My morning started before 7, out in the yard, milking the goat. It's been a steep learning curve over the last month for Jorgie and me, but we're getting there. What started four weeks ago as a hand milking of about a shot glass full of milk has become a hand vacuum pump milking machine and about 400ml a day. It's not enough milk for cheese and yoghurt and baking, but its enough for drinking and it tastes a-mazing!
After breaky, there was sourdough to start and some odds and ends with the boys. They turned 9 last week, you know? My baby boys are growing up way too fast! They had a pupil free day today and spent most of it playing with birthday presents, but they did come and help collect a bucket full of willow for the goats.
At about 10, I had to walk the goats. We wander up the road a bit and I let them munch on various weeds along the way. Our baby goats are growing quickly too. They're seven weeks old now and growing so fast! They were disbudded at two weeks old, and we wethered Storm this week (poor little guy). We've found lovely local buyers for him too which is both fantastic and terribly sad. We always knew we couldn't keep him, but we'll miss him terribly when he goes.
My afternoon was filled with baking, tutoring my 17 year old brother and belly dance work. I've been back teaching kids classes this term and absolutely loving it, and I've also recently been lucky enough to perform a few times, including once at our local Ishka store - so much fun!
I cooked us a yummy dinner, which, like every meal at the moment, featured broad beans - our massively glut crop at the moment! After tea, I geared up and visited a friends place with Lachie to undertake our first duties as new beekeepers!
We've bought a hive and are 'rescuing' a beehive each from walls of buildings. The bees would have had to be killed if they didn't have a home, and Sharon and I are both very excited to turn our hand at apiary. Sadly, we can't find a local teacher, so it's down to lots of research, some common sense and a lot of making it up as we go along. All went well tonight and we have one hive in a box with no stings and only a few dead bees.
And now, I'm chilling out with a glass of home brew, taking the evening off.
So life is good here! How are you?
