The goats' corner

I know it's not nice to boast, but I just have to brag about Matt's skills. He's been rebuilding practically everything around here. Even though we know how much time and effort goes into this stuff, having pictures along the way always makes it that much more amazing.

When he started on the corner of the barn that would soon be the goat pen, the siding was rotting away, there was no foundation, and gophers were undermining what little support there was. The great thing is that the ancient wood shingles had already been replaced with corrugated metal roofing (on this portion). Matt used a jack and a post to raise the slumping corner, removed the decaying wall, poured a concrete footing, replaced the wood at the bottom...









...framed it in (including a door and window), put in tar paper (and even put some salvaged rigid insulation in the wall)...




...replaced the siding, then built a door (also using some of the old siding), and a mesh window.


He built a wall inside to separate their sleeping quarters from an area where they'll be able to stay dry during inclement weather, then separated that from the interior of the barn with another wall, and a door with some of his signature ironic humor.

Rain hangout

Sleeping/eating quarters

Welcome to goat jail

I'm so proud! And the goats (and chickens) love hanging out there.

Fur and feathers

Good thing we really like our critters, because most of our daily chores revolve around them!




The goats are getting practice mowing Sammy's yard. Even though it's mostly dry grass right now, there is enough live mustard, dandelions, sheep sorrel and other weeds to keep them occupied for hours. (Yes, invasive species police, I know the plant above is Crocosmia, but Matt likes it and it's contained in a planter...)
Last week we managed to make it through their first hoof trimming. They're not too patient about it, but at least they are tame - and small.


Luckily, Sammy's pretty calm during haircuts and nail trimming.

We've joked that it would be fun to "shear" him and make a sweater to sell to someone (as really soft wool), who would smell wet dog when they wore it in the rain. :)


Chicken whispering.

Before and after

On Saturday, Matt and I bottled the beer that he brewed with Bill a couple of weeks ago (while Bill and Vanessa were visiting - documented on their blog!)

Our awesome friend Amber - inspired by Matt's memories of his stepdad, Bob, who passed away earlier this year - designed and reproduced labels for the bottles. Matt and I named the first batch (made in January) "Bob's Bad Ass Brew," which seemed like a fitting name to honor Bob - and Amber took the name and ran with it.

Raise a toast to Bob tonight...