The time is near!

Tallulah, the goat, is due on Friday which just happens to be John’s birthday! We had been hoping that she would “kid” a few days early as I’m having to leave on business and their is a scout snow caving trip coming up early next week. BUT, so far, to no avail.

Did you know that you can tell when a goat is about to kid by checking two tendons on either side of their tail? Normally those tendons feel hard and about the width of a pencil. However, supposedly, those tendons start to soften and then completely disappear within the 24 hours before the goat “kids”. So far, Tallulah is not showing any signs of kidding.

John and I did spend about 4 hours preparing the kidding stall. We stripped it from all the winter straw and manure that builds up and warms the bedding up during the cold months and hauled it to the back pasture where we spread it over the pasture. Well, actually, John took a pitchfork and tossed it in the air and let the REALLY STRONG winds that day spread it for him. Then we rebedded the stall with a thick layer of straw and put a panel down the middle of the stall so that Tallulah could still see her twin, Una, but that they were separated for when Tallulah goes into labor.

She has been gradually increasing her grain intake as we lead up to her due date….and seems very healthy.

Yesterday, we went to a agritourism workshop put on by CSU extension and the county. It was really validating as they were talking about ideas that we had already been discussing. We also were able to hear about a goat dairy down in Buena Vista and how that entrepreneur got started with just TWO goats. Hey, maybe our son will be a dairy entrepreneur. Anyway, she was talking about how kidding season starts up this next weekend for her as well.

I’m really looking forward to trying to make various food items from the goat milk that we will get. Nervous…..but also excited. And of course, I’m feeling pretty motivated as well since one of our sons is currently on a very restricted diet which excludes him from normal dairy products.

I’ll keep you posted on Tallulah’s progress….or rather, the lack thereof.

In the meantime, be sure and friend/like the ranch on facebook. We are listed as Outpost Ranch!