New York County Fairs

New York City

I remembered that I had not posted this slideshow here.  While I posted it on Facebook I know that there are some people out there who don't do facebook (gasp!).  So, they would not have seen this yet.   (Plus I need something to put on my blog.)  Enjoy....All pictures where taken by me at some point during my first trip to New York in 2010.

It's Raining!

As I sit here (again when I should be doing something other then what I'm doing) I noticed some movement out my window.  I look up in time to see all the goats running to their shelters and not but 60 seconds later a sheet of rain comes down. 

As it rains I think "If it keeps up we are going to have to build an ark!".

I then remind myself that we just spent two years with less rain then we needed
(and are still behind on what we need).
There are still times when I want to say "ENOUGH ALREADY!!" 

It's been raining on & off of the past few weeks that there is always a wet spot somewhere on the property.  Again, I want to grumble and then a wind comes through and a tree will fall somewhere in the woods and again, I am reminded why we need this rain.  Though it may be a lot a little to late for some trees, God has a plan for everything.--Yes, even a drought.

So, I sit here enjoying the rain (because yes, I LOVE it when it rains), 

praying that it will continue to rain--Only spaced out a little more--and

thinking--"If it keeps raining, not only will we have to build an ark.

We'll also have to dress the youngest four in bathing suites instead of tee-shirts and pants!". 

How Far I've Come!

I found this post in my draft section (and there are many more where these came from)...Maybe that's one reason I didn't post all those months.  I just forgot to finish what I had started.  So, even those these are months old, I'm still going to post them.  Hope y'all enjoy them. :D

                                                                                                                                                 

 How Far I've Come!

Sooo...I've not really posted, so I'm going to endeavor to post now. With nothing to really to post I thought it would be a truly boring post...Such as "Cat had kittens, milk is coming as always, markets are hot & slow, and how yeah I spent four weeks in New York. That's it for the past two months talk with you later!".

It wasn't until I got to the "I spent four weeks in New York" part went the light bulb went on, something to post about! (And you might even get pictures!) So, here goes. lol

This trip to New York wasn't really 'spur of the moment' like last year's', considering it was something I talked about for 14 months. However it was somewhat of a surprise when I looked up and realized that the show was less then three weeks away & I didn't have a ticket yet! Thanks to Southwest Airlines I was able to get a ticket less then four days from my departure date, that was affordable.

In the four weeks I was up north I spent three weeks in New York and one in Massachusetts. In that time frame I went to two shows (one was a week long), Boston, New York (I got to go to Fenway!!), see friends from last year, and enjoy the cooler weather. :D

Going to Nationals was amazing and at the same time overwhelming. It's something I've wanted to do for years, but didn't think I would be able to do. It is as stressful as one would think, but also very enjoyable and educational (after all that is what we aim for here at Swede Farm, right?). From what I've heard of the other Nationals from years gone by, this one was small...Something about people not wanting to drive cross country with their goats, (not like I could blame them. lol).

The time with friends & goats made up for the stress, and the laughs over dinner made locking keys in the car not seem as bad as it was.Made the stress of showing 20 goats in one day bearable (and yes, educational), Driving three hours back to the farm in the rain was made doable after enjoying cheese from all over the country with friends. 

Sure, they weren't MY goats that I helped with, but they were goats that I knew and that I've kids from. Sure it's not my name out there when the goat went best udder in the class, but I was able to help get the goat out there. Maybe in the future I'll be able to show my goats in the Nationals. No, I don't think I'll place best udder in a class, but I will be able to say that I've shown my goats in the ADGA National show and going this year to help a friend helped me to know that if I wanted to I could do it.

Also, being at Nationals made it possible for my family to send our cheese up to the Cheese & Wine Reception for everyone to enjoy. Yes I enjoyed seeing my cheese there, but I also enjoyed seeing other goat cheese makers enjoying it as well.

Through out the entire time at nationals I kept reminding myself--It has 7 years since we moved out to the farm & less that since we got our fist goats.  I would sit in the stands watching goats being shown, simply amazed that I am the goat person that I am.--The girl who was 16 when her family moved out.  The girl who people thought would move back to the city as soon as she can, was at nationals and enjoying it. The girl who doesn't drink milk and who used to have as her claim to fame "going to the most MLB games then any other of her friends".  Was learning more about goats and cheese to help the family business.

No, Not because I HAD to.  But because I WANTED to. I was up there learning about showing goats to a better advantage and dreaming about nationals not because my parent told me to, but because I WANTED to and it plain and simple.  No, I wasn't up there thinking "Maybe if I go to enough shows, learn enough about goats and cheese,  My parents will let me do what I want to do."  No, I was up there thinking "If I learn enough about showing, goats, & cheese.  Maybe it can help me when I have my own  farm!" (If that's God's plans for me.) 

Truthfully as I sat there and thought about, I as I told friends down here about it, as I learned new things each day there.  It boggled my mind.  That I was that person thinking those things & learning those things!  Me the city slicker of years gone by, me who used to have nothing but baseball & reading to fill her hours.  Was thinking about owning a farm for the rest of her life & enjoying the idea.

Oh, yes I've come a long way from that baseball crazed 16 year old!  :D