Never thought retirement would be like this
- Thread starter NancyNGA
- Start date
Pappy
Living the Dream
Thank you for your welcome, goats.They are lovely, but all the greenery in my garden would be ruined, I suppose, even pot flowers
That is probably a good decision, Vedaarya.
Goats will eat most every plant that is not poison, and some that are, but rarely. When we finally killed off the kudzu from that acre of land I mentioned previously, we were delighted to find a long bank of some kind of wild roses pop up and bloom the next spring. Later the goats made short order of those. They can work around the thorns with their tongues somehow and remove the leaves, one by one.
Thank you, Meanderer and Pappy!
Now here's more than you wanted to know....
In addition to normal regular food things, I've seen our goats eat paper, cardboard, straw hats, clothing made out of natural fibers, tree bark and wood. They will try to eat plastic bags IF the bags smell like cookies. They will tug on your clothes to get your attention, and if the clothing is made out of certain things, probably cotton, the saliva will dissolve holes in it eventually.
They will chew paint off your car but not swallow it. In fact some will chew on anything. That's probably where they got the reputation of eating anything. They do NOT eat metal, hard plastic, or glass. Don't know about rubber. Ha!
Now here's more than you wanted to know....
In addition to normal regular food things, I've seen our goats eat paper, cardboard, straw hats, clothing made out of natural fibers, tree bark and wood. They will try to eat plastic bags IF the bags smell like cookies. They will tug on your clothes to get your attention, and if the clothing is made out of certain things, probably cotton, the saliva will dissolve holes in it eventually.
They will chew paint off your car but not swallow it. In fact some will chew on anything. That's probably where they got the reputation of eating anything. They do NOT eat metal, hard plastic, or glass. Don't know about rubber. Ha!
jujube
SF VIP
Thank you, Meanderer and Pappy!
Now here's more than you wanted to know....
In addition to normal regular food things, I've seen our goats eat paper, cardboard, straw hats, clothing made out of natural fibers, tree bark and wood. They will try to eat plastic bags IF the bags smell like cookies. They will tug on your clothes to get your attention, and if the clothing is made out of certain things, probably cotton, the saliva will dissolve holes in it eventually.
They will chew paint off your car but not swallow it. In fact some will chew on anything. That's probably where they got the reputation of eating anything. They do NOT eat metal, hard plastic, or glass. Don't know about rubber. Ha!
Several years ago, I accompanied a friend and her young granddaughter to a petting zoo. The little girl had very long braids with big bows on the ends. We were standing at the fence chatting when her granddaughter started screaming. Looked over and a goat had eaten one of her pigtails all the way up to the rubber band. We ran over, I grabbed the goat and my friend started pulling the braid out of the goat's mouth. Everything turned out OK, but we had to take her into the restroom, take her braid down and wash her hair as it was pretty disgusting looking.
That is probably a good decision, Vedaarya.
Goats will eat most every plant that is not poison, and some that are, but rarely. When we finally killed off the kudzu from that acre of land I mentioned previously, we were delighted to find a long bank of some kind of wild roses pop up and bloom the next spring. Later the goats made short order of those. They can work around the thorns with their tongues somehow and remove the leaves, one by one.
I think they use them to irradicate poison ivy around these parts, especially on vacant city lots. My niece raises them (not for that) and has sent pics of the newborns. Like your pics, Nancy, looks like they're smiling!
Jujube, I forgot about hair!
Mine is short but they have sneaked up behind me and yanked it while I was sitting in a chair, or while I was looking at their feet. And definitely anything that has been in a goat's mouth becomes very slimy.:eeew: ....But I kind of enjoy their curiosity and mischief. Never a dull moment.Carla, the little ones are so cute. We decided not to breed any because you end up with too many that way and it's hard to part with them. Also giving birth is one of the most dangerous things goats can do. You have to be there when it happens, just in case something goes wrong. And they only stay little for a short while. The adults are goofy enough to keep me entertained.
Yes they love poison ivy, and if they walk through it, the juice gets on their coats and you can get it by petting them.
Someone got a small grant to fence and put goats on a hilly lot owned by the state, just catty-corner from my house in town. After 2 years they finally got it ready and put goats on it this spring. Apparently it didn't go very well. They took the goats off after a month or so, the brush is growning up, and someone went around and manually cut the vines from their new fence.
The lot is mostly covered with wisteria. They don't particularly like wisteria, and it can be poison when combined with other plants, like English ivy. Could be the reason.
The growing season is over now. It will be interesting to see if they try it again next spring.
Yesterday, water still running out at the lake!
The ballooning paint job...
