In the past we have always had rescue dogs, from our first family dog, a neighborhood stray named Smiley, to the indoor dog pets now. Some were given to us because they were unmanageable, that would be our Yoda, or adopted from the local shelter, and that is our Sugar and now the latest addition being one of our son’s dog called Gadget.

So back to the guardian dogs. These are dogs specifically bred to guard small helpless animals and they will take to guarding children. So if you want them to guard your animals, don’t let your children play with them. They need to be with the goats or sheep from the start.

Great Pyrenees will grow to be big, woolly, charming and intimidating dogs. They are not good indoor or small yard pets  especially since they are nocturnal by nature with a deep bark that is used to let intruders know they are on guard. Now that “intruder” could be a bunny rabbit, a squirrel, or the neighbor’s little fluffy that has come out to do his business.  That bark in a small back yard under your bedroom window is really irritating.  Neighbors tend to call the police about the disturbance.

This breed also does not adapt well to indoor living. We knew someone that tried to keep their GP indoors while they went on a day trip. They came home to a window sill torn off. We helped them find a suitable home for the dog. Great Pyrenees love to romp and play in the rain and cold. They dig large deep holes in the summer to cool their bodies. None of this is suitable for city living. They need a job and lots of room.

We brought Ben and Woody to our farm about seven years ago and they have always been with goats. They live in a pasture 24/7 and stay with their charges. These dogs don’t herd. They just go wherever the goats go. During hot weather they sleep in their self-made cooling holes that are often so deep we cannot see the tops of their heads. But let a bird of prey fly over or someone come around the pasture and they are up and on guard. They stand just a few feet back and use their intimidating bark to let strangers know not to come any further.  At night, we can often hear their booming bark off in the distance keeping the coyotes and bobcats at bay. These two have always been a team and one guards while the other prowls.

Siggy belonged to friends that had goats but needed to change their lifestyle.  We knew his background so we bought him. He is the same age as Ben and Woody and actually came from the same breeder. He is our breeding sire and the dad of India. We sold other pups from two previous litters. Siggy has the same disposition as Ben and Woody and stays with his charges 24/7.

Gracie and India, the girls. Now these two are not as low key and reliable as the guys. Gracie is a roamer and we have to keep her in a secure fenced area during the day. We bring her up to one of our enclosed porches at night. She is our outside house guard dog and seems to relish the job. India stays with Gracie during the day in a big run but we let her roam the farm at night. She works between the house the barn and the chicken coop mainly helping to keep the fox away.

Their expression is elegant, intelligent and contemplative. Each one has something specific to do. They all eat only once a day and allow us to groom them as needed. In the ten years we’ve been here and had the dogs, there has only been one predator incident with the goats or sheep. Until India started working the yard we often had to deal with a fox in the hen house. These dogs are an important part of keeping our farm in good order. We couldn’t do it without them.

See more photos in the Livestock Dogs photo gallery.

Fred has been handling everything since Christine left. All the while, lambs and then our Mini-Myotonics (miniature Tennessee Fainting Goats) were arriving. Christine left in the morning and I think the first goat kid was born later that day. So far there are eight kids, six bucklings and two doelings with three does yet to give birth.  We are hoping for more females. All single births but these mommas are all small and it is there first time so I’m not at all surprised. The kids are healthy and bouncing around together all over the pasture. Fred has been taking pictures to bring in for me to see and identify for our records. Today I went out and saw them in the flesh for the first time. I got more photos and then the camera battery went out. Oh well, always something. What can I say, they are all just too cute.

Normally Trevor Hilton, also, from FAMU, puts on this demonstration. He came to the farm earlier in the week and did a dry run with our son, Phil, from Texas. Phil gathered the supplies, made a plan and presented the project for the audience. I’ve been told by many people that it was a great success. We now have a greenhouse ready to start our summer plantings.

The Camellia Garden Circle was on hand to sell some Atlas Gloves and offer gardening tips. We finally have some photos of these great gloves. They are so comfortable and flexible you can keep them on all the time. Remember we’re selling them as a fundraising effort for the Jefferson County 4H members.

Christine took videos of the Greenhouse workshop. It was her first time to do this sort of thing and she needs to do a bit of cutting and splicing. She also took videos of other aspects of the ranch, so we can all look forward to our own YouTube channel soon.

