Look to the Weeds

Look to the Weeds by Diana Barker

Gardeners and farmers constantly battle with the weeds, but weeds can have a useful purpose.  Weeds can be used as a soil indicator.  Simply by observing the most prevalent weeds that are growing in a specific area, they can indicate if the soil is acidic or alkaline, whether the soil is a healthy, balanced soil, or if it’s depleted.  Weeds can indicate a poorly draining soil, or a soil that is unable to retain moisture.  Weeds can even indicate if the soil is unbalanced, being overly rich in one nutrient and deficient in others. 

When using weeds as a soil indicator, observe several of the most prevalent types of weeds to get an accurate soil assessment.  For example, the dandelion and common mullein both indicate an acidic soil, but common mullein can also mean a low fertility soil, so if you see it alone, it could mean several things, but seeing it along with dandelions would indicate an acidic soil.

Pay attention also to the health of the weeds, a healthy stand of clover could indicate a soil that lacks nitrogen, while the same weed will grow in soil that had sufficient nitrogen, but will appear much less vigorous.  It should be noted that  some weeds like purple nettle (Lamium purpureum) and Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursapastoris) will grow on most soil types and so are not reliable indicators.  Cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus), and Hydrangeas are excellent indicators for a soil’s pH, the flowers will be pink in an acidic soil and blue in an alkaline soil.

An acidic soil is a soil with a pH below 7.0.  Look for these weeds as an indicator of an acidic soil: eastern Bracken (Pteridium aquifolium),Buggenum buttercup (Ranunculus spp.), Chamomile-German (Chamomilla pecutita), Curly Dock (Rumex crispus),  English Daisy (Bellis perennis), Ox-Eye Daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Hawkweeds (Hieracium aurantiacumand pratense), Knapweeds  (Centaurea species),  Lady's-Thumb (Polygonum persicaria), Mayweed (Arthemis cotula), Mosses (Musciclass), common Mullein (Verbascum thapsis),  Nettles (Urtica dioica), Wild Pansy (Viola sp.), Pineapple Weed (Matricria matricariodes), Pinks (Dianthus sp.), Plantain (Plantago major),  Prostrate Knotweed  (Poly-aviculare), Wild Radish (Bapranus raphanistrum), Rough Cinquefoil (Potentilla monspeliensis),  Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella), Silvery Cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea), Sow Thistle (Sonchus species), Corn Spurry (Spergula arvensis), and Wild Strawberries (Fragaria  species).  Plants that grow well in an acidic soil are azaleas, blueberries, endive, hydrangeas, rhododendrons,  rhubarb, potatoes, shallots, sweet potatoes, and watermelons.  Adding lime or using woodstove or fireplace ashes can raise the soil’s pH to the desirable pH range.

Alkaline soil has a pH higher than 7.0.  Weeds that indicate an alkaline soil are: Bellflower (Campanula sp.), Bladder Campion  (Sileneiatifolia),  Wild Carrot (Daucus carota), Field Peppergrass (Lepidiumvirginicum), Goosefoot (Chenopodium species),  Gromwell (Lithospermum officinale), black Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), white Mustard (Brassica hirta), Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense), Salad Burnett (Poterium sanguisorba), Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), Stinkweed (Thlaspi arvense), Nodding Thistle (Carduus nutans), and True Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis).  Asparagus, broccoli, beets, lettuce, muskmelons, onions, and spinach do well in alkaline soil.  Sulfur can be added to a overly alkaline soil to lower it’s pH.

A healthy, fertile soil will have a pH of 6.2 to 7.0.  Weeds indicating a fertile soil are: Burdock  (Arctium minus), Butter Print (Abutilontheophrasti), Chickweed (stellaria media), Chicory (Cichorium intybus), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Fat Hen ( Atriplex hastata), Groundsel ( Senecio vulgaris),  Lamb's-Quarters (Chenopodium album), Pigweeds (family Amaranth), Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana),  Purslane (Portulaca oleracea), Queen  Anne's lace (Daucus carota), and Velvetleaf (Abutilon thoephrasti).  Broccoli, corn, lettuce, melons, peppers, squash, and tomatoes are all heavy feeders and will thrive in a fertile soil.

A poor or depleted soil will have weeds such as: Broom sedge (Adropogon virginicus), Dog fennel (Eupatorium capillifolium), Wild Radish (Bapranus raphanistrum), Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella), Wild Parsnip (Sium suave), Biennial Wormwood (Artemisia bennis) and Yellow toadflax (Lindaia vulgaris).  Beans, beets, carrots, legumes, parsnips, peas, radishes, sage, and thyme will tolerate poor soil conditions and perform well in depleted soil. 

A heavy or Clay soil will have Bradleaf Dock (Rumex obtusifolius), Wild Carrot (Daucus carota), Chicory (Cichorium intybus), Creeping Buttercup ( Ranunculus repens), English Daisy  (Bellis perennis), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Mayweed (Arthemis cotula), Milkweed (Asclepius syriaca), Plantain (Plantago major), Canada Thistle (Cirsiumarvense), and Wild Garlic (Allium vineale). 

Weeds that indicate a wet, poorly draining soil are:  Hedge Bindweed (Convolvulus Sepium), Bull sedge (Carex lasiocarpa), Canada goldenrod (Solidago graminifolia) Cattail (Typha latifolia), Coltsfoot (Tussilagofarfara), Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens), Curly dock (Rumexcrispus), Ox-Eye Daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum), Docks (Rumex sp.), Foxtail (Hordeum jubatum), Goldenrods (Solidago sp.), Groundnut (Apios americana), Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum), Horsetail (Equisetum arvense), Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida), Joe-pye weed (Eupatorium purpereum), Lady’s thumb (Polygonum persicaria), Marsh Mallow (Althaea Officinalis), May apple (Podophyllum peltatum), Meadow pink (Lychnis floscuculi), Meadow Sweet (Astilbe sp), Mosses (all species), Stinging Nettles (Urtica urens), Pennsylvania smartweed (Polygonum pensylvanicum), Ragwort, Tansy (Senecio jacobaea), Sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella), Silvery cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea), Sweet flag (Acorus calamus), Tall buttercup (Ranuculus acris), Thyme-leafed speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia), Black Willow (Salix sp.)  If you see Dock, Horsetail, Foxtails, Willows, Ox-eye Daisy, Goldenrod, Poison Hemlock, Rushes, Sedges and Joe-pye you can expect soil in that area to  experience soggy or swampy conditions at some time of the year.  Wet spots are obvious during  the rainy season but could appear fairly dry at other times. These weeds are excellent indicators that the area will be soggy at some time during the year.