Got a gallon of custom paint for the porch floor, but it was too light. It matched the granite walls on the basement perfectly, so I used it to repaint the porch underpinning (brick) instead. Finished that and the the porch floor today. I should spray the granite with bleach to remove some mildew stains, because it looks tacky now by comparison.
Noticed a wooden basement window that needs painted, but it should be reglazed first. I've never tried doing that! This led me to check the 3 doors to the basement. One has a plywood panel at the bottom which is deteriorating. That has to be fixed. Puzzled at how to do that. Then they should be painted. I already scraped them today.
All this stuff needed to be done anyway. I was just pretending to ignore it. Still no rain in sight and unseasonably warm temps. Might as well go for it.
The ballooning paint job...
Got a gallon of custom paint for the porch floor, but it was too light. It matched the granite walls on the basement perfectly, so I used it to repaint the porch underpinning (brick) instead. Finished that and the the porch floor today. I should spray the granite with bleach to remove some mildew stains, because it looks tacky now by comparison.
Noticed a wooden basement window that needs painted, but it should be reglazed first. I've never tried doing that! This led me to check the 3 doors to the basement. One has a plywood panel at the bottom which is deteriorating. That has to be fixed. Puzzled at how to do that.
Then they should be painted. I already scraped them today.All this stuff needed to be done anyway. I was just pretending to ignore it. Still no rain in sight and unseasonably warm temps. Might as well go for it.
Nancy, you know it's a never ending project! I painted my ceiling in the kitchen and breakfast room last week. There were some old water spots from a leak upstairs that has since been repaired. But it just started getting on my nerves to see them. I can't seem to go as fast as I used to. What should have been a one day project turned into a three day project! And going up and down a ladder is really a "pain" now!
And I am praying for some rain here before next spring. I do not believe I have ever seen it this dry in our 35 years in Georgia! And I don't think summer is ever going to end!
And I am praying for some rain here before next spring. I do not believe I have ever seen it this dry in our 35 years in Georgia! And I don't think summer is ever going to end!
Maggiemae, doing ceilings is the absolute worst painting job. Bet you're glad that's done! I once bought some white ceiling paint that came out of the can pink. When it dried it turned white. It was helpful doing the second coat because you could tell where you had been. I will probably have to start watering my holly hedge because of the drought. Lost a couple of azalea bushes the last half of the summer. I wasn't paying attention to them.
I will probably have to start watering my holly hedge because of the drought. Lost a couple of azalea bushes the last half of the summer. I wasn't paying attention to them. 
There used to be a little feed store in town that sold alfalfa pellets, but only in 100 lb bags. The store was so convenient I learned to deal with the heavy bags. Could lift them, but not carry them a long distance. Thank goodness for wheelbarrows.
A few years ago that store closed and a high rise sits there now. All other stores sold the same stuff in 50lb bags. Easy. Then they went to 40 pound bags. Same thing with hay and straw bales. Many farmers are baling square bales smaller now. It all sounds good, right?
No!!! The bad news is Sunday I almost could not even lift a 60 pound bag of Quickrete, let alone walk with it. Granted there are no handles on a bag of Quikrete, like on a bale of hay, but even a 60 pound bale of hay seems difficult now.
When we built the barn together my mother was 84 (I was 60), and she was stronger than me, although she had a slightly more stocky build. So I don't think I'm over the hill quite yet, but I do think you have to keep lifting something heavier than dinky little hand weights. You got to get your back involved. I think I need a barbell to keep around the house in town.
Yes, I'm making a joke of this, but I'm actually quite serious. I see that slacking off, in activities that require you to really push yourself to exert that extra bit of strength, can catch up with you fast.
Son_of_Perdition
Senior Member
I was helping a neighbor bring in his straw years ago, I wore gloves but a short sleeved shirt. Next day I had this sore develop. For the few days it didn't get better, had me a little worried. Later at work I was standing in a group, fussing with the sore. I pinched it, up popped a piece of straw, it was at least 1/2 inch long looked like a 'turkey' timer that pops up. Gave me a shudder thinking about. Hope the girl carrying the bale was at least wearing an apron.
I also remember the summer that was, my wife is not afraid of any project when it comes to her yard. She uses the 'tools' available when she needs to remove a bush, tree or patio. But, one summer I had to haul her to the emergency room 3 times. One, she fell over a stump removing an evergreen that she had cut down, gouged her leg, infection set in. Many shots later she healed, next she was trying to move our 90 gal wheeled waste container over the lawn, she tripped pullet it on her, broke 3 ribs. Third, she is allergic to bee stings, she was trimming the roses & got stung 3 times, hurried with the Benedryl, then down to the ER we went. I got the feeling while filing out the admin papers that I was being asked about my involvement, she said later they asked her if she felt 'safe' at home. I told her next time, you go by yourself.
