Into a New Year

Another year has arrived all to quickly.  We reflect on 2011 and are Thankful for a great year.  We look forward to 2012 as an even better year, hopefully finishing

some Championships on a few goats along the way.

We will be heading into our second year on DHIR.  Our first year was very good, this year will be even better.  Now we sort of know what we are doing and get the paper work correct most of the time.  The General daughters are coming into their second freshening and we will see the milk come on!  Oldesouth Blue Alexa 1*M,*D, +DAR has a daughter Oldesouth Blue Amber who is looking fantastic.  She freshened with triplets, two does and a buck sired by Oldesouth SunRay, SG Sunra's son.  Her udder is fantastic and she is in the milking string.  Her first milk test will be next week.  Sun Ray is pictured below.

 

LTE Olde Angel, Alexa's and Babette's dam has finally freshened with two does and a buck.  She has had bucks for the last two years.  These gals are sired by *B Lost Valley PG Superb *S.  I expect them to milk even better then their sisters.

UDiamond will be kidding this month and I have purchased a web cam to keep an eye on her from work and on my phone.  She will be moving into the garage at the house this week so she can be monitored via WIFI and the web cam.  UDiamond is bred to Zyvox.  Sunra will be another doe to be closely monitored, she is due late January into Feburay.

UDiamond's son *B Oldesouth Cognac Diamond *S (photo above) is in the breeding pen with some yearlings.  He seems to have his act together and we will expect some kids in May.  This fall we will use Cognac on several of my older does.  We hope to use Oldesouth Lex Supreme as well, once his dam earns her milking stars, he will be *B, *S.  Lex has a great conformation, chest, depth of chest, a powerful buckling and beautiful topline.  He also has moonspots!  His dam Brush Creek Liz is milking surprizingly well, with perfect teat placement, large, easy to milk teats, she is a super nice doe at 7 years.  I even put up with her laying down after I take the milking inflations off.  She is getting easier to milk, not dragging me to the stand or playing ring around the milk stand.  I guess the animal crackers have convinced her I was not so bad...

UDiamond dry and pregnant pictured to left.  She is beautiful.

Brat is being milked again, she is being almost good.  If you know Brat, that is saying a lot.  She must have had a trama when young, because she still is crazy if strangers come around or something changes.  A lot of it is pure fear, she will tremble and cry like I was going to kill her.  Then she settles down and comes into the milking parlor, gets on the stand and exits quickly.

The cows have calved.  Christy and Beauty both calved heifers.

The photo to the right is Christy's Calf sired by Brutus, the Beef Master Bull we had.

The lovely calf to the left is Black Beauty's heifer calf by Brutus.

Beyonce and her calf Destiny to the right.  Beyonce always has something to say about everything and is a first time mom with a beautiful fat calf.

We have a lovely pair of Geese For Sale.  We have them priced at $75 for the pair.  They have been raised on free range and are out with the sheep on pasture.  Email for more information:  Oldesouth@charter.net

I took these photos at the farm one evening when fog was rolling in.  It made an interesting series of photos.  It was a bit spooky as the fog rolled in like waves in the ocean.

One more photo of the fog rolling onto Oldesouth Farm.

Chistmas is HERE!

Merry Christmas everyone!  We are slow roasting the Christmas Goose for the family feast.  Our home grown, free ranged Goose will be a great treat. 

Oldesouth Blue Alexa 1*M, *D,+DAR has just freshened with twins.  She is now in the milk string this weekend.  LH Sweet Caroline 1*M,*D,+DAR also freshened with twin bucklings.  One is blue eyed, very nice kids from these two does sired by *B Lost Valley PG Superb *S.  All these bucklings will be *B,*S..  Will get photos and post on our sales website shortly.   Link is listed below:
http://www.oldesouth.citymax.com/catalog/item/3033880/5754520.htm

Two of our cows, Black Beauty and Christy have calved.  Christy calved early the morning of the 23rd and have not had a chance to see if the calf is a bull or a heifer.  Beauty had a dark, chocolate heifer.  So far the bull I had sold has produced 100% heifers .  Wish my bucks were like that.  Need a bull calf to put in the freezer as a steer.