Pokeweed

Weeds that grow in sandy soils are: Arrow-leafed Wild Lettuce (Lactuca pulchella), Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), White Cockle (Lychnis alba), Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), Dog Fennel (Eupatorium capillidolium), Goldenrods (Solidago sp.), Maltese Thistle (Centaurea melitensis), Sandbur (Cenchrus species), Small Nettle (Urtica urens), and Yellow Toadflax (Linania vulgaris). 

Weeds that indicate a hardpan soil are: Field Mustard (Brassica nigra), Horse Nettle (Solanum carolinense), Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea), Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense), Pineapple Weed (Matricriamatricariodes), and Quack Grass (Agropyron repens).  Bok choi, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and mustards grow well in this type of soil.

Previously cultivated soil will have theses weeds predominately: Carpet Weed (Mullugo verticillata), Chickweed (Stellaria media), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinate), Lamb’s Quarter (Chenopodium album), Plantain (Plantago major), Purslane (Portulaca oleracea), Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), and Rough Pigweed (Aramanth family).

Individual weeds that indicate a soil’s nutrient values are useful in determining if the soil is unbalanced.  Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua) indicates very low calcium, low humus, low bacterial count, and high magnesium levels.  Burdock grows in soils very high in iron and sulfate, and very low levels of calcium and manganese.  Buckhorn Plantainindicate very low levels of calcium, low humus levels, and very high in chlorine, magnesium, potassium, and sodium.  Common Chickweedand Mouse Ear Chickweed indicate very low calcium and phosphorus levels, and very high potassium and sodium levels.  Crabgrassindicates very low levels of calcium and phosphorus, low pH, low humus, very high chlorine levels, and high levels of magnesium and potassium.

Dallisgrass indicates low calcium, very high magnesium, and high potassium levels.  Dandelions indicate very low levels of calcium, and very high levels of chlorine and potassium.  Hop Clover and Oxalisindicate very low levels of calcium and high levels of magnesium. Prostrate Spurge indicates low calcium levels and very high levels of chlorine, magnesium, potassium, and sodium.  Purslane and Mustardindicate an abundance of phosphorus.  Red Clover indicates an excess of potassium.  Redroot Pigweed indicates an abundance of nitrogen. White Clover indicates very high levels in chlorine, magnesium, and sodium.  Wild Garlic indicates very low calcium and bacterial count, and very high levels of chlorine, magnesium, potassium, and sodium.  Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) indicates low potassium.

Wild Strawberry

Soil can be depleted of a needed mineral or have an excessive amount of a mineral and need to become more balanced, eliminating many growing problems.  Calcium doesn’t move freely within the plant, so the first symptoms of low calcium will appear in new growth.  Chlorosis begins first at the leaf edges and then moves inward.  Terminal buds become distorted.  Young leaves will first turn yellow, then brown.  Low calcium levels cause tomatoes to develop blossom-end rot and lettuce tip-burn.  Low calcium is found in acidic soils, sandy soils, soils that contain excessive levels of magnesium or potassium.  Temporary problems may be due to drought or excessive moisture.  Eggshells or oyster shells will strengthen plants in low calcium areas. 

Low copper levels will cause young leaves to become chlorite in a strange way.  Leaf center yellows while the veins and leaf margins remain green for a while.  Shoot tips die, terminal leaves become brown or leaves may fail to develop.  Common in muck or peat soils, soils with too much lime, nitrogen, phosphate, phosphorus, or zinc. 

Low-iron chlorosis begins at the top of the plants and works it’s way down.  Shoots may die back and the fruit become discolored.  Alkaline soils or soils with excess aluminum  or phosphorus can cause low iron levels.  Iron is important in photosynthesis and is a catalyst in plant respiration and iron utilization.

Magnesium moves freely within plants, so a magnesium deficiency will start in the lower leaves, discoloring the veins.  First they turn yellow, then orange, and finally brown.  Leaves will feel brittle, thin, and sometimes cup upward.  Magnesium deficiency is found in wet, acidic, or sandy soils, also in soils with high concentrations of calcium, fertilizers, and potash.  Magnesium is vital for photosynthesis, facilitates the use of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur.  It cleanses the plant of toxins that happen as a by-product of its own metabolism, and it’s needed in the formation of proteins.

Manganese deficiency may be hard to diagnose because it’s similar to iron deficiency.  Chlorosis is most severe at the top of the plant, with yellowing of the leaves first appearing near the leaf margins and developing into a V-shaped pattern.  Leaves will then develop tan or gray spots.  These spots are the major difference between manganese and iron deficiency.  Manganese deficiency most often occurs in alkaline soils high in humus or soils with a pH of 6 or more.  Manganese is a catalyst in the process of plant nutrition and encourages the growth and maturation of plants.

Nitrogen deficiency will cause plants to turn pale green, then yellow.  It begins at the tip of leaves at the bottom of plants, especially older leaves, and works its way in the direction of the main stem.  Yellowing  gradually spreads up the plant to the top.  Found in very sandy soils or soils low in organic material, also excessively wet or leached soil.  Nitrogen regulates vital chemical reactions, needed in stem and leaf growth and induces rapid green growth. 

In the early stages of phosphorus deficiency the plants look almost too healthy.  Growth is normal but undersized.  Plants become dark green frequently changing to purple, especially the  undersides of leaves. Sometimes stems also take on this color.  Leaves then yellow in the final stages.  The plant has poor flowering and fruiting habits.  Most common in cold, wet or very acidic (below pH5) soils and very alkaline soils (above pH 7.3).  Phosphorus in needed for root formation, flowering, fruiting and ripening. 

Goldenrod

In potassium deficiency, the older leaves become mottled or spotted, edges become dry and scorched.  Dead spots  begin to appear, the stems are weak, root systems poor, and fruit ripens unevenly.  Potassium deficiency causes a reduction in disease resistance and makes the plant less storable.  It is more common in sandy or acidic soils, also where there are excess calcium or magnesium levels in the soil.  Potassium is important for the formation of flowers, fruit, leaves and growing tip.  Potassium helps with photosynthesis at low light level and in internal water regulation.  Potassium improves flavor, fruit, vegetable and flower color.  It also provides protection from insect damage, disease, and frost.

