Family Business--The Beggining

We got our first goat in late September of 2004. Nyla and Zelda were the first addition to the farm, and were not in milk at the time. We started goats with the idea to hopefully show them in the spring and have milk for the family. We added one more a month later and were firmly hooked on goats.

Over the next four years we slowly accumulated more goats through the naturally way--you want milk from a goat you breed them in the fall or winter and they kid in the spring giving you babies and milk. The other way was by being addicted to goats, always looking at who has what to sell and when they can improve your herd, you add them.

After two years of goat owning, milking, showing, and enjoyment we started thinking it would be great to one day make it a business more then just selling the kids once a year. At that point it became a "In the future when dad is retired we might have a dairy." thought.

In early 2007 for more than one reason--the main reason being God's timing we started work on the dairy. We went from a three sided loafing shed to a full fledged milk and processing in less then a year.

Toddlers!

Me: "Noah can you please do _____?"
Noah: "What?!"
Me: "Noah can you please do _____?"
Noah: "What?!"
Me: "Noah CAN YO...."
Noah: "Oh, sure!"

States I've Visited

I found this interesting. I enjoy keeping count of all the states I've visited and always thought it would fun to go to every state. But until I saw this map I hadn't realized how many states I have been to. And the only state that I've have driven through and not done anything was my trip to California--We drove through Arizona and didn't stop. All the other states my dad has made a point for us to visit at least one historical or other site of interest.


visited 23 states (46%)

"So, College?"

"So? Where are you going to college?"
"What are you going to do after you graduate?"
"Have you thought about what you want to do in college?"
"What are you doing now that your finished with high school?"

Have you had any of those questions asked of you? Well, I have. I've been answer these questions for the past 4 years and am still get them all the time. At first I fumbled with the answer, as I didn't have one and hadn't thought to have an answer to that question.

At first I would answer with..."Well, I'm not going to college as I see no need to right not." as that wasn't the most tactful of answers and one that got quite a few raised eyebrows and arguments I slowly came up with an answer that would not offend, that would be honest about my views, and would not lead to very many more questions.

Now the answer has changed over time, as I used to take course online but am currently not doing so (even though I do plan to start again soon). But as a young adult who has her own business and is helping with the family business I don't have to say much past those two facts as it is amazing enough to most people that I'm not only doing those two things, but I am currently living at home as well. So my current standard answer amazes enough people that I don't have to expound further then....

"I'm currently helping with the family business and running Swede Farm Naturals, as well as helping with the children and home."

Now I do have those people who push further and would like to know why I didn't or don't go to college and to those people I kindly answer their questions....

"I am currently not going to college as I had no need to go and felt it wouldn't be a good steward of the time and money that God had given me to go to college without a reason. Yes, I have taken courses online and hope to take more in the future." and sometimes..."Yes, if sometime in the future I feel that God is calling me to do something that entitles going to college I will then pray that God will provide the funds and the time to do so as it is in his will that I do so."

Yeah, they are long winded answers, but the time that it took to come to that point in my life and realize that I didn't need nor want to go to college wasn't something that I decided the day after I graduated from High School. Rather it was a decision that took a few years and lots of praying to decided.

No, I don't think that's the answer for every female out there and I am NOT bashing those that have decided to go to college! I back Grace up 100% in her Vet tech dreams, which would mean two years of college and if she felt that God was leading her to be a vet then I back her up in that 110% and that means even more time in college. Same for Sara and her pursuits in photography! Or any of my other siblings, if for any reason they feel that they should go to college then I will back them up and help them in any way that I can.

I just feel that it's not the path for me. I love my jobs and the time that not going to college and helping the family has given me. I in no way, shape, or form regret the choices that I have made in furthering or not furthering my education in the standard way of doing so.

Trust me there are many things that I have learned in my life as the oldest to 11 siblings, product manage for Swede Farm Dairy, and sole proprietor of Swede Farm Naturals that I could NEVER have learned by getting a college degree!

"Eternal Father, Strong To Save,"

"Eternal Father, Strong To Save,"

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who biddest the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy Word,
Who walked on the foaming deep,
And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power!
Our family shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect us wheresoever we go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

Two Things That Make Me Scream

There are two things that my sisters know will ALWAYS make me scream and a third that will make me scream. (Which is something in their books.)

The first is mice, rats, aka rodents. If a rodent is sighted and I hear about I'm up on the nearest chair. Think Tom & Jerry--While Tom is chasing Jerry around the kitchen chair and the lady is standing on the chair holding her skirt up screaming. Yup that's me! There's nothing that can make me incapable of work then seeing or hearing about a mouse being within a hundred feet of me!

The other main thing being being tree roaches, not just any roaches. Roaches I can handle--Kill them and treat for them and your done with them. Not tree roaches, those things true to their name life in trees and as things go in Texas--"Every thing's larger in Texas" well, these things sure seem to prove it. Their HUGE! And you can't just step on them and have them gone, they are like tiny bombs if you do that. Emma thinks I'm a wimp, as she's always loving to do it while I'm running away and letting her deal with them. I've had more nightmares that center around these little, disgusting, bombs then anything else.

And the third thing, which sends my sisters into fits of hysterical laughing--Cat's jumping out of drawings at me. It started when a cat found it's way into one of my drawers under my bed and sprang at me when I opened, the girls thought it was hysterical and have on and off over the years they have put cats in drawers that they knew I was about to open only to hear me scream, as it's the only time that they get to hear me scream and really give me a fright.

Food

I love to cook, it's probably my favorite 'chore' of all our chores. My family enjoys it when I cook--at least that's what they say. Only they get slightly frustrated with me since there are three things (sometimes four) that I will never cook with and they all enjoy it when it's in the meals.

It used to be a joke that there were three things that I thought of as part of the the fall....Mushrooms, spinach, and olives. The fourth thing that I didn't like to much was fish, I wouldn't mind canned tune but I never really could make myself eat fish sticks (even at summer camp where it seemed to be the main staple!).

Each food item had a reason...Spinach was either always canned or frozen. Until one day mom pointed out that yes the Lasagna had frozen spinach in it, but the salad had fresh spinach and I was eating that at an alarming rate! lol Since then I'll eat fresh spinach but that's it, forget trying to get me to eat anything other then the fresh stuff for me! (And trying to with braces on is horrid!).

Then there's olives. That little fruit in which it seems the entire would has fallen in love with and I was the only one who was left without the taste buds for them. And trust me I think I've tried them all. I promise you there are a couple people who's goal in life is to make sure I try every olive in hopes that one day I will change my opinion of these little fruits from the Mediterranean. So far no go and I think the only olives I haven't tried are those straight from the vine!


And lastly the only mushrooms we had were canned mushrooms and they always reminded of eating slugs. Honestly if I wanted to eat something that felt like slugs, why didn't I just go eat a slug? I just don't feel like going there!! Now, as it's been pointed out that I have enjoyed spinach and fish fresh maybe I should by some mushrooms and try them fresh and see if I like them. I'm just trying to get up the nerve to buy them or look up a recipe for them.