The weather has been rainy, but the temperatures mild.  We are still a bit under normal rain fall for December at 3.85 inches, which is 0.87 an inch below average.  I think we will go over by the end of the month.  Hopefully not by much.  I prefer dry weather.  I still remember the winter of 2009 with a foot of rain in december.  It sucked beyond words! 

The rye grass is growing well, but has a ways to go to be considered grazing.

We will be at the end of another year all to soon.  Again we are Thankful for the good folks we have met and the end of our first year on DHIR.  Out of 20 does who started, 16 have made their stars this year, 14 in all three registries ADGA, AGS, and NDGA.  One doe was a Nubian only registered with ADGA & Annie Oakley made her star through her butter fat in ADGA.

We have a Christmas Eve baby, just one, LTE Chelone "Brat" 1*M,*D,+DAR has kidded a lovely doe by *B Lost Valley PG Superb *S.  Jet black like her mom, with a white star on her head.  Perfict topline, what a little darling.  May have to name her Oldesouth Christmas Cheer.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Oldesouth Girls are doing Great in the Milk Pail!

Received the news today of six more does earning their milking stars with AGS, ADGA and NDGA!  We have our first triple + buck as well! (General photo below) We may be the only triple + buck in the Nigerian History!! We are researching it and want to know if anyone knows of another triple + buck.  NDGA requires the bucks to be 23 inches or less.  The General is a bit under 22 1/2 inches, according to his LA 2011 appraisal.

Our star does are Oldesouth Babette 1*M, *D, +DAR (sister to Oldesouth Blue Alexa 1*M,*D,+DAR), Oldesouth Blue Reba 1*M,*D,+DAR, Oldesouth Alabama Summer 1*M,*D, *DAR, Oldesouth Galloway 1*M,*D, +DAR, Rosasharn GX UDiamond 3*M, 4*D, +DAR, and LTE Silene 1*M, *D,*DAR. 


+*B Rosasharn MR General B +*S,+DAR  has qualified for his + through his daughters on DHIR milk test in all three registries.  (photo above) .

SG NC Promisedland SIA SunRa has just been dried off along with Oldesouth Cocoa Delight and Oldesouth Belladonna.  They will have their final numbers on lactations early next month and the awards earned.

We are accepting reservations for 2012 Kids.  Our Breeding schedule is at:  http://www.oldesouth.citymax.com/breedingschedule.html

Currently Oldesouth Silver Princess, Brush Creek Liz and Promisedland BHP Scandal are on DHIR until everyone freshens again.  Some will freshen the end of December and most will freshen in January.  Next year everyone will be dried up in November and we will be taking a break until February.

We have finally scheduled our Veterinarian to come out and pull blood for our annual CAE & John's testing.  Our schedule and our Vet's schedule have been so crazy.  But he is coming out December 12th for the blood draw and vaccinates my dogs & barn cat.  Philip and his brother Evan will help with catching and holding while Dr Doug draws.  I am the paper work queen and know who everyone is.

We all at Oldesouth Farm wish each and everyone a wonderful Holiday Season, Merry Christmas, and A HAPPY NEW YEAR!  

    

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We give Thanks this day for all our friends and family.  We at Oldesouth Farm especally would like to Thank our Clients and Customers for making this year a wonderful year!!!  THANK YOU!

Once again the Turkey's are safe.  These are a couple of Royal Palm Turkey's at Oldesouth Farm.  To beautiful to eat, they have paid their way by producing young turkeys to sell.  I do love my beautiful turkeys... 


Had an interesting outing last night when the water well would not work.  Yes, got off work at 830 pm and off to the farm to see what was going on.  All electrical lines & plugs & breakers fine, removed the well house, opened the electrical box, shine the flash light and see a group of ants hanging out at one of the electrical points.  Of course, when playing with electricity, always remember to turn the breakers off.  Getting zapped like the ants is not fun. 