Sulfur deficiency closely resembles nitrogen deficiency.  The plants turn pale green, the effects show up first in  young growth.  Leaves turn yellow but they don't dry out, and stems are weak.  Legumes are most affected.  Sandy or very wet soils, and soils containing excessive amounts of nitrogen are the most common soil types with a potassium deficiency.  Together with nitrogen it makes protoplasm for plant cells.

A zinc deficiency can be similar to a nitrogen deficiency with rolled leaf margins.  Chlorosis shows up first in  young leaves, which are also reduced in size.  Leaves are closely spaced, forming rosettes, and may be deformed.  There is poor nitrogen formation in legumes.  Soils that are sandy and acidic or  alkaline and rich in humus, or excessively high in phosphates, nitrogen, calcium, or aluminum will most often be zinc deficient.  Zinc aids in the formation of growth hormones, protein synthesis, seed and grain production, and plant maturation. 

The observant farmer and gardener will notice subtle changes in the weed populations as the soil changes.  As the soil improves, chickweed, chicory, common groundsel, common horehound, and lambs quarter become the dominant weeds.  However, if the daisy, wild carrot, mugwort, common mullein, wild parsnip, wild radish, and biennial wormwood become dominant, that’s a sign of the soil’s low fertility and can be corrected.  The addition of well-balanced compost, organic manures, and other fertilizers together with certain tillage and drainage practices may be required to return the soil back to a healthy, well balanced, and productive soil. 

There will always be a battle between man and weed, but knowing that weeds can be used not only as a soil indicator, but also the flower of many weeds provide essential nectar and pollen, the foods needed by beneficial insects to complete their life cycle.  Most insect pests would actually prefer to dine on weeds rather than your deliberately planted crops, if given the choice, so weeds can be good companion plants, and last, but not least, they’re edible.  I can never defeat the weed, so I must live with the weed.  Now I have an excuse for not spending hours pulling out the weeds in the garden.  Now I can spend time wandering in my blended garden enjoying both plants and weeds.  They are rebels, just like me.

Diana Barker

Reprinted from http://homestead.org/DianaBarker/LooktotheWeed/SoilIndicators.htm 

5 Steps to Storing Potatoes for Winter

1. Find an Area Suitable for Storing Potatoes: Potatoes should be stored in a dark environment at about 45˚F to 50˚F (7˚C to 10˚C). The relative humidity should be around 95% to prevent them from drying out. Store potatoes in an unheated corner of the basement or other areas that stays dark, cool, and performs just like a root cellar. If you don’t have a basement, consider some of these other storing potato options at Mother Earth News.

2. Choose Potato Varieties that are Good for Storing: Some potato varieties known for their long term storage capabilities are Yukon Gold, Katahdin, Kennebec, and Yellow Finn.  Dark Red Norland, a mid-season variety and Kennebec, a late season variety. Kennebec lasts longer in storage so we try to consume the Dark Red Norland first. If you are purchasing from a farmers market, ask the growers which varieties they recommend for long term storing potatoes.

3. Cure the Potatoes Before Storing: Curing toughens up the potatoes skin and extends the storage life. Cure potatoes in a cool and dark area of the basement by spreading the tubers out into seedling trays lined with newspaper. Cover the trays with a dark towel to eliminate light but allow air to circulate and let them cure for several weeks.

4. Pack Up the Potatoes for Storing: Maybe store the  potatoes in recycled paper boxes nestled in shredded paper recycled from bills and other paperwork. Cut a few holes in the sides of the boxes for air circulation, add a layer of shredded paper, and spread out the potatoes, cover with more shredded paper, and continue until the box is full. As you pack up the storing potatoes,lightly brush off excess dirt and inspect them carefully. Tubers with broken skin or damage are separated to be used immediately instead of stored. Once the box is full, place the cover on it, add a label, and store in a cool, dark area.

5. Check on the Stored Potatoes: Every few weeks look through the boxes to remove any potatoes that may begin to rot. Usually you can tell by the scent if there is one in the box. If you notice a musky, sour dirt smell, you should go through the box to remove the rotten potato before it infects the others.

Storing potatoes this way will help keep them fresh for several months depending on the temperature and humidity. Ours usually last until March before they begin sprouting. Sprouted potatoes can be planted in spring as long as they look healthy and the previous season was disease free.

Additional Tips:

Store potatoes separate from onions and fruits. These give off ethylene gas that can cause your potatoes to sprout prematurely.  Keep stored potatoes in the dark. Exposure to light will cause a build-up of Solanine, a chemical that causes potatoes to turn green, produces a bitter taste, and if eaten in large quantity can cause illness. Trim off potato skin that has turned green. If the green has penetrated into the potato, throw it away.

Original post: http://homestead-and-survival.com/5-steps-to-storing-potatoes-for-winter/

Vegetables that actually like cold weather

Presented by: Gosprout.com

13 Hacks To Make Your Fruits And Veggies Last Longer

Fruit is good for you. Everyone should have a small bowl of apples, bananas, and oranges greeting them on their kitchen counter when they return home. However, fruit is...well...annoying. Why? Because they seem to spoil so easily! Everyone's had that moment when you're looking at a blackened banana thinking "Didn't I JUST buy you?!"

Here are 13 ways to make sure that the fruit you buy lasts longer.

1. Put your ripened bananas in the fridge.

Yes, you heard me. Contrary to popular belief, putting ripened bananas in the fridge significantly stops the process of converting starches into sugars, which virtually stops the ripening process. Don't be alarmed if you see a bunch of blackened bananas when you first open the fridge, though; that's just the outside. Once you peel it open, you see that the bananas are as fresh as ever!

2. Make Apples last longer in the crisper drawer

You can even put a wet paper towel on top to make sure that your apples retain their crunchy texture.

3. Keep your oranges for longer

Although oranges last around a week at room temperature, each orange's lifetime can be bumped up to 2-3 weeks in the crisper drawer in your refrigerator!

4. Make sure your spuds last you into the winter

In order to make potatoes last the longest, it is ideal that they're kept in a dark environment, around 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit. This generally means a basement, or something similar. In these conditions, potatoes can last for ages.

