Welcome to our 5 acres

Welcome! I grew up on a grain and cattle farm all my life. My grandparents started the farm I grew up on, just as I have started this homestead my children are getting to be apart of now. We had an opportunity to move to this 5 acres march 2020 just before our province was shut down due to covid. Let me tell you I never dreamed it could be so hard to find a few laying hen baby chicks or a milking goat as my daughter is extremely allergic to cows milk. After a little determination we added 11 baby chicks and two Nigerian dwarf goats spring of 2020. I had never milked a goat before, built a pen in a barn or fenced a pen with goat fencing. Why yes I have helped fix my share of barb wire fences, goat fencing is totally different. We fell in LOVE with this creamy, sweet Nigerian dwarf goats milk (I know, I know goats milk tastes goaty how could you fall in love?) Just trust me, Nigerian dwarf goats have creamier milk this is what the breed is known for. Once we started using the milk for other than just typical milk consumption, we started making homemade goats milk ice cream, yogurt and cheese. I realized we were going to need to add to our herd. We are now at 7 does and breeding for off-season milking (what's off-season milking? you ask.) We breed 2-3 does every couple months so therefore their babies get most of the milk till weaned then we milk morning and night. In order to have milk year round we breed year round. Nigerian dwarfs are unlike other goat breeds and cycle monthly so therefore we can breed yearly. This is our first season, im sure I will change a few things up for next season as we learn. We also added two Olde English Babydoll sheep Ewes and rams. My daughter really wanted to be apart of the 4-H sheep breeding program, well one of the Ewes decided to break into the rams pen and get breed. Lets just say, things do NOT always go as you planned on paper...animals have a mind of their own which keeps things interesting! September we welcomed our two castorated Kunekunes piglets who we will butcher this spring. We are hoping to welcome a breed sow and have our first litter of piglets this spring/early summer. We are looking forward to expanding and growing our homestead this coming year of 2021!