Well our dear Great Pyr. bitch is having more puppies. WE are at 7 right now. Her last two litters were 11 each. We sell them at $75 each as they have no papers. We did try to keep her from breeding this time but she and our male managed to take down a barn door to get at each other. We still have much to learn.

Kirk, if you want to visit, we'd be happy to supply you with one!

David asked me how many animals I thought we had. I guessed 15. He proceeded to identify over 70 including the chickens. I never thought my physical science PhD was worth much!! We still have to get this years pigs and I have about 30 eggs in the incubator at the high school where I teach.

Kim

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2001

Answers

Well, I counted and I have over 80, and we don't have any chickens except 2 roosters. Just goats, rabbits, dogs, 3 cats, and 2 horses. I want a few turkeys, guineas, and a jack and a couple more jennys. Oh yeah, and a steer. Next year we hope to raise up some calves with all the goats milk. I had about 100 hens last summer and I got sick of them and gave away what I did not sell. I just can't handle them running loose anymore, and tearing up all my plants and flowers. It seems to be easier for us to buy eggs from a friend for 1.00 a dozen than to chase them all over!

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

Once I sat down and did the math. I came up with something like 70 critters, counting the poultry. Without the birds, it's 27, so not so bad...

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

What do you do when you want to go somewhere? Genuine question. I really hesitate to get any more animals bc it ties me down too much.Been there.With elderly parents in two different states, we now need fluidity of movement.

How do you handle all that with your animals? My brother was so tied to the farm when he had his cows and such. And he lived near relatives yet.I don't.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

Well, I've added my total several times and keep coming up with 89+/-. Depending on the time of the year, we have 6-15 goats, 20 layers, 20 meat birds, 6 turkeys, 2 pigs, 15 barn cats, 10 house cats, 1 dog and not to mention the Guinea pig, tropical fish and, of course, my "ant farm"!! Hopefully, I'll be getting another horse soon and I'd really love to get another dog....maybe a little lap dog! Goodness! I forgot about my 5 ducks. Are we supposed to be counting spouses??

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

Sharon, you are right. We are totally tied down, and now we're adding a milking cow too! We have good neighbors that we can enlist to help, and Kim's dad is fairly close. Still, travel has to be timed to minimum care periods - when nothing young is being raised. During spring and summer the market garden is a huge commitment too.

We haven't been quite so tied down before, and our approach is to let people visit us instead of us visiting them. Of course we can travel separately, just not as a family group! The kids are within a couple of years of being able to cope with the whole farm, so the end is in sight!

Marcia, I don't think we included spouses. How many do you have?

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2001

We swap critter care with our neighbors, or other livestock friends who are standing in the wings (we are all needy for this kind of help!) The point about timing is critical, though! Absolutely right. We will not leave during lambing, or harvest (we have done so before and the garden never got picked, even though we offered the produce for free!)

Mr. S. takes a separate vacation usually once a year (this summer he's going to Colorado to go do some 14-ers with some other guys, but I'll get a long weekend to do something with my mom.) We take a two week vacation together usually in the summer, and another long weekend to go to Napa Valley in the fall for the grape crush/new releases at the wineries. Guess we are gone a lot for having these animals, but we have no dogs, no cows, nor anything else that is more dependent on our care.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2001

Only one spouse here, David (thank goodness!). Just didn't know whether I should include him with the animals!!!!

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2001

We have 17 animals now, but once Ki has her pups and the ducklings arrive, that'll add on about another 8 + 12. So far at home, one black dog, one black cat, elevin black chickens, and three white rabbits. (Oh, and a doe due in 3 days will add on to our white rabbit supply)

Am I the only one whith animals in only two colors??? We keep joking about buying a grey beast of some sort to make a middle area. (Oh, and the new ducks? Black Cayuga....)

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Hey Marty,

I've got lots of black and white animals, but the black and white is together on most of them. All B/W dogs, B/W spotted goats, B/W rabbits, and 3 B/W cats. People who come up to get a pup say "You're really into black and white aren't you!" I need a B/W spotted jack and a Holstein I quess. The Border Collies started the craze. he he

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Lets see, about a month ago, we had about 45 cattle, six horses, two ponies, six mini-donks, one llama, six peacocks, seven turkeys, two dogs, four cats, two chinchillas, one cockatiel, and about 25 chickens. In the past we have also had up to 15 pigs, six fallow deer, another llama, 200 sheep, every kind of domestic goat except la mancha I think, etc. Now down to 18 cattle, three equines, one peacock and the laying hens, and indoor pets/cat/dogs.

As to how do you ever go anywhere? Good point!! You don't!! At least not any longer than 24 hours, ever. That's one thing I won't miss for awhile, the being so tied down. I need a break!

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001