Buds!!

It isn't even May and my pumpkins have buds on them already.  Things may get out of hand considering that I won't be able to move any of my plants outside for another 3 weeks at the minimum.  My melons have buds as well.  And, one of my tomatoes has hints of flowers!

Bathroom Cabinet

Now that the floors are done I have quite a bit of excess or unusable wood.  Considering that I paid for this wood I would rather not burn it.  So, I had to figure out a way to put it to use.  And, considering my fiber-less state I cannot finish constructing the exterior walls until I have the fiber to insulate with.

I couldn't think of anything to work on aside from the sinks.  Since the bathroom sink is much smaller than the kitchen sink and won't have surrounding counters to deal with it seemed like the perfect place to start.

I started the main structure by fastening the oak flooring together.  This is a dangerous task!  Those nails ricochet right off of the wood and have no trouble at all finding my face. 

I want my bathroom cabinet to have at least 2 shelves and I couldn't figure out a way to do that aside from making "legs" for them to stand on.  This also makes the feet a bit more sturdy as there is more floor coverage.

My first attempt at mounting the sink was abandoned partly due to the fact that this contraption just kept getting taller and TALLER!  The height itself was perfectly fine by me but it looked rather odd.  Plus, I figured out a better, more secure way of constructing this. 

The best part of this sink is the rails that it sits on.  I have never seen anything like it and I didn't even notice it when I bought the thing.  But, currently I am basking in the glory of it.  These rails fit perfectly into the tongue OR groove of the flooring. 

I also have an abundance of short pieces of cedar leftover from the walls.  What better material to make shelves out of?  I will use the cedar to encase the portions of the cabinet that I want closed in as well.  Still lots to do but it's a start :)

Bathroom Floor Completed

With the 4" flooring the installation time is cut in half it seems.  It only took a few hours to finish the floor.  It would have taken less but getting the floor around the toilet was a bit of a challenge.  A bit of advice... Install the floor BEFORE the toilet!

Wall Zig

I got the next section of wall squared up and constructed.  I almost had a meltdown when I discovered that I should have extended the kitchen side of the wall out another 3/4 of an inch to cover the seam of the perpendicular wall section.  So, I had to think on this matter...

I decided to save myself 2 1/4 inches and simply have the bathroom side of this little "zig" be rough sided.  This little portion of the wall is only single thickness rather than having a stud encased with cedar on both sides.  This solved the problem of an unsightly seam and saved me much needed width in both the kitchen and bathroom.  The rough side of the wall doesn't look bad at all.

Plumbing... FINALLY!

After MONTHS of peeing in the bushes I can honestly say that I will be THRILLED to use this toilet for the first time!  I have been wanting to get the water and septic hooked up for quite some time but as it is a 2 person job I was at the mercy of... well the person that held me up the whole time!

I got so disgusted with waiting that I finally stumbled across a reliable person to hire.  And, in 2 days time I have the first item plumbed into the cabin.  It should have taken half a day but...

All of my water lines will be run on the exterior of the walls and covered with a cedar casing.  This way if there is ever a leak I can easily access it and it won't damage my walls.

Building My First Wall... Ever!

I have started constructing the first wall of my cabin.  It will be the only wall too!  It's not a typical wall.  It is going to zig and zag.  In order to have my claw foot tub in the position I want it in I had to get creative with my wall building.  When I placed the windows I did so envisioning laying in my tub gazing out the window.  Okay, so maybe there are 2 windows to gaze out of from the tub...

Well, seeing as my cabin is tiny I was having considerable difficulty making the floor plan I wanted actually function.  In order to have the kitchen wide enough so that the refrigerator and oven doors are able to open I had to recess part of the bathroom wall to give me the additional space I needed.  All of this because of my claw foot tub.  It is 60 inches long and I was unwilling to give up on my window gazing so the space had to come from somewhere.  So, I made a short section of wall just long enough for the width of the tub and the rest of the wall will be recessed for the stove and refrigerator.  I've only constructed the part of the wall that is the width of my bathtub so far...

Refinishing My Claw Foot Tub

As I was shopping around for a claw foot tub for my cabin I quickly realized that these little guys are fetching a high price.  If you want one that is in good shape you better be prepared to pay!

After weeks of stalking Craigslist I saw an ad for a tub for only $65.  The ad clearly stated that it needed to be refinished.  But, for $65 it was impossible to pass up.  The photos made it look to be in fairly good condition and to be honest it was for the most part.  There were some rusty spots on the lip and around the faucet area but other than that it could have been used as it was. 

I decided to give it a makeover as I clearly don't have enough projects going on already!  Plus, it is easier to do this before it's installed than a few years down the road when it really needs it.  So, I bought my enamel kit which was only like $33 on Ebay and quite easy to find.  I would say that anywhere such as Home Depot or Lowe's would carry them.

Sanding and cleaning the tub took the most time out of everything.  I likely did much more sanding than necessary but I want it to look as good as it can after all.  Applying the enamel only took about 15 minutes per coat.  It wasn't quite as warm as the instructions recommended but rain was imminent and I didn't want to have to sand again once the moisture caused rusty spots where I had sanded down to bare metal.

