September 29, 2017

A Treat For the Goats: The Harvested Corn Field

Every year after we've harvested our dried field corn, I turn the goats into the corn field.





The girls get the morning shift, and then the boys get their turn in the afternoon.



The goats love the change of diet and eat the corn leaves plus the weeds and grasses growing in between the corn stalks. This plus a handful of chopped oregano, rosemary, and okra pods every evening, and I'm getting 25% more milk! Everybody's a winner!

9 comments:

Ed said...

Do you notice taste differences in the milk with different forage food? I have always been able to tell the difference between grass fed and corn fed beef or venison.

Mrs Shoes said...

We only ever get one good cut of hay, and then the fields look patchy with alfalfa and whatnot springing up here & there. We turn the cattle into the biggest field & the horses into the smaller one for them to graze it off & grow fat on it ahead of winter.

Florida Farm Girl said...

Lucky goats. Don't you just love the smell of freshly ground corn meal? That's one of my best memories of childhood and I have the striped ticking bag that was used only for freshly ground cornmeal. It would be warm from the friction of those big stones and smelled heavenly.

Leigh said...

Ed, that's an excellent question but since we don't drink milk I can't really give you an answer. It might make a difference in the cheese, but I'm afraid my record keeping isn't quite that detailed!

Mrs. Shoes, that's a great way to utilize those fields, isn't it? Currently our small hay growing areas aren't fenced so they goats don't get access to those. But we get three cuttings! So that really helps on the hay bill.

Sue, I just love cornbread made with homegrown corn! How neat that you used to get it freshly milled like that. What a treat.

Sandy Livesay said...

Leigh,

Your goats adore you!!! They get to have an all around healthy food.

Hugs,
Sandy

Leigh said...

Sandy! Good to hear from you! I know you and BullDog Man must be busy with your new place. Yes, it is so helpful when your critters associate you with tasty things to eat. They learn to follow you anywhere!

Rain said...

I love those win-win situations! Lucky goats! You have a nice life Leigh and I love reading about it! :)

Leigh said...

Thanks Rain! It's a nice life but a challenging ones. Lots of trial and error goes into the learning process, but I can't imaging living any other way.

M.K. said...

That is wonderful! They look quite happy in there.