Farm Journal

This past weekend we had a scare. As we were sitting in the swing under the shade of one of our big Maple Trees in the back yard on Shabbat watching the sheep graze, Ester (one of our new lambs) stood up, shook her head, then fell down! Then she began convulsing! I watched as she stopped and attempted to stand and the convulsions started again!

I ran in to the computer to see what could cause seizures in sheep or lambs… WOW! there are a lot of options! But the one that seemed the most compelling (through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I’m sure) was Water Hemlock poisoning. I researched Water Hemlock and seizures in sheep (all of this as fast as I could out of concern for the poor lamb that was convulsing in the back yard) and found that most sheep die from this and if they have eaten enough to have seizures they most certainly die. We went out to where she was just grazing and found LOTS of Water Hemlock! We had never had it growing here before, not in the past 11 years!

Well, I made a black liquid mess of water and activated charcoal and took a large syringe and shoved it down her little throat! After two syringes full, she’d had enough and got up and wobbled away, still listing to the right and shaking her head, looking for mama. We kept an eye on her for the day and prayed that the Father help her survive and for us to find all the Water Hemlock on our little homestead. We found it growing in moist areas around the water troughs, the water spigot, and our rain tanks. We cut it down carefully and got as much as we could away from the sheep.

Sunday morning we went outside, Ester was still listing to the right, but no more seizures. However, Moshe, our ram, was down on his side. Not really convulsing, but not getting up either… I went immediately to make the charcoal and water remedy, twice as much as I had made for the lamb and headed out the door. Satch helped me get the solution into him and we helped him to his feet to keep him moving, if possible. He moved slowly at first, and finally went to where the others were.

By Tuesday, both Ester and Moshe were symptom free and eating heartily at the grass in the back yard.

I thank Yahweh for His hand on the little ones he has put in our keep and for the leading as to what to do. We have since found that we have Gypsum Weed, Water Hemlock, and Buttercups, all poison to the animals… we have our work cut out for us! We hate to use poison on our farm, but these plants are too dangerous to have around the animals, so we are spraying them with roundup in some areas and 1 year sterilizer in other areas where we don’t want weeds, grass, or anything else to grow. The enemy will not have the victory on Shekinah Farm!

G-d in His infinite wisdom knows us better than ourselves! This past couple of months has been a busy time on the the farm as we have been preparing the garden, planting, weeding and working hard as we grow our food for the upcoming year. From Pesach to Shavuot we scurry around, hauling manure, tilling the soil, building raised beds, planting seeds, planting plants, and all the bussle of the garden that comes with spring. Then we arrive at Shavuot. It is amazing because after all that work, G-d provides a weekend of Sabbath Rest. Oh, do we need it at this point, and He knows it! I love His forethought and wisdom for us and how he has planned our lives so perfectly (if we would only look.)

Unfortunately, my garden is not completely done, but the rest is appreciated! Praise Him for his Excellent Greatness! (Ps. 150)

Well, Shemayim had her calf! It is a girl, she is beautiful, all brown. Since the barley was found aviv in the Land of Israel, we have decided to name her Aviva! Aviva means young grain or Springtime! So her name means Springtime! You can find her pics on my facebook here: Yiska’s Farm Pics 

Anyway, the potatoes are planted and the early peas are in… waiting for a bit more warmth to plant much else… next in will be the cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. I love spring! (don’t really like the muck in the barn tho!)

It is amazing that for the past year we have had only girl babies on the farm. Yah has blessed us abundantly this year and we look forward to our new year with expectation and awe. As we prepare for Passover, cleaning the house, cleaning our lifestyle, cleaning our heart, we look back over the year and can only give thanks for all that we have been through and all that Yah has brought us through. Shelly’s tests and her surgery, the loss of animals and bees, and then the gift of more than we lost, the planting, the small harvest and the abundance of joy we have in our Messiah. May this new year be blessed and sweet as we spend another year praising the Creator.

2/23/10

Leah had her lamb. A ewe lamb almost all black with a few white hairs on the top of her head. Rachaela is what we are calling her.

