Back to Land Louisiana
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April/May 2004
By Robin Wright
I located The Ruth Stout No-work Garden Book after reading about her system of heavy mulching to keep clown weeds and hold the moisture in the soil. Last spring, I decided to use her planting method: no hoeing, no weeding, no turning the soil, no backbreaking work. Sounded good to me! My harvest was wonderful with very little weeding and a lot less watering. (For more about this gardening method, see "Ruth Stout's System," February/March 2004.)
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BARNYARD CREATURES
Soon after moving to the country we started collecting animals. One day I passed a sign on the road that caught my attention: "Chickens for sale." After asking the lady many questions about her fowl, I purchased a few Rhode Island Red hens and 'Ole Roost.' He intimidated me immediately, and I started carrying a big stick whenever I entered his domain. When I later discovered that Rhode Island Reds are poor setters, and not likely to raise chicks for us, I was happy to learn that I didn't need a rooster at all! The hens gave us plenty of eggs without him.
Goats came next. A friend invited me to a small seminar about milk goats. We tasted fresh butter and delicious milk, then had the opportunity to try milking. I bought a Nubian doe on the spot, and I couldn't wait to make my own yogurt and cheese.
As it turned out, Sissy, my new goat "friend," was used to having other goats around and did not like being penned up with chickens. Her goal in life was to get out of confinement, and find me. After doing some reading, I learned that goats are herd animals, so we bought a second Nubian doe, named Mean Betsy. Betsy was a kicker, and it took two people to milk her for the first three days. She has become my favorite goat now that we have an understanding, but she's still mean.
Surprisingly, goat manure will not burn plants, even when fresh, so I use it in preparation for sowing and as a fertilizer throughout the year.
I had my first experience delivering baby goats last year. They were positioned wrong and could not be birthed without help. After several frantic phone calls, I realized there was nothing to do but roll up my sleeves and go in to save the young doe and her twins. It wasn't easy or fun, but experience is a great teacher.
Soon after, Danielle came to me in tears and told me one of the twins had died. She is learning about life and death, and that we don't always get our way. Nature will take its own course.
