Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Happenstance?

This dairy business has taken on a life of its own. From the beginning, we have given God the credit, worked hard at something we love to do, and followed the sometimes rocky road that was in front of us. One of the first examples of how things just "happen" out here is the acquisition of our herd sire. We didn't know anything about goat breeders back then. When Wendell called Louise at Six M Galaxy, she had just had a cancellation on a buck that had been reserved. We were planning our trip to the SF Bay area as soon as he hung up the phone. The trip was smooth and we had him home with two other kids to add to our new goat family and one kid that is now at Black Mesa Ranch. Today, Comet is doing a fantastic job for us. Sadly, his dam died unexpectedly from moldy hay last summer. She still made the ADGA Top Ten list though she died prior to finishing her lactation. THAT is how productive she was. This photo was taken May 2010. Here's to Noel ...

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Directions

Our farm is located in Buckeye in an area known as Rainbow Valley. To get here you must cross the Gila River. Dean Rd. does not go through. Please call if you have any questions! 623-936-3355 11300 S DEAN RD: I-10 to JACKRABBIT TRL EXIT, then SOUTH APPX 9 MILES to NARRAMORE, turn RIGHT (WEST) for 2 MILES. Pavement will end and the road will turn NORTH onto DEAN. You will travel .6 of a mile more to the dairy. We are the VERY last place on the LEFT on DEAN RD. When you see the DEAD END sign you're almost here ... Keep on going! Look for the second red and white building. This is the barn and it is where you will enter. When traveling south of HWY 85, JACKRABBIT TRL WILL BECOME TUTHILL RD. You probably won’t notice the name change but, you will need to remember this on your way home as you will need to turn left onto TUTHILL from NARRAMORE instead of JACKRABBIT TRL. Hope to see you soon!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

And then there was one ...

We are down to only one doe left to kid. Our little social butterfly, Teri, is due any day now. The end of kidding season means the beginning of breeding season! So, the circle of life continues. We are busy here making cheese and taking care of the kids. We are still working on making the farm "visitor friendly" and are going to open to the public on Saturday, October 2, 2010. It will be here before we know it. The website has been updated and all of our info is current. Hope you stop by the website and check it out. Can't wait to see you all here at the farm this fall!

Monday, June 7, 2010

Get our cheese during the week!

Our website needs tending! Our farmers markets have changed locations and times. So, until I can update them, you can find our cheese here: The Herb Box in DC Ranch - www.theherbbox.com/dcranch.html Also, we have cheese available at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market - http://www.downtownphoenixpublicmarket.com/ We continue to be overwhelmed, overworked and overjoyed! So much happening. Please, if you have questions about anything, call 623-WENDELL (936-3355) and Wendell will be glad to answer them! Or, send me an email: rhonda@crowsdairy.com Thanks!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Facebook | Crow's Dairy

Another customer on the list - Kai Restaurant at the Sheraton Wild Horse PassSheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa - Overview www.wildhorsepassresort.com Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa, in Phoenix, Arizona is the premiere destination resort in the American Southwest. Come experience the Sonoran Desert difference and enjoy five diamond dining, Troon golf, and indulge your senses at our Authentic Native American experience at Aji Spa & Salon.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Old Hat

Trying to hold off on our press release, but "they" are finding out about us and already wanting interviews. Wendell just loves the attention. Here we go again ... This is going to be a familiar ride for sure. We are having C.A.L.F., Inc. flashbacks :-) Can't wait until we are doing field trips again. Our main goal now is to get the farm store up and running. STILL waiting on fence to be completed. Whew, there are only so many hours in a day. More kids are being born every day. I love this job!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Two Steps Forward, One Back

The trip to CO to pick up the walk-in refrigerator has been postponed. We are beginning to think that we should shoot for the spring of 2011 to open! Things are going to get there, they always do ... eventually. Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue.
I picked the lock on my chain :-) Time for my computer work is still lacking. The reason is more babies than I had planned for just yet! We have had heartbreak and heartthrob. Shelly's quads were too premature to survive. On the positive side, the large proportion of babies born have been female. This is good news. People are waiting for wethers and one for a buck. No luck yet Hope to have some time to post more kids soon. You are going to be amazed at the colors of the last few doelings. SO cute!

