Blue Barnyard

01/26/2023

We had a great day today

01/23/2023

Separating into breeding pens today.

I'm running about 3 weeks late, but I've been waiting for freezing weather to mitigate the mud, but that isn't happening.

So birds got moved around to enhance their health and complete this winter without losing birds.

There is still more work to do, but this was a good start.

01/18/2023

01/18/2023

I'm thankful for community relationships making more recycling possible.

Happy goats with their piles of trees.

11/24/2022

Welcome to our newest buckling, HARVEY.

He is a purebred Nubian who will be added to our breeding lineup next year.

How did he acquire his name?
We agreed early on that hubby names all in-tact males after USMC veterans.

Officer Harvey Barnum might never have expected to have a goat named after him, but here we are.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_C._Barnum_Jr.

Harvey info:
https://www.adgagenetics.org/PlannedPedigreePrint.aspx?SireNum=N001940935&DamNum=N001854809

10/24/2022

We had a unique opportunity to host beehives on our farm this year.

We receive honey in exchange for the successful harvest and this is very exciting.

Here's our first batch received which represents half of what we will receive.

We historically have used a lot of honey in our home but things are about to get even sweeter. 😁🌻

Working locally with each other's strengths is incredible.

10/23/2022

It is so rare for me do my hair in something other than a twist up or ponytail that I had to record it!

Each Sat and Sun in October our family loads up our goats to participate in and so typically that means not taking much time to worry about how I look.

It felt good to just spend a brief amount of time on me and so I thought I'd share.

I use a Hair dryer brush and that's it.
If it looks like a highlight, that's actually my gray hair. I call them my natural tones. I earned every one.

10/17/2022

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cjxj6pzuyND/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

10/16/2022

Jasmine has been a star at Harvest Days each weekend in October.

She interacts with the public beautifully and shows love to all the kids.

Come see her each Sat & Sun till 10/29.
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10/07/2022

Come see us and our goats this weekend!

10/07/2022

Basking in the sunlight.

Ginger greets me like this every morning but I rarely can catch the moment. But today I captured it! Yay!

10/03/2022

Prehistoric bug just waiting for her next butterfly snack.

Photo taken in the front pasture we didn't mow or graze animals on.

09/30/2022

Polled daughter of Elsie seeking new pasture.
Born in March 2022.
Quiet.
Attends all our yoga events and tolerates laps and petting.
Has more of a cat personality so if you dislike a pushy goat but don't mind your drink being knocked over, then she's your gal.

09/29/2022

Cosmo's doeling is alert and ready for jumping off of tall things.

09/28/2022

There are areas around our property that don't get mowed in order to promote beneficial vegetation.

I captured these images today as I took a nice walk to observe the bees appreciating the late wildflowers in bloom.

Wild Aster
Goldenrod
Boneset
Yarrow

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09/20/2022

We feel lucky to bring genetics from their farm to ours.

10 hours post AI, Frappe seems to have a glow about her as she gazes into the pasture! I got a good feeling about this one!! 🤞🤣

09/14/2022

Our Goat Yoga Fun-draiser was a hit.

We love hosting events in the barn belonging to the Hellertown Historical Society.

They are great to work with and have beautiful facilities. Our next yoga library event will be in the Spring.

09/11/2022

We may look like a clown car when we roll up and 10 goats jump out but we've got this under control.

Today is our fund raiser for the library with goats at the Hellertown historic society gristmill.

09/08/2022

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CiQ5SjWgu4kerHcmDewtDXJg7QPYgzlk8QNyO40/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

09/06/2022

We are at it again today bringing memories to college students at Immaculata University.

09/05/2022

Cosmo welcomed a single doeling yesterday and our kidding season has officially ended.

It is rare for her to have 1 and I feared that she had stalled and was with her for most of the afternoon. However everything passed and appears to be going well.

Little baby is active, nursing and Cosmo is very attentive and alert. She will get her name in the next day or so.

Send them well wishes for continued good health please. All the kids from the library will get to see them on Friday when they come here for story time.

07/30/2022

I am listing groups of goats for sale.
ADGA Nigerian Dwarf
MDGA Mini-Nubian

Some available immediately and others not until weaned

07/28/2022

Bucklings looking for new pastures.

Polled, blue-eyed, tricolor Nigerian Dwarf bucklings.

I own both parents.
Will do ADGA registration online.
DOB 7/17/2022
Clean tested herd Jan 2022
Located near Bethlehem, PA

Photo of dam from Aug 2021

07/25/2022

Francie is doing the majority of the co-parenting in the group.

Tigris walks over to her 2 kids to feed them and then leaves them with Francie when they finish.

It's an interesting dynamic and I've never seen it quite like this before.

At least it helped me figure out who gave birth to who... Francie has triplets- 2 girls and a boy. Tigris has 1 of each .

