Happy Birthdays Betty and Wilma!

Our first two goatie sisters Betty and Wilma had their 10th birthdays yesterday.  A momentous day .. 10 years ago yesterday, David and I knelt in an Essex goatshed and gazed lovingly at the two newly born tiny creatures that were to become the founder members of the Ellie's Dairy herd.

And after they were both so poorly last year, who would have thought that they would have made it through to their birthdays this year!

Betty wandered round to the back of the milking parlour to collect her banana

before letting herself out for a little birthday wander to find some yummy fresh grass

Whilst Wilma had a bit of a lie-in and waited patiently in the barn for her banana to arrive:

 Those babies are getting very big now!  Look at the size of these!

David, Anita and myself spent a very tiring and hot Monday lifting, weighing, ear tagging and weaning the first group of kids.  Those who passed all the tests were moved into a new area where they no longer have access to milk.  Just hard feed and hay and water.

Poor babies.  The noise on Tuesday was just incredible as they all complained about having no milk.  I try to explain to them that only babies have milk and that they are all big and grown up and don't need milk any more.  But they don't listen.... 

However, they were soon distracted by the arrival of one of our resident rooks who decided to have a bit of a trot around their feeder;

There are a lot of rooks in an area to the side of the goaties field but recently, they have started to come into the barn to find food and water.  I spotted one walking up and down Beamish's back this evening but sadly did not have my phone with me to take a pic.  It would have been excellent!

And our lovely bull Frederick has gone back to his own house now as our own Gracie Moos have been put out to grass again for the summer.  As usual, they walked out of the trailer and started eating immediately!

Nice to be able to see them out of my bedroom window once again.

So a weekend of markets and events lies ahead.  I have my usual Farmers Markets as well as an extra Food Fair at a local(ish) pub on Monday.  Jane the Cheese is hugely busy with 3 days at Chatham Dockyard Food Festival, 3 days at Ashford Designer Outlet Food Festival and a day at the South of England Showground Best of Food and Drink.  Busy lady!   Keep your fingers crossed for nice weather please!