Chiva, the goat, looking after my broken foot...It's been a while since my last post due to an unfortunate horse accident. I went for a quick leisure ride as usual one evening, and ended up in the ER with a broken navicular bone in my foot, and many abrasions and bruises on the rest of me. I won't go into detail, but will add that one should never venture out on horseback alone without a helmet and protective vest.
I quickly discovered things get ugly when the person who handles the majority of the farm duties becomes laid up for any length of time (at least at my farm). It seems like everyone else in the household panics, and instead of jumping in and taking care of business, becomes moody and depressed without the leader in "leader mode" anymore. Tomorrow makes eight weeks since the accident and I still will be unable to do too many things around the farm for some time. Very frustrating.
Buffy's two eggs in the incubator didn't quite work out. I know it is the cheapest incubator around, but I was hoping for some sort of miracle anyway. One chick hatched, and seemed very healthy, but died by morning. All I can figure is that it became overheated under the heat lamp, or was lonely. The other egg contained nothing, upon inspecting it and cracking it open - an unfertilized dud! So now I have purchased a bigger, better incubator that holds 41 eggs, and also takes care of turning and regulating the temperature of the eggs.
My little Boer goat is growing big. She was born February 17th of this year. Goats are a lot of fun, at least this one is. Technically, I suppose I do not have the authority to tell you that ALL goats are fun, being that this is my first experience owning any goat, ever.
Because of my recent injury, I have a lot more free time now. Normally, I am under the hectic schedule of "thoroughbred race season" from April - November. I came to the realization this could be a blessing in disguise: I now have free weekends to do uninterrupted research and compile ideas on the direction I can take my farm in the future. Narrowing down two or three areas of focus for income-producing possibilities isn't easy. In fact, it's maddening. I want to do EVERYTHING! Training and laying-over racehorses is a given. But what about producing garlic, heirloom potatoes, specialty herbs and mushrooms? Or turkeys for sale during the holidays? Or raising a pig for our own meat consumption? I already have the "chicken thing" going - all are free range and due to start egg production in September. And then there are the damn ducks. Why did I ever get ducks? Some will most certainly end upon the dinner table. I started gathering recipes last week. I may keep a couple for eggs, if they're lucky....
I do realize that none of these ideas will make me rich, or even bring in much of a side income; but every small move toward relying less on big-chain grocery stores and chemically laden, mass-produced food will only make things better for me and the environment in the long run. : ) And it's just plain fun damn it!