I can't say how the enamel will hold up as it isn't even fully cured yet but so far so good.

The first photo is the tub before I started on it.

The second photo is the tub after sanding and cleaning.

The third photo is the tub after the first coat of enamel.

New Logo

This is my new and improved logo with custom artwork done by my personal friend Karen.  I asked for a waving tree and she sketched this beauteous creation.  She is an amazing artist and I'm glad to have her help and friendship.

Top Bar Hive

These are the top bars for the hive and they are recycled utility oak flooring that were unusable at the cabin.  Being utility grade there is no coating or finish.  Just solid wood.  These will remain durable for years.

Custom Beehive

My hive is progressing nicely.  It will soon be ready for my bees.  This is a massive hive by normal standards but I don't plan to be constantly shifting things around.  I want my bees to have enough space to build their home how they want it and leave it that way.

The interior is hardwood and the exterior will be tongue and groove cedar.  It will be insulated with alpaca fiber.  I can't wait until there are happy bees buzzing around inside!

Tongue & Groove Cedar Walls

The cabin is coming along rather nicely. This is as eco friendly as I could come up with given the limited resources at hand. Construction has come to a screeching halt due to the fact that I have run out of alpaca fiber and I still have quite a lot of insulating to do. 

The walls are tongue & groove cedar which will help combat any pests that may be interested in making a home in my alpaca insulation.  I have also used clove and lavender oils as a deterrent as well.  So far so good.

 

Oak Floor Installation

Utility grade oak flooring gives a rustic feel and saves lots of money at the same time. Installation takes longer but at 1/4 the price (or less) it is well worth it for those of us on a budget. It also comes completely unfinished so nothing toxic embedded in this wood!

 

Cedar Cabin

Cedar sure gives a natural feel and looks beautiful as well. This cabin is sealed with perilla oil which is an entirely natural oil made from the perilla plant. The oil is high in omega 3 as well as a natural sealant for wood. There are no toxic fumes or off gassing to worry about.


 

2014 Garden

I think I overdid it on seed starts this year.  But, last year my garden was a total failure even though I put an incredible amount of time and work into it.  My auto timer for my watering system failed multiple times and drowned my plants.  I ended up with a few tomatoes and some strawberries and that is about it.

My dreams of canning all fall were squashed like a cockroach.  I decided early on that the same disappointment would NOT be taking place this year and I started researching plant varieties in like... October!  I made my final selections and ordered enough seeds to feed a small city.  I thought that whittling my tomato selection down to 11 varieties was quite the feat!  Nobody else seems to share that thought.

I spent hours transplanting little plants today and I have run out of space to put them.  I ran out of potting containers too.  But, I should have food for certain this year as I ordered many Russian varieties of many different items.  The nights here aren't warm enough for long enough to set fruit on many plants so I'm trying a different approach.  I have tomatoes that are supposed to set fruit in 45 days!  If that holds true I will be eating fresh tomatoes before everyone else even has a plant in the ground.  I also have tomatoes that are claimed to set fruit in temperatures of 38 degrees!  I will NOT be foiled this year!!

I have a wide variety of stuff to go in the ground this year but I certainly want to expand once my little experiment proves successful.  I also plan to start saving seeds so I never have to buy them again :)

Raw Goat's Milk Soap

Raw goat's milk soap is natural, healthy and luxurious for your skin and hair. Waving Tree Farm goat milk soap is made from the highest quality organic ingredients that have shown to be hypoallergenic thus far.

Goat's milk has been used since ancient times as a natural cleanser. It is one of the finest natural moisturizers that we have at our disposal and it has excellent emollient properties. Goat's milk contains vitamin A and several B vitamins including riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12.

There are 3 categories to choose from and they all are 100% natural, dye-free, chemical-free and farm fresh:

Basic Fresh Goat's Milk Soap Essential Oil choice:
Camphor, Citronella, Lemongrass, Rosemary, Sweet Basil or Sweet Orange

Fancy Fresh Raw Goat's Milk Soap Essential Oil choice:
Anise Star, Benzoin, Eucalyptus, Fir Needle, Himalayan Cedar, Lavender, Pine Needle, Vanilla, Virginia Cedarwood or Wintergreen

Deluxe Fresh Raw Goat's Milk Soap Essential Oil choice:
Cypress, Moisturizing or Patchouli

To learn more about Waving Tree Farm feel free to visit:

https://wavingtreefarm.com/

https://www.facebook.com/wavingtreefarm.mininubians
http://wavingtreefarm.weebly.com

www.wavingtreefarm.com is BORN!!

I have spent a ridiculous amount of time over the past month building my new website.  I'm sure it could have been done in MUCH less time if one had any experience with computers at all.  That would NOT be me!  I'm computer illiterate and struggled immensely to complete this project.  Luckily, I had some help and moral support to get me through the toughest times.

It may not be a stunning site of incredible beauty but... it is MINE and I feel good for accomplishing something that I never thought I could accomplish.  As I learn more I will be updating and beautifying but for now it's done and ready to serve its purpose.  Feel free to check it out!

https://wavingtreefarm.com/

Spring Kids are Underfoot!

There is nothing quite like watching kids perform acrobatics all over the yard.  They are such a joy to watch and be around.  Their antics are absolutely hysterical and I only wish I had that much energy!

