This time of year is always so busy-and tiring. With 21 kids born in the last 2 weeks and 13 of them on bottles, it is hard to get them all fed and keep to a good sleep schedule. Now that I have them on the "bucket" feeder, it only takes about 15 minutes to feed them, instead of 45. I got to sleep in till 5 a.m. this morning! I keep reminding myself why I do this-because I enjoy seeing what kind of doe kids we get from our breedings and the fun I have when it is show season! Seriously though, with both boys gone, I have to cut back. I keep looking at the does wondering which ones to sell, which ones to keep, which ones to give one more year, etc. I need to get rid of at least 3-4 milkers this year (13, not counting Jana since she is the old woman of the farm, doesn't milk if she doesn't want to and is too old to get rid of)as I can't keep that many and keep up. Three yearlings will have to go as well. I'm going to cull some of the boers and am debating if I keep any young ones or not. At least 2 of the boers have to go due to feet problems-I may only keep 1 kid. The alpine buck has to go and we may keep the nubian 1 more breeding season-then he too will go. That will mean I only have 2 bucks as I can "borrow" a nubian and an apline for what we need after this fall. That will help the space situation a lot.

But it is so hard to decide which ones stay and which ones go. They all have their own unique personality and good points-and some have their bad points too! Most likely I'll only keep a couple of Alpines since Scott really isn't that interested and isn't living at home now. The alpines keep milk production up, which is needed for the babies. As for the nubians, a lot will depend on where Andy goes after college. With any luck, in 3-4 years from now we'll have nice small Togg string and a nice group of boers and that is it! (Wishful thinking I'm sure!!)

I know I have to look at this from the production end. Which does are milking well and which does show well? I don't mind keeping a few for milk only, but it would be nice to have all the show string also be the big milkers (not likely for at least a few more years). If I can get my toggs to turn out like Rosie has this year, we might can get there in a couple more years. But doing that means Spice & Summer will have to go. They are sweethearts but their milking doesn't measure up and they aren't show quality. Most likely Spice will go this year now that I have Saffron out of her. I will probably keep Summer one more year-I'd love to get some doe kids out of her as nice as the bucks from this year.

Hopefully can find good homes for them with someone who will treat them well and in return the does can provide milk and weed control!