Carnitas!

....after lots of searching, high and low, for the perfect meat goat....we have found him ~ this is Carnitas, Maura's meat goat for our County Fair.... Even after being part of a science experiment (using pumpkins as a dewormer ~ hmmmm.....) he is still incredibly shy. Maura has been diligently trying to make friends with him. A very slow process, but she should eventually, be able to teach him how to brace, and be a good show goat, he is a gorgeous Boer goat, with lots of potential!

Julie & Julia

And a Merry Christmas was had at Sassafras Ranch this year....we have had 9 lambs born so far this season, two of them to Remy's Bergamot, Floppa's sister. Their names are Ribbon and Licker, and Licker looks just like Floppa at this age. Bergamot is an amazing mom, she even tries to take care of Thelma's little boy, Beau, and runs to him when Thelma leaves him behind. Aaaah, the ranch life sure has been good to us... I am reminded of this every single time I watch the kids playing or doing chores outside my window... carrying hay, bottle feeding the calves, tossing grain at the chickens and guineas, or just running around being chased by the sheep.... and then there was also that time when, after watching for about an hour from inside the house how Mr. Sassafras was unsuccessfully trying to bring in the cows, Maura was able to coax them in just by talking to them... and here is Julia, my super tame, gorgeous, new romagnola cow. Don't be fooled by the antlers, she really is a cow : )
The kids were great at keeping the secret, and they tried really hard to distract me while she was being led to my window, antlers and all....

The Christmas Tree

A few months ago we went to our local farmer's market. They were having a gourd festival, complete with corn maze, and an actual pumpkin patch... (I really dislike the fake ones, where they place their pumpkins on a lawn, or in those giant cardboard boxes), we went on a lovely tractor ride, and that was when we discovered that they not only grow vegetables and pumpkins, but pine trees as well.

~ but I already knew this... the Christmas tree patch was started decades ago by a 4H group in this nearby town which was led by the kids' oil painting teacher as a fundraising program for the organization. Lovely Lady.

Anyway, Remy decided right there and then that his year not only would we be having a live Christmas Tree, but he would be the one cutting it. So we bundled up and set out on our adventure.

We got there and started walking around, Remy was running everywhere, he was so excited! They had different kinds of pines, all different sizes.... tough decision, but once we decided which kind of tree we were getting, it was only a matter of getting one the right size. As soon as we chose the one, Remy got down underneath and started sawing away. He only stopped for a few minutes after a needle poked him in the eye, but other that that, it was smooth sailing...