Francie is her nickname. It's a blend I created of Fancy Nancy and her given name Francesca. So Francie works for me.

07/24/2022

A beautiful early morning at the Saucon Valley Farmer's Market with Macungie Mountain Herb Farm.

07/22/2022

Several months ago, clearly it was 5, my buck got into the doe pen a few days in a row.

I did not worry about it and moved goats around to secure things.

Fast forward to recent days and Larkspur was fat, loud and cranky with every goat in her pasture. No major changes in her udder, however.

Last night we had storms again and I came out to 3 beautiful kids this morning.

I moved Mom and kids to the nursery in the barn (thus the kids in a bucket)and gave them all good attention.

More photos of these beauties will follow.

07/19/2022

We welcomed our first MDGA Mini-Nubian kids here.

Triplets
Dam: Smokey Springs Tigris of Eden
Sire: Storybook's Seamus O'Malley
Grandsire: Goat Trails Finley's Gem Texas Pete
Granddam: Green Gables Mrs Dorothy *P

Twins
Dam: Eledamar Farm Francesca
Same sire

Milking Mama to even things out.
Summer storms = kids.
2 Moms, 3 doelings and 2 bucklings.

07/17/2022

Beautiful buckling looking for new pastures.

Blue-eyed
Lots of flash
Born March 2022

Clean tested herd
Nubian dam- excellent milker
Nigerian Dwarf sire
MDGA registerable.

Photos taken 7.17.2022

07/17/2022

When rotational grazing has gotten a bit out of hand.

I put 3 Nubian does in a pasture today that grew to 7 feet tall.

I'll see how they do for a few hours.

07/14/2022

We are excited for October! Corn maze at Olde Stone Farm Harvest Days!

This year’s corn maze had been planted. We’ll see you in the fall!

07/08/2022

If you were interested in attending a recent talk in our Summer Speaker Series, “Philosophies of Starting a Farm,” but noticed it disappeared from our events calendar, you’re in luck! This lecture was not canceled but rescheduled for this Thursday 7/7.👩‍🌾

Master Trainer Dan Kemper knows starting a farm is an intimidating prospect—but he’s here to help inspire you with know-how gained through 10+ years in the field. Dan will outline what to expect during the process of starting a new farm and answer your burning questions over the course of this discussion, which kicks off at 6pm at our Founders Farm.🚜

While this event is free, registration is required. Sign up today: https://rodaleinstitute.org/events/summer-lecture-series-philosophies-of-starting-a-farm/ 🌱

06/17/2022

MDGA Doe available following her upcoming kidding (within the month)

Her personality is very nice and she falls in the middle of the hierarchy in our herd.

I've struggled some with her on the milkstand and I'm just not putting in the time to make it mutually beneficial.

Photo 3 shows her generation, age, and %
Pm me for additional details

05/31/2022

We have a new farm helper.

Working to make mowing, carrying, and mucking easier on me.

She fits right inside the barn. Yes, I gave it a gender and am working on a name. 😃

05/27/2022

This week we participated in a very cool experience made possible by the guidance staff at a local high school in support of May being Mental Health Awareness Month.

I could not have done this without my friend who wrangled goats, loaded, unloaded, made sure students had opportunities for goat petting, brushing and having goats climb on them as well as networked on behalf of Blue Barnyard.

We took 11 goats and so many of the staff and students declared it to be their best day of the year.

I sometimes take for granted what it feels like to have our animals in our lives. There is definitely a healing opportunity here and I feel thankful to have shared it with so many people this week.

Please reach out if you would like us to work with you for a team building, in-service or other opportunity with our goats.

Mental health issues affect many families and we are not immune. If you need help, don't stay silent. Reach out to a friend or trusted doctor to find help.

05/15/2022

I'm currently milking 2 goats 1x per day. I can easily up that to 4 goats 2x per day.
Our belief is "fed is best" for the sake of infants.
We don't want anyone going without. Contact us if you are struggling to feed your child.

05/14/2022

Jupiter had a doeling born this week.

I didn't post about it immediately because she was a floppy little thing with not much need for nursing.

I have given her meds, daily weigh-ins, and 1oz bottle feeding 2x/day the first few days while also ensuring that she was truly nursing.

She received colostrum that I milked from mom in all the feedings that I gave, plus the nursing that she did independently.

So here she is from Day 1. Name undecided.

Our first purebred Nubian born on the farm.

I will share more if her as she unravels and grows.

She started at 5.2 lbs and was 6.58 lbs yesterday. So over a lb in 3 days. I'll take it.

05/13/2022

BOGO egg sale $5.00

Buy 1 dz large eggs and get a dz bantam eggs free!

While supplies last!

05/06/2022

Goat eyes are a curious thing.

Goat kisses feel so strange. Sometimes they even are uncomfortable as they can purse their lips together and nip you.

But these 2 are SO affectionate and sweet.