I feel sorry for Countess.  She puts up with kids climbing and crawling all over her.  They have NO respect for their elders.  They will get a running start and charge right over to a poor, unsuspecting goat and jump up, using the goat as a trampoline, kick off of them and before they know what hit them the kid is long gone!

2014 Kids

Kidding season stormed right by!  This is the first kid and a bit of a surprise.  He came from my dads goat that I swore was a hermaphrodite as she bullied my buck and wouldn't let him near her.  He pulled a fast one when nobody was looking and she has a robust baby boy.

She is a red goat and he looks nothing like her or his sire.  Since his dams name is Cocoa we named him Nibs.  He is a spunky little fella!

Hay Feeder Update

It is now day 5 of automatic feeding.  We finally had to load 2 more bales of hay into the feeder this morning.  Considering that it has taken 4.5 days to use 2 bales of hay that is more than a 50% decrease in waste.  I would say that is a huge success and well worth the effort.

Feeding Frenzy!!

Goats love peanut butter and will try just about anything to get it!  I made the mistake of trying to take photos AFTER I gave them their vitamins mixed in peanut butter.  Since kids are about to hit the ground I wanted to give them one last dose of copper and selenium just to give them a boost and make sure the kids start off well.  Can't wait to see the new faces!!

New Website - wavingtreefarm.weebly.com

I just published a website for my goats.  Kids are about to hit the ground and I have the breeding schedule posted with info and prices.  I figured now would be a good time as Countess is about to drop.  The longer the kids are here the more attached I will get.  Gotta move them out quick!!

http://wavingtreefarm.weebly.com/

Success at the Cabin

I now have an  awning over my half ruined door.  I was so excited when I found a door that was the exact size that I wanted and it was mostly window.  This is great!  It saves me cutting another hole and finding yet another window.  How awesome is that?  A door that also functions as a really large window.  Perfect!

Well, it turns out that this was NOT an exterior door and after getting rained on it started to look... pretty nasty.  I refuse to remove my extremely large window and try to search out another door that will be the exact size I need.  The alternative?  Build an awning that will also serve as a balcony and a deck.

The balcony and deck have yet to be completed as one must have 3 jobs in order to afford decking boards but there is NO way my door will be getting wet now.  I also informed my dad that I require a veneered door.  Strip off all of that nastiness and apply beautiful veneer.  I think it's a fabulous idea :)

Back to the Cabin

Headed to the cabin today to fix the wiring 'mistakes' so that I can pass my electrical inspection.  Electrical crap is the worst part of building.  There are different rules and regulations for EVERYTHING  and just when you think you have it figured out you get another failed inspection.  It's a good excuse to go to my favorite place on the whole Earth though!  There will be enough time to finish the awning and likely work on the floor a bit.  The best part?  It's going to be sunny!!

As the day winds down there are still only a few hay flakes in front of the feeder.  The goats gave up on being hand fed and took matters into their own hands.  Even though there is plenty of space they like to shove each other around so Pooper and Summer tend to wait for the others to finish before they eat.  I'm sure they will work out a routine that everyone can be happy with.  At least I hope so.

Success

The hay feeder is complete.  There is only a few flakes of hay on the ground in front of the feeder.  Goats are creatures of habit though.  Even though there is a feeder loaded to the hilt with enough hay to last for days they still stand at the gate and yell to be fed.  Hunger will win out in no time!

Day 2!

We took an  inventory of items and we should have enough to finish the project.  The goats have already found a new hang out spot.  Directly behind the feeder we're building!  Either they know we're up to something or they want to be as close to us as possible.

Hay Feeder

The first day of building a hay feeder for the goats went fairly well.  It would have been completed but we burned through 3 batteries and failed to find the charger until about 7 minutes before dark.  After doing a bunch of research online we kept a few designs in mind and basically customized it to fit our needs and work it into a structure that was already standing.  Seeing wasted hay all over the ground day after day gets annoying.  I don't like the goats having to eat off the ground or the floor of their house either.  We should be able to do a test run with the new feeding system tomorrow and I'm rather excited about that!

Fresh Lip Balm

I just made a batch of lip balm that will be great for winter lips.  Lots of cocoa butter will protect lips that live in harsher climates and tea tree oil will repair weather beaten lips.  It will also help prevent cold sores.  I added a bit of peppermint just for added penetration qualities.  Peppermint is also anti-viral among many other beneficial properties.  It will help carry the substance it's mixed in further into your skin.

For the ladies (and men that like it) I made some with added lavender.  Not only does lavender smell wonderful but it has good healing properties as well.  This will aid in soothing and repairing dry or cracked lips. 

To learn more or order go to:

https://wavingtreefarm.com/ 

Sunshine!!

It felt so good to see and feel the sun yesterday.  Working outside is so much more pleasant when it's dry.  The sun just makes me jump out of bed in the morning and rejoice at being alive!

I did forget to mention one little detail... My soap makes an excellent shampoo.  I haven't used anything besides it since I first tried it.  Because it's solid it's great for traveling too.  It doesn't count towards your liquid quota when flying!

