Seco Creek Farm

We have been working hard since last weekend building a new milk parlor in our barn. This room is just one of the many steps we need to take to get our Grade A permit. We now have a closed in room with a small window unit where we milk our goats. The girls come in from the pasture and go into a holding pen before being milked. One at a time they go in one door and jump up on the milk stand, where they find a feed trough with grain waiting on them. We clean the goat's udder then milk a couple of squirts from each teat into a small can called a strip cup. This is done so that we can check the milk to make sure it is perfect before we start milking. Once we have finished milking we dip each teat in a solution that helps prevent bacteria from getting in the teat and helps prevent infection. The goat then jumps off the milk stand and exits the milk parlor through a different door, into a "loafing pen." While in the loafing pen they get to relax and eat some alfalfa pellets while waiting on the other girls to be milked.
Next on the construction list is a milk processing room. Keep following our blog to see our construction updates!

We had a very busy weekend here at Seco Creek Farm. Besides all of the daily goat related chores and activities, which included trimming hooves, we planted a 35' by 50' vegetable garden! My muscles are sure paying for it today. We spent last week preparing the soil, discing and tilling, and making rows. Cooper, who is two and a half, spent his time running up and down the rows with the occasional tumble, causing Grandpa and me to fix it. He had a blast though so I really didn't mind!
We planted greenbeans, yellow wax beans, lima beans, black eyed peas, purple hull peas, bell peppers (red, orange, and green), jalapenos, eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumber, watermelon, canteloupe, and tomato (homestead, roma, cherry, and yellow). I still need to plant some okra, but I think we are all set...and I will be canning a lot during the summer! I guess I'd better learn how to do that! We also have a container garden with oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, and rosemary! Let the weeding begin!