An Afternoon with Maria!
Max joined us as we visited the farm of Maria. Maria is a charming young woman that I met at the seasons first craft market. We had so many things in common that we chatted as if we were long lost sisters or friends. This is not something that happens everyday, so when life brings you a special friend like Maria, you recognize it and enjoy the experience.
We had such a joyful time at her farm viewing and getting to know her many animals. She has beautiful Swedish goats that at this moment have the cutest little curly white babies. She breeds and sells some of Sweden’s endangered species of chickens, ducks and rabbits. She also breeds turkeys and has the most beautiful, colorful and majestic male turkey named King.
We had a lovely time chatting over cup of coffee, tea and a Finnish cake that she baked for our arrival to her farm. It was a delightful visit. We will be back often as we enjoy each other’s company and animals. Maria has seen much of Gullringstorp on my blog and Facebook but has not yet visited us. She will us very visit soon.
Of all her animals, the ones of most interest to me above all the others, were her beautiful rescue greyhounds. We are planning to adopt a rescue greyhound from Ireland and meeting Maria was just such a wonderful ting to have happen. Her dogs have come from a wonderful rescue center in Ireland and I will use the same company when we are ready to adopt.
We spent a splendid day with Maria and her animals. It was a great opportunity for myself to enjoy and become reacquainted with greyhounds and for my husband to meet them for the first time and understand the yearning I have had to adopt one. It was very important to see if our little dog Max could be around these large animals. He was just fine! They enjoyed them and he enjoyed them. No we know that ill not be an issue. We must make sure that the one that we adopt is ok with small dogs and cats. Maria’s dogs love her small Jack Russell terrier and are just fine with her two cats. With our small Brussels Griffon and 4 indoor cats, we will have to wait to find a greyhound that has been seen to be well with both for our home.
We spent such a lovley time at Maria’s farm and are very much looking forward to returning.
Happy Chickens and Roosters at Gullringstorp
Oh how our chickens and roosters are so happy that winter is over. They are enjoying being out of the hen house . Not only do they have their own yard to enjoy, but they also have recently been enjoying the back play yard with Pumpkin and her daughters. They are eating their grain, and whatever goodies I place on the “table”. Eugene is our beautiful Brahma rooster, Bojangles is our Black Netherlands Whitehead rooster. Then there is our fluffy buff Orpington rooster with no name because we thought he was a hen for so long.They are so much fun to watch.
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Bojangels and his ladies
A curious Brahma hen peaks in the stable
Wonder what she’s up to?
She found a comfy private place in the box to lay her egg.
As you can see, Gullringstorp chickens and roosters enjoy the Spring/Summer and I enjoy watching them.
February 1st and -4 C at Gullringstorp
A morning with sunshine and frost, rock hard ground and -4 c. It was a beautiful morning, crisp and clear. A perfect day for all our goats to go out:
My boys were the first to come out and were so happy
This is our alpha buck Balder
The boys know there is a doe in heat so they are at each other
Little Man, Winston and Baby Boy
This is the first time in the boy’s enclosure for Pip, no so for Toby
Once the boys have settled in , we brought out the girls:
Petunia and Alika
Time for fun
Iris having fun with Rose
Nanna, Pumpkin, her daughter Rose and Iris
Pumpkin, our lead doe
Time to run…
Peanut, hilda’s daughter with Keriana and her daughter Fiona enjoy the rocks and snow
Pumpkin will be in my Maternity watch reports soon
Fiona
Pansy and her sister Poppy will be on maternity watch soon also
Poppy, Petunia and Ivy
Nanna tries to stay near the bucks because she is in heat today
Iris will be on Maternity watch also
Petunia
It was the first time in the boy’s enclosure for 3 of our little bucklings, Phillip, Winston and Pip. Leif always puts the tiny noses to the electric fence. I just can’t do it although I know it’s a real necessity. Every new buckling or doeling must go through this in order to stay safe inside the fenced enclosure. This way we can leave and be assured that no one will be wandering around one of the adjacent fields. They stay put because they have experienced an unpleasant shock, at least once.
Here Leif makes sure that Phillip, Winston and Pip learn as all the others have before them:
Little Pip
My little boys are getting bucky!
My babies Winston and Phillip are no longer babies
Little bucks always challenge each other
Winston and Phillip
Look at Little Man’s horns, beautiful. Little Man is Phillip’s brother.
It was a great day for the hens and roosters come out and play. They were so happy :
The hens and roosters were happy to come out
Happy fluffy Henny Penny
Mr. Bojangels was happy to be out of the hen house
Eugene was happy with his ladies around him
It was a great day for all the animals here at Gullringstorp. Our goats were able to be out till 4 pm when it started to get dark. Some goat owners leave their goats out overnight , even during the winter months. It is supposed to be healthy for them. I have West African goats and the cold is not so fun for them, even with their thick winter coats. Maybe I am a bit protective also; I worry about animals getting to them in the enclosure or in their outdoor shelter. As the sun goes down, they are all ready to come in to their warm (relatively warm) stable and their cozy beds of straw. I can make my walk back to the house knowing all my goats and hens and roosters are safe inside their homes. I could have it no other way.
Chickens, Goats and Dogs! Chickens, Goats and Dogs! Oh My!!
We have had lots of rain lately so our goats are not really going out. I have heard of people who had goats that enjoyed or didn’t mind the rain, but not Gullringstorp goats. They really hate the rain, so we have indoor activities instead.
Our chickens, on the other hand seem to love the rain. Our Brahma chickens really like the rain and stay out till they are soaking wet. I always worry that they may get sick or something, but I think chickens can take it. No one has gotten sick yet and they really do get soaked.
Here are chickens, goats and a dog:
Max in his warm rain gear
Max in his warm rain jacket and boots as he takes a pause on our deck
Hilda and her sons, Phillip and Winston explore the chicken yard
Hilda and her boys
The wind blows the chicken’s feathers as they enjoy the wet grass
One of our roosters, Eugene and one of his ladies
Eugene checking on his other lady, Henny Penny
Little Fiona and Phillip enjoy the chickens
Our Brahma chickens love the wind and wet grass
Max stays out of the way when the big goats are out and about
Hilda and Nanna have some hay in the corridor
Little Winston meets Nanna
Our little Nanna
Fiona plays with Phillip
Hilda and her son Phillip stand in the yard in between rain fall
Little Phillip
Indoor fun with Hilda, Alika, Pansy and Poppy. Peanut meets little Winston
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Poppy and Pansy with little Winston
Peanut, Pansy, Hilda and Little Phillip in the yard between showers
Winston and Phillip in the chicken yard
One of our lovely hens
Fiona in the chicken yard
Our chickens have dug under the fences , my husband repaired them. Here my husband digs under the door to the yard.
My husband decided that these concrete slabs will keep our chickens inside their yard
Leif makes sure that the slabs firmly in place. By the way, what do you think if the beard. He grew this for me while I was in NY. I have always wanted to see him in a beard. I love it!
Welcome back for more activities at Gullringstorp !
GullringstorpGoatGal