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

AZ Biltmore Account

The legendary Arizona Biltmore believes that our cheese is worthy. Wow! Binkley's, Lon's, Marriott -- now this. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I am so thankful to everyone that has made the goat version of Crow's Dairy successful. God above knows our lives have been touched by so many that I can't list you all. You know who you are. This blog is not updated often enough. I have so many kids to feed that I am putting off my book work and social networking. Wendell, Erik & David are all working 16 hour days, too. It won't be long before things start to settle down. We are halfway through kidding season. I have been put on a self-imposed chain to my computer for the next few days. Erik is milking for me and I will be able to get pictures of the rest of the kids uploaded. Remember that you have to go back (date of their birth) to see the posts. With the baby born yesterday, we are now up to 47 kids born this year. We are very hopeful that our first public retail sales (from the farm store) will begin on May 1st. The barn is painted and the fence is almost completed. We have had a lot of requests for visits. Some have worked out. We regret those those that didn't. We are just soooo busy trying to finish some of the major construction projects. We will be sending out a press release as soon as we install the walk-in cooler. By the way, we now have Peppercorn Chevre and Dill Quark. Mmmmm, it is past my lunchtime and I am going to eat some. Check back soon for updates.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Rainbow Valley Sunrise

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Little Cruz is Getting a Sibling!

Cruz isn't going to be the "baby" for long ... Mary and Erik are expecting again! For those that know us, that means:
WRAMCDDET(K)LLC?
Baby is due in the fall. Can't wait to hold this kid! Congratulations to them :-)

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Rhonda Crow (CrowsDairy) on Twitter

Rhonda Crow (CrowsDairy) on Twitter: "VERY excited about our new customer - LON's at the Hermosa Inn is a very special place! Thanks David Lee for this account - www.LONS.com"

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Sisters Kid Together

I had to pen breed this year due to hernia surgery and recovery. That is where you put a certain group of does in with the buck and let nature take it's course. You can never be certain about breeding dates unless you see it happen. Makes things interesting. Anyway, I put the sisters, Linda and Brenda, in with Robin. To my real surprise, they both showed signs of labor this morning and I put them in the kidding pen. I watched them most of the afternoon and they were stagnant. Nothing happening. Our niece, Becky, came by around milking time to keep an eye on the sisters. I told her that unless she had trouble, to just hang out and make sure any kids that were delivered were breathing. Well, after milking about half of the does, Becky yells, "Aunt Rhonda! Come here!" I yelled for Wendell and he went to help while I was trying to get to a spot in the milking where I could go out there. He comes back in and takes the machines and tells me that they need my small hand. I switched to clean gloves on the way out and when I saw Linda it was apperent by the head sticking out that I would need them :-/ I carefully reached a couple of fingers under the neck and reached a shoulder. I followed that down to the knee and pulled up the leg into the birth canal. Out came the stuck brown and white 7 lb 4 oz buckling, A25. Followed by another similar -but bigger - 8 lb 8 oz buckling, A26. We were so excited to see a doeling follow these boys, she was a gray and white, 6 lb 8 oz doeling, A27. We named her Laura. Wendell nicknamed her Champagne because of her markings.
Within 30 Brenda began pushing. She, too, had triplets. A brown and white, 6 lb 7 oz doeling A28, Bethany, followed by a striking red and white spotted 8 lb 7 oz buckling, A29. Then by a brown, 6 lb 8 oz doeling with self-colored ears, A30 which we named Tara.
So, both sisters had triplets within 30 minutes of each other. These girls are kidding at will :-)
Everyone is doing great and the sisters are AMAZING milkers. I wish I had 30 of these sister pairs!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Seven Does, Sixteen Kids, One Day!