5. Keep lemons in a plastic bag in the fridge

On a counter, lemons can last up to one week. When placed in Ziploc bag in the crisper drawer, they can last up to 4 weeks. However, be sure to change the humidity level to the lowest possible setting for best results!

6. Store garlic in a dark, cool place

Similar to potatoes, the life of garlic is extended the most when kept in dark and cool environments.

7. Tomatoes are meant to be out on the counter

Tomatoes, as gas-releasers, are best kept out of the fridge, as they're often sensitive to the cold and can lose texture, moisture and taste.

8. Remember to separate your fruits and vegetables!

Most fruits emit ethylene gas, which ripens the fruits and vegetables around it. Though this can be good for veggies that aren't ripe yet, placing them together can shorten the lifespan of your veggies, so it's best to keep them separate.

9. Keep your mushrooms pristine in the fridge

For most people buying mushrooms, they're bought in Styrofoam packages and plastic wrap. This is actually one of the best ways to preserve mushrooms and so it's important to keep it sealed when it's not being used. If the container is already open, layer another film of plastic wrap and poke some small holes for modest air flow.

10. For maximum life, slice peppers and place in freezer

If you're really looking to maximize the life of your peppers, you can slice them up, put them in a Ziploc bag, and pop them into your freezer. 

11. Practice food-timing

It's just plain fact that not all fruits and vegetables have the same lifespan. Thus, every week when you buy your groceries, plan ahead and think about which fruits and veggies you'll need to worry about most and which you can afford to leave on the counter or in the fridge. Broccoli, bananas, strawberries, and mushrooms are among top priority, while oranges, tomatoes and spinach can afford to wait.

12. Berries

All berries are extremely fragile, and thus it is best recommended to keep them spread out, and to avoid stacking them on top of one another, as this they bruise easily, making them more susceptible to spoiling and ruining their taste and quality. Keeping them sealed in a plastic container would be ideal. 

13. Wrap things like celery, broccoli and lettuce in foil before storing it in the fridge! 

Reprinted from http://diply.com/diy-home/hacks-fruits-veggies-last/99235/1

Save the Paw Paw

Did you know the Paw Paw Tree is only threatened in New York State?

Did you know that next to Willows, the Paw Paw is one of the most effective shrubs/trees in controlling erosion?

Not only are the Paw Paw fruits delicious, they were a favorite desert of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who planted a Paw Paw Grove at Monticello.

Native Americans in the Northeast, Abenaki, Iroquois, Mohawk all used the Paw Paw’s fibrous inner bark for making ropes, fishing nets and mats as well as fishing string.

Logs of the Paw Paw make excellent fencing

Paw Paw leaves have a natural insecticide, the only know insect to feed on the leaves is the Zebra swallowtail butterflies larvae.  This transfers the acetogenins to the larvae making them unpalatable to birds or other predators.

The seeds have been shown to contain the chemicals and 4-hydroxytrilobin. These chemicals seem to have selective cytotoxicity against prostate adenocarcinoma (PC-3) and colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29) cell lines, thus may become a useful chemotherapeutic chemical for these types of cancer.

The bark of pawpaw trees contains other acetogenins, including asimin, asiminacin and asiminecin, which have been shown to be potent inhibitors of mitochondrial NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase, making A. triloba a promising source of pesticide and anti-tumour compounds.

Paw Paw trees do not smell nice, similar to Ginkgo (Maidens Hair).  Just do not plant next to a window.

The seeds of the Paw Paw were often carried by colonial troops to throw into brush to distract the British when pebbles were not always available.

So how about trying to re-establish a once dominant fruit tree back in New York?

Time for fall planting

Summer is quickly going to be coming to a close as we wrap up the month of August and if you are like us you are scrambling to gather those summer vegetables to can and store away for the winter.  But the growing season is not over by a long shot, now is the time to get some of those greens and root vegetables planted.

Below is a list of what can be started from seed in our area and when to harvest.  Give yourself a plus or minus 2 weeks on the harvest time and even with some things like carrots, they can be left in the ground well into December if covered with a good amount of mulch.

What to plant from seed in Zone 5.

Siberian Kale - a cold hardy heirloom

Kale: Plant August and harvest in November.  It is even possible with the use of a low tunnel to keep harvesting Kale well into December.  Depending on the variety like Siberian Kale is frost hardy and can withstand several frost nights between 30-35 degrees.  Also with a tunnel it can protect the kale so that it is harvestable through the winter and give you a head start on year two before it flowers.








Lettuce: Plant August and harvest in October.  This is a great time to plant hardy leaf like romaine, bitter and reds.  They tolerate mild frost and will not typically bolt.  Use a tunnel to extend the harvest but by November they will typically die.

Look for cold hardy varieties like reds

Arrowhead Spinach

Spinach: Plant August and harvest in October. Spinach is unique in that depending on the variety, like arrowhead will tolerate moderate frost nights and again like kale using a tunnel can actually provide you with spinach well into January barring any deep freeze periods.





Broccoli: Plant August and harvest in November.  Now is an excellent time to start broccoli, but keep in mind they can be temperamental when starting with seeds.  Plants may be small but they typically produce and abundance of flowerettes at this time of year.  Tunnels can help protect till you can harvest but deep extended frost will kill the plant and leave rubbery harvest, but they are still great for stir-fry.

Carrot greens - not just for chickens

Beets and Carrots: Plant August and harvest in October.  Beets and carrots are well suited for colder climates.  Beauty is that you can harvest the greens for stir-fry, soups and more while the beet is still growing just leave a few greens in place.  Leaving them in the ground and cover with mulch will ensure that you can harvest them through the winter, in the even you don't have a root cellar to store them in.  Just make sure you don't allow the ground to freeze around them.  Cover with two to three inches of mulch or six to twelve inches of leaves and cover with plastic.  That will help keep the ground from freezing.




One word of warning when growing in raised beds, though they will typically start growing before the ground thaws, they are prone to freezing before the ground does.  Make sure you have a good mix of compost, and mulch in your raised beds and turn them completely before you plant your fall crops.

Next up - Start planning for the Spring, ground cover and get some seeds in before the snow flies!

Urban food revival. Protecting what is already there.

On August 6th, 2015, Troy Urban Farming Initiative and members of the city wide community began their Urban Orchard Project.  Originally with the intent to take vacant city owned lots and convert them in to public space as a park and orchard in neighborhoods all across the city of Troy, NY.

