Hi there. I'm brand new to all of this. I live in Weed, Ca. on 29 acres. I am an avid gardener (with 20 plus years of garden soil under my nails!
and... an animal enthusiast. I raise turkeys, chickens, cats and dogs, most of our own food and young people! Hubby and I have raised our four children, 2 girls & 2 boys and adopted three other teenage boys. Our lives are busy and our hearts full. It has been my dream for many years to have an organic, self sustaining farm. This looks to be a banner year for new beginnings, for progress and an increase in barn yard critters. A couple of months ago I was skimming through craigs list ads and came across a herd of mini horses. Most were female and in the late stages of pregnancy. She was asking $1,000 for the herd of 5. I emailed her and as is my way, ended up becoming her pen pal, even though I had no experience with minis nor any money to do anything about it even if I was interested. I was particularly charmed by the little male that showed up at the fore front of all the pictures she included in her emails. He was bitty and fuzzy with his winter coat and seemed to love the camera. She was so kind in answering all of my long winded questions. Time passed and one by one, she sold off the mares individually. Christmas passed and New Year's too and one day a few weeks ago, she contactd me and asked if I still thought about the little boy horse at all? Well of course I did! She wrote again and admitted that feed costs for all of her animals had taken their toll. Hubby was out of work and had an offer for a job if they could move quickly. Mid- March is their goal. Can you imagine being an animal person, having horses, goats and pigs and suddenly trying to move? She suddenly finds herself in a whirl wind, sending pigs off to slaughter, packing her house and trying to find homes for all of her other animals. She made me an offer I just can't refuse. She gave me her price on the little horse, a mere $200.00. I'm a house wife with no income of my own. Hubby has a mobile computer business and takes care of all of the bills, animal feed etc. makes a good living at it but with the economy the way it is and all of these young people, the extra expense made the idea of this, a really hard decision to make. We believe that when you take on an animal that it is your life time responsibility. Caring for so many animals is a scary risk but having a farm with no animals makes very little sense. I went back and forth in my head, all the while, selling eggs to all of these young people, saving every penny and hoping. She offered to let me make payments and one thing led to another and she offered me the hay in the barn, a pygmy goat, the horse's halter and so on. This thing is growing by leaps and bounds and so fast it's making my head spin. Can I do this? Of that, I have no doubt. My life is all about young, growing things. I haven't laid hands on a horse in many, many years though and have never owned one of my own. My first job was cleaning stalls and my payment was learning to ride. As a skinny 12 year old, I lived and breathed horses! As a teen, I scrambled through school to get to the afternoon so that I could get to the stables. When I was 18, the stables sold and became a condiminium complex, I moved on as well and started down other avenues, finding my way in life and marrying my soul mate, having our 4 beautiful children and scooping up more family along the way. So now I find myself making ready for little Willow, a one year old miniature horse and his buddy, a pygmy goat named Ms. Goat who are supposed to be delivered sometime next weekend!
I will likely be asking alot of questions!
I will likely be asking alot of questions!
