Reflections

Getting the Kidding Kit Ready for Willow

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Anticipation builds as Willow nears her kidding date of July 7th. If size and bulginess is anything to go by, we think she’s having twins!

Willow is a second freshener, meaning it is the second time she is giving birth. Last year when we realized things weren’t going according to plan, we called the vet and were able to discuss what we were seeing. This year, we aren’t so lucky as we no longer have a large animal vet nearby. 

Goats tend to kid on or near their due-dates. While July 7th is Willow’s due date, she may kid a little earlier or later. Having everything organized ahead of time means we can focus on Willow rather than searching for supplies at the last minute.

With this in mind, we are checking and adding to the kidding kit. We’ll need some of it, and hope the rest of it will be unnecessary.

Being prepared will reduce stress — a lot.

Thus far, even though we’ve had to help, goats tend to be reliable kidders. We can have everything at hand, towels, gloves, colostrum, bottles, iodine, all the things, but the biggest thing is moral support — knowing at least one other experienced goat owner/breeder is available to answer questions or give hands-on help if needed.

Community. Books and online resources are valuable, but there is something reassuring about being able to call someone who has seen dozens of kiddings and can help us think through a situation.

We joined a local goat group years before we got goats. Drawing on their years of personal experience has helped build our confidence in our abilities. We know we are capable of assisting Willow if she needs help.

At the moment, though, much like us, Willow is feeling the weight and discomfort of late pregnancy. She looks like she’s swallowed a pannier on either side of her body, and she quietly mutters to herself — likely chatting to the kids. We happily give her daily massages, which we know she enjoys.

For now, all we can do is wait, keep a close eye on Willow, and make sure we’re as prepared as possible for the arrival of this year’s kids.

Every farm, no matter the size, develops its own approach, and kidding kits vary depending on experience, vet support, and comfort level. This checklist outlines what we currently keep on hand here at Point 6 Acre.

If you’re interested, you can download the complete checklist here.

Warmly,

Brin

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Brin writes about the quieter lessons of small farm life – ducks in the morning, goats in the barn, and the slow work of tending a small piece of land. Between animal chores, soap making, and reflexology work, she reflects on what it means to live well, live simply, and discover what “enough” really looks like.

When Recovery is Uncertain

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Healing takes time.

June 6th. That’s when we noticed the Cayuga limping and took the first photo of her palmate — the bottom of her foot.

Bumblefoot is an infection of the foot that can cause swelling, pain, and abscesses. Unfortunately, our sweet girl has the variety with both swelling and an abscess.

We needed to consider:

* What is her quality of life?

* What is her current pain level?

* What is her mobility?

* What is the likelihood of recovery?

* What stress will she have from treatment?

These are difficult decisions. Decisions every animal owner eventually faces.

We no longer have a large animal vet nearby (yes, ducks are classed as large animals). We knew if we were to treat it, we’d need help from the vet. Thankfully, we’ve cultivated a lovely relationship with a vet on Vancouver Island and can communicate with them via phone and email. We sent photos and received medications and instructions on how to treat her bumblefoot. Healing, when possible, takes time.

Here’s where we are right now:

* Nightly soaks in water with epsom salts

* Gentle massage

* Tetracycline

* Black goop (Ichthammol ointment)

* Gauze

* Vet wrap

Let’s just say that putting goop, gauze, and wrapping a duck foot is challenging. Fortunately, for the most part, the “boot” has stayed on. Yay!

Some days feel better, some days it seems the swelling is worse. All we can do is treat her to the best of our ability, wait, observe, adjust, and hope she heals.

We’ve been treating her foot for nearly three weeks now. Recovery has been slower than we’d hoped, and there are still more questions than answers.

For now, we’re continuing treatment, monitoring her comfort, and hoping the swelling and abscess resolve. 

Time will tell.

We’ve added a short video about it to the YouTube channel. You can watch the video here. YouTube Video.

Warmly,

Brin

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Brin writes about the quieter lessons of small farm life – ducks in the morning, goats in the barn, and the slow work of tending a small piece of land. Between animal chores, soap making, and reflexology work, she reflects on what it means to live well, live simply, and discover what “enough” really looks like.

What Spring Work Actually Looks Like on a Small Farm – A Walk-Through

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With unusually dry weather, gardens to prepare, weeds to tackle, and a long list of projects waiting for attention, we’re taking things one task at a time. Some crops are already growing well, others have only recently been planted, and there is still plenty left to do.

In this video, we take a quiet walk through the gardens here at Point 6 Acre. From broad beans and peas to fruit trees, flowers, grapes, and a few experimental plantings, it’s a snapshot of the season as it currently stands.

Not every year looks the same. Gardens evolve, plans change, and sometimes progress happens more slowly than expected. That’s part of the adventure.

Watch the video here. YouTube Video.

A garden doesn’t care about perfect timing — it asks for attention, persistence, and adaptability.

What Spring Work Actually Looks Like on a Small Piece of Land

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Spring work on a small piece of land rarely unfolds exactly as planned.

In recent years, weather patterns have become increasingly unpredictable. Seasons alternate between unseasonably hot, cold, wet, or dry — often with little consistency from one year to the next.

If anything, the past several years have shown there is no Goldilocks happy medium. 

This Spring seems no different, with one exception: garden prep derailed when I got shingles the second week of April. Not fun! Now, I’m largely asymptomatic but still get the occasional nerve twinge reminding me when I’ve overdone it. One task at a time, I’m slowly getting back into the rhythm of spring work.

With very little spring rain this year, we are grateful to have secured the 330 gallon livestock tank water along with an additional 5000 litres of water in the IBC totes if needed. Drought seems to be the norm, and as gardeners, it’s up to us to remain optimistic and learn which crops can tolerate both heat and less water.

While there are a few things planted already: broad beans and peas are doing well; if we get pole and bush beans, a couple tomato plants and some peppers in, we’ll be happy. If there’s less planted in the garden this year, that’s okay — we can support local.

Small farms and gardens aren’t linear. Whether it’s animals, structures, or personal health, if there’s anything we’ve learned over the years, it’s the ability to pivot and change plans when necessary. Instead of maximizing, sometimes enough, is enough.

A garden doesn’t care about perfect timing. It responds to attention, weather, persistence, and adaptability. There is always something to be done — beds to prepare, weeds to pull, crops to plant, and lessons to learn.

We try to produce as much of our food as possible, and some years, like this one, we need to slow down and our production will be less — then, we rely on other local farms to help sustain us.

Season by season, we witness this small patch of land evolve.

Warmly,

Brin

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Brin writes about the quieter lessons of small farm life – ducks in the morning, goats in the barn, and the slow work of tending a small piece of land. Between animal chores, soap making, and reflexology work, she reflects on what it means to live well, live simply, and discover what “enough” really looks like.