"I play a mental game with myself that helps me bring our progress into perspective. It's a “what if” game, based on whatever imaginary emergency or doomsday scenario suits my fancy at the time. What if Dan was suddenly unemployed for months on end? What if, for some reason, civilization as we know it collapsed? How prepared would we be?" 5 Acres & A Dream The Book, Chapter 5, "The Establishment Phase"
I don't blog much about preparedness. This isn't because I don't see a need to be prepared, it's because Dan and I believe that the very best thing one can do to prepare for __(fill in the blank)__ is lifestyle.
Changing our lifestyle over the years has been a top priority, because we have long seen the root of the world's problems to be its industrialized economic system. I know many people love this system's promises of convenience and wealth, while others hate the inevitable inequality it produces. Trouble is, both points of view are too personal to be realistic. Step back for a bigger picture and it becomes easier to see that as long as industrialized manufacturing and agriculture consume the lion's share of the world's resources, we are headed for global disaster.
People look to politics for answers, but honestly? I think that's a pretty lazy excuse. If politics was actually interested in solving problems, then maybe. But it isn't. It's about power. What we have going on in this country, at least, is nothing more than a giant game of King-of-the-Hill. And it's not a friendly game. It's driven by hate, with one political party literally hell-bent on destroying the other at any cost. Even if it means climbing out on the limb of a tree and sawing that limb off. America's self-destruct button has been pushed. No amount of finger pointing is going to change that.
What's lifestyle got to do with it? Your lifestyle is the one tool you've got that can make a difference. When politicians and government make promises to fix things, it becomes all to easy to assume nothing is required on the part of Self. It's the government's job to provide __(fill in the blank)__ . That mindset enables us to turn a blind eye on problems and needs around us. Self can continue to pursue it's own desires. That's why I say that looking to politics is an excuse.
You can only make choices for you. As much as I wish my opinion may help someone, it's only my actions that make a difference. Dan and I have chosen to decrease our dependence on the current economic system. This is not just some wild, idiosyncratic hair. Historically, folks who live with farms and gardens fare much better when disaster strikes, because they can grow at least some of their own food.
"There are no one-size-fits-all solutions... It is better to grow one potted tomato plant on the patio than none at all. It is better to have a small suburban garden than none at all. It is better to keep a few potted herbs under a grow light than none at all. It is better to do something rather than nothing." 5 Acres & A Dream The Book, Chapter 6, "Food Self-Sufficiency: Feeding Ourselves"
March 8, 2019
March 5, 2019
Introducing New Kids to the Herd
I was asked a question recently, about when to introduce new kids to the rest of the herd. It's a good question, because there are a number of variables: herd dynamics, individual personalities, and the dam's mothering style.
I like to leave mothers and their new kids in the kidding stall for their first couple of days. New mothers, especially, need to learn who these tiny creatures are and bond with them. The stall isn't out of sight from the other goats so there's no herd separation anxiety for the new mother. They can see and smell one another and it gives everyone a chance to become familiar with the kids.
This also gives new babies time to learn how to use their legs and get around. They need to be steady enough on their feet and able to run out of the way of any adult who is trying to teach them their manners. Learning their manners includes learning which teats are acceptable to nurse from and which are not! With so much access to milk at eye level, it's a lesson that needs to be learned.
For their first outing, I like to wait until the others are out grazing and then let Mama and her babies out of their stall. That gives them the chance to explore and become familiar with the common area.
When it comes to meeting the rest of the herd, I supervise introductions.
I want to observe how the other adults react to the new babies and how well their mother will protect them. I've had does that let others butt their kids around, and I've had does who butt everybody else away before they can get anywhere near their kids.
Some adults are gentle with kids. They push rather than butt them away. Other adults are rough and rude with the kids, so I'm always on the lookout for bullying. The kids learn quickly and soon know who's way to stay out of.
I also keep an eye on the older kids because they tend to play rough and need to be supervised. Eventually the newbies know how to stay out of the way.
I keep these first times pretty short. If Mom wants to go out to graze, I'll put the babies back in their stall until she's back. They sleep a lot their first week or so and don't miss her while she's out with the others. I keep the adults out of the empty stall during this time, and I'll put mama and the kids back in it for several more nights.
I don't know if it's necessary, but I feel better knowing they can't get too far from their mother at first. Once everybody knows who's who and what's what, they don't need that anymore. Then it's just regular goat business as usual.
March 1, 2019
First of March Garden
Our coldest months are finally behind us! At least I hope so. March can be so iffy for us. But spring flowers are blooming everywhere and that's always cheerful, no matter what the weather is like.
February went from frigid to mild and with a lot of rain, so my winter garden has been growing like crazy! We've been eating a lot of salads and sauteed greens from the garden.
To top our salads, I still have plenty of feta cheese stored in herbed olive oil. That plus black olives (Dan's favorite) make for delicious fresh winter eating.
Everything we're eating from the garden was planted last fall. Some things made it, others didn't. Here's what's there now ...
How about you? Anything happening in your garden?
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| Almond |
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| Forsythia |
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| Japanese magnolia |
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| Peach |
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| Daffodils |
February went from frigid to mild and with a lot of rain, so my winter garden has been growing like crazy! We've been eating a lot of salads and sauteed greens from the garden.
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| Cosmic purple carrots and broccoli. We finished the broccoli heads a while ago but the plants continue producing florets. |
To top our salads, I still have plenty of feta cheese stored in herbed olive oil. That plus black olives (Dan's favorite) make for delicious fresh winter eating.
Everything we're eating from the garden was planted last fall. Some things made it, others didn't. Here's what's there now ...
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| Carrots, beets, multiplier onions, heading collards, & clover |
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| Savoy cabbages with living mulch of clover |
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| Claytonia (miners lettuce) |
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| Mizuna mixed with chickweed. The mizuna is already trying to go to seed! |
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| Carrots, lettuce, and chickweed. |
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| My main garlic bed. |
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| Resting garden beds. Some I filled with leaf mulch, in others I grew a cover crop of annual rye & clover. |
How about you? Anything happening in your garden?
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