I discovered a handy new tool. I use 200 lb cattle tubs in my pastures since my hay quality is really poor. The extra protein helps the goats to better digest and utilize the lesser quality hay. The past couple of years has really been hard on us with the drought conditions. I am just so thrilled to find ANY hay at all and the search has not been easy. I really dread this summers hay search as well as we are predicted to be in for another year of drought conditions.

Back to the tool. My goats lick the tubs down as far as they can reach but once they get them licked down to a certain level they have to throw their front hooves in the tubs to continue to lick them. This tracks in goat berries, dirt, leaves, etc. Not to mention the little ones that jump in because they can't reach into the tubs at all.

My handy Black & Decker® 12maxV Piranha® does the trick. It cuts right through those hard plastic tubs like butter. It is light weight and fun to use. ~Pat

More on Mint Julep. In the past she has been a buck producer. Quality bucks but bucks no less. I have begged her to bake me some little doelings. Even considered selling her on several occasions since I can't seen to get any girls out of her. 2012 she blessed me with two gorgeous daughters. They don't quite have momma's personality but some of that could be because they have lived all their lives out in a pasture with very little human contact. ~Pat

Mint Julep is one of those kids that just pops into the world and expects everyone to notice them. She was an adorable baby, and now a beautiful doe and producer of lovely kids. This year one of my other does, Nikka kidded with triplets sired by one of Mint Juleps sons, Teddy Bear. One of those triplets, a doeling has that same "look" about her as her fraternal grandma, Mint Julep. I couldn't be happier.~Pat

Fritz is my "shadow" dog. He always knows where I am. If I go into the feed room he knows whether I am going to come out the front or back door and is waiting for me. I went down to pasture 3 last week to take some photos of the goats and made him stay outside the fence. He was good and stayed like he was told to but he never let me out of his sight.~Pat

We decided that Leroy deserved his own bed now that he is a house dog. For Christmas I bought him a large, super soft bed and put it under the tree. Fritz and Sissy liked it. Allie liked it. Audrey Jane liked it. Leroy to this day has never laid on it. He just squeezes his tired, old body in Fritz's bed to sleep.

About 3 years ago an old, partially blind chocolate lab starting hanging out at the ranch. We tried our best to discourage him to leave. He would come and go but during his second year visiting we decided to give him a name and offer him a treat now and then. Last year he moved into the house. For an old garbage eating dog he has wonderful manners. He sits and waits patiently for his meals. Gets along with all the other dogs and loves the baby goats.