Jade, Lorene, Marsha, Charlotte, Kathy, Mary Lou and La La - ALL kidded in a 24 hour period! Thankfully this started after morning milking and was completely finished before the night milking! Thanks Becky, Kathy, Staci, Lexi and company for all of the help. Does, kids, goo, iodine and colostrum were everywhere! When it was all done, we had sixteen kids added to the midnight feeding. I am SO thankful that the new LDR was finished and equipped. It was quite an experience and all the does and kids are doing well.
Jade delivered triplets. First, a gray and black spotted 7 lb 4 oz buckling A9, followed by another 7 lb 4 oz buckling A10. Their sister followed weighing 6 lb 4 oz and her tattoo is A11. She is black with tan eyebrows. Her name is Kelsey.
Next I found Lorene and Marsha in the shelter after milking and there in the fresh straw were two babies still very wet. Marsha was delivering one when I found them. I thought Marsha was having triplets. Wrong! Lorene wasn't just helping, the first two were hers! Both little doelings a black one with black ears that we named Haley weighed 6 lb 12 oz, A12. Then there was a black and white flashy girl we named Gaye Lynn, A13. She weighed 6 lb 14 oz.
After Marsha delivered her first 7 lb 8 oz brown and white doeling A14, she delivered another one , A15, that was just smaller at 7 lb 3 oz. We named them Alisha and Shea.
Not long after my "team" finished the navels, weights, feedings, etc., Wendell introduced Charlotte into the 3-ring circus! She quickly produced A16, a 7 lb 13 oz doeling that looked just like Alisha! Pictures HAD to be taken right then! We named her Myrna. The only way to tell them apart is that Alisha has two spots where Myrna only has one. She was followed by a 7 lb brown buckling, A17. Whew! AND, there stood Mary (the one that had been in the kidding pen from the start), not doing anything productive. I gave her a quick check and then Wendell yells from the doe pen, "Kathy is having a baby!" We all run and escort Kathy, feet starting to present, to the kidding pen. Boom, boom ... gorgeous red and white paint A18, 5 lb 10 oz doeling we named Cidney. Her just as beautiful brother, A19, followed weighing 6 lbs 9 oz. Kathy is a very petite doe and so are her kids.

Back to Mary Lou. What is going on with this girl? She was pawing, getting up, lying down, getting up. So, I went in for a check. This time she was fully dilated and all I could feel was a tail. I manipulated the hind feet and with a push or two the first of triplet black and white triplet bucklings were born. A2o weighed 8 lbs 1 oz, A21 only weighed 5 lbs even and she barely noticed his birth. A22 weighed 8 lbs 12 oz. All were happy to be on the outside after waiting in line for some help!

Just when everyone thought the performances were over ... "Rhonda, La La is having a kid!" We caught her just in time to catch A23, a 5 lb 4 oz tan and cream doeling! We named her Emalee. Her brother was not far behind. A24 weighed much more than his sister at 8 lb 8 oz.

I am exhausted all over again just writing what happened down! All in all, it was a very successful day. All are doing great!

The cheese is spoken for before we can make it. I am sure glad that these girls will be producing soon because I have six that need to be dried this week. Wendell did a good job timing the breedings.
Well, gotta go milk!

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Sandy Has Quads

Well, finally Sandy showed the true signs of labor. Two others had sneaked in front of my prediction of the first to go. She was just too big to go any longer. I put her into the kidding pen and kept an eye on her. My friend, Kathy, came by and we sat in a couple of chairs and watched for progress. She then started to push! With a bit of assistance, a brown buckling A5, 6 lb 4 oz, was born, followed by another buckling A6, 6 lb 11 oz. Then a brown doeling with a white splash on her left side, A7 (Candice), 5 lb 8 oz, and a spotted brown doeling with a white mark on her right side, A8 (Amy) 5 lb 9 oz! I was so glad to have Kathy help with the navels, drying and feeding. I knew this doe was bigger than the others :-) Mom and kids are doing well!

