Gypsy Visits a School

Last week Kennedy and I loaded up the truck with Gypsy and 2 chickens, Gracie and Moonshine.  The Pre-K classes at Shreve Island had been studying the letter G.  They had also learned the song "Gus the Goat."  

When we drove up to the school, Kennedy pointed to the playground and wanted to go play.  But I told her we had to show all the children her goat and chickens.  The children certainly enjoyed petting Gypsy and the 2 chickens.  As I was holding Moonshine and passing her around so the children could feel her feathers, we heard a splat/crack.  I was so shocked. Moonshine had laid an egg and it hit the concrete.  It almost hit a child on the head.  I can't believe I didn't get a picture of that, but I was just too surprised.  Now the children know first hand where eggs come from.

Moonshine right before she lays an egg.

By the way, the first Pre-K class took Kennedy to play on the playground while I showed the animals to the next class.

On Friday, I took 10 eggs to one of the classes to put into their incubator.  Hopefully, by the end of February they experience chicks hatching.

The Sunshine House

Goat Shack

The little Goat Shack, made out of recycled wood, sat needing a new coat of paint for a year and and half.  I had sanded and scraped one side twice. I had bought the paint and brushes.  But they sat in the garage/barn. I had many excuses; it's too hot, too cold, raining, I have Kennedy.  Anyway when I got the call that the Kindergarten class was coming to visit the mini urban farm, I found the motivation I needed.  I scraped the other 2 sides in one day.  I put 2 coats of paint on the goat shack in one day!  Now it has been upgraded from the goat shack to the Sunshine House.  My dear husband said, "I didn't know it was going to be that shade of yellow."  No matter, it is not visible except if you walk down to the goat yard; though it may glow through the slats in the wooden fence.  Whatever, I don't have to keep coming up with excuses and that is a relief.

The Sunshine House

29 Kindergarteners Visit My Mini Urban Farm

Neiman Marcus Heritage Hen Mini Farm

The principal of St. John Berchman's School, Mrs. Cazes called me to arrange for the kindergarten classes to visit my mini urban farm, Thornhill Acres.  She had told me before that they wanted to come, but when they saw the cover of the Neiman Marcus Christmas book, http://www.neimanmarcus.com/christmasbook/fantasy.jsp?cid=CBF12_O5415&cidShots=m,a,b,c,z&r=cat44770736&rdesc=The%20Fantasy%20Gifts&pageName=Beau%20Coop&icid=CBF12_O5415  
they thought about my farm and called. I don't know if any of you saw it, but one of the fantasy gifts was a Heritage Hen Mini Farm. No one that I talked with about this fantasy gift got anywhere near the price, even knowing it was Neiman Marcus.  For $100,000 a would be urban farmer would receive the coop, 3-12 chickens and up to 3 visits with recommendations and evaluations by "chicken experts." 

But I'm now off topic.  I think I was fantasizing about receiving the "expert's" portion of that price.

Before the students arrived, I ordered farm animal suckers and tatoos from Oriental Trading Company to give to each of the 29 children. I started by showing them a carton of the very colorful eggs my chickens lay.  Even the adults remarked that they did not realize that chickens laid different colors of eggs.
 

I put my Nigerian Dwarf goat, Dottie Belle, on the milking stand and told them about her "udderly" amazing udder that was full of great tasting milk.  Then I showed them how I milk her.  About half the class yelled out that they had milked a goat before.  That made all the adults laugh. Remember these are city kids who likely have not seen a live goat or chicken. Then one child asked could he milk her and that was followed by all of them lining up to take a turn.  I was shocked that every child waited their turn to milk.  Dottie Belle was a great sport and stood still for it all.

Next week I will be taking my goat, Gypsy, for her first trip to visit a class of 4 year olds.  They have been learning the song Gus the Goat and reading The 3 Billy Goats Gruff.  The teacher texted me today that they children are very excited about Gypsy's up coming visit. 



 










Of course I love my animals and the milk and eggs I get from them; but even more I actually love sharing them with children who otherwise would have no first hand experience with them.  I have never stopped being a teacher.
  

My Farm Name is Official

This one has the best logo.

About 6 months ago, I joined the ADGA.  Then I realized that wasn't the association that I meant to join, because all the shows around my area are sponsored by the NDGA. I have such a terrible handicap when using initials. My brain mixes up the order of the letters. Oh well, my goats will be double registered. So just before Christmas, I completed the on-line application to join the Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association and get a farm name and tattoo for the goats. I received my membership packet in the mail yesterday.  I had to enter 3 possible names for my farm.  The one I wanted was Thornhill Acre, after the name of the street I live on.  I got that, so now my blog is Charlotte's Menagerie and my little goat farm is Thornhill Acre.   To have an official certificate for my mini urban farm is fun.