To learn more or order go to:

https://wavingtreefarm.com/ 

Eucalyptus soap is available. Eucalyptus has many beneficial properties aside from being anti-fungal. I chose eucalyptus radiata for these reasons: This is the most useful Eucalyptus because it smells better and is more easily assimilated. It is most useful for sinus conditions because it can be inhaled very closely without triggering a cough reflex. Many sources say it is the oil of choice for infections high up in the chest. A traditional aboriginal remedy,eucalyptus is a powerful antiseptic used all over the world for relieving coughs and colds, sore throats and other infections. The leaves cool the body and relieve fever. Inhaling the vapors of the essential oils heated in water, clears sinus and bronchial congestion. The essential oil also has strong anti-biotic, anti-viral and anti-fungal action. And, it smells wonderful!

Learn more or order at:

https://wavingtreefarm.com/ 

I am currently offering salve sticks for a variety of purposes. These are conveniently small and easy to carry. Application leaves your hands clean and dry. What I have so far follows:

Comfrey - The traditional therapeutic actions of comfrey include demulcent (soothes mucous membranes), cell proliferant, pectoral (relieves disorders of the chest and lung), astringent, nutritive, tonic, expectorant, hemostatic, alterative (promotes a beneficial change in the body), vulnerary (heals fresh cuts and wounds), mucilage and styptic (arrests hemorrhage and bleeding). These claims have been backed by thousands of years of successful, albeit anecdotal evidence.

Its ability to knit flesh and bones together has been known from the beginning. It will promote healthy cells but not malignant ones. The monks used comfrey for its ability to cure bronchial disorders and injuries. It's uses are ENDLESS!

Camphor - Camphor crystals have strong antiseptic, stimulant and antispasmodic properties and are applied externally as balms or as a counter-irritant and analgesic liniment to relieve arthritic and rheumatic pains, neuralgia and back pain. Camphor may also be applied to skin problems, such as cold sores and used as a chest rub for bronchitis and other chest infections.

Relieves pain, increases blood flow and treats infections. Camphor can also be used to treat certain skin problems that cause pain, swelling and itching. It's often an ingredient in over-the-counter lotions that numb nerve endings, which reduces the itching caused by hives, rashes and allergies. Camphor is a popular ingredient in alternative therapies for treating acne and eczema, because it appears to reduce the redness and irritation associated with these troublesome skin conditions.

Thieves - Thieves Oil is a blend of five essential oils that are scientifically documented to be highly anti-infectious, antiviral, antibacterial, and antiseptic. This combination of healing oils covers a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and contains properties that strengthen the immune system. Due to its effectiveness against highly infectious germs, including viruses and bacteria, it is one of nature’s most powerful natural home remedies.

Calming - A blend of lavender and benzoin. This one smells amazing! The benefits of these oils are not limited to their calming effects though...

Benzoin essential oil is commonly used to help treat cuts, chapped skin, inflamed and irritated conditions, arthritis, gout, poor circulation, rheumatism, asthma, bronchitis, chills, colic, coughs, laryngitis, flu, nervous tension and stress related complaints.

Lavender essential oil has uses in culinary, cosmetics and medicine. It is effective to cure headaches, especially when related to stress, to clear depression associated with weakness and depression. Externally, lavender essential oil has been used as a stimulating liniment to help ease aches and pains of rheumatism.

Perfume Sticks: I have a blend of cedar and vanilla. The vanilla warms up the cedar and gives it a hint of sweetness. It is very earthy and quite unique.

As always I have LOTS of soap!! I ordered more oil so new fragrances will be ready shortly.

Kidding season starts in less than a month for me. I will have milk and pet goats available. Likely there will be some worthy of the show ring as well.

Interested in learning more or ordering?  Go to:

https://wavingtreefarm.com/ 

Beauty sticks hot off the press! These little treasures will be good for wrinkles, cellulite, skin conditions, and the list goes on!

My blend is heavy on the cocoa butter and sweet orange oil. Here is some info:

COCOA BUTTER: Helps boost your immune system: CMP may help suppress T-cell activity in your immune system, helping certain conditions such as psoriasis and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Major moisturizing powers: Ever wonder why pregnant women reach for cocoa butter enriched products to rub on their bellies? Cocoa butter is loaded with vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, and E and has the ability to moisturize like no other.
Helps your skin look younger: Cocoa butter is rich in antioxidants, which help in fighting off free radicals. Free radicals destroy healthy skin cells, damaging your skin and making it age faster. An added bonus: cocoa butter may also protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s UV rays.
The benefits of cocoa butter on face are quite incredible because cocoa butter penetrates deeply into the skin to give a glowing and healthy look.

SWEET ORANGE: Overall- skin care, obesity and water retention; dull, oily, puffy skin, wrinkles; strengthens epidermis, increases circulation, cell hydration, supports cell regeneration.

Sweet Orange essential oil is shown to promote the production of collagen as well as increase the blood flow to the skin. It is helpful at soothing dry, irritated skin as well as acne-prone skin. It is excellent for rubbing on calluses on the feet.