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Age's Cleaned Up and Standing

I never saw this one coming! I went out after milking and Adriana (Age) had a beautiful buckling standing beside her. He was still wet. Some of the older does were helping to clean him. He weighed in at 7 lbs and 12 oz and is A4 is doing great. I just love this little guy's coloring. He is going to be a pet at Staci and Jeff's house - our neighbors - so it will be fun to watch him grow.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Martha Likes to be First!

Erik and Wendell were feeding and I went out to check Sandy to see if her ligaments were any looser. It was dark (about 7:00) I grabbed the flashlight and headed to the feeders since they were all chomping, snorting and shoving at the freshly stocked buffet. I could see Sandy from a distance at the feeder. I flashed the light inside their shelter just to make sure everyone was up and eating. There was Martha. I thought she was close, but not that close. I began to think she might be sick. As I got closer to her I slipped in a puddle of goo. Amniotic fluid is very slippery and I was just glad I didn't fall! I yelled for Wendell and Erik. They came and walked her to the kidding pen while I grabbed the towels, feed bags (to deliver the babies on) and kidding kit. I knew that she was in trouble when I found her because she wasn't pushing and the water had already broken. With Wendell and Erik helping, I put on my gloves and examined her. Sure enough, there was a tail and front legs presenting. Two were coming at once. I carefully pushed the little bottom back in a bit and found the back feet that belonged to it. With very little effort a black and white buckling was born. His numer is A1 and he weighed 5 lb 8 oz. Martha then started pushing with no result. I checked her and now there were 4 feet coming! Two back feet and two front. I found the ones that belonged to the head and tugged a bit. Out came a brown and white doeling (Alina) that looks just like mom. A2 weighed in at 6 lb 10 oz. Then another backward buckling that looked just like his brother. In fact they both look like their sire, PePe. A3 weighed 6 lb 4 oz. All are healthy and took their fill of colostrum from the bottle. They were walking around within minutes! Wendell headed in to set up the barn for milking and Erik weighed the kids while I fed them. Erik also cleaned up and got Martha some molasses water and grain for a job well done. Whew, here we go! Midnight feedings are just an hour away. So, Black Mesa Mace's Martha kicked off our kidding season with triplets! Two bucks with a doe in between. I suppose that she didn't get the memo that Sandy was supposed to be first :-)

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Kidding Season Fast Approaching

Here we go! I think Sandy (right) will be the one to kick off the baby season for us. I have rounded up my kidding kit and am on night watch tonight. So excited! Especially because my friend Teri has babies everywhere ;-) La La, Jade, Brenda, and Linda will be kidding soon. We are down to only 13 milking does and have more orders than we can fill. Hope these girls get on line soon.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Facebook | Rhonda Watkins Crow

Facebook Rhonda Watkins Crow: "Scottsdale Farmers Market customer, 'What is goat cheese?' David Lee says, 'It is cheese made from goats milk.' Customer, 'You can milk goats?'"

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Goat and Cow Milk Comparison

We have had quite a few requests about the comparison of cow and goat milk. Below are two very interesting resources. Hope you all enjoy learning more about "the poor man's cow"! www.altmedangel.com/milkcomp.htm www.goatworld.com/articles/goatmilk/goatmilk.shtml

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Crow's Dairy Chevre is a "melt-in-your-mouth treat"

Here is a link to a review of our cheese! I don't know Gabi personally, but would like to thank her for the kind words: Crow's Dairy - Buckeye, AZ

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Facebook | Rhonda Watkins Crow

Facebook Rhonda Watkins Crow: "We gave 74 vaccinations today in addition to the regular craziness. Charlotte and Matthew are packaging the feta for us tonight so I got off a little early :p Wendell is culturing chevre so he will be another hour, but he got a nap today. Can't wait to get an intern or farm hand. Love this job ... really!"