Lamb Twins with Momma

We now have numbers six and seven, a boy and a girl.

This time the boy is the smaller of the two and he has a cropped, curly, close-to-the-body, white coat. His nose is black and he is cute. Sister must have been born first. She is larger and more active. She is completely white.

I’ve seen them both nursing which is always important. Colostrum, which is momma’s first milk, is what keeps them alive and healthy. This is a first time mom and she is doing her job well. She calls to them, sniffs and licks them thoroughly, then makes sure they stay with her. It is amazing how instinctive this all is.

The little boy kept wondering around checking out the other ewes but momma would come and get him. That was yesterday. Today momma’s out in the thick of things and the two little ones are bouncing right along with her.

The lambs that were born in late December are brave enough to run off and play together but run to mom if anything strange happens. We are hoping for a bumper crop this year. The ewes that are still at O’Toole’s Herb Farm should be producing in February. Henry, the daddy of them all, is with them now.

Click on the image to see the photo gallery.

Here’s the scoop on what we expect to be a minor ‘blip’ in our activities.

Fred is having eye repair surgery this week on Thursday. Phil, our son from Texas, will be here to take him to Tallahassee for the procedure. He comes home the same day. Then on Friday another son, Chuck, will take him into the doctor to be sure all went well. After that, he needs to avoid heavy lifting for a couple weeks.

Before all this happens, Fred gets to take me in for knee replacement surgery on Tuesday, January 10. The doctor says I’ll hate him the first two days but will love him when it’s all over. I get to come home on Friday. Phil gets that duty. These two guys will help us through the week with all the farm duties.

My friend Melinda is going to take the two bottle kids to her place. Stevie, the little goat that is blind, should be off the bottle but she keeps the newest adopted baby company. We can’t let her hear all that slurping and not get a bottle too, so she’s a little spoiled. Does anyone out there want a really needy little blind goat? Just kidding, I wouldn’t part with her. Her brother is weaned and out with the other big boys.

There will therapy for my knee and Melinda and Bob have loaned us a fancy machine that is designed for just such work. They also furnished us with a wheelchair and we have crutches from one of Fred’s previous episodes.

When we built the house we added a ramp, widened doors and fitted the shower for just such a situation. The lower floor is disabled friendly.  We have our own health care facility ready to go. I’ve actually looked up recovery information so we’ll know what to expect. We know a number of people who have had knees replaced and the results are excellent. I’m ready to follow the program and get back into my busy life with reasonable expectations. Our daughter, Christine from California, is flying in to spend time helping us. She will arrive the day before Phil leaves to go back to Texas.

I did cancel a tour that was to happen on Saturday, January 14, but still plan on having the ‘greenhouse’ program on Saturday, January 21. The members of the Camellia Garden Circle and Dr. Taylor will take charge of the program and make it happen. I’m planning on wheeling out there to boss people around. Oh no! I actually meant, I will listen and observe. Rain or shine it will happen.

The workshop will take place on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 2:00 PM. It is a free session and open to the public. There is plenty of parking and directions to the farm can be found on our website. Come rain or shine!  We will have an area that is undercover if there is rain and a heater if necessary.

Members of the Monticello Camellia Garden Circle will help answer questions about the best use of the greenhouse. And attendees are welcome to take a walking tour of the farm while they are here.

There are four lambs now and should be more over the next few weeks. We keep watching the goat momma’s too. They are so big but everyday I’m disappointed. They just can’t hold on much longer.

I did spend a few hours every day the week before Christmas at Rosemary Tree Cafe and Gift Shop giving out samples of our jellies. It was a great success and a lot of fun. Visited with many friends and made new ones. Here in this little hometown spot, we met visitors of a local family who were from Anchorage, Alaska, who know our son, and who haved lived there 20 plus years. Other new friends came in with visiting nieces, nephews, sons, daughters and grandchildren. All were filled with the holiday spirit and it was contagious.

The week between Christmas and New Year’s was spent minding the farm. We are expecting lambs and kids. A few lambs were born, twins on the twenty-ninth, which brought us up to four for the month. We’re looking for many more very soon.

Now the goat momma’s are really keeping us in suspense. We have Mini-Myotonics (small Tennessee Fainting Goats) that were exposed to a male starting last June. He stayed for several months to see if the girls really liked him. Well, they apparently played hard-to-get because we are still waiting way past the five month gestation period. Some look like they are carrying basketballs in their little bodies and they are manufacturing milk so they should be close.

