do at the farm.

The Dance

When our girls grew their baby goats (aka kids) I watched and listened with great anticipation.  The sweetest thing ever was listening to the mamas hum to their babies. . . thus my term - Goat Song.

As each expectant mama would lie down - I'd notice how she'd bend her head, take note of her growing belly and then start this gentle hum. Each mom (doe) would make different tonalities.  Singing - I call it - or Goat Song.

I think this is so - so that each baby (if born within a big herd) would be able to find her mom and know her mom because of her particular sound.

Once again, we're starting that season of breeding all over again and today as I watched Caleb (our herd sire from Crow's Dairy in Buckeye) do his 'thing' I have termed this - Goat Dance.

It's as if he courts her in his dance around her. In my opinion - it's a beautiful thing.  It's a nature thing. It's a God thing.

I - we - the neighbors (I'm sure) only hope she 'took' today because her "heat cry" is incredibly obnoxious. Listen {here} for yourself.

Goat In Heat

Morning Goat Antics at The Farm - Oh to be Queen

Ahnie: Queen in Training

Bergen's Boys

I know we've done our job as farmers and dairy goat herders when one little boy named Bergen (I'm probably spelling this wrong) asks if he could sleep in a sleeping bag outside the buck pen and he plays "goats" with his brother on a regular basis.  Bergen loves our boys (bucks). He thinks they're cool because they have a basket ball in their buck yard.

We love Bergen and his little brother and every time they show up - we can't help but jump up and down on the inside because of all their sweet preciousness.

Goat Milking - Tandem Style

The challenge was put out to Michael and Marsha - two friends who have become our friends at The Simple Farm - to come and learn "How To Milk A Goat."

Michael, a salon owner, was a bit skiddish at first but after a few moments decided he would be up for the challenge. Marsha, an 8th grade school teacher, didn't hesitate. Awesome.

During Farm Stand Friday, Michael (the farmer, my husband) took Michael and Marsha to the back area of our farm toward the doe yard and the milking room where I get to spend time milking the girls twice a day. Presently we milk two does - Storm and Marie - each giving about a gallon of milk a day.

I love Marsha's smile! Not sure what Michael's thinking.

He's getting it...I can tell!

Two-handed pro!

We're always delighted to teach people how to milk a goat. It's not hard - it just takes practice and in time you develop some pretty strong hand and fore-arm muscles.

The joy of seeing that rich creamy milk squirt into the pail never ceases to delight me. If you've come to the farm you know I am always talking up the benefits of good, rich and raw goats milk. I am on a mission that everyone that can (has space) should have two dairy goats in their own back yard.

Goat Milking Girls

The Wednesday Farm Girlfriends (our farm volunteers) get to try out all sorts of things.  This past Wednesday it was Rochelle and Lynne's time for their class on  "How To Milk A Goat."  

They did a great job milking Miss Storm and Miss Marie and have earned their "I Milked a Goat" certificate.

The Boys

Our boys were all sired from Crow's Dairy Charlie - SG Crow's Dairy Shellly's Debbie and his dam is Six M Galaxy Red Robin

Dam: 
Storm - Her sire is Jacobs Pride Show Me Zanziber and her dam is Reuel Stayce's AM. Stella

Dam:
Marie  - Black Mesa's Cory's Corianne/ and Black Mesa Edie's Huey


All our bucklings are for sale. For more information call Michael at 480.203.9189

Just a little update....all boys were sold to one family.

Good Morning Sweet Marie. . . .

. . . it's your day.

While doing the 5 am shift of bottle feeding the triplets, Marie just happened to walk by and well....let's say more babies are on the way at The Simple Farm today.  

Miss Storm's Boys

Wasn't sure if today would actually be the day, but it was! I was enjoying a few girl chat times with my daughter Candace and one of my daughters of the heart, Teresa and around 5:20 I decided to check on Storm. Yup - she was delivering her first of three bucklings. Perhaps the neighborhood heard me holler at Zane to get his mother and Teresa. Not sure what I was thinking she could do but sometimes extra hands around when you don't know what to do - seems to help.

I'll describe the scene later but for now here's two of Miss Storm's three boys - adorable...simply adorable. All three little guys, Sam. Charlie and Henry are for sale. Please email us at thesimplefarm @ gmail dot com or call the farm line if you're interested.