delightful goats, projects and weekend links

I have just sent the boys out to collect kindling from under the big blue gum tree to light the Aga. I can't believe in the middle of December that I am about to light the wood oven. It's not to keep us warm as such, but to simmer a big pot of chicken broth to help restore our gut health after the bought of gastro went through. Grant is still struggling with a sore tummy and hopefully, a few days of nourishing broth over the weekend will help settle it down. The fact it's cool enough to comfortably light the fire in December feels very strange. 

My current reading list. I'm reading Heidi to the kids. I love old fashioned children's books, they are a gentle balm to the craziness of today's world. 

My favourite goat Vicky continues to heal, for which we are incredibly grateful. I'm still giving her oral iron and extra feed. Over the school holidays, the boys and I are going to get started on building a milking shed and small isolation yard for any goats we might want to keep an eye on. We have some second-hand iron and we can fell hardwood beams from the forest for the frame.  We should be able to rustle up some timber too, so that should keep the cost right down other than the cost of the fencing materials for the yard.  

Getting a dairy animal has been on our agenda for quite a while, though we haven't wanted to rush into it. We tossed up between getting a dairy cow and goats. While it seems a house cow is the ultimate homesteaders dream, it isn't the best choice for us in this season. As much as I love the idea of oodles of fresh cheese, I can't comprehend dealing with large volumes of milk in our tiny kitchen with our tiny fridge. Logistically we are not in the season of life which would allow us to do that well, or safely. 

After much consideration of how homesteading is shaping up for us, I have decided to get a dairy goat or two. Probably a Saanen or Saanen cross from a local goat dairy. They sell them for around $400-$450 so not too much of an investment, comparatively speaking. I've already decided to call them Heidi and Clara, much to Grants' amusement.  

Over the past couple of years I have come to love goats. I enjoy working with them, I love their personalities and I love that I can manage them on my own if the need arises. They are gentle, kind, nimble creatures that are full of character. We have tried our boer goats milk and it is mild and creamy. There is no goaty smell or taste to it at all and fresh, raw goat's milk it's a very different product than you can buy at the supermarket.  Goats' milk is also highly nutritious and is nearly always A2 which many people find easier to digest. Then there is goats cheese which is delicious. Goats produce between 2-3L of milk a day which is about perfect for our family. That much milk should allow me to make yoghurt for our family and ricotta if we have any excess. Also, it will fit in our fridge which is a necessity! 

The wood oven on in December?...Bonkers!

I have come to realize I don't want to be tied to the kitchen day in and day out. I do enjoy cooking, and I want to cook nourishing fresh food which we grow and feed our family. But I don't want to be stuck canning, preserving and bottling all day every day year-round. In Australia, we are lucky to be able to grow food most of the year. I want to grow and enjoy the food we produce fresh as much as possible. That is how I enjoy cooking and how we enjoy eating. I'm happy to preserve in small batches or to do the odd big day. But I don't want it to dominate all of my time. I want to have time to garden, write, sew and film. I want to escape for day trips to the beach with our family and have mini breaks, exploring surrounding towns. I don't actually want to make complex cheeses in this season of my life. I want to sit and read to the kids or laze in a hammock in the garden if I feel like it, while still providing good simple food for my family.  

I am confident I can find the 40 minutes needed to milk a goat daily, and another 20 minutes cleaning up and managing the milk. But that's about all I'm willing to spend on it on a day-to-day basis. The rest of the dairy goat care can be done when we look after our boer goats. I'm really excited about this next stage of our homestead journey. I hope we can save the money to buy them quickly, though we have a few pesky bills to get out of the way first. Such is life! 

This weekend Grant has promised to dig the hole for the pond with the excavator. Then the kids and I can gather rocks to begin to settle it into the landscape. I'm also going to set up some pots and space to propagate some seedlings to get ready for the next stage of the garden. I have a good selection of seeds stashed away that I have either collected, purchased or have been given to me by friends and generous readers from the blog. I'm looking to focus more on edible and medicinal herbs of all kinds. Herbs pack a punch in meals and can have so many health benefits. The weather this week is going to be mild, which will be lovely to work in. 

What are you up to this weekend? 

Much love,

Emma

xx

Weekend Links

Grass Roots Magazine

If you are looking for a wonderful, information-packed magazine that gives good value for money perhaps consider buying or asking for a Grass Roots magazine subscription for Christmas. It's always packed full of useful, interesting and practical information and is one of the few magazines I read and enjoy. I often have an article in there too.

Only One Earth

Only One Earth is a store that sells sustainable and eco-friendly items. Recently they sent me a wonderful, useful box of goodies to review and use which I shared on Instagram and I was genuinely impressed with their items. Their soaps are Australian-made, with a short list of whole ingredients. The personal items are well made from wood where possible and their brushes and sponges are made of all-natural fibres which means they are fully compostable at the end of their lifespan. And their goodies came in cardboard with recycled, compostable packaging. Living rurally like I do, businesses like these are such a blessing to allow our family to make ethical, sustainable choices.  

Our obsession with economic growth is deadly | All Hail The Planet

The global economy is in the midst of an epochal shift as 2023 looms: Here are the five things shaping our future

Nightbirde's Original Song Makes Simon Cowell Emotional - America's Got Talent 2021
I love Nightbirde's courage in this clip. She sang beautifully and showed such profound wisdom. "You can't wait for everything to be good before you decide to be happy". Ooof.

Huw Richards - How to start a garden in 2023

How To Fail with Mo Gawdat

How To Fail LIVE: Mo Gawdat, the world-renowned happiness expert on how to manage stress, how to live with grief and how to be happy. I really enjoyed listening to this podcast and thought you might too. I definitely came away feeling encouraged and uplifted.