Most goat owners know that the momma (doe) looks you in the eye, snickers and resolves to wait until the coldest nastiest night to give birth. It’s 24 degrees outside this morning so I’m optimistic. I’ll get plenty of photos when it happens.

Lamb and Goat or Jelly and Jam – We will continue to list our products on the Red Hills Online Market which has several pickup locations in Tallahassee. I will be expanding that list over the next few weeks – more goat and lamb cuts especially.

Here in Monticello, Johnston’s Meat Market is carrying all our meat products. We process what we can raise ourselves so some cuts sell out quickly. Right now there is plenty of goat on hand but lamb is limited. You can email me and I will let you know what is on hand.

Johnston’s is located on US 90 just inside the Monticello city limits.  Come out of Tallahassee on Tennessee Street which is also Mahan Drive. It is a pleasant tree lined rolling hills drive traveling east to Monticello.

Several places in Monticello carry our jelly and jam and all are withing easy traveling distance of Johnston’s. Full Moon Farm, with their unfiltered local honey and beekeeping supplies, is located with Tupelo’s Bakery and Cafe. Tupelo’s has breakfast and lunch. All the breads, pastries, soups and salads are made fresh daily from organic and natural products. They are located just before the Jefferson County Courthouse on West Washington Street.

Then there is Rosemary Tree Cafe and Gift Shop located on North Jefferson Street. Take the round-about at the courthouse and it leads you directly there. We also have our Mayhaw Jelly at Jefferson County Farmers Market on East Washington Street which is just a few blocks east of the courthouse. They have a full supply of fresh vegetables and fruits. They also crack and shake freshly gathered pecans for our local farmers.

In case you hadn’t noticed, the Jefferson County Courthouse is the hub of our quaint town. On that circle is the Opera House built in 1890. I’m told it is haunted along with several historical locations. Local bed and breakfasts and the old jail house are just a few of the places featured on the Ghost Tours conducted through our Monticello/Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. And while you are here, check out our collectable and antique shops all round the downtown. Remember these are short city blocks and all with in easy walking distance.

Yes, we’ll be there. We have newly processed goat and lamb. There will be the regular items of jelly and jams. There are some special cuts for holiday meals such as Leg-of-Lamb or Goat, Rib and Loin Chops.

I’ve had requests for the leg cut into cubes for special recipes. This is a tender and choice cut so it doesn’t need to be cooked a long time. It does make a nice dish with marinades and surrounded by the vegetables that you get from the other growers at the market.

Now about goat, folks often think of goat as barbecued or curried but it is delicious roasted the same way you would any pork or beef roast. Just use your favorite seasonings and add moisture. Cook in a dutch oven or similar pan. This could also be done nicely in a pressure cooker. You will be delightfully surprised. Add some cranberry sauce as a condiment. It will really be a special meal.

There will be organs available for those of you that like them. There is ground goat and lamb also. Email me if you have something special in mind and I’ll see what I have.

We won’t be posting a newsletter next week, so we wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I’ll see you again in  2012.

Oh yes, you may want that sauce for a special holiday meal. Not the jellied thing with the lines from the can still embedded in it. These are organic cranberries sent to us from Maine. No we don’t raise cranberries in Florida, however, I do make the sauce with a special recipe here locally. At any rate, I’m having fun this week and hope to see many friends and make new acquaintances.

I’ll be there every day but Wednesday. I am at Lake Ella Growers Market that day. I tried to talk Fred into taking my place for the day but he gave me “the look” so don’t expect to see him there.

Do you need a stocking stuffer? All of our jellies and jams come in the 2.9 ounce size that makes a special surprise and meaningful gift. Mayhaw Jelly is really a southern specialty. You’re certainly not going to find it anywhere but in this general area. North Florida and South Georgia are the right temperate zones for this rare delight. It does grow across the states into Texas. The only other place these trees grow is in China. So if you want something southern and unique give Mayhaw Jelly made in Jefferson County, Florida.

I’m going to make a proposal to the powers-that-be to declare Jefferson County as the Mayhaw Capitol of Florida. Let’s see, is that Jefferson County or the State of Florida I have to make that proposition to? Well, I’ll find out and get it done.