While working on the logistics, mapping out the location of these often hidden lots located where roads and railroad tracks once ran, checking on suitability to planting fruit trees and if they will remain viable for the long range as well as what to plant, the group realized that through out the city there were stands of existing fruit trees that have been long neglected, some are even remnants from the heyday of victory gardens and self sufficiency that disappeared at the close of WWII, along with the city's industry.  Not to mention the number of abandoned properties that contained fruit trees, mostly apples, that were not owned by the city, yet.

John Cubit, founder of TUFI, commented that "These trees are all over the city.  You just need to get out there and look.  From the bike trail to the river and from North Troy to South Troy, even hidden in areas of Rensselaer Poly Tech campus and the Russell Sage campus there are fruit trees just waiting for people to enjoy the food they are providing."

That is when one volunteer, Francis Magia suggested tracking these sites on-line and sharing with the residents where to go and when to harvest.

Trees after being pruned

The group decided to go ahead and get started while working on the original concept and start revitalizing the current stands of fruit trees through out the city.  Their first stop was on 1st St. and Adams, a once mixed industrial and residential area that other than those living there is a barren site of brown fields, except this little corridor with several various species of apple trees.

A mix of large crab-apples, used for preserves and desserts, to large, very sweet apples that are still ripening.  All the trees but one were filled heavily with apples.  One was completely dead and the group removed that due to the infestation of worm and carpenter ants, but the wood was taken away for use in an art project, since the main trunk was mostly undamaged, other than from the worms that girdled the tree.

Peter demonstrating correct pruning methods

After a brief class on pruning and branch removal by Peter Tarantelli, referred to as Peter the Pruner, the group went at clearing the sidewalks of low hanging branches as well as the roadway.  They removed dead and diseased branches as well.  Though the amount of branches were small they knew that what they did will have a major impact on the health of the tree and its longevity.

John commented that now we need to let people know about these trees. "Come late September, October these are going to be great apples, and they are there for everyone to enjoy."

The group is scouting out another site not to far away for their next guerrilla pruning session as well as still working on a site location for the original concept of an urban orchard, food security is one of TUFI's top priorities, not to mention it helps make Troy a better place to live.

If interested in helping out with the orchard, tree pruning or interested in learning skills to become self-sufficient or developing a urban farm join up and follow Troy Urban Farming Initiative on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TroyUFI or email at TroyUFI@gmail.com.

A SIMPLE GUIDE TO RAISING & MILKING GOATS

Re-Posted in Full from http://www.weedemandreap.com/raising-goats-milking-goats/

SINCE I KNOW ALL YOU GUYS ARE JUST DYING TO OWN SOME GOATS…

…and since I know all your husbands/boyfriends/fiances/girlfriends/wives are, like, totally begging you to please move to a farm so you can milk goats every morning… I’ve decided to compile a simple guide to raising and milking goats.

When I first was interested in getting a goat or two, I had NO IDEA how it all worked. Hopefully I can assist some readers out there in their research and maybe I’ll even convince you naysayers to get a goat yourself! Then you can be a weird goat person like me! And just think, next year you can send out Christmas card photos of you and your goat. (Don’t worry, you won’t look weird AT ALL).1

Side note: If you want to check out why we drink raw goat’s milk and how it helped reverse my son’s asthma, click on the links, yo.

THE BASICS:

Female goats are called DOES or DOELINGS as babies. Male goats are called BUCKS or BUCKLINGS as babies. If a male goat has been castrated (neutered) they are known as a WETHER.

The ONLY way to get milk from a goat is to get a female doe pregnant so she can have babies first. Each time a goat has babies, this kick starts her milk production and is known as a FRESHENING. It’s very similar to humans. At first the mother has a lot of milk, but then gradually over the course of about a year, the amount of milk reduces. Typically, goats have their babies in the spring, then at 8 weeks you can sell the babies and enjoy milk for almost an entire year. You’ll want to breed your goat again in the fall if you want to freshen her milk again in the spring. Don’t worry, you can still milk a doe while she is pregnant, but you’ll have to let her dry up 2 months before she is due so she can build up some nutritional reserves for her offspring.

Here’s a pic of a fabulous Nigerian Dwarf goat who looks like she really needs to be milked. Ouch.

 

DEBUNKING SOME MYTHS:

Goats will not eat your lawn mower, your outdoor furniture, your trampoline, or your kid’s toys. They may chew on the bark of a tree and will eat the fruit that falls off (although my goats don’t like citrus), but that’s about it.

Female goats (or DOES) are not mean and won’t try to head butt you or bite. Male goats that are castrated (WETHERS) are nice too. Male goats that are intact (BUCKS) can be aggressive and bite/head butt. But I’m sure there are some nice ones out there, too. 

PURCHASING YOUR VERY FIRST GOAT:

First thing you need to know is that there are many different breeds of goats.

• There are dairy breeds: Nubian, La Mancha, Alpine, Oberhasli, Toggenburg, Saanen, Sable, and Nigerian Dwarf goats.
• There are meat breeds: Spanish, Tennessee, Boer, and Kiko goats.
• There are some fancy–pantsy breeds that produce fibers for fabric: Angora and Cashmere goats.
• And then there are the fun pet breeds: Pygmy and Fainting goats.

I’m sure I forgot a couple breeds here, but you get the idea that there are special jobs for certain breeds. Since I don’t know very much about any other breeds than milking breeds, that’s what I’m going to talk about today. (Although it would be pretty fun to have a couple fainting goats, am I right?)

When I started looking at the different dairy breeds, all I cared about was the flavor of their milk. I tried a couple different breeds’ milk and there were some that had that all too familiar musky/goaty flavor. Yup, not gonna drink that!

When I tried the Nigerian Dwarf’s milk, it was amazing! Very smooth and fresh, and a bit sweet without any sort of aftertaste. I learned that Nigerians were bred for this purpose, to have milk that tastes similar to cow’s milk. So I would personally recommend Nigerians for the best tasting milk. Nigerians are also smaller and eat less hay, so that’s a bonus. Full grown, Nigerians are only about 75 lbs.

UPDATE: I have tried various Nubian milk and some has been delicious. Some was not so delicious. Good milk handling practices are important, but I’d also make sure the bloodline of goat you purchase has a good flavor just to be sure.

When starting out, you should purchase TWO does or doelings. Goats are herd animals and they will be super sad (and LOUD) if left alone. Ask me how I know.

