Our History
We moved to our acreage August of 2004, just 3 months after getting married. We started with just a couple dogs, but it didn't stay that way for long.
Our First Goats
Our neighbors had pygmy goats and really enjoyed them, so we decided to get a couple for ourselves. When they kept getting out of our pen and following us around, we decided to just let them roam all the time. Well, this worked for a while. After our two nannies both had twins, the kids decided to start playing on our vehicles. So all but one pygmy goat had to be sold. We kept the only one that didn't jump on our vehicles, which was Sweet Pea.
Our neighbors had pygmy goats and really enjoyed them, so we decided to get a couple for ourselves. When they kept getting out of our pen and following us around, we decided to just let them roam all the time. Well, this worked for a while. After our two nannies both had twins, the kids decided to start playing on our vehicles. So all but one pygmy goat had to be sold. We kept the only one that didn't jump on our vehicles, which was Sweet Pea.
Fainters, a Dream Come True
I (Brooke) had seen fainting goats on TV and had always wanted to have one. We really missed having our goats running around, so we decided to look for someone selling fainters. Eventually, my uncle found an ad in the Farm Bureau and told us about it. Of course we had to go right away and check them out. After learning that they weren't jumpers, and they were about the same size as our pygmy goats, we were sold. This is a very interesting and enjoyable breed.
I (Brooke) had seen fainting goats on TV and had always wanted to have one. We really missed having our goats running around, so we decided to look for someone selling fainters. Eventually, my uncle found an ad in the Farm Bureau and told us about it. Of course we had to go right away and check them out. After learning that they weren't jumpers, and they were about the same size as our pygmy goats, we were sold. This is a very interesting and enjoyable breed.
"No Farm is Complete Without Chickens"
Chris had the idea of getting some chickens so we could have some meat and collect eggs. At first I wasn't so keen on getting chickens, but I went along with it since I got to get my fainters. He enjoyed watching them and eating the fresh eggs. He was really fond of his big red rooster. Soon I found out that there were fancy or (rare breed) chickens. These caught my attention. I found a website that showed all different kinds, colors and sizes. We had no idea there were so many varieties of chickens. That year as a Christmas gift, we got a gift certificate to McMurray Hatchery. I was so excited. We looked through that catalog more than enough times and finally decided on what we wanted. When we got them it was like Christmas all over again. Since then we have gotten a few more and look forward to hatching eggs this spring and summer.
Chris had the idea of getting some chickens so we could have some meat and collect eggs. At first I wasn't so keen on getting chickens, but I went along with it since I got to get my fainters. He enjoyed watching them and eating the fresh eggs. He was really fond of his big red rooster. Soon I found out that there were fancy or (rare breed) chickens. These caught my attention. I found a website that showed all different kinds, colors and sizes. We had no idea there were so many varieties of chickens. That year as a Christmas gift, we got a gift certificate to McMurray Hatchery. I was so excited. We looked through that catalog more than enough times and finally decided on what we wanted. When we got them it was like Christmas all over again. Since then we have gotten a few more and look forward to hatching eggs this spring and summer.
The Majestic Rottweiler
Who could resist a cute little ball of fur? Certainly not us. Chris bought me a cute little Rottweiler for my birthday in 2004. It took a while, but we finally decided to name her Xena, after the warrior princess. Having a big dog was a lot different, but she was a lot of fun. We got her bred to a very docile and friendly stud and she had puppies just before she turned 2. She started having them just as we got in bed that night, so we decided to stay up and make sure everything went ok. She was very good about letting us hold them right away. In fact, after she had the first one and cleaned it off, the next one came out and she looked at us like "it's your turn", so we helped a little. Neither one of us had a litter of puppies before, so this was a totally new experience. We ended up selling all of them pretty quickly after they were weaned at about 8 weeks. They were so much fun, we are excited to get her bred again this fall and have a yard full of puppies!
Who could resist a cute little ball of fur? Certainly not us. Chris bought me a cute little Rottweiler for my birthday in 2004. It took a while, but we finally decided to name her Xena, after the warrior princess. Having a big dog was a lot different, but she was a lot of fun. We got her bred to a very docile and friendly stud and she had puppies just before she turned 2. She started having them just as we got in bed that night, so we decided to stay up and make sure everything went ok. She was very good about letting us hold them right away. In fact, after she had the first one and cleaned it off, the next one came out and she looked at us like "it's your turn", so we helped a little. Neither one of us had a litter of puppies before, so this was a totally new experience. We ended up selling all of them pretty quickly after they were weaned at about 8 weeks. They were so much fun, we are excited to get her bred again this fall and have a yard full of puppies!
How About Some Beef Cows?
Chris had wanted cows since we had moved. After researching all different breeds, he found one that we both agreed on, it was the Dexter. He had wanted a bull, but I was against having an animal that I was afraid of on our farm. We decided just to go check them out and see what we thought, so we went to Grandma's Dexters in Toddville. These were like no cows I had seen before. I had never thought of cows as cute, but these were. Chris was impressed with the fact that they didn't weigh much less that "regular" beef cows, and required much less feed and space. We were both sold after spending some time with them and talking with the seller. We ended up getting a bred cow and a young bull.
Chris had wanted cows since we had moved. After researching all different breeds, he found one that we both agreed on, it was the Dexter. He had wanted a bull, but I was against having an animal that I was afraid of on our farm. We decided just to go check them out and see what we thought, so we went to Grandma's Dexters in Toddville. These were like no cows I had seen before. I had never thought of cows as cute, but these were. Chris was impressed with the fact that they didn't weigh much less that "regular" beef cows, and required much less feed and space. We were both sold after spending some time with them and talking with the seller. We ended up getting a bred cow and a young bull.
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