It reduces puffiness and removes fine lines from the skin. This oil discourages the formation of wrinkles, and hence delays aging. It promotes blood flow towards the skin and brings a natural radiance to it.
It inhibits microbial growth, and thus sterilizes cuts and wounds. The application of this oil on an injury, protects it from getting infected with pathogenic bacteria and fungus.
This oil has a soothing and refreshing effect on your mind and soul, and reduces restlessness and tension.
It relieves fatigue and revitalizes you. It acts as an anti-depressant, especially for women, during menstruation and menopause.
Other benefits include, the promotion of creative and positive thinking and supporting right brain functioning.
It provides relief from both internal and external inflammation caused by infections. It is helpful in treating swollen tissue by stimulating blood circulation.
D-limonene is a super-nutrient that occurs in Orange Essential Oil. It has been studied extensively for its ability to prevent cellular mutations and combat cancer tumor growth.

Orange Essential Oil shows photo-toxicity, do not apply before going out in the sun.


To order:

https://wavingtreefarm.com/

Waving Tree Farm Temporary Logo

2014 Price List

Waving Tree Farm

Goat Milk Soaps

Basic $4.50	Fancy  $5.00	Premium  $5.50
Lemongrass, Sweet Orange, Camphor, Citronella, Sweet Basil, Rosemary	Fir Needle, Virginia Cedarwood, Himalayan Cedar, Eucalyptus, Vanilla, Lavender, Pine Needle, Benzoin, Wintergreen, Anise (Black Licorice)	Patchouli, Cypress

Salve Sticks

4 Thieves                     $4

Camphor                     $3

Calming                       $4

Sweet Orange              $3

Comfrey                      $4

Salve

1 ounce tin                  $5

2 ounce tin                  $7

Lip Balm        $2.50

Perfume Sticks    $4

Deodorant

Trial size                      $3.50

Regular                        $7.50

Salves and soap can be made from any essential oil for any purpose.  If I can find the oil I can make the product.  Everything aside from my soap (lye isn’t organic unfortunately) is entirely organic and in most cases food grade.  Actually, I can’t think of anything that I have that isn’t edible.  For more info:

https://wavingtreefarm.com/

https://www.facebook.com/wavingtree.farm

Deodorant

This is likely my best accomplishment.  After years of using the deodorant crystals I tested high for aluminum.  It took me a few more years to figure out why.  And, so the search started for a completely natural deodorant that wouldn't leave me with Alzheimer's. 

I did end up finding one brand that fit my bill but it didn't fit my pocketbook.  Coming in at $10 for a small container I knew I could do better.  Especially considering it had a tiny application spatula included in the container.  What does one do with a tiny spatula?  One drops very expensive deodorant all over the floor!

I made a mental note of the ingredients they were using and went to the drawing board.  My first few attempts were not successful.  They did the job but they were too soft.  I wanted something that could be applied like regular deodorant.  After failing with liquid deodorant (the essential oils ruin the spray nozzle after a short time) I wanted something a bit more traditional.  It took some serious experimentation but I came up with a good recipe.  It's all organic and it lasts until your next shower.  If you skip a day for showering your deodorant doesn't wear off.  I find that to be a nice feature for times that I sleep over and want to wait until I get home to shower.

Salve sticks

Another use for my lip balm tubes.  These guys are fantastic!  Especially for those people that apply essential oils to the bottom of their feet.  I made up a 4 Thieves stick in hopes that my son might remember to use it for his ringworm if he had a container small enough to carry it with him easily.  I found many other uses for it.  You can keep it in a first aid kit.  You can apply it to your feet it you get sick.  You can apply it to your feet to avoid getting sick.

I made a calming blend as well and I fall right asleep when I swipe my foot at night.  I wish I could use it for perfume as it smells delightful.  It's a bit too calming for that though!

I made comfrey and camphor sticks too.  These oils have incredible properties and I learn new uses for them every day.

Beauty sticks

Since I have an abundance of lip balm tubes I had to come up with more uses for them.  After discovering how amazing sweet orange oil is I wanted to put it to use.  This is how my beauty stick was born.  Applications are easy and your hands stay clean.  Any combination of oils can be used for any slew of conditions.  If you have eczema you can have a discrete little tube to keep on your person for flair ups.  Dry skin?  No problem.  Blotchy skin?  No big deal.  Itching?  Easily solved.

Perfume sticks

In light of my belief that you should never put anything on your skin that you wouldn't eat I decided that this included perfume.  Carrying around a dropper bottle of essential oils blended into a perfume isn't the best option.  So, I thought of a way to use essential oils for perfume without the mess of the dropper bottle.  (Essential oils always eat through the rubber of the dropper if exposed for any length of time)  This comes in a tiny package and is solid so no fear of it leaking all over your purse.  As an added bonus it's all organic :)

Salves

Making salves has turned into a hobby of mine as well.  As I have mentioned I have many allergies and sensitivities.  I also have one foot that itches and gives me all kinds of grief no matter how strict of a diet I follow.  I have tried everything under the sun to cure my foot.  Anything to stop the itching and weird little water-like blisters.  I even sought outside help to no avail.

