2006 News at Hames & Axle Farm

Sept. 10	Today is the culmination of a very old dream, and the celebration of a new adventure. Jobi Fern will be arriving from Houston, TX today, after 2 years of waiting and 10 years of dreaming. I can't thank the Carkin's of Sunset Creek Farm enough for assisting in this venture, and I have to thank my sister and brother in law for acting as "goat chauffeurs," in transporting Fern to the airport. Also, NDGenes.com is growing well. Dave is almost ready to start the query features, and hopefully that will bring many more people into the database. The excitement that I've been feeling from those who are already members is thrilling. We all hope that soon the top herds in the nation will enter join us and let us learn from their work with animals that are so important in the development of the breed. It's time to start the fall breedings, so a new era begins at Hames & Axle Farm. We can't wait to see how the doelings from 2006 will grow up, and how our hard learned lessons will change the herd for the better.
August 10	Well, it's been awhile since my last news update. Sad news today. Our first goat, Brickle the pygmy wether, died last night. Brickle was at least 12 years old, and we've been watching him fail over the last month or more, but true to Brickle, he wouldn't give up his spirit! Last night, after a good long drink, and a cool night's rest, he passed away. It's going to be sad around here with no Uncle Brickle. He was everyone's confidante and protector. Always had been, even before we got him. Brickle was an animal-assisted therapy goat before he came to us. Even then, he had more love to give than he could hold. Our show season is over. Echo did well in her only show, taking 2nd in a good sized class, at only 9 weeks old. Chami took her Res. Grand Doe at her first show, and the rest of the year, we just learned a lot. Now we look forward to a quiet spell, and new hope for spring. We have a new doeling coming in from Texas, and then we're officially closing the herd. (Yes, I've said it before, but this time I mean it! We may add a new buck in a few years, but we've got a lot to work with here for now.) Other news is the launching of NECaprine.com and NDgenes.com. NECaprine.com is an online magazine for Northeast Goat Breeders, and NDgenes.com is a nationwide genetic database for the Nigerian dwarf breed. Visit the links for more information.
June 10	Meeses finally gave us a girl! Echo had a very rough start, but as of today she's doing well. We'll have to wait and see how she fills out. Many thanks to Dr. Stillman for helping us out on these last two birthings. We've always known how lucky we were here. It's all the more clear now. Meeses is doing fine, despite trying to birth 2 large kids simultaneously. She's recovering well and enjoying her role as a mom again.
June 5	What a weekend this has been! We went to our first show of the season and did very well. Chamisoul and Jewelyet both took 1st in their classes, and Copper took 3rd. Chami went on to take Res. Grand Sr. Doe as a yearling! We are so pleased that our little girl is so impressive. In the Juniors, while we didn't fare as well as a farm, our lineage and friends are proving well. 5 Acre Farm's Taste of Honey, daughter of Hames & Axle Farm's Bourbon, took Grand Jr. Doe and Res. Grand Best Jr Doe in Show! Congratulations to Cindy St. Pierre and the rest of the 5 Acre Farm Crew. We got home to find that Cinnamon Pistol was in labor, which we expected. However, we didn't expect a vet to have to help, as she delivered two live does, and one dead buckling. Unfortunately the last doeling did not survive, but we are still blessed with one beautiful doeling, Hames & Axle's Worth It. It was a grueling day, but well worth
May 30	Tart finally gave us a kid! Celtic Truffle was born quite easily, (for such a big girl) in mid- afternoon. This beautiful girl has milk and style behind her. We love just watching her walk!
May 2	What a marvelous way to start the day! Copper Kiss gave us 4 beautiful doelings this morning. Now that alone is reason to celebrate, but Copper has had times these past two years, losing 8 kids out of 9, in two litters. But not this year! Some of these girls will stay here, one is headed to Vermont, and at least one will be available. They are all to beautiful to make choices yet, so we'll just enjoy watching Copper beam over her brood of beauties! Thanks girl!
April 17	What a 2 days! Bourbon kidded ahead of schedule yesterday during milking, giving us two beautiful kids, a boy and a girl. Then, during milk test this morning, Chamisoul, who was due to day, started screaming up a storm. She delivered 1 girl and 2 boys before 10 a.m. this morning. What a way to start the day! Now we're supposed to a have a couple weeks rest before the next set of kiddings, right girls!?
April 13	Well, kidding season is doing well. Surprize gave us 2 beautiful boys, and her daughter Scotch gave us 3 surviving kids, out of a set of quints! Theia continues her single buck tradition, but we don't mind. All these kids have new homes waiting for them already. Last night Jewel and Mithral had a race to see who could kid first, and Jewel won! with triplets, a boy and a girl surviving. Mithral gave us quads, but lost one. These kids are all beautiful, and most already have homes as well. We thank everyone who is coming to us for their kids, and look forward to building new friendships as these herds grow for their owners.We do grieve for the lost kids though. They are not forgotten in the joys, but serve as reminders as to how much we all have yet to learn.
March 8	Boy did we get a surprise! Thanks to Gail Putcher for sending us the Top Ten Results for DHI 2005. In looking through it we found Hames & Axle's name in two places. Our Hames & Axle's Copper Kiss 5D placed in the Top Ten for Butterfat and Protein on One-Day Test. Her sister, Hames & Axle Farm's Freja 5D, littermate of Bourbon, qualified for Top Ten on Milk Protein for One Day Test as well. Copper and Freja are full sisters, out of Scotch and Thor! Thank you Gail for your hard work, and to Copper and Freja for theirs! Freja is now owned by Pauline Michalewicz of 4M Farm. Congratulations Pauline! We've got a long way to go for overall Top Ten, but it's nice to see us start with the One Day test results.
March 1	Scotch finally popped! She gave birth to five beautiful babies, 3 girls, and 2 boys. Unfortunately, only 3 of them survived, Penny Whistle and Wind Chime the does, and their brother Rusty Nail. It was a bitterly cold night for a birth, but the three survivors are strong and beautful. Now we've got a couple weeks off before Chamisoul and Theia add their kids to the collection.
Feb. 25	Our kidding workshop went well. Thanks to everyone who came, braving the cold and the snow! We had a nice group of people, some preparing for upcoming births, some planning way ahead. Good questions and good company from everyone. Now we can concentrate on babies until the May show preparation workshop. We also got Casey bred, finally! We're looking at July kids now, a repeat of a breeding that we did two years ago who turned out two beautiful kids. This time one is staying home!
Feb. 20	Kidding season started! Our first two kids of the season made their appearances today. Of course they are boys, but beautiful boys they are. Both will probably be available as wethers, but we're not making that decision officially yet. These boys are out of Surprize by Sam Etrical. Presto is colored like his sire, a broken chamoisee, with a beautifully wide escutcheon, broad ribs, and strong back. Oreo, his little brother, is more delicate, a black color with wattles and some white splashes here and there. Surprize is such a great mother, and doing very well for her age - 10 years old this year. Her daughter Scotch is next in line, and probably will kid within the week. Our kidding workshop is basically full. We wanted a smaller crowd in case there was a kidding going on, so as not to scare the doe too much. We're looking forward to a delightful day with kidding talk, and good people. What a great time of year this is! Our next workshop will be this spring, for "How to Survive A Goat Show." Aimed at Nigerian dwarf owners, the basics of fitting and showmanship, as well as show operations will be suitable for all goat owners who are looking to show their goats in the future.