The last week of spring 2020 is now in the books! The weather warmed up a little and we got some much-needed rain. Using well water, means watering is limited. It is such a relief on both the homesteader and the animals when it rains. The pastures revive a little and I can mark quite a few “water this, water that” off my to-do list.

On the homestead, our biggest accomplishment was finishing our new mobile goat shelter. As I told you last week, we rotationally graze our goats. I have tried many mobile shelter designs, but goats are hard on everything. Last year I made them a hoop house design shelter and they just jumped all over it, even the huge Boer goats, which resulted in a squashed pancake of a shelter. After that, my husband thought taller would be better so he designed a kind of tall a-frame with a tarp way above them. I don't know how they did it, but within two hours it was laying on the ground and heap. I decided on a simple canopy design that might work as long as it was tall enough so they couldn't jump on top of it and it would be strong enough they couldn't tear it down. Here is my finished product.

They're even wheels on one end so one person can move it easily. It has now lasted 4 days! I am glad that we got it done before the rain! Goats don't like to get wet.

We also finished putting up the last of our new walk-through gates. We now have a gate that goes between the garden and the parking lot, a gate between the garden and the turkey pastor, and a gate into our neighbors for easy access. My husband also helped me take new pictures of the girls so I could update the goat pages. I got some brand new collars for the occasion; they're just amazing! Every single one of our girls wear collars. I keep them loose in case they get tangled. With us moving them twice a day, I find goats don't herd well, we need something to lead them with. These collars are just perfect, lightweight and strong. Here's the link. This is not an Affiliated link. I don't get anything from your orders. But, they are so well-made I just had to share them with you all.

In the garden, I promised to share our daily routine. On my way out to milk the goats I walk through the garden to see if it needs watered. If it does, I turn on the sprinklers until we are done with chores; this is about an hour. I like to water in the morning for many reasons. Once watered, I inspect all my crops for either signs of harvest, pest, or deficiencies. Then I add what needs to be done to my to-do list for evening chores. Once the animal evening chores are done (my favorite time of the day) I spend about an hour in the garden. First, weeding the beds on my weeding schedule. Then, accomplishing the things I have on my list or added that morning. I am a strong believer in block scheduling.

In the kitchen, I got caught up on my dishes. Then the weekend hit. I guess that's life. I remind myself that without dirty dishes there'd be no humans enjoying the harvest of my hard work on the homestead and in the garden.

Lord God almighty, thank you for your benevolence. Thank you for your love and I am strengthened by you, you guide my steps. Through you all things are made, through you all things are accomplished, in your name only. Lord, I ask you to lay your hands on our country on our children and on our elderly, those that are taking these times hard as they don't get to reach out to their families and see those they love, In your name I pray, Jesus Christ. Amen