Yep, we bought just one goat at first and that dang thing was always bleating and calling out for a friend. So you’ll definitely want to find that goat a friend. A dog or some chickens won’t cut it. Any other hoofed animal would though. A cow, a sheep, a horse—they find friends in these creatures too. I wouldn’t recommend purchasing a buck or buckling yet, unless there are not many already close by to breed with in the future. Bucks can stink a lot when they are older, and are pretty disgusting and aggressive. If they are kept in close quarters with a doe, the flavor of your milk can actually taste really bad! They give off strong pheromones that change the female doe’s hormones too. In the end, unless you want to really start a herd of goats, you can just borrow a buck once a year for breeding time (or take your female does over for a visit to Mr. Buck’s house) and be done with it.

THE COST OF A GOAT:

OPTION #1 – Buy a baby goat doeling.

The cheapest way is to buy a young doeling, as young as 8 weeks old (that’s the time when they can be1 weaned from their mother). Goat breeders usually have a lot of babies around the same time and are willing to offer package deals for two or more goats. The only con with this is you’ll have to wait AT LEAST a year to a year and a half before you can breed, then you’ll have to wait 5 months until they have babies and start giving milk. For Nigerian Dwarfs, you can find a young doeling for $150-$300 depending on their parents background, milking star awards, and colorings. Goats with blue eyes usually cost more.
TIP: The most important thing is FRIENDLINESS of the baby goat. You don’t want one that runs away and is afraid of everything. Although this can be sometimes hard to tell because baby goats like to RUN, haha. As long as they will eat from your hand, you’re okay.

OPTION #2 – Buy a junior doeling.

Sometimes you can get lucky and find an older doeling (6 months to 1 year old) and skip ahead a bit. Female does that are older, but haven’t been bred their first time yet are called JUNIOR DOES. Sometimes you can get lucky and have them bred BEFORE you purchase them. This way, you only have to wait 5 months until you have fresh milk. The only con with this is it gets more expensive as they get older, and then you have to tack on a breeding fee. I bought a Nigerian Dwarf goat this way for $400 total. Five months later, she had babies and it was perfect. Although we did pay top dollar at first.
TIP: You’ll want one that is friendly and NOT SKITTISH, and you’ll want to look at HER MOTHER’S TEAT SIZE and production. Don’t even worry about the junior doeling’s teats, they are always small before they have babies, but just be sure to check the mother.

OPTION #3 – Buy a senior doe in milk.

The final way to purchase is to look for a FEMALE DOE ALREADY IN MILK. This is what I tried to do at first. I “thought” this was the easy way, but in the end I just kept getting does that nobody wanted and had problems. Sometimes you can find one that is a good producer and no problems, but more often than not, the breeder is downsizing the herd, and the doe your about to purchase is at the bottom of the list. You’ll find these does are cheaper, like $150-$200.
TIP: If you still want to pursue this option, look for traits that will be worth having. You want a goat that ISN’T SKITTISH, that is producing the correct amount of milk for the season (see below), and that has a good teat length (1 1/2 inch or longer). You’ll also want to make sure she doesn’t have any visible signs of infection or skin disorders.

THE COST TO KEEP A GOAT:

Nigerians eat 2 lb. of feed a day, which is 4 c. of the alfalfa/bermuda blend pellets. We have figured that it costs us about $12 a month in hay/pellets to feed one Nigerian Dwarf goat. If they are giving 7-15 gallons a month of milk, then it comes out to an average of $1.50/gallon of milk. This is assuming your only costs are the basics though. You need to add on the costs for minerals, herbs, wipes (I use our Homemade Baby Wipe Recipe), filters, and the occasional Ultrasound ($20) or blood test ($5-$25).

BUT you also have to remember that goats have babies every year that you can sell. Imagine your goat has three babies and you sell each for $200. That MORE than covers the costs of a goat for one year.

In the end, goats pretty much pay for themselves. All you have to invest to get that raw, nutritional milk is your research and your time.

 

HOW MUCH MILK DOES A GOAT PRODUCE?

This information is for raising a Nigerian Dwarf goat. They are about half the size of a normal goat, hence the name Dwarf, so the larger goats produce more, I’m sure.

When a Nigerian Dwarf FRESHENS, or has babies, her udder is operating a full capacity. You will start to milk your goat when the babies are two weeks old. You will separate the babies from mom at night and then let her udder fill up all night. In the morning she will have a large udder full of milk, and you can milk as much out as you can before letting her back in with her babies for the rest of the day.

But what about milk for the babies? This is the awesome thing about goats. They have a reflex that will literally “hold back” milk for their babies. So, in the morning, when you are milking, you can simply milk until she wants you to stop. You will know because you will squeeze and squeeze and barely get anything. Pretty cool, huh? I think so!

Once the babies can be weaned (8 weeks old) you will be able to milk your goat morning and night. This is when your goat will be at her PEAK PRODUCTION. At this time our Nigerian Dwarfs are making about a quart or more atMORNING and again at NIGHT. Total milk per day is 1/2 gallon or 15 gallons a month.

Very gradually, your goat’s milk production will start to go down. At about 5-6 months after freshening, a Nigerian Dwarf will give about 3 cups at MORNING and again at NIGHT. Total milk per day is 1 1/2 quarts, or 11 gallons a month.

At about 8-9 months after freshening, she’ll be at 2 cups at MORNING and again at NIGHT. Total milk per day is one quart or 7 gallons a month.

If your doe is pregnant, then her milk will continue to dry up and at 10 months you should stop milking. If your doe is not pregnant, she may continue to produce milk for up to 2 years. It really just depends on the individual goat.

RAISING BABY GOATS:

A baby goat must drink from its mother for at least 8 weeks before it can be weaned to complete hay or pasture. Some goat owners will take the babies away from the mother right away and bottle feed. They will keep them in separate places, milk the mother, and then pour the milk into a bottle and feed the baby. Seems like a lot of work, huh? Well, some goat owners believe this is beneficial and makes very tame and friendly goats. In an extreme case where the goat momma dies or abandons her kid, you’ll be stuck with this task whether you want it or not.

Personally, I believe it’s cruel to voluntarily take the babies away. Allowing your doe to experience the joy (and pain) of raising her own kids lets her fill the measure of her species. It’s really quite a sweet thing to see a momma goat patiently feed her hungry babies, call out when they call for her, and endure the endless jumping and tugging on her body. As a mom, I totally understand what she goes through. And by the time they are 8 weeks old, they are naughty teenagers ready to explore on their own!

