Just Right

Life on the homestead is changing a bit.  It certainly appears to be for the better.  A few weeks ago, I mentioned investing in more off grid power.  With that plan came a cost.  A "power house" would be needed for the battery bank.  It only made good sense to have it near the house and near the power pole, until we get the full battery bank accumulated.  The option to switch on and off grid seems right for now.  So, the obvious solution meant I would have to give up my milking parlor for this project.  My milking parlor is pretty special.  I had it built to specs and even received the bonus of a custom paint job at no additional charge, since I was also ordering a chicken house as well.  I can operate a hammer and nails, for small jobs and repairs, but when it comes to actual buildings, I prefer to contract a carpenter.  So, in moving forward in this power project, the milking parlor would become the powerhouse.

That meant a new building and I'm still no better at carpentry now, than I was six years ago.  I prayed about it and saw two buildings in a dream or vision.  One was just like the milking parlor only the paint was reversed.  The building was dark green with white trim.  The other building was smaller, and lighter green with a green shingled roof.  I didn't notice whether the trim was the same color or not.  When I got up I could still clearly see those two buildings and considered my need, as well as placement.  In full confession, I wanted a smaller building because my milking parlor that was going to be exclusively mine, ended up shared . . . The other consideration pertained to the location and I didn't want a large building blocking the view from my office window.  I do not make investments lightly and I knew this would involve a considerable cost, as well as being fairly permanent in location.

The next trip to town involved going by the place I'd bought the milk parlor.  The very first building on the lot was exactly like the milking parlor, only reversed colors, BUT no windows and a rather large price tag!   Adding windows is my "speed" of carpentry, but the price was discouraging.  I went by a couple of other places with buildings on their lots, but just didn't see anything else like what Abba had shown me.  Trying to get home before it rained, I finished up town business and headed toward home.  Less than six miles from home, on the side of the highway, sat a little light green building with a phone number on it.  I hadn't noticed that building on the way to town . . .

Later that evening after chores, I called the number, the gentleman quoted me a price I could hardly believe.  I then asked if that price would include delivery.   These builders usually do deliver, but it's frequently an added fee.  When I told him my location, he said he'd do it for the price he quoted.  The deal was made at that moment.  He said the forecasted rain might be a problem, but he'd get it here as soon as he could.  The next morning, which was Tuesday, it was raining.  Before noon Wednesday, my new little building the future milking parlor was in place, leveled and paid for.  A 6' X 8' building, 16" centers, 4' double door, all for a fourth of the price of the other building!  Abba gave me a choice, and there was no need to rush.  He worked it out "just right."  

Time, Money, Distance and Amenities

The other day, I was on a mission.  It took the better part of the afternoon and evening, but the results are wonderful!  I showed the lovely picture of little Zinnia that evening on social media, but two new bucks came on the ride as well.  They both won't stay long, as they are related, but they came as a package deal that I just couldn't pass up.

When Adonai told me to prepare practically, I tried very hard to be diligent in my preparation.  I'll admit right now, I'm a softie when it comes to goats.  I'm not always as practical as I need to be.  I am very practical in most areas of my life, but when it comes to kids, four legged or two legged, I'm usually a pushover.  Zinnia has already discovered that fact . . . back to the mission of practicality.  As I gave great consideration to this plan of preparedness, a memory popped into play . . . From the onset of this homesteading plan, I was really feeling the desire, I can't say led, per se, but the desire to have what I call a Jacob's herd.

In reading Genesis and taking notice of things in general, it does seem the purebred animals of any species are often subject to recessive weaknesses.  I've always had a pretty good mix of breeds in the herd, but it has seemed the solid light color or white is dominant in the kid crop.  One year, amidst predominantly dark nannies, and a light silver [blue] buck who should have been named Houdini, I had light silver, almost white kids in every pen.  He made good time covering four pens beyond his own, in that one week, every doe on the place gave birth to at least one silver kid.  I got him the first week of October.  The gestation period for goats is 5 months or 150 days.  Every doe kidded the first week of March.  I truly regretted selling ol' Jerry Lee, but even when moving to Goshen, a professionally installed 4 ft. 4X4 woven goat fence wouldn't hold him.  My that was a trip down memory lane.

Since I do believe in Psalm 37:4, I gave serious consideration to make spotted, streaked, and speckled dominant in the herd.  Clearly, Zinnia is a start for spotted.

 I call this mottled, as some versions of Scripture use that term.  He's got just interesting color changes and patches all over his sides and back.

A similar stripe on my previous herd sire has already been proven to be dominant in the herd, so next year, with the blessing of Yah, we'll see what the kids look like.  None of the does are a single color.













I got so excited in all the color and variables, I almost forgot.  Getting to the previous homes of all these fine creatures took a little over two hours in the traffic.  I travelled a little over 200 miles round trip and gave a little over $200 and 2 bars of soap, for the three of them.  It seems such a small investment for the potential.  I pray I'm planning according to Abba's purpose.