You know what this means by now... I had to make something myself!  I have about as much experience making salve as I do soap and lip balm.  That amounts to... NONE.  I read the ingredient list of the salve I had gotten from the expert herb lady and started to formulate my own plan.  There were a few ingredients I absolutely refused to include in my salve so I had to think it through.  Getting the right consistency is something of a miracle for a novice.  I managed to come up with a mixture that allowed me to use entirely organic ingredients that are food grade.  I'm a firm believer that you should never put anything on your skin that you wouldn't eat. 

Now I have my foot under control and have a stock of various salves for different purposes.

Lip Balm

Even before the soap I ventured into making my own lip balm.  When I discovered that Burt's Bees has soybean oil in it I almost cried.  I was fed up on searching for something I felt comfortable using and decided it couldn't be THAT hard to make my own. 

In my opinion the shorter the ingredient list the better.  If I pick something up and the ingredient list is a mile long I don't even bother reading it.  I promptly put it back and move on.  Things don't need to be so difficult.  Find the least number of ingredients that have the most number of benefits and go with that.

That's what I did and now I have lip balm that doesn't need to be applied 13 times a day and if I got hungry and decided to eat the whole tube it would probably do me some good.

Goat milk soap

Now that you are acquainted with my goats we can move on.

Once Pooper was weaned and we had kefir coming out of our ears it was time to find a new outlet for all of my goat milk.  Kefir cheese is wonderful by the way...

Since I have numerous allergies and sensitivities I hate buying commercial products.  I had been looking for an acceptable shampoo for quite some time and finally settled on liquid African black soap.  It had none of the chemicals or other nasties that regular shampoo had.  My hair was not soft and lustrous though.  Nor did I have anything gentle to wash my face with.  The black soap is a bit drying for me.

So my quest started for a completely natural soap that fit all of my needs and that meant I had to make it myself.  I just happened to have an abundance of raw, organic goat milk so the logical thing to do would be to make goat milk soap.  And, that's what I did! 

After a few weeks I had all of my various ingredients (they came from various places as no one vendor had everything I needed in an organic variety) arrived and it was time for a test batch.  I expected my first batch to turn out horribly so I didn't wait to full 4 weeks for it to cure.  After about 4 days I decided I had waited long enough.  I cut off a piece and gave it to my dad to test out.  He still hasn't shut up about it!  He thinks it's the best thing ever.  I guess all of that research paid off.

I now have about 15 different varieties of soap and I have branched out into even more products.

Willy Wonka

Meet Willy Wonka!  He is my herd sire.  He is one of the sweetest goats I have encountered.  Aside from Pooper of course.  Even when he is in rut he is gentle and sweet. He is also nice and petite so no worrying about large babies and difficult births.

Wonka is the latest addition to my herd.  Thanks to him there will be lots of kids very soon.  I check my girls multiple times daily even though they aren't due until February 1st. 

This little guy has amazing genetics and I can't wait to see his kids!  His sire was black with white spots and his dam had an udder to die for.  Very excited indeed!!

Countess

This is Countess.  She is the purebred Nubian I traded for Peek-a-Boo.  I think I made out pretty well!  The lady I got her from complained that she had to spend 15 minutes catching her in order to milk her.  I have a sneaking suspicion that might have something to do with the homemade milking contraption she used on this poor girl.  She even had a bruised teat when I picked her up.

I have to admit that she can be timid at times but this pretty girl and I bonded fairly quickly.  She gives me kisses and really does her best to do what she thinks will impress me.  I would go so far as to say that she has remarkable intuition.  She can be testy on the stanchion and give a kick or 2 but I remedied this problem.  I simply elevate one of her legs and that only leaves one leg on the ground.  To kick that leg would be uncomfortable to say the least.  Problem solved.  No more spilled milk. 

Countess LOVES babies and is basically Pooper's surrogate mother.  I'm curious to see how she will act once there are lots of babies running around.  Will she steal from the others?!

The first baby on the farm, Pooper!

Well, technically he was the second born.  His twin died at 10 days old so he is the only remaining baby.  I thought he was a girl for the first week or so.  I checked for 2 boobies when they were born and there were indeed 2.  It wasn't until I saw 'her' pee from the wrong place that I figured it out.  I was so heartbroken I almost couldn't handle it.  I couldn't keep a boy.  I could only have a herd sire.  This was tragic.  I loved this little goat more than any other creature on earth.  I helped him into this world.  How could I send him to a new home?  How would they treat him?  What would they feed him?

It took me a few weeks before I decided that I could never let this fellow out of my sight.  I loved him far too much to let him go simply because he had the 'wrong' anatomy.  As painful as it was I whethered him and he is still with me.

Pooper got his name by chance.  When his twin was still alive they stayed in the kitchen at night and on the cold, rainy days.  Since their mother had no milk we had to bottle feed them.  You can potty train a goat but I haven't had luck poo training a goat!  Their little pellets are easy to sweep up and it's no big deal.  Many times a day I would be sweeping poo pellets.  I started to call them my little poopers.  Well, when there was only one left he became my little Pooper.  I thought to name him Casper (the friendly goat) but we never called him that.  He is my little Pooper :)

Now what do I do?  I have 2 kids and no milk.  Feeding these 2 kids is getting expensive and I STILL have no milk for kefir.  Could things really have turned out this way?  Oh yes, they certainly did.

