Anyway, here I am ... Managed to finish off both of the work experience students last week! Think they slept well over the weekend :-) Molly came with me on Saturday to help with the Open Day at our veterinary practice.
The weather wasn't particularly marvellous and a couple of heavy downpours sent everyone scurrying for shelter. Our little goaties were warm and dry in one of the practice stables so they were very happy! In view of the weather, we decided to take only the kids and leave big fat Footsie goat at home - it would be a lot easier just to deal with one pen of babies rather than a second pen for a large stroppy milker as well!
Everyone loved the babies ... even the small people who came to visit. Here is a young chap called Max who seemed very interested in everyone:
Yesterday afternoon I had a bit of a treat. You may remember that I gave a talk to an organisation called the Catenians last year. Well, my host for that evening, Steve Goldsmith, is now the President of the group and he very kindly invited me to his President's Lunch yesterday afternoon. They had decided to have a hog roast (which looked delicious) but there was plenty of other yummy food there as well for those green-haired, lentil-eating veggies such as myself. I also provided a small goatie cheese board for everyone to enjoy at the end of the meal.
Steve and his wife Ali had worked very hard to organise a wonderful afternoon for over 80 people who turned up. Everyone had a thoroughly nice time and it was lovely to meet some of the members again. Here's a few piccies for you:
So, back in the goat shed ... we did a fair bit of moving around last week while we had students around to help as we need to get the hay barn cleared in the hope that the weather will improve and David can go haymaking.
The big males are all now out in their summer quarters in the cattle yard. They have a large sheltered area at the back with a huge hayrack, water bowl and lots and lots of comfy straw, whilst the open area at the front allows them to strut their stuff in front of the girls. Yes, it's getting round to that time of year again!! Hardly seems five minutes since last season ... And the boys are getting themselves ready .. there is the unmistakeable odour of male goat just starting to arise from their batchelor pad .. Here they are having their breakfast this morning ... look at the size of them! They are all in fine shape at the moment.
We have also moved the kids around as more of them are now weaned. And the older ones are now feeding out of troughs hung over the gate .. how grown up!
So, this week will be taken up mainly with the Kent County Show at the end of the week. Then we have another student arriving on Sunday night - this time a vet student from Bristol Uni called Jo. She is a friend of Charlotte who worked with us last year so I imagine she already knows a fair bit about us .. which may or may not be a good thing! Looking forward to her arriving though as we have a few jobs lined up!
If you are in Kent and happen to be at the Kent Show, do come along and visit. We are sharing stands with Jane the Cheese and will be in the main Food Tent as well as the Taste of Kent area at the opposite end of the showground. And don't forget my Fanny Craddock session - now confirmed as 12 noon on Friday 13th. An auspicious date ....
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