I have, however, decided to make raised log planters in a modified keyhole design (kind of like Lincoln Logs in idea) to put there. I sell Sweet Annie every year at the Feast of the Hunters' Moon at Fort Ouiatenon near West Lafayette about 12 miles away. The Sweet Annie grows wherever it pleases (and I enjoy that) but it's gotten out of hand. I plan to make the Sweet Annie grow in these new triangular log planters that will be about 7' on each side. I think the size will be about right, the Sweet Annie will benefit from having taller sides and be easier to harvest. I want to make the planters about 3 logs high.
Currently, the area is blank and I waited for the frost to finish planning.
The Saskatoon blueberry shrubs are still just small 'sticks' and I'll move them from under the pecan tree to an area of better light and air. Saskatoon blueberry shrubs are lovely. The berries do taste just like blueberries and don't require the acid soil I struggle to achieve. A WWOOF friend, Heather, told me about these and now I'm hooked! The university has some as landscaping plants and I got to taste some of the berries. WOW. Nice nice nice.
I did get a saddle on the punk mule last summer but haven't done as much prep work with her as I'd like (ok. not even as much as that). She tolerated it well! Definitely need some adjustments to the tack, but she stood there with a "WELL?!?!?" look on her face.
My neighbor (and now partner in wooly sheep) has a daughter that wanted to milk the goat and did a nice job. The next generation of goat women! My neighbor has llamas, alpacas, meat goats and various other species... Great folks. Neat daughter.
Oberhasli's ONLY as I sold my Nubians...
First picture is when we first got him. Notice the tail tip is non-existent (an indicator of extremely low copper). Copper is a requirement for goats and some breeds demand EXTRA copper - such as the Oberhasli. I really felt that Larry wasn't going to make it through. Very very thin and he stood with his head down like this most of the time... Weepy eyes and lethargic.
The second pic shows him recently (like in the last several weeks. The tail tip is still 'fish-tailed' meaning he needs more copper. But his depth of body is better (he's grown), The collar is tight as he's in full rut. Buck goats neck's swell and they pee on their faces and bodies as an attractant to the does. Not much different than humans putting on aftershave, in my opinion... Larry still needs weight on him but he's much better and I don't think he'll die (I did think he would when I brought him home).
I'll give him more copper, another shot of BoSe and continue to feed my hand-mixed alfalfa/soy pellets mixed with cracked corn and black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS). I expect it will take another 3-6 months to see optimum improvement. The back pasterns will most likely stay down and it's probably just a function of his structure. Trimming his feet will help a bit.
NEW PASTURE!!

Farm folk are tough folk, but it still was a concern of mine I couldn't be there to help. At least to call his next-of-kin. There are only 2-3 trees left from the hundreds he dropped last Spring and Summer so I'm pretty happy. If you look above his shoulder, you'll see some green-leaved trees. Those are hard Maples. I wanted those retained for a maple sugar camp I plan to have within the next several years.
WOOL SHEEP! (or "whatever was I thinking?")
A Cormo is a cross between a Corriedale and a Merino. GORGEOUS wool with wonderful crimp. The Leicester X has very nice wool but is fairly flighty (not hand-tame). JohnO, Connie and I wrassled these three down as they'd not been handled very much, sheared them and treated them for lice.
I insisted on processing the wool, nits and all. After the cleaning of the wool (below) the nits (lice eggs) are inert but ugly on the wool. I am carding the wool to make felt (a non-woven type of fabric) and want to make a capote for the Feast. It'll take quite a lot of time and effort, but what's time? And effort is relative as well.
American Guinea Hog babies! SIX this time!!!
And, yes, there was soapmaking going on! This one is pumpkin with Maya Gold fragrance and a pumpkin pie spice line through it. Cinnamon on top as well. I nearly sold out of this one!

CAMEL!!!! A young one... ...and my son...

I'd best sign off for now. I'll post the few pictures of the Feast and my soap display and move on to closer to December's pictures. Hope you all have a good day!