The only thing I could think of was to get another milk goat.  That was there was at least milk for the kids.  And, once the kids were weaned there would be milk for us.  And, the search began... Again...

I was able to find a milk goat that was only located about 4 hours away.  Problem one: she had a kid of course.  No biggie, I can sell the kid when he is old enough.  Problem 2: how to convince my dad to let me use the Prius to go get them.  I surely didn't want to take the truck that only gets 15 mpg when the Prius gets 50.  My car is a 2 door so no way to load a full size goat.

I armed the Prius with plastic sheeting and lots of towels and set out on my journey.  I stopped on the way and picked up a friend to enjoy the ride with me.  We arrived at our location with a bit of difficulty and then problem 3 reared it's ugly head.  This milk goat I came to buy had a daughter that she has never been separated from and they are SO bonded it would be a tragedy to make them part ways.  I said, no no no!  They poured it on stronger.  My friend didn't help things out much either.

We can skip straight to the loading process.  Have you ever seen 5 (FIVE) goats in a Prius?  Yes, it's possible.  I know because I did it.  The 'daughter' had 2 kids of her own.  I ended up getting 5 goats for $130.  This was all of the cash I had and they were more than happy to accept it for the whole crew.  They even threw in a mineral feeder and some cheese they had made from their milk.

What am I going to tell my dad???  I was supposed to be coming home with 2 goats not FIVE.  The car survived the trip without incident.  But, I knew right away that these goats were not going to be the same as MY goats.  The 'daughter' had the worst voice I had ever heard and she was very liberal with it's use.  She also thought it fun to play chase.  That means we chase her forever trying to catch her to put her to bed.

It was day 3 by the time there was any silence from Sylvia (the daughter).  I knew that this goat would never be my goat.  She drove me MAD.  Trying to catch her to put her on the milking stanchion was another challenge that I would rather have passed on.  Once she was on the stanchion it was no better.  I spent at least an hour 3 times a day trying to get milk from these goats.  It seems that I have found more defective goats.

Peek-a-Boo (the mom and original goat I went to buy) was easier to handle but I didn't like how she treated MY goats.  I didn't like her sense of entitlement either.  I didn't have to catch her to get her on the stanchion though.  She had been milked before.  That was the story and I don't know how willing I was to believe that at the given moment.

 My sleeves were wet but there were only a few drops of milk in the pail.  I got so desperate I resorted to Youtube videos to get pointers.  None of this helped.  I bought a special raincoat with velcro sleeves to try to keep the milk from squirting down my arms.

After 2 weeks of torture I decided to branch out.  I contacted a person affiliated with a goat association for info.  It turns out you are supposed to separate the kids at night if you actually expect to get any milk from the dams.  What a concept.  Yes, I'm THAT stupid!

This certainly helped but Sylvia was a nightmare to milk.  The stream of milk that came out was more like a fine mist.  My hands were so swollen I could barely bend them.  Her teats were so small I could only milk with 2 fingers.  But, that's okay.  I had already posted an ad on Craigslist to sell her.  That only took me a week!  I could not stand that goat!!  She was the first to leave and what a happy day that was.

It was a happy day until I realized that I had to feed her 2 kids now.  I decided that I couldn't stand them either.  I literally had to pry their mouths open, insert the bottle, hold their mouth closed and work their jaws to get milk down them.  I was counting down the days until their departure.  Luckily, I had sold them as Easter presents and all 3 of them were going to the same home.  This was still a few weeks away unfortunately.

Next to leave was Peek-a-Boo.  The way this went down is almost unbelievable.  There was an ad on Craigslist for someone wanting to trade for a milk goat.  She had a purebred Nubian and we ended up trading straight across.  I unloaded a less than desirable (for my tastes) goat and gained a purebred beauty!  All of that misery and torture paid off!!

Now I had 3 kids to force feed but the time eventually passed and things were back to normal.  I had extra cash and a milk goat of good breeding.  Until the kids were gone I used the milk from my new goat (Countess) to feed them.

I got tired of waiting for milk so I got Summer

This took some serious work on my part.  Almost a year has gone by at this point and my house has burned down leaving me with no place to go aside from my dads.  Not only did my dad take in my son and I but also all of my animals.  He was happy to have Sweet Pea and Poppy around again and my dog is loved by everyone.  I don't think he was quite as thrilled to have 11 chickens though!  Lets not forget about the cat too...

Now that I'm living with my dad I have to get permission for everything.  He threw such a big fit about me wanting to breed Sweet Pea and Poppy that I finally gave up on the idea.  He wanted them to remain 'babies' FOREVER.  Never mind the fact that I bought goats specifically to have milk. Well, that's not entirely true.  Milk was the original draw but I soon fell in love with goats in general and it spiraled from there.

By now I have discovered the many benefits of kefir and have been making it for at least a few months.  Actually, at least 7 months.  Originally, I made kefir water from coconut water as dairy products don't do me any favors.  My dad has no issues with dairy so I got him dairy kefir grains.  The amount of money spent on coconut water and coconut milk for each of our kefir strains was really getting out of hand.  If I'm not mistaken we were collectively spending around $65 a month just to feed our grains.  I had also stumbled upon certain information pointing towards water kefir not containing nearly the same amount of probiotics as dairy kefir.  Well, what to do now?

