PROSPECT FARM


We are not your average farmers - if you could even call us that yet.

For some time it has been our goal to live sustainably off the land and now we are going for it! Our intention is to move towards having a household of production, not consumption through starting a multi-generation family farm providing organic vegetables, rustic breads and goat dairy for the local community. Our hope is to someday have our Vermont farm not only be a place to find quality local whole foods, but a community meeting ground to serve as an outlet for wellness, education and leisure for our neighbors.

Although we met in college, we both coincidentally grew up in the same New Hampshire area. Our studies originally focused on art and literature, which today are still huge influences to us, but we were looking for a change. Together we travelled throughout the country and have lived on both coasts, including a big city and an island in Maine. Through our experiences, we learned that we work the best as a partnership day in and day out and that our college studies are not what define us. What is most important to us is the way good “slow” food unites the ones we love.

Through this blog we hope to not only keep a log for ourselves, but also be able to share our stories and thoughts as we embark on this wild journey!


Friday, October 21, 2011

"Come up getcha Doe bred"

Yesterday we noticed signs of heat in our oldest goat Esther. As newbies to the goat breeding world we quickly loaded her into the station wagon and drove up to Keith's house, the owner of the buck and a local Longhorn cow farmer. We set Esther into the paddock with the buck, two giant Longhorns and Keith's tiny Papillon dog named Rusty - an eclectic animal mix.  Bucky the buck was interested but Esther was paying more attention to Rusty than Bucky!  She was in heat but not yet in "standing heat," meaning close but no cigar!

Keith suggested taking her home for the night and bringing her back in the morning.  He sent us home with what is called a "buck rag,"a handkerchief that had been rubbed on the buck's head where the oil gland is released.  Apparently, due to her behavior when she smelt it, this stinky cloth was to help us tell if she was in "standing heat?!"  Sure enough, this morning Lane held up the rag and she rubbed up against it and wildly wagged her tail.  Greta and Mabel, our doelings, were also sniffing the rag, but today was about Esther, it was her big day.  So once again, we loaded her up in the station wagon and drove up to Keith's. Within minutes of letting her into the same paddock Bucky mounted and bred with her four times.  We won't get into details but Bucky definitely did not have stage fright.  It's hard not to have a good sense of humor about it!

We won't know whether Esther is pregnant for three weeks when her next scheduled heat cycle would take place.  If she goes into heat then another trip up to Keith's will be in order.  While we would prefer our kids to be born in the end of April (meaning becoming pregnant this time around) we do love going to Keith's because he is a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of farming. Today he reminded us that we can keep our rooster in with the flock then remove the eggs as they come and obviously they will not turn into chicks.  He went onto explain that fertilized eggs have more protein and are healthier to eat. We never claimed to know it all!  
Lane, Ajax and Esther in the back of the Volvo
Bucky the Buck
Bit of Romance
Rusty, the Watch Dog
Happy Longhorns
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