rachels.haven's Journal

[rachels.haven]

Merry Christmas, all. 2021.

 

[farmerjan]

Merry Christmas to you and your family. I'll bet it was like a zoo on overdrive this morning at your house!!!!!!
Time to go out to the goats to have a "calm down" minute ????
🎅🤶

 

[rachels.haven]

Actually this Christmas has been pretty sedate. DH is having more eye issues as we try to get him into see a glaucoma specialist so everything kind of has a damper on it. We're thinking it's probably a medication side effect, but loosing sight is loosing sight. Then we drove to PA to see his parents, leaving the home in my parents' hands. It's probably the best environment for him to feel secure and distracted in while we wait for the big specialists to let him in to be seen. If the specialist in the Nashville area doesn't get back to us soon I may encourage him to fly out to the glaucoma center he used to go to in Michigan 3x yearly or whatever so he doesn't have to go blind at 35. The whole thing has kind of made our personal Christmas plans small. My boys are well behaved when it comes to traditions so they politely opened their presents and were good and respectful and are now trying to keep up with Grandpa.

As far as farm update goes, before we left a pack of 3 pits/pit mixes came into our yard and pasture like the field fence with barbed wire at top and bottom wasn't even there and Bailey got herself up onto the porch away from them with Pepper, while Moses went to go see if any of them were ladies...so I chased them all off with an airhorn and bearspray (possibility of red, burning dog face, anyone?). My children could have been outside or the goats could have been out in the field. We're going to try to bring in another Bailey or two if I can find some. The roaming pits will eventually get shot by someone-they already attacked a dog on a tie out that belonged to the big farming family in the area so their time is limited-but roaming dogs are an issue as are coyotes, so another LGD makes the most sense. I don't want any pits messing with the children or goats like they messed with the next door neighbor's tied out lab.

Kidding starts first to second week of Feb with Hera the lamancha and Eri the dwarf up first.

My pasture seed is arriving.

Second load of alfalfa to act as reassurance as I work on the pasture got put on hold because the hay people's mother lost heat to half her house so that's a work in progress.

 

[farmerjan]

Oh, @rachels.haven , I am so sorry that your husband is having more problems. Prayers for your family, and hoping that your DH can find some help to preserve his sight.

I am glad that the kids can understand and believe in the family traditions and that they can enjoy the visits with the grandparents. And that they were good for you for the holiday.

Unfortunately for the pit/mixes, it will be the best thing for them to be destroyed. Roaming like that is sadly a very bad thing for everyone and the animals too. Once animals like that become semi feral; there is no redeeming them. I hope that they are caught and dispatched quickly so that the threat is stopped. That will not stop the coyote problem and yes, finding a partner for Bailey is probably the best route for all concerned.....I don't blame you for wanting her to have backup and better protection for the goats, and for your children. Sadly, you may need to put those shooting lessons to use.

 

[Baymule]

Oh, @rachels.haven , I am so sorry that your husband is having more problems. Prayers for your family, and hoping that your DH can find some help to preserve his sight.

I am glad that the kids can understand and believe in the family traditions and that they can enjoy the visits with the grandparents. And that they were good for you for the holiday.

Unfortunately for the pit/mixes, it will be the best thing for them to be destroyed. Roaming like that is sadly a very bad thing for everyone and the animals too. Once animals like that become semi feral; there is no redeeming them. I hope that they are caught and dispatched quickly so that the threat is stopped. That will not stop the coyote problem and yes, finding a partner for Bailey is probably the best route for all concerned.....I don't blame you for wanting her to have backup and better protection for the goats, and for your children. Sadly, you may need to put those shooting lessons to use.

X2
Roaming pit bulls are begging for a bullet. Hope that gets resolved soon.

Prayers for your husbands eyesight. Big hugs, hope he gets in to see a specialist soon.

 

[rachels.haven]

Thank you both.
Yes, if they continue to roam I'd be surprised if they are still roaming when we get back. Too many beef cattle farmers in the area that want to protect their business from other people's irresponsible decisions. That, or cars.

 

[Bruce]

The roaming pits will eventually get shot by someone-they already attacked a dog on a tie out that belonged to the big farming family in the area so their time is limited-

Limited should have been the minute they attacked that poor dog. If they come around your place again I hope your rifle is in hand.

I too hope your DH can get proper help for his eyes.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @rachels.haven,

It seems that life is so often testing you. Yet somehow you seem to always take it in stride. Like the others have said, I hope your husband can see an eye specialist soon. He is way too young to be having to deal with health problems!

I also agree with the others on taking care of those pit bulls. It's too bad the pit bulls can't see set loose against the coyotes instead of other dogs.

It sounds like you still have a lot to do around your farm, but my prediction is that you will have it done in a jiffy. I still remember how you described storing away all of that hay you bought up in the second story of the barn you had one your farm in Mass. Then a few days later you mentioned you had a baby (Shaun). WHAT?? Miss Rachels.haven did all of that work while 7, 8, 9 months pregnant?? WOW!!! So you will do something like that again. And we will all be amazed again.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[rachels.haven]

Aw, thanks @Senile_Texas_Aggie . I needed to hear that.

 

[rachels.haven]

So not a farm update, but DH got an appointment with a specialist in January. I'm half way relieved!