I also remember the summer that was, my wife is not afraid of any project when it comes to her yard. She uses the 'tools' available when she needs to remove a bush, tree or patio. But, one summer I had to haul her to the emergency room 3 times. One, she fell over a stump removing an evergreen that she had cut down, gouged her leg, infection set in. Many shots later she healed, next she was trying to move our 90 gal wheeled waste container over the lawn, she tripped pullet it on her, broke 3 ribs. Third, she is allergic to bee stings, she was trimming the roses & got stung 3 times, hurried with the Benedryl, then down to the ER we went. I got the feeling while filing out the admin papers that I was being asked about my involvement, she said later they asked her if she felt 'safe' at home. I told her next time, you go by yourself.
Son, that summer must have been something. Glad everything turned out ok in the end. Your wife sounds like what my father would have called a "go-getter." (That's a big compliment.)
Straw and hay will dig in if you get it pointed just right. Imagine having to eat that stuff. Goats get sticks wedged in their teeth and cheeks occasionally. Big trouble if it gets infected. Most hay makes my arms itch.
That's something I never heard of before. I bet it would look good. Who was he?
Like your cartoon. It would be so much easier to find paint if the stores all displayed it like that. Ha!
Nancy, I saw that pink ceiling paint when I bought my paint! I am going to try it next time (if there is a next time). I have used the pink sheet rock plaster and it is wonderful. You know when it is dry before you sand!
Question? Getting away from painting (thank goodness) LOL. Nancy, I know you have some deer out by the cabin. Well, we have had a doe and two babies around here for two months in our wooded area behind the house. There is not much for them to eat except leaves from trees and they are beginning to fall. The babies have not gotten very big at all. We were thinking about putting some deer corn out in the wooded area for them for the winter. But then there is the issue with the squirrels (we have MANY)! We are not in a hunting area at all. What are your thoughts? Are we setting ourselves up for a never ending feeding cycle? We are animal lovers and just cannot stand the thought of them going hungry.
Question? Getting away from painting (thank goodness) LOL. Nancy, I know you have some deer out by the cabin. Well, we have had a doe and two babies around here for two months in our wooded area behind the house. There is not much for them to eat except leaves from trees and they are beginning to fall. The babies have not gotten very big at all. We were thinking about putting some deer corn out in the wooded area for them for the winter. But then there is the issue with the squirrels (we have MANY)! We are not in a hunting area at all. What are your thoughts? Are we setting ourselves up for a never ending feeding cycle? We are animal lovers and just cannot stand the thought of them going hungry.
Gee that's a tough question. I never fed deer, but their digestive system is very similar to goats. Deer move around quite a bit usually, so they may not spend as much time at your place as you think. Do they hang around all day?
As to deer corn. Not the best thing for them. Not much protein. If you do put any out, don't put out too much at one time at first. Gradually get them used to it, like maybe over a 10 day period. Their stomachs have to get used to the switch to carbs.
A better thing would be to put out some good hay, like alfalfa. (Hard to get, I know.) You can buy bags of alfalfa pellets. That's just ground up alfalfa hay made into pellets. Squirrels won't eat that. Tractor Supply and most feed stores carry it. If they are hungry they will eat it. Deer do eat acorns if you have oaks in your woods.
I'll think some more. Maybe Google it. Someone will know better than me.
Oh thank you, I will check into the alfalfa pellets. We have a Tractor Supply close by here. Lordy we have more acorns and hickory nuts than you could ever imagine. We are either going to have a mild winter or one heck of a winter! They are on the ground and it is like walking on marbles there are so many! I do remember one Fall when there were so many big acorns on the ground, I thought it would be a cold winter and it turned out to be the mildest winter we had ever had. The squirrels were not storing them. Guess they know better than we do!?
Just spent a little time searching. Corn is definitely not good. Oats would be better than corn. Still you should get them used to it gradually.
Fruit is OK, like apples, maybe cut down vines, like honeysuckle or green briar from trees, limbs from pine trees and cedar trees.
But, I also found out they do sell deer food specially formulated for deer, not for baiting them. Don't know how hard it is to find, though.
I suspect they are not lacking in stuff to eat just yet. January is when things will get really scarce.
Good luck. Let us know what happens.
Fruit is OK, like apples, maybe cut down vines, like honeysuckle or green briar from trees, limbs from pine trees and cedar trees.
But, I also found out they do sell deer food specially formulated for deer, not for baiting them. Don't know how hard it is to find, though.
I suspect they are not lacking in stuff to eat just yet. January is when things will get really scarce.
Good luck. Let us know what happens.
