I was raised in my great grandfather’s old farm house. He was born in my bedroom. Farming was his whole life. He raised sheep and chickens, and made hay. Lambs were born and reared in our basement for decades. I always say that I must have gotten a piece of View Article
Goats
Goat Kidding Season of March 2019
Our first PLANNED kidding by our second freshening dam Apple and her sire Fireball was Monday afternoon. Apple had a quick and smooth labor and the birth went great. I was terrified when I saw two little white hooves emerge in the pale-yellow liquid bubble while Apple groaned—and hilariously ate View Article
January 2019 Homestead Update
Available this Month: Whole Processed Rabbits Raw Goat’s Milk Chicken & Duck Eggs Goat’s Milk Soap Chèvre Goat Cheese Whole Processed Goose Rabbit Pelts Hatching Eggs Happy new year from Hobbit Hill. This year kicks off our sixth year breeding our French Black Copper Marans. These beautiful layers of View Article
March Homestead Update
We were able to get away for a trip to South Carolina. We arrived back home a week ago to find our farm in tip-top shape—even better than how I’d left it! My friend’s daughter was up for the task and did a marvelous job tending the goats and chickens. View Article
Prepare for the Big Freeze
The end of this week the sky shall fall white flecks of doom. Oh yes, it’s coming. Soon we’ll all be waving our hunter orange hats in destain while screaming “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!”. If you weren’t hatched with a thick beard and muffs like our View Article
We are Moving
For many reasons, both practical and personal we are finding a new home for our herd to roam. Beyond personal reasons, it sure would be nice to have our own hay-field to cut, mature wood lot to harvest and road frontage with easy access and parking for a farm store. The View Article
Freezing Mist Afoot: Winter in Maine
As I write this, a fine mist clings to the goat’s house and chicken coop. Larger drops slip through as they gain momentum and gather droplets. It’s 26°f and layers of ice are slowly building up, and are expected to continue clear through dinnertime. A good, solid inch lays over View Article
Dairy Goat 101: What NOT to do
Here is your first Dairy Goat 101 tip: Learn how to milk a goat before you bring two goats home with full udders. Tip number two: Don’t try to milk two goats on the tailgate of a truck in the dark while you daughter Googles ‘how to milk a goat’. View Article