Cold very Cold!!!

Hi there,
   It is a beautiful very COLD morning. Blue sky's, crisp snow, frozen lake.  Unfortunately I have bad news to share, About a week ago my very loved Jacobs' sheep "Jacob" died,( last Friday).  He got his horn caught in his shed. He was doing his remolding with his horn like he always did, and smothered after he jammed his horns into the 3/4 inch ply wood. I pulled him out and tried to give him CPR but he was gone. Not only was I devastated but his mate Rachel still has not stopped crying and looking for him to return. Needless to say I have not found a suitable replacement that Rachel will tolerate.. I have spoken to Peg at Sweetgrass Jacobs' Sheep Farm, she has a few ewes available so next week we will be going down to find a sister for Rachel.  Wish us luck and safe travels.
  
  Beyond the sadness farming as usual here.  All the animals are healthy and happy despite the cold. The Alpaca are all jumping around like children playing in the snow. Spirit (mini horse) and his buddy Murphy (mini mule) are so cute with their little frozen whiskers, they got out while we were cleaning their entry gate snow away. Give those boys an inch and they take a mile, or a jog around the alpaca inclosure. Fun fun, Tired and hungry ran back in the fence for water and hay.

  Getting close to kidding time first up will be Duchess. She is looking good, getting big and bagging up. Next will be Molly last year she was bred to Pokemon and had a cute little white with black polka dots doe with no horns!! Hope we have twins or triplets...no quints though. That was a very busy season last year. Four does had 20 kids, very much over load!!!
  
   Next project is getting hay. Wish I could get it cheaper then $10 a bale cause that means $20 a day in hay until hay cutting time. Darn!!! Well next season will be different ( I say that every year). We will start gathering hay during the middle of the year hopefully at its cheapest.  Prayers are appreciated during this financial stretch.

   I'm gonna get for now, no pictures this time camera frozen. going to check water and pass out hugs and get kisses. Be Blessed.
                                          Julie

whirlwind of alpaca knowledge.

 Welcome Jacob and Rachel, Jacobs Sheep for our Agricultural education farm. Stunning Biblical examples of a time long ago. They are two of the sweetest sheep I have ever come in contact with.

                                                 We will be expecting lambs March 2013.

Look whats new here at the farm. ALPACAS!!!! October 20th,2012 Aussie, Franci, Isaiah,
Jubilee and Hazel came to live at Kei-Ju Farm and Gardens. They are so sweet and peaceful,
a great joy and a whole lot of fiber for knitting and crocheting and weaving projects.

 Since their arrival, two rescue Alpaca from Southern Michigan have come to live in the safety of our farm under the care of  Maple River Animal Clinics: Dr.Kenny Rogers, Alanson, Michigan. Ohcee and Ava are happy and healthy receiving much love and attention from us and our volunteers.

 And just a few days ago Kei-ju Farm was blessed with two new additions from Oak Haven Alpacas, Thunder and Shambella. Two little boys to hang out with our lil Isaiah. Of course I am only gonna keep on as an intact male.

  So in the last 69 days I have acquired a whirlwind of Alpaca knowledge in a short time, from how to trim hooves, how to pronounce words and don't feed your alpaca corn its too hot for their first stomach to process. (wow that was a close one, thank you Dr.Kenny and Maple River Animal Clinic) Alpaca chow only!!! If you run out, Hay only!!! Next mission have vet come out to do ultrasounds on females. O Boy!!!!

Good night

I wish I could sleep...Not gonna happen again tonight. bummer...Guess I could try some chamomile tea.
 And while I'm waiting tell you about my day. I needed to get hay so I ate my lunch and called on my faithful partner, my father in law Keith Hall the first owner of this little farm hence the Kei part in the name.  Dad and I loaded up in the yellow beast (my bumble bee colored ford ranger) and headed off to the Stefil Farm on country club road. Best Hay around those guys knew hay. Backed up this very steep hill to the barn, in four wheel drive no less, into the barn. Mr.Stefil and dad brought the hay to the truck and I attempted to stack it, they always laugh at the way I put the hay on, then politely change it to the correct method (their way). O heck I don't care as long as I make it home. Love the ride home though its only a few miles its a contest to see if I can make it home without losing any, and dad teases that I am an Indy car driver. Okay maybe just a little wild driver, hey i pay taxes on the whole road and I'm gonna use it.LOL ......Any way dad and I are quite the sight unloading it slowly and cautiously, me with my fibromyalgia and dad is a young 86yr old, neither one of us can afford to slip and fall. Normally its me that ends up getting hurt, just call me grace-ful. But we get the job done we are both too proud and stubborn to ask for help. Then we both head of to our houses and take a 20 minute power nap. Then its time to cook dinner. Dad and I take turns making it but usually discuss it through out the day, tossing around ideas till about 3pm or so. We have been doing this for 4 or 5 years now, ever since Moms Alzheimer's got bad. Mom pasted away over a year ago now, she is greatly missed and in a much better place.  Dad nor I could really decide on anything so we left it up to Daniel. He is a whole other story so we will get there later. So dinner tonight was a macaroni, venison,tomato sauce casserole. Perfect meal for simple folk as we are not the fancy type. think I am starting to get a wee bit sleepy, so good night all Be Blessed.

Just getting started here....

                                           Daisy  5mo Holstein

                                                      Axle, Nigerian Buck

                                           Bama Baby, Pot bellied Pig boar

                                        just one of my girls sticking her head out (vanity)

                                         Snow flake  Lion head bunny

                                Norbit my first Jersey Woolly born here, chancey & June bug R parents

                                        Buggs Bunny lop buck (he wants to be pet)

                                           Chancey handsome Jersey Woolly Buck

                                                Mailynn Manson  Netherland dwarf Buck

                                   June Bug she is such a sweetie ( really) looks like a PMS day

                               Ying is a camera hog....yang can't even get in the picture...lol

                                  George & Gracie are beautiful Sebastopol geese, they love mud.

                              This is Elmer he is a awesome Millie Fleur with an attitude...

                            This is Bob....he is a La Fleche. Despite his looks he is very sweet.

                       These are clutch sisters, Feather and Larisa really think there is no difference.

                              Romeo (silkie, phoenix mix) thinks all three sisters are just perfect

                          Savana and Molly (Nigerian Dwarf) are waiting for the sun to come out.

                            Little Luther is such a nice looking Phoenix, his tail is gonna be long....

                                      Peaches (not a chicken) Phoenix hen is Luther's mommy.

                          This is Tut he is a Egyptian Fayoumi, loudest crow you have ever heard.

    King Henry is our stunning Silver Spangled Hamburg ( none of his wives have lost their heads...lol)

                           My Friesian Rooster Rock-a-Doodle and an Orpington Hen pretty girl...

                                  Luther likes high places, doesn't want his tail to touch the ground.

                                                         What a Bird ( not a parrot)

                                      Sylvester and his lady's, Light Brams ( nothing light about them..)

                                         Big Red  our RedCap rooster what a handsome guy.

Well folks I'm new to this so if you got any hints or things you'd like to share please do. I'm gonna put a pic or two on here of the farm and try to update at least every week, maybe more.    Okay maybe a few more pics then I thought....talk soon be blessed...