Then I took a nail emery board to scrape the dead bodies melted to the electrical points.  They are attracted to the current (heat) and their remains cause a short, where the two points can no longer connect, stopping the pump from working.  Took about two minutes to clean them out.  Once the breakers were flipped back on, the tank began to fill and we were in business once more.  I guess I need to kill some ants.  Will think about the options to not contaminate the well, but keep them out of the electrical components.

Back to the hospital at 0700 this morning, working the Holiday and will enjoy Turkey Dinner baked by the ladies in our cafeteria. 

Thanksgiving is almost here...

As we ready for the beginning of the Holiday Season, we give Thanks for our family and friends.  November is flying by and Christmas will be here shortly.  We especially Thank our clients and customers who purchased Livestock and Dairy Products from us.  We also Thank the Lord for our good fortune and a great year.  Thanksgiving is a time of giving thanks and we are grateful.

We have dried off several does and are milking Scandal, Liz and Oldesouth Silver Princess has come home to be milked.  She has two lovely daughters sired by Superb.  SunRa is still milking, and insists on coming in to be milked, but will be dried off shortly.  NC Promisedland SIA SunRa has just been awarded her SG (Superior Genetics) award!!  She is an ELITE sweet girl now!  SG is a combination of conformation and production, calculating out to be in the top 15% of the entire Nigerian Breed!  It takes a pretty girl who can milk to receive this award!!!  My sweet SunRa is pictured below doing what she does best, milk...

UDiamond, Oldesouth Belladonna, Oldesouth Babette, Oldesouth Cocoa Delight, Oldesouth Summer, Oldesouth Blue Reba have all been dried off and have earned their milk stars with CLASS!

  UDiamond is very pregnant, probably with quads and was drying up for the show in Dothan.  I think everyone has earned their star except for Little Tot's Estate Silene.  Silene is an older doe, LAed 90, but has not been milked, so it is a big if as to if she will make her milking star.  2012 will be her make or break year.  I hope to freshen her daughter mid 2012, sired by Oldesouth Shell Foop.

The girls will start freshening again in December, hopefully after Christmas to give me a break.  Next year no one will be freshening until the end of February. UDiamond and Sunra are due to kid in January 2012.  I do hope UDiamond has a couple of does.  She had bucks this past year.  The final numbers will come next week, but I believe she hit the 1000 pound mark as a first freshener.  Will post the final numbers when we get the last milk test results.  UDiamond is pictured below.

Our weather has been a bit up and down, with temps in the 70s and humid with rain, and now a cold front is passing through.  We received some rain which I hope will make the planted winter grazing take off, reducing the need for so much Hay.

Oldesouth Blue Alexa is due to kid the middle to end of December.  Her kids are sired by Superb.  I am really excited about this and think Alexa will be my first home grown SG (Superior Genetics) doe.  She milked over 700 pound of milk and LAed at 85.  All this as a second freshener.  I can not wait to see what she can do as a third freshener.  This little doe is under 19 inches tall as well.  She is a true Nigerian Dwarf!!




Most of the Icelandic sheep have gone to their new homes.  I really miss old Havvah and that goofy Boing who would jump into the feed bucket and hook her horn in your pocket or bucket.  I have their lambs and will keep a few Icelandics for myself.  I do love their fleece and especially their lamb meat.  I have three young rams going to the processor Nov 30th.  Lamb is so healthy, sweet and good for you, one would be crazy not to keep a few.  I held back Havvah's son by Snow Man as herd sire once Snow Man went to his new home.  The Trump is still here, but went through some tough times.  The Trump had to have his horns cut, had horrific fly strike and almost died.  I scrapped maggots FOREVER off him and shot him with every antibiotic I had to save his life.  Trump, not being all that friendly, would not get close to you to check him out.  It was not until he was at deaths door did he let you know, all was not well.