Today is Purim, 2/28/10

Posey had twin ewes! One is black and one white. We will call them Esther (black one) and Hadassah (white) in celebration of Purim!

Check out the pics at facebook -

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2028737&id=1460074900&l=4fb98ac00a

Yah brings new life to our farm and blesses us continually!

Ok, so while we were gone to surgery, something attacked our sheep and goats again! This time while they were in the barn… well, it was my dad and brother’s dogs. We lost our second goat and one of the sheep is limping. Dad is going to find a home for his dog… she is really sweet and trained (but can’t live on a farm) if you know anyone who wants her. My brother said he isn’t getting rid of his dog and will keep him with him at all times (tonight he is at work and the dog is running around… I put him in their house.)

The shotgun is ready to pick up from the repair guy…

We just got some homing pigeons (they don’t have a home yet) and they are white… so beautiful! I love the sound they make… they are named Yonah and Zipporah. They are a mating pair so we will have babies that can home eventually.

Otherwise, all is well… we are expecting lambs and a calf in February. I’m trying to clean my house and working on my garden while Shelly is recuperating.

Busy times ahead!

Well, Matilde’s health is going down hill. She won’t weight bear anymore and she is not as alert. So, today I will cut her hair and when Satch gets home we will put her down… I just can’t do it. But, I also can’t keep her suffering.

Sometimes it is difficult to know what is best. How long to wait, when to decide there is nothing more to do. I know that all things work for our good through Messiah, but it is hard.

The rest of the animals have made it through the cold snap and we have been closing the sheep and goats in the barn at night. Father, keep our animals protected.

Mitilde is still with us. She made it through the night, she is still quite wet and not willing to stand. She is eating and pottying (on my kitchen floor!) She did stand for a few seconds last night. We are watching for infection. I am hoping I can move her to the back porch today before Sabbath, but we may have her in the kitchen for Sabbath instead because of the weather!

The weather… We are in the teens at night and warm up to freezing during the day. Not normal for our neck of the woods. Darn global warming! High today is supposed to get up to 23F if it makes it! So, sick goat will not do well outside if she won’t walk.

Today’s list of todo’s will include yesterday’s list since yesterday was spent vetting Matilde. I’ll post a pic in the gallery as soon as I have a minute.

Well, it is now evening, Matilde has been eating a little bit. She hasn’t attempted to get up yet, the super glue is holding. Now we wait. We pray Yah’s hand on His creation! She is drying out and resting.

It was sleeting when I went out for chores this morning… I found Matilde (one of my 3 angora goats) lying on her side in the ice! I thought for sure she was dead! She had been attacked sometime in the night. Her skin on her right side is slashed and there is a large gaping would where the skin is open the size of a fist. She was alive and I drug her into the barn. I gave her some vit b complex, antibiotic, prevail, feed with molasses, warm water and hay. She was eating a bit. After chores I brought her to the house to clean up her wounds and warm her up, she was wet to the bone and half froze. I cut the hair away and found a real mess. I cleaned her wounds, sprayed them with furall. I think I’m going to have to stitch up the largest wound. Maybe I can shave it and get away with some super glue, but I’m not sure, will try that first. She is warming up now on the floor in the kitchen in front of the fire. I hope she makes it, she is the oldest and may just give up… we’ll see.

Praying for Yah’s hand on our animals as we figure out what to do and what happened.

Ok, so we didn’t do the bad deed with Spot… it is way too cold today, it warmed up to a whopping 27 F so far! Wow, heat wave!

I have good news!!! Our Bees are alive!!!! Yay, David went out to get the hives to clean up, but I suggested he check to see if they may still be alive… sure enough they were clustered way at the bottom of the hive box, still buzzing…very quietly and staying warm. He put a brick on top of the lid so it wouldn’t shift off and they should be ok!!! Makes me want to cry! I’m so happy!

Another piece of good news… 31 is in standing heat! Came in this afternoon… called Kelly to AI and he should be here in the morning. It’s a good day!