I don't want minus 15 but I'd like our area to get cold enough to kill of some of the squash bugs and other bugs that were so bad this year! BRRRRR!

Really, I don't know why everyone not from the farming sector gets so prissy about animal excretia............it is MUCH better fertilizer than some of that stuff you buy.

and usually FREE!

Just don't want cow patties or horse poops on the road that is all.

We had some small amount of snow, then it rained and washed it away. Tomorrow they say snow again and cold so we will see.

In our neighborhood many of the folks are not farmers. Years ago former land owners sold off a number of 2 - 5 acre lots along the road which have been bought by suburbanites. One time after I had moved some cows down the road, a "suburban" neighbor asked when I was going to clean up the road in front of his house!

It used to be these "suburban neighbors" would move to the country and then complain about the smells. Now when you purchase property in the country you have to sign a paper that moving to the country may mean there are farm smells!

I think that must be a state law. None of my city-transplant neighbors seem to understand such things.

I have no sympathy for people that move out to something already there and then complain about it. You know, something about being there first!

New York has a right to farm law. When some "summer" people on the other side of Chautauqua lake said they couldn't enjoy their morning coffee because the dairy farmer spread manure on the field behind the little coffee shop, they threatened a law suite, but were told by their lawyer that it was a no go. Farmers have a right to operate in a reasonable manner, and spreading manure on fields is most reasonable. Sometimes, common sense does win.

That sounds fair.

Yep. It is a state law in MD and appears to be in NY as well. Should be everywhere!

Texas also has a right to farm statute; it contains a list of exceptions. My cows' manure on the road could have fallen under the trespass clause - had the neighbor owned the road.

Not only is there manure on the road sometimes, there are slow tractors, farm machinery, and dust! All apparently foreign to those city people who move to the country expecting peace and quiet 24/7 and everything to be clean!

That would be me, a city people. I would be horrified to find cow patties in the road. However, I would not be complaining as I would know better!

MaryE said:Not only is there manure on the road sometimes, there are slow tractors, farm machinery, and dust! All apparently foreign to those city people who move to the country expecting peace and quiet 24/7 and everything to be clean!

Too true Mary!

We get to get to see all of that on the road we take to Kamloops, and sometimes even the cattle drives, we could take the freeway, but we like the slower pace of the old road, so much more interesting.

Watched a very interesting segment of a TV show last night where they were at a State Fair and walking thru the animal barns. The segment focused on one of the goat breeders and those goats that they had.

This was a breed that I had never seen or heard of before but looked it up on the internet later.

Really pretty goats. Milk goats, give lots of milk. They were saying the goats had to be milked twice a day. Now I don't much know about goat milk taste but the claim was this milk was mild in flavor, similar to cows milk without the typical strongness in flavor of most goats milk. Sorry, I am just repeating what they were saying so I don't know from any experience how true or not. The host of the show did drink the milk though and said it was very good.

Like I said, nice looking and calm goats.

Later they had a tasting of the meat from the goats and that was excellent also. Things like this make me wish I had land for a mini farm. I would be getting these goats.

Link to info about the Oberhasli, AKA Swiss Alpine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O...

Rita, all dairy goats are calm and quiet, makes dealing with them daily much easier and pleasant. In fact, raised right, some are positively pets.
We raise Nubians, a warmer weather goat, and the milk is totally mild and sweet. So are the products we make from them. In fact I have had one or two "complaints" that the cheese isn't goaty enough, although I have made a ton of converts. It will be nothing like store bought, how often do we say that, and you will love their personalities and antics if you ever get to own some.
We start this year's kidding in a few short weeks, and although I think our lambs are cute, they have nothing on kids. This week we have had 15 lambs and are only 1/4 done.

Joy, I agree about the goats being easy to manage. Mine were all pets, would come running for rubs and scratches if I walked into the pasture, knew their milking order, willingly came in to the milk house to be fed and milked, and were very entertaining. I always had some little treat for them before they went back outside, a little slice of apple, a cracker, popcorn, they never knew what it would be, but would wait and look at me if I didn't get it to them promptly. People who drank the milk often didn't know it was goat milk until I told them. My neighbor's goats are a bit of a problem when I milk them, they play games when they should be coming in, but that is because they really don't know me, and if they are not cooperative with him, he waits and trys again later, teaching them that they can do as they please. He lives right there and has that option. When I milk, I go from my place to his, and that makes a difference. I like the quote under your message. So true!