 

 

 

To help your baby goats become friendly, spend time petting and being with them. Feed them hay and bits of grain, and although they may be afraid at first they’ll warm up quick once they associate you with food!

 

WHAT DO GOATS EAT?

Contrary to popular belief, goats don’t eat everything. In fact, they are picky little stinkers! Goats are browsers, not grazers. This means they do not like to graze like a horse or cow or deer. They like to forage for their food and tend to love weeds more than grass.

In my area, we have alfalfa hay bales, bermuda hay bales, and a bermuda/alfalfa blend. We also have alfalfa pellets, bermuda pellets, and bermuda/alfalfa pellets. Goats can eat different things like rye, clover, fescue, and orchardgrass. Since I live in the desert, we pretty much stick to alfalfa and bermuda with some occasional clover.

HERE ARE THE PROS AND CONS WITH BUYING GOAT FOOD IN HAY VS. PELLETS:

HAY (alfalfa, bermuda, or blend) 

PRO: Hay is in the best for a goat’s stomach. The long stems aid in digestion and bacteria processing done in their rumen. Anything in its most natural form is going to be the healthiest.

CON: It’s usually a couple dollars more expensive. It’s messy. And since goats are foragers, they will sift through it, eat the best parts, and leave a lot of waste. Don’t think that if you stop feeding them, they’ll eat the waste eventually, because they won’t. They are stubborn and will starve before they eat it. Okay maybe not starve, but they’ll get pretty malnourished. If you can’t buy organic, there may be a lot of pesticide residue on the hay since they don’t wash before harvest. Check this with your local farmer before buying.

PELLETS (alfalfa, bermuda, or blend)

PRO: It’s a couple dollars cheaper than hay. It’s clean and easy to transport and carry. There’s no waste. The alfalfa/bermuda is washed with water before processing. This is especially beneficial if you aren’t able to purchase organic varieties. Hopefully during the washing, some of the pesticides can be removed.

CON: It’s not quite as healthy. Goats do need those long stems and you’ll want to try to supplement a bit with a real hay or grass substitute if possible.

HOW WE FEED OUR GOATS:

At first, we bought pellets and fed them that year round. Occasionally we’d buy alfalfa as a treat, or cut down some branches from our trees to supplement. Suddenly I realized it was pretty silly of me to have a whole acre of bermuda grass and yet, I was buying an alfalfa/bermuda blend. I started to research online what other goat owners across the country did, and I realized a lot of people were setting their goats out to pasture on bermuda ALONE! Wait, this would make goats grazers, wouldn’t it? Won’t they hate it? I decided to see for myself.

Here in Arizona, bermuda grass grows like crazy from about May until October. In my backyard I had organic, bermuda and I wasn’t even letting my goats eat it. I decided to force them to be grazers for the summer. In reality, I wasn’t really forcing them to be grazers at all because bermuda grass is actually a weed, and I also noticed my yard had a mix of crabgrass, clover and weeds too.1

My goats at first didn’t know what was up. They LOVED being able to wander around and get some exercise, but they were confused. Soon, they remembered they had a natural ability to forage for themselves and spent the whole summer and fall enjoying the grass/weeds. I still gave them treats of alfalfa and grain occasionally, but for the most part they lived off bermuda and they continued to have high amounts of milk throughout. We fed an organic grain mixture only at the stand when milking.

Now, I am incorporating something new into my goats’ diet. The book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Dr. Weston A. Price states that animals who ate barley or rye grass in the 1930s had the highest amounts of fat soluble vitamins in their milk. I also learned from the book that animals, even dairy animals, have been eating grass fed ONLY diets for thousands of years. Their stomachs really weren’t meant to digest grain. Although it’s true that grain was often given at the end of the fall harvest as a treat, for the most part, goats, sheep, and cows ate a diet of rich grass.

I’ve decided to move my animals to a full grass fed diet. This means that I will no longer be offering grain at the milking stand. Instead, I’ll be growing barley grass in small plastic flats, much like wheat grass is grown, and feeding a 4″ by 4″ square with the grass being about a foot tall at each milking. My friend who does this says her goats LOVE this rich green grass, and I am excited because it will help me supplement throughout the entire year!

SO, HERE’S MY ENTIRE FEEDING SCHEDULE FOR YOU:

May – October: Bermuda grass in the pasture. Barley grass at the milking stand. Produce scraps.
April and November: 1/2 ration of Organic Alfalfa Pellets. Bermuda grass in the pasture. Barley grass at the milking stand. Produce scraps.
December – March: FULL ration of Organic Alfalfa Pellets. Goats in pens to collect manure for spring vegetable garden. Barley grass at the milking stand. Produce scraps.

Eventually, we would like to grow our own alfalfa in the summer to store for the winter. I’ll let you know how that turns out!

I also supplement with a mineral blend from Hoegger’s and herbal mixes for deworming and general care from Fir Meadows.

If you look over at Fiasco Farms, they have a lot of different nutritional advice for goats. You’ll see our feeding method is a bit simpler than Fiasco Farms. I love Fiasco Farms information, but I don’t think our goats need any more supplementation that what we already give.

BREEDING A GOAT:

If you don’t own a male goat (also known as a BUCK), then you’ll need to find one if you want milk. The cost of a stud fee can vary greatly depending on the quality of the buck. I would say it’s anywhere between $50-$100 for a breeding. We’ve brought our female does to the buck’s house, and brought the buck to us. Both ways work, so it’s up to you on which you prefer.

But it’s not very fun to transport a buck, let me tell you! If you are paying for a stud fee, the buck owner should take responsibility of checking frequently to notice if your doe has been bred. Sometimes it can be easy to miss, but they should be making an effort. A good sign that your doe has been bred is that you’ll see a milky white discharge coming from her. Sounds gross, I know. But it’s really hard to tell if a doe is pregnant until they’re about to deliver (they have such big stomachs anyway), so be very grateful if you see that fluid after a breeding!!

CARING FOR A PREGNANT DOE:

A goat pregnancy lasts 150 days, or 5 months. You can milk a pregnant doe until 2 months before delivery. They naturally start to dry up at this exact same time anyway, but it’s important to encourage it to happen. To dry up a goat, you simply milk less. You can go from every other day, to every few days, and by then you won’t want to drink the milk. By this time the mineral buildup is too high and the milk will taste salty.