I noticed him not out with the girls, his ewes.  Had to run him down with the Kawasaki Mule to get a hold of him and see if he was OK.  HE WAS NOT... and collapsed, thinking I had killed the stubborn SOB, had Philip, his brother Evan and myself gather him up and then we saw the full extent of his problem...  OMG!  Maggots like I have never seen in my life, all over his face, head, down into his horn beds, around his neck, down to his shoulders. I did not have to temp him to know he was in BIG TROUBLE!  Trump was to the point of delirium.  I got the reciprocating saw, lopped off the horns and started digging out maggots!!!  Shot him up with Biomycin and Exenel to start, then switched to Biomycin and Extended Pen G. I sheared his head, down to his shoulders.  It has been so cold here I darned not shear him completely in fear of loosing him to pneumonia.  He looks goofy with his head and shoulders shorn, with the full puff of fleece over the rest of him.  Trump has never been friendly, but knew he needed help and did not fight our doctoring and his recovery.  I am happy to say, I think he will be OK and live to see another breeding season at least...  I do love the beautiful Morrit lambs he produces...

This is the last photo of The Trump with his horns in August 2011, photo below.

Alabama Fall Continues...

The temps have gone from cold to more pleasant.  We have just returned from a Monday Goat Show at the National Peanut Festival in Dothan, Alabama.  We came home with Grand Champion SR Doe in Milk and Grand Champion JR Doe!  We were very pleased to also win best Nigerian Dam and Daughter, Sunra and Scandal, as well as Best Dairy Herd.

 Brush Creek Liz is an older doe I had picked up in a group acquired in March.  We are really impressed with her udder when she freshened the beginning of October and gave us a drop dead moon spotted little buckling.  The buck will be retained, sired by *B Lost Valley PG Superb *S.

Liz is pictured to the left with Nick showing her to Grand Champion Sr Doe and Best of Breed in the Nigerians.

Liz from the side pictured to the right.  She is a very dairy doe with a great topline, udder and will be going on DHIR mid November.







Our JR doe is Farm Oldesouth Sweet Donna, daughter of Oldesouth Belladonna, sired by *B Rosasharn MR General B *S.  Donna is a sweet little Diva, photo below.  She won Grand Champion JR Doe and has her first leg toward her championship.  The judge was Daniel Young from Georgia.

It was a long day and we enjoyed fresh, boiled peanuts, which are a favorite of ours while watching the show.

We are Thankful for the wins and on the way home the truck broke down on 231.  It suddenly started making a loud noise like a hole was in the muffler, then power was lost.  We made it to a BP gas station, where I called Mr Paul and he drove from Selma with his truck, two hours away to pick up the trailer loaded with 13 goats.  We arrived home safely at 130 Tuesday morning.  The truck was towed to Selma and the Mechanic is working on it as I write this passage.  It has been to 3 different shops, four times.  Hopefully the problem will finally be diagnosed and fixed.

We have an intern volunteer helping us for 3 weeks, Joshua Spearing.  He is from the WOOF program, learning about goats, sheep and goat showing.  He helped prepare the goats and with the showing.  He has learned a lot and we will have photos of him shortly.  He also is quite the Chief and we are enjoying his cooking with lamb, beef and deer meat.

CRISP OCTOBER

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!

It has been unusually cold the last week or so of October.  We have had several frosts already and nights in the 30s.  We usually have these temps the end of November.  I have waited to shear the Icelandics, hoping the night temperatures would get back into the 50s.  I do not want to loose any sheep to pneumonia.  If the temps remain, we may have missed the window to shear until spring.

The goats are mostly bred back and my best milkers are drying up before a final show.  Next year we will breed a month to 6 weeks later to avoid this from happening.  We have 4 lambs to be processed and will be making arrangements for them shortly.

Lots to do at the farm, preparing for winter and we are going to need another trailer of hay to make sure we have enough until next spring.  It is the time of the year to pick up hay string and clean up downed branches in the orchard.  We plan on harvesting some pecans as well.  The trees are very old with small pecans.  Holley's True Value will shell them for us.  I have offered pecans to folks who can come and pick them up (for FREE).  Funny how folks do not want to pick them, and then complain about the high prices.  Folks are just to Lazy to bend over and pick them up off the ground.  Some folks just do not appreciate what nature has to offer....