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Written by Nigel
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Thursday, 20 March 2008 |
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The falling of snow is not just an event, it’s a magical event. You know you are truly old when waking up to find a landscape covered in a layer of snow you don’t have the urge to run out and throw a snow ball or build a snowman. When it snows like it has again today you have to choices – complain or make snow angels.
The snow we longed for over winter is now falling over Skåne. Snow is just a wonderful thing, it beautifies everything it touches. It hides all the blemishes in the world. It also adds a layer of silence. As a walk around Alledal today it is noticeable quiet. Not that there is ever much background noise here, the occasional vehicle on the road, but today the only noise is nature and the squeaking and creaking of the snow under my boots. It is said that Eskimos have fifty-two words for snow I have no idea if this is true, but I wonder which of them captures that magical feeling that snow always brings, no matter how old I get it always makes me feel like a child
I promised last time that I would post about the buck-kids and their slaughter. This all went according to plan. My friend, Bengt came and talked me through the process. The two bucks were brought out and stroked and kept calm. The deed itself was quick. The goats didn’t suffer at all. I’m not exactly sure how I feel about it all. I think what disturbs me most is the fact I’m not more disturbed. The skinning and gutting wasn’t as bad as I feared. I worked on one with Bengt and Steph and I did the second. We now have two goat carcasses hanging to age them a little before they will be butchered and put into the freezer. It will soon be birthday time here at Alledal, and I’m looking forward to roast kid meat.
Other News, the geese have started laying and I’m hoping to get a batch into the incubator to test fertility later this week. The young Blommehöns are growing quickly and feathering up nicely and I have an incubator full of mixed duck eggs – some Svensk Myskankor [Muscovy ducks] and some other crosses for the table. The goats are now being milked twice daily and we’re getting around half a gallon of milk a day. Steph has started making cheese. The first was a back of soft goat’s cheese and then a hard Caerphilly type. I’m wanting to try yoghurt making and we’ll definitely have the milk to able to do that and for some unknown reason I want to try soap making. I’ve seen recipes for goat’s milk soap and I have a real hankering to try one out.
Stephen’s parents arrive today for a visit. They haven’t been to Alledal since last Easter so it will be great to see them. Things have changed so much over the last year it will be good to show them all our progress. They of course get the added bonus of seeing Alledal in all its wintry glory. |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 20 March 2008 )
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