Make sure in the last two months you de-worm them herbally1 and supplement their diet with some leftover produce scraps from your kitchen. Fruit and vegetables can be fun treats at this time and give a little boost of nutrition. You can also give a little organic grain as a treat, but don’t overdo it. Traditionally, animals ate a leftover grain from the harvest in the fall, but grain is hard to digest and can be acidic to a goats body. Some people believe animals with rumen stomachs shouldn’t eat grain at all, but I think a little now and then is fine. I will also soak the grain or sprout before I give it, to help with digestibility.

A telltale sign that your doe is getting close to delivery is to run your fingers alongside her spine all the way to the tail. Just before you get to the tail, see if you can squeeze the ligament just before her tail. If you do this about 2-3 weeks before delivery, you’ll be able to notice a definite relaxing of that ligament. Once you feel it’s completely gone, you know delivery should be soon, within a couple days.

To spare you all the details of birth, go ahead and visit the Fiasco Farms page about goat deliveries. And be sure to prepare yourself for the occasional problem delivery. We went 4 years with no issues and then we had an issue with this goat delivery here. Read up on possible issues during delivery before it happens! Don’t worry, there aren’t a ton of issues that can happen, but there are a couple things you gotta understand about how baby goaties are born.

BABY GOATIES ARE HERE!

Yes, I know they’re called kids. Over here we like to say baby goaties, ’cause we’re cool like that. When the goaties come out, be sure to wipe them off and sit them right up to Mom so she can lick ’em till they shine  You don’t want to take them away and clean them or anything, because you want the mom and baby bond to develop! The surge of oxytocin she gets will help her feel that love towards her little goatie. And trust me, you want a momma goat that loves her baby!

It won’t be too long until that baby starts to stand. You’ll want to stay out there with Momma and babies until you are sure all are standing and able to suck. Sometimes you’ll get a weak baby and you’ll have to watch for that. You’ll probably walk out to check on them/play with them in the next couple days anyway, so just take note while you’re out there and make sure each kid is able and strong enough to fight its way to a teat.

The DAM (or momma doe) will have afterbirth/blood/goo for up to 2 weeks. As long as it gets less and less, she is fine. You may take her temperature to monitor her health, but I never do this because I know my goats behavior pretty well and if they are eating and drinking and alert I know they are okay.

HOW TO ACTUALLY MILK A GOAT:

Once upon a time there was a woman who bought a goat. She was so excited to get FRESH milk every day! She woke up early one morning, and with butterflies in her stomach she put her goat on the milking stand, poured some grain in the feeder, and started to tug. Nothing. “Hmmmm,” the woman thought. She tugged and tugged. After 30 minutes and approximately one teaspoon of milk, the woman started to cry. “Why can’t I milk this freaking goat?!”, she yelled to the sky.

Then the woman got the BEST idea! She raced inside and rummaged through some old boxes. She ran back out to the impatient goat. Using her old breast pump, the woman was able to extract all the milk from the goat.

Aaaaannd THAT is how my first experience with milking a goat went. Yessiree, I used my old breast pump. Worked well, too! Only thing was, I knew I’d eventually have to learn how to milk my goat the right way.

Here’s what you do: You don’t tug at all. Your goal is to trap the milk in the teat. You do this by pinching your thumb and first finger. Then WHILE HOLDING THAT PART PINCHED, you put pressure on the teat with your other fingers.

 

 

It’s more difficult than it looks. But this is only because the muscles in your hands aren’t strong yet. At first it’ll take you 30 minutes to milk a goat, but then you’ll get to the point that it literally takes you 5 minutes. Trust me, you’ll get so fast at milking and your brain will memorize the movement that you’ll be able to do it in your sleep.


How time consuming is it to raise and milk goats? And how do you take vacations?

It would seem from all this information that it must take A LOT of TIME to keep goats. But actually, I probably spend 10-25 minutes a day taking care of them. This includes feeding AND milking. When they go into labor, I spend probably 3-4 hours with them, but that’s only once a year.

When we want to go on vacation we call up a fellow goat friend and do a trade. We probably go on vacation 2-3 times per year so it’s no big deal. I actually enjoy milking my friend’s goats for a week or so because I used the extra milk to make a lot of cheese! The best way to find goaty friends near you is to join the American Goat Society. They have a directory of all the breeders in the U.S., which they will mail to you!

“WHEW!”
Holy long blog post, Goat Girl! I think I just about covered everything I can think of. E-mail me if you have any questions. Peace out goat lovers!

UPDATE ON “FENCING”:

Goats are definitely escape artists. We learned the hard way when our goat kept escaping!
The best advice I can give is to never underestimate the agility of a goat. They only need a tiny piece of wood to scale a fence. Your fence should be AT LEAST 4-5 ft high.

Here’s a really simple fence for you: Build one out of “no climb” fencing. No climb fencing is a wire fence that is smaller at the bottom and larger at the top. They come in flexible rolls, or harder, thicker panels. Either way, you can use those with some t-posts and that should do fine. The goal is you don’t want a top horizontal beam, you just want the wire instead with some kind of post every 8-10 ft. Also, some good advice would be to put the shelter/shade in the MIDDLE of their enclosure. Too close to the edge and they’ll jump right over.

WANT MORE INFORMATION ON GOATS? READ MY OTHER ARTICLES!

• Milk Showdown: Cow vs. Sheep vs. Goat – Which is best
• Goat Pregnancy & Birthing Checklist
• Post-Partum Care for Goats
• How to Disbud & Dehorn a Baby Goat
• How to Keep Raw Goat’s Milk Fresh and Delicious
• How to Milk a Goat
• How to Milk a Goat: Taught By An Adorable 8-year-old
• A Simple Guide to Buying Your first Goat
• What do Goats Really Eat?

Our funny goat adventures:

• Goat Glamour Shots
• Happy Anniversary Honey. p.s. The goat has diarrhea
• The Goat in the Garage: A Practical Alternative to the Elf on the Shelf
• A tale of the Littlest Goat you ever did see
• The Most Hilarious Goat Birth EVER.
• A goat giving birth, an emergency, and a brave girl with a glove.

© 2013 Weed'em & Reap. All Rights Reserved.