Barking Dog Farm

Baby goats are always fun!

Planning for tonight. https://www.adishofdailylife.com//homemade-hummus-with-ga/

Ginger was due 2 days ago, Margarita Yesterday. Ginger is trying to convince us she is just fat... I don't believe her. Margarita has been saying that this pregnancy hasn't been all that bad. She is till jumping on the stand for meal time. She likely has only a singleton as she isn't very big. But she is quite bagged up so we know she'll be ready soon.

This beauty is Daisy. Daisy was born on March 7, and is almost 2 months old. Her Momma is a beautiful white, half Nubian, a quarter Boer, part Kiko. Dad was Nubian. Mom has kids that grow stocky and fast. Her son last year was the friendliest and by far the biggest 8mo we have had. Gunters was very impressed. Momma also is currently our highest production goat, giving us 3.5l of milk/day as well as feeding her 3 kids (sorry, brain fart).... Daisy will be looking for a new home shortly.

We said goodbye to Buttercup and Mouse as they left for their new digs on Maurelle Island.

Ginger isn't impressed.. she's still got 8 weeks or so ...

Hi! I am Charlie! My mom can't count to 3... She decided 2 was the highest. And I figured out that people who feed me come from the house.

We have some goat meat cut and wrapped at the local abbatoire! Talk to us if you are interested!

Wow!!! Giveaway! This is beautiful!

July in the farm.

Fire rating High (down from extreme because of a smidge if rain, and cooler weather) fire ban in place in Campbell River, but not here yet I don't think. The last day if the 2 week forecast says rain for the past month or so but never gets here.... But right now it's almost noon and dark cloud cover, with about 20mm of rain in the next 24h in the forecast. It's so exciting!

When cutting blackberries, I need to memorize this....

Today we were sad to see Claire and Duff leave... Lots of good smiles, and hard work.

Our Blue Heron colony is growing. We count at least 13 nests this year. Unfortunately, we also have the equivalent number of eagle attacks. I just read a blurb from Pennsylvania that says that "herons will often vacate a nest when a predator takes a member of the colony. I find this very interesting since we have entire nests that have been depredated by eagles, and over the years we find that the adults stay around and help out with the surviving nests of young - sometimes h...aving 8 adults to feed and protect the single surviving neat as happened 2 years ago (2017). And all this we know because the nests are all within a stone's throw of our deck, and see them daily. I can tell you which nests have been visited by eagles, and which not. I can usually tell when eggs have hatched because we find large blue egg shells in the track down to the barn. And then there are the nights that the barred owls are hooting back and forth from one side if the rookery to the other amid intermittent screams and squawks from a particular heron nest. Tonight is our second night when the herons are squabbling and screeching after dark, but I haven't heard an owl... And last year, when we had very little eagle activity, we discovered that a nest with four heron babies will have sufficient scuffling that without the help of eagles, there were still only two remaining in the nest by the time they fledged... The babies pushed each other out in competition for food.

Foxglove blooming today.

Ginger looks to be ready to pop .. but has until March 9.... How many?

Happy healthy goat meat for pickup at Gunter Bros. Ready for your cut sheet! Ten dollars per pound. PM me for details.

Ilay and Uriya have come to visit from Israel, and are helping build a pallet shed, and learn to milk goats. We weren't thinking this job would happen this year, but, surprise!

Liam Swann came for two weeks in July and left in mid September! How great it was to have his help with the kids, animals, cabin remodeling, fencing, goat playground building, sword fighting, beach exploring, fort building, and more! Hope to see you again next summer!

Had a crib. Needed a hay rack. And then, though I thought they always had hay, now there is no fighting over hay with 3 racks! Everyone looks fatter.

Welcome to Ginger (brown ears), Cosmo ( handsome spotted fellow), and Sugar (camera shy), who joined our herd 3 weeks ago. I must say that everygoat seems happier now that there are more goats... Except Wayne lol! Milk production is drastically larger since it was nothing before!

Meet our new arrivals! Celeste and Clipser (Eclipse) were born on the day of the eclipse! Margarita is again being a fantastic mom. The kids are very large and spunky. Last year's kids Princess Buttercup and Inigo aren't very impressed. In fact Buttercup is acting like a snotty princess!

Everyone smiling except Stella (who would only show her rear end)!

Last weekend we were sad to see our Australian Workawayers leave. Fortunately the dog, goat and brown duck couldn't fit in their bags! During their stint here they worked many, many, many hours in the vegetable garden, and it is quite beautiful and looking full of potential! The ducks and goats miss all the wonderful and loving attention they received, but we are trying to make sure that they get a daily dose of individual attention.... We hope the best for the rest of your trip and hope you get to see the polar bears!

Today we have new kids! Stella produced two beautiful bucklings who have tentatively been named Vanilla and Chocolate. Everything went smoothly which was a relief since last year things were much more difficult.

A couple weeks ago we put up a post on Workaway. Shortly after we received a request from a pair of terrific Australian girls. Since then we have managed to get an amazing amount of garden work done, and many things planted. A new batch of ducklings appeared. The dogs are happier for more snuggles and brushing, and the goats are close to having a new paddock. Yay!

I baked bread for the market tomorrow, but realized it's next weekend! So, this Saturday I will have fresh bread at the road stand! Selection is:... Whole Wheat Multigrain Apple Cinnamon Whole Wheat Jalapeno Cheddar Parmesan Herb Pesto See more

Last weekend, the afternoon before the fall fair, we butchered our first batch of 25 GMO free meat chicks. These were a summer project for our 17yo, and his first foray into animal husbandry. We had 100% survivorship, and some nice, big roasting chickens. The larger ones were kept for roasting chickens (2.2-2.85kg or just under 5-over 6lbs), and the smaller ones were cut into legs, breasts, wings, etc... for future use. We have experimented with freezing parts complete with marinades of different sorts for easier suppers! We have had a few inquiries from people about learning how to butcher chickens, and one friend who came to learn in the past and was happily surprised that it wasn't the grizzly affair that she expected. PM us if you are interested in learning!

Our chickens submitted their eggs for the Quadra Fall Fair and received a 1st place in the Best Dozen, All Different, and Oddest Egg categories! Way to go chickens!

Oh new additions The 'M's....

Baby goats! So Lovable. So snuggly. ... So goofy. :)

I am baking bread again! My order list last Thursday was full! I will need to start a new list for Mondays. I am also planning to start my Cinnamon Buns again this week! Happy Spring!

Orders have been cancelled while I work with VIHA to make my road stand legal.

Working on a sourdough. 1st success with a slow rising 50% Whole Wheat sourdough! Approval from kids and husband. I would like it to be a little lighter, but it's definitely yummy!

For the month of January I will be taking orders and putting extras on the road only. Baking days are still Monday and Thursday, so get your orders in by Sunday and Wednesday evenings! Have a wonderful new year, and see you at the next market!

Remember: Orders only for your Christmas bread! Please call 2868, send a private message or respond here! My Menu is attached, but also includes:... Cinnamon Apple Swirl Bread (6)

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE CHANGE. I will maintain Monday baking, but Thursday Dec 24th,and Dec 31st I am doing by special order only. I am happy to make as many orders as people would like :) Don't forget, along with the menu selections on my business card (attached photo) I also offer :... -Apple Cinnamon Swirl ($6) Have a wonderful Christmas season! Sandy, Salty, and Indy (The Barking Dogs)