Moving...

Moving is hard! We've moved many times but this is the first time to move a herd of Jerseys, five dogs, seven cats, and us. Just thinking about it makes my head hurt! We're getting all the Health Certificates and shots needed to safely and legally import our animals into Idaho. Some of that is easier typed than actually done.

HOW does one transport all these animals? Well, we bought a livestock trailer with a center divider gate to move the cows and cats. ​ It was pretty badly rusted and very, very ugly.  We sanded, welded, primed, painted, replaced wiring, lights, hubs, bearings, brakes, and tires.  Then, we had to get a title, register, and license it.  But, it's legal and road worthy now.  We're pretty proud of how it turned out.  What do you think of the silver and black?

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We bought a smaller two-horse trailer to transport the four big Livestock Guardian Dogs. It's possible that Buttercup's tiny calf will ride with the dogs so it's not squished by a bigger cow. She's calving much closer to moving than anticipated. We think this smaller trailer is the fix for that situation. (I'm checking Buttercup every two hours at this point. She's looking very ready to calve and I don't want to miss it!)

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We have tried to reduce the numbers of animals moving with us. The chickens and a Standard size bull are traveling in a small upright freezer. (We processed them for meat, silly!) The cats are mousers and will be needed there as much as they have been here. The four LGDs were bought here in Kansas to give them time to grow big enough to go to work in Idaho protecting us all from bears, wolves, eagles, cougars... They are all going. The house dog, Lacey, is going for sure! We placed all the cows I can bear to part with. We're also downsizing our family by half, as our two adult children are moving out.

So many changes and still so much to move to the Homestead. Please say a prayer nothing major happens and everyone arrives safely. If you see us on the highway wave but please don't honk and scare the animals. Or, more likely, keep driving and pretend you don't know those crazy people moving an entire farm across country!!

Catch you soon!
Milkmaid Lorinda