I'll tell you what!  Get a milk goat!!  I agreed to give up on the idea of breeding the 'babies' if I could get a milk goat.  I was shocked to get a yes on that one.  I found a pregnant goat and we went and got her.  I still had to wait almost 2 whole months for the arrival of the milk but the excitement was well worth it.

March 1st is when the real excitement began.  I noticed her the minute her labor started and I was with her the entire time.  She had a rough time.  I had to assist with the second born.  And, the most shocking part of all?  There was no milk for these babies.  This 'milk goat' I bought was defective.  She had no milk!  How could this happen?

I realized afterwards that even people with the best intentions and biggest hearts aren't always knowledgeable about goats.  This poor goat was so deficient that I'm surprised she was able to carry the pregnancy.  It's because of her that I now know so much about goats.  She is so much healthier now than when we got her and is due to kid VERY soon!

As I was driving home with Sweet Pea I got the call that Poppy had been born.  What???  I just finally got 1 goat and now I have 2 all of a sudden?!

The story goes like this... In the fall of 2011 I simply lost all patience with my goatlessness.  I searched high and low and there were no baby goats to be found.  (Obviously, this is before I knew how the kidding season worked!)  Finally, I settled on putting a deposit on 2 spring kids.  I picked out their parents and the waiting began.  And, I kept waiting.  And, waiting.  I began to doubt that these kids would ever be born.  I even assumed that the moms weren't even pregnant!  This is what led me to search out Sweet Pea.

Well, I was wrong!  Holstein (Poppy's dam) was indeed pregnant.  And, she had twins on April 8th of 2012, Easter Sunday.  Luckily only Holstein was pregnant otherwise I would have ended up with 3 baby goats all at once. 

I went and got Poppy on the 18th of April as I was anxious for Sweet Pea to have a friend.  I know she was lonely during the day while I was at work even though she had my dog for company.  She got plenty of attention when I was home though.  She sat on my lap and rarely was without a hand petting her.  I even adopted a method of potty training her.  If I take her to bed with me then I wake up if she stands up or moves around.  I simply laid her back down and cuddled up to her and she was perfectly content.  I took her out first thing in the morning and told her how good she was for pottying outside and this became rather effective.

The car ride to get Poppy was absolutely miserable.  Sweet Pea had gotten into the millet bag that I had for my chickens and inhaled as much as she could before getting caught.  Millet and goats do NOT agree.  She had the most foul smelling diarrhea I had smelled to date.  She felt terrible too.  Needless to say my car got initiated rather quickly!  Poppy did her fair share as well.  She urinated on my beautiful down coat at least twice.

I soon realized that not all baby goats are created equally.  Poppy seemed to have ingested Ritalin or some similar substance.  She was a firecracker for sure!  She rarely walked anywhere.  Instead it was jumping sideways and kicking her back legs out.  And, this little pistol had no idea what potty training was!!

Now, just imagine trying to sleep with 2 little goats in bed with you.  One now has diarrhea and the other doesn't want to lay down.  Clearly there was no bedtime at her previous home.  Maybe one of the problems is that I had one on each side of me.  I think at some point it occurred to me to put them both on the same side so they could cuddle together and this worked out better.

I remember the first time I bottle fed Poppy.  My dad and I almost collapsed from laughing so hard.  I have never seen a tail wag so vigorously in my entire life!  It was almost blurry it was moving so fast.  Now, THIS goat knows how to eat!!  She gulped down an entire bottle in about 27 seconds.  Hmmm, so this is how it's supposed to be.  I like this much better. 

Good thing it only took Sweet Pea a few days to get up to speed.  Then she fought Poppy for the first feeding.  Poppy learned to be very patient and let Sweet Pea go first.  Even when they got big enough to drink 2 bottles each Poppy would take turns.  Sweet Pea got her bottle and then Poppy hers.  Then Sweet Pea got another and so did Poppy.

Poppy is still good at waiting her turn even now.  I'm not saying that she won't try to sneak up on the milking stanchion before her turn but she hops right down when I tell her to.  The spray bottle may have something to do with it too :)

And, then along came Poppy!

Sweet Pea was my very first goat.  Well... I brought her home first at any rate.  I cuddled with her first and fell in love with her first.

We had a bit of a rough start as she was rather young but knew nothing of bottle feeding.  The lady I bought her from made it sound like it would be no big deal to switch a nursing baby straight to a bottle and my determination to take this furry friend home with me won out!  

I soon realized just how hungry a kid could get and still turn her nose up at the bottle.  It took a solid week to get her to entertain the idea of giving up on the voluntary starvation and consider having a little snack.  The grass just wasn't doing it for her.  She needed something more.  I knew this.  She knew this. The bottle knew this.  Opening her mouth and inserting the bottle while squirting milk down her throat might have affected the outcome just a wee bit.  It wasn't until Poppy arrived that she truly became proficient with the bottle though.

It was April 9th of 2012 that Sweet Pea joined my family.  After what seems like an eternity my first 'baby' is about to have babies!  She was once so slender and sleek.  Now she has a big belly and appears to have doubled in size.  I'll be surprised if she only has twins!