6 boys

Yes, new goat sorting: 6 boys 2 girls... never mind.

... well, blisters... you can see Anais's hard-worked hand! The thick layered winter goat manure has been all cleaned out... hard work! Loads of stuff planted now in the poly tunnel, onions outside, even the top field is ploughed for sweet corn, Alan did a bit for Tahar, too, who decided to do a bit of gardening.

The "Old Stable" finished, got a fantastic carpet for it yesterday from the big Pecs sunday market, which was fun. Those adventurous guests decided not to be adventurous and cancelled "plans changed we are not going to Pecs" hm - maybe they've read my last week's harsh comments?? Who knows. There are some other bookings - our largest group so far - 10 bicycling Hungarians on the Whitsun weekend.
We also have some weird enquiries such as for a Rumanian group of - 50! Some websites seem to take the data from the ones where we are registered, but not quite accurately...

One of the little goats has gone today, to the owner of the (probably) successful billygoat, as per our agreement. Tonight will be the first separation of the bigger kids - so there will be a real milking tomorrow!

And when wwoofers walked back from the pub yesterday, they found a poor little piglet, only a few days old, in the middle of the foresty bit, far from any farm. It seems, that some stupid folk decided to leave the poor thing there. The girls hoped to warm it up and suckle it from rubber glove, but I'm afraid, it was too far gone - probably it had some sort of birth defect, too. So that was a bit of a non-happy ended excitement. I'm glad I didn't make a picture of it at the time when I thought we are going to own a piggy again...

I couldn't load the pictures yesterday, so the blog is posted a day later, the stable is even neater today than on the pictures, with the blue beds made and more books on the shelves.

The dry compost toilet is in the making, the siberian berry bush is flowering, the figs seem to be feeling a bit sorry for themselves...

busy busy

Anais and Ann-Valery are lovely and diligent wwoofers, already done tons of good work; Anais did most of the hoeing with the little cultivator, they planted onions, shovelled compost for flowers, swept the high walls off those silly black spots - looks freshly painted, and did lots of goat-herding. 13 goats - 5 adults and 8 kids - quite serious! They (the little goats) had second day of learning all about the electric fence, so far the lesson is going rather well - no mishaps that I expected - 8 panicky little ones at the 8 possible directions - but there is still plenty of chance for that... They are a lovely sight - the girls did about a thousand photos, I put some up next time - or can one get little-goat-photo overdose?

Got our first milk today - just getting them into the habit again. Without the nightly separation only Carolyne has milk, she's the one with only one kid.

The main heavy lifting (Pali's freezer) happened from the Old Stables - but tonnes to do to get it ready for those adventurous guests who booked for the 1st of April. If it turns out to be too cold for them they can stay in the main hostel house.

We were very pleasantly surprised to find "medvehagyma" - well, 4 plants growing - up near the top of the field near the fence at the fruit-trees - the most "foresty" environment we could provide. Still, we were told it can only grow in the Mecsek!
The 4 years old sorrel patch is doing well, and the mysterious Siberian berry has more leaves than any of the other bush-like things.

Unfortunately Pécs looks like an untidy building site, even the main square looks more like an obstacle course than the centre of the Capital of Culture - it is just embarrassing, I'm afraid -
maybe it is becoming an open secret now, and that's why bookings are a bit thin on the ground... Still, we had a lovely chilling out in the new Exo-tea place, nice cushions and nice music; on Sunday afternoon with the wwoofers and Marta, who was visiting, while Alan watched Ujpetre win (at last) 3:1...

maybe spring

today it was balmy again at last - been to Pécs to do the usual messing with banks, looking around the market etc.
Yesterday was a long day - Pali got us back from Budapest on his pick-up including some furniture of aunty Edit, that'll give some extra comforts to our guests we hope.
Sorry for not blogging last week - was busy to get ready for Budapest and other things - some dogged start to spring cleaning, for example. So many windows, such low level of enthusiasm about cleaning them...

Alan started planting, tidying - we are still miles behind with stuff this year, but from tomorrow we'll have help - we are expecting the first brave wwoofers of the year, a couple of girls from France. We have hostel booking for the Old Stables for 1st of April, we'd better get hyperactive...

Cables are coming to the village next week - there'll be two weeks of heavy digging and powercuts - and the new concrete posts will not add to the beauty of the village never mind.

pictures show all 8 kids - the favourite is definitely tiny Mici, who took a liking to Alan, who uptil now meant extra food, so she
jumps up to greet him every time - and ready to sneak out to be puzzled by cats.
also, the avalanche of 10th of March, when a few tons of snow dropped from the roof, luckily not bringing down any tiles.

and Bonzo, trying to be big, without success, and the cats new eating place, I am so pleased they decided to frequent us again.

... update

bit sad, but we lost one, of the first pair to be born,
it was bleeting a lot, but it was so big - must have had an internal problem afterall. We feel a bit guilty - we just thought it was sort of a stupid kid, being so big and nice looking, couldn't be anything wrong - but alas, this morning, it was no more - well, let's hope that's it, the little one is running around, sucks from both mothers.
Pictures show the two smallest and then together with the third of the triplet.

counting goats...

well, if you must know... 9 (nine) and those are just the new ones!
The last two was born to Clary a couple of hours ago but - weird - we spotted her feeding the little runt, before delivering her own lot. All three of the triplets seem to be fine, that tiniest is the only proper white one and is about half the size of the ones Caroline had. Is still a bit wonky but seems now very likely that succeed in the survival business, as is the backish sibling that was very wobbly to start with, but recovered much faster.

So - at the moment we have more goats than hens! But this won't last, as we are getting our new lot of factory rescues tomorrow, Alan got out the little tractor out to bring them home, and he'll have to get some extra hay and straw from Mr Zöld as with so many goats and such a long winter, we are running low.

We had the annual international women's day village quiz, there were a bit less people than last year, but still decent numbers and again, it was a good atmosphered, merry occasion - and, of couse, our table won again...
Picture shows Clary's triplets, the big one suckling, the little ones panting after a suckling exertion; a moment from the quiz, and the dogs keeping an eye on Cattoo having a late breakfast...

... and 3 more!!!

... and all three off Clover - though two of them are little and wobbly, I'm afraid, triplets are not really good news for goats. Well, we'll see how it goes. The little ones managed to stand up, but are still wet and without help can't feed.
All in 2 days! Which means it wasn't Miska - but the little white loaned-for-a-week billy that looked so useless. Miska kept himself for Clary, who's the only one left to deliver her little one(s).

... and more!

newsflash!!

2 brand new little goats to Carolyne!!!
no pics yet as they need peace and quiet says the master.
They were already up and feeding happily when we discovered them
about 3 hours ago, on a miserable English-weather day.