I know we've been a little sparse with the updates recently, but we've had a very good reason! Actually two very good reasons!
The first is that little Petal turns one year old on May 5th! As some of you may know, at Petal's first check up last fall her unusually tiny size resulted in her needing some blood work done. The results were disheartening. Her liver function tests were very bad and the vet suspected a liver shunt.
A liver shunt - as explained to us - is a genetic issue usually found in very inbred dogs. However, the low numbers of San Clemente Island goats has resulted in some inbreeding, and it is to be expected that - at some point - there may be some flaws that begin to show.
Work case scenario of a live shunt would be seizures and other neurological disorders. Best case, she would stay very small, act baby-like and probably have a much shorter life span. She seemed otherwise healthy, so we were resigned to having a forever-baby.
Then she went in for follow up testing.
GONE. No liver issues whatsoever! Whatever she has was NOT a liver shunt, and she had apparently beat it! Shortly thereafter she had a huge growth spurt, behavioral changes and her teeny nubs grew to actual horns. In six weeks she doubled in weight.
So her first birthday will be a time for huge celebration, because it means there will not be a second. And a third! And baby goats for me to grandmother! Our families are coming out as well as a few of our neighbors (either they also love Petal, or they are willing to humor me with only a little eye-rolling). Her birthing-human is going to call in an talk about
her parents and her birthing. And all of it will be recorded and shown as a Special Event for the San Clemente Island Goat Breeders Association!
Which brings us to our second round of AWESOME NEWS!
The San Clemente Island Goat Breeders Association is working with its breeders to
highlight one breeder each month with a series of YouTube videos, Facebook material, Instagram and more! Saffron and Honey Homestead has been chosen to kick off the program in May for the very first round!
Programming will involve and introduction to the farm and to myself and The Husband. We will introduce you briefly to each of our goats, why we chose SCI goats and our hopes for the homestead moving forward. We will talk goat health, prevention care, fencing, and - in our final hurrah - we will do a Facebook Livestream where we answer all of your questions about Saffron and Honey!
*Whew!*
This doesn't mean our own social media will be abandoned in May. There may be some overlap, but our Instagram, YouTube, web site and Instagram will still be active! We plan to have videos on making bunny boxes this month, talk about birthing difficulties in some of our does and - my most anticipated one - our bees AND Cornish Cross chicks are coming in May!
Happy Spring and we hope you will follow us through it all!
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