I Visited Paradise Today...

Paradise Farm, that is.  

I drove 2.5 hours to purchase some whole sheep fleeces, and Wayne, the owner, was kind enough to give me a tour as well.  

I got to meet GOATS!!!

These are registered Nubians, a dairy breed known for a high butterfat content.  I bought a couple half-gallons of frozen goat milk; one I'll drink, and the other I hope to use to try making goat milk soap or lotion sometime!  :P

They were very friendly - and rather nibbly.  :)

Lol, there were a few babies, but they were so wiggly I only got one decent shot:

I've been told that goats have a lot of personality, and I can see that it's true.  :)

There are more pigs on the farm, but I only met this one:

She's a two-month-old Gloucestershire Old Spot, a heritage breed.  She's for sale...I wonder if the neighbors would notice a pig in my back yard?  :D

There were also chickens:

There were ducks and turkeys, too, but I didn't get pictures of them.  I did buy a dozen turkey eggs, though...

And sheep - Romneys.  I now possess their fleece.  I hope they don't mind.  :P

(Wayne said that they're not normally penned up; they usually graze in the orchard, but he just sprayed the apple trees, and you're supposed to wait a few days after spraying before you let the sheep graze near them.)

Paradise Farm grows and sells raspberries, black raspberries, blueberries, peaches, pears, apples, tart cherries, and grapes.  The guardian of the berries:

I asked if the "owl" really helps keep the birds away from the berries.  Wayne says that it does as long as you move it around a lot.

Then we climbed over a gate into the HUGE cow pasture.

The cows are Scottish Highlanders, a very hardy beef breed (though a couple have a dash of Hereford).  Some of these are for sale too...hmm...that would certainly cut down on my mowing this summer...  ;P

Curious cow:

Grouchy cow:

Baby cows:

Shaggy cow:

Spotted cow:

Busy cows:

On an entirely different note, and one that's even more exciting than cows, pigs and goats...Niece #3 was born early yesterday morning - lol, about 2 weeks late!  7 lbs, 10 oz., and seems to be healthy!  Meet little baby Colleen:

Lol, with all these nieces, I'll have to get a pony for my farm for when they come to visit!  :P