Feeding the Bees for Winter

by mrsdoni
Feeding the Bees for Winter

We should have completed this a month ago but better late than never~


Filling the honey bees emergency pantry with sugar cake and Essential Oils.
These fit under the lid and provide a top entrance and all the sugar they might need through spring.

It takes a lot of sugar to feed 4 hives over the winter. Any uneaten sugar will be melted in water and fed next spring.

The empty corners and front entrance hole are where the piece of wood was removed after tamping down the damp sugar. The sugar dries hard as a rock. The holes will add a lot of circulation which is critical to remove excess moisture from the hives during the cold months.
This will be the top entrance for the hive. It is critical for allowing for air circulation and for bees to escape if the lower entrance is blocked by snow.

Buck Collection @ Chester, SC

by mrsdoni
Buck Collection @ Chester, SC
MLRT Caesar Cheerleading the other bucks into action with his blubbering, snorting, grunting self!!

We now have frozen semen available!

Both MLRT Caesar and MLRT Hiro were collected today! Capra-Gia (Mark Stevens & Brandon Leigh) did a good job getting mine and 13 other bucks collected at Old Cedar Ranch in Chester, SC. We are very grateful to Perry Troutman for hosted the collection at his farm, Old Cedar Ranch, in Chester, SC.

The boys on deck!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MLRT Caesar and MLRT Hiro. If only you could catch a whiff of what this smelled like in person. Two very rutty bucks in an enclosed trailer! Both ready to work for sure!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MLRT Hiro; he really does have a gorgeous head. LOL

 

One of Perry Troutman’s bucks OCRB KYLO REN

The view of Perry’s backyard from the barn. I loved the Christmas lights on the palm trees!

Barn Bunny~

by mrsdoni
Barn Bunny~

Our farm raises meat rabbits and even on a working farm, you get attached to certain animals. “Frosty” is such an animal. He is our purebred American Chinchilla rabbit buck that we use for breeding. He has ALWAYS been a sweet boy that enjoys being petted. I let him out to play in the barn a few days ago. He is so enjoying it that I am leaving him out.

 

 

New Microscope!!

by mrsdoni
New Microscope!!

Parasite Resistance is Real. Be informed. Know when & how to treat.

By utilizing the McMaster method of testing fecals along with judging the goat’s appearance, appetite and FEMACHA, we are able to determine if/when to treat, which goat to treat, and which medication and ultimately know if the treatment was successful. We do whole herd testing twice a year and individual testing as needed. We also retest any goat that was medicated 10-12 days post medication to ensure a 95-99% reduction. Anything less 95% is considered ‘resistant’ and the treatment method should be researched for modifications.

I just used my new Am-Scope 40-2500X LED Lab binocular Compound and love it!!

This tool is a must-have to properly manage livestock animals. We use it for our dairy goat herd to determine when to treat for internal parasites and also to check on the efficacy of the medications used to treat them with. Knowing when to treat and if the treatment is successful is critical to maintaining a healthy herd.

This is my THIRD microscope and I REALLY wish I would have purchased this one first. HINT: do not scrimp on this device. You get what you pay for! And how much nicer this scope is than the previous two! The clarity, easy of use for the mechanical stage, focus and eye pieces. LOVE IT!!

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2018 Raleigh State Fair Show

by mrsdoni 0 Comments
2018 Raleigh State Fair Show

We had a great time at the Raleigh State fair again this year!
We took 5 goats (2 milkers, 3 doelings)and they won two 2nd, one 3rd, and two 4th places in the very competitive classes!!!!  
I am very happy with the their placings! 

Awesome placings for my girls!! The classes were huge and the competition was amazing.

The girls relaxing at the 2018 Raleigh State Fair.