blog.thetrinityknot.com
BLOG.THETRINITYKNOT.COM
News U (Might) Can Use!
Good Monday afternoon, TTK bloggers...
I've had so many questions on my 11-year-old doe with pneumonia, I thought I give you an update: She took a big turn for the better overnight. She's started eating and drinking (not Guinness) again and when I went home at lunch to check on her, she was grazing so we might be getting somewhere. I did not medicate her today...so we'll see how she does without chemical help. I'm not one of those who believes in over-medicating. Enough is enough. With an 11-year-old goat, you make progress in inches, not miles.
Ann's in Ireland with a group from the store...including several of the Melhorn clan. Jessica and Ally Melhorn are keeping our Facebook friends informed with several posts from the Emerald Isle every day. They'll be back Thursday afternoon and that won't be too soon for me. I can keep the animals fed, but these domestic chores are above my pay grade.
Business is great at The Trinity Knot. We had a fabulous weekend and today has been good. The store has never looked better.
I'll see you at The Trinity Knot...
b
I've had so many questions on my 11-year-old doe with pneumonia, I thought I give you an update: She took a big turn for the better overnight. She's started eating and drinking (not Guinness) again and when I went home at lunch to check on her, she was grazing so we might be getting somewhere. I did not medicate her today...so we'll see how she does without chemical help. I'm not one of those who believes in over-medicating. Enough is enough. With an 11-year-old goat, you make progress in inches, not miles.
Ann's in Ireland with a group from the store...including several of the Melhorn clan. Jessica and Ally Melhorn are keeping our Facebook friends informed with several posts from the Emerald Isle every day. They'll be back Thursday afternoon and that won't be too soon for me. I can keep the animals fed, but these domestic chores are above my pay grade.
Business is great at The Trinity Knot. We had a fabulous weekend and today has been good. The store has never looked better.
I'll see you at The Trinity Knot...
b
The 'catch up' post...
Good Friday (April 23) morning, TTK bloggers...
I'm calling this the 'catch up' post because we've been so busy at the store and on the farm that this blog is the one thing that has paid the price...
So...
Ann's leaving for Ireland this afternoon with 12 Irish travelers from the TTK and I wish to hell I was going, but somebody has to do the things we both do while she's gone...
So it's double-duty for you know who.
The day started off like hell. Overnight, the cats, who for some strange reason are now sleeping and eating in the garage, had gotten on top of my medicine cabinet for the goats and knocked over and broken the bottle of iodine. Ever try to clean up a full bottle of iodine? Not a pleasant task.
Then, I proceeded to start the morning farm chores which includes feeding and checking the goats' health. I immediately noticed that the farm matriarc, my 11-year-old Pipeline doe (Pipeline to the goat business is like Seabiscuit was to the racehorse business) developed a severe case of pneumonia overnight. I hope I caught it in time...but it will be a close call. It could go either way. Eleven years is very old for a goat. I've always said that Downing M85 will die on the farm, but I hope it's later rather than sooner.
We have been extremely busy at the store. The 2nd Anniversary/St. Patrick's Week was a record breaker. Every day was fabulous.
So now we're working on our next major event - Red Carpet Garden Gala - which will be the first weekend in May. It's a four-day event which combines our annual garden show with the Rt. 66 Red Carpet Corridor. It will be fun. There will be live entertainment on Saturday. We'll be set up inside and outside the store and you know it's going to be fun. Of course, we'll be spinning the wheel all four days.
The store has never looked better. As you know we work hard to improve every day and I am really impressed with what our ladies have done. I'm not a real gusher...but it is beautiful.
On the farm, we getting ready for a production sell in Clinton, Illinois on April 21, then the show season starts on May 19th and I'll be heading to Ohio for the first show. We're loaded this year. It has to be our best ever show season barring a castrophe.
So that it's from here today...
I'll see you at The Trinity Knot.
b
I'm calling this the 'catch up' post because we've been so busy at the store and on the farm that this blog is the one thing that has paid the price...
So...
Ann's leaving for Ireland this afternoon with 12 Irish travelers from the TTK and I wish to hell I was going, but somebody has to do the things we both do while she's gone...
So it's double-duty for you know who.
The day started off like hell. Overnight, the cats, who for some strange reason are now sleeping and eating in the garage, had gotten on top of my medicine cabinet for the goats and knocked over and broken the bottle of iodine. Ever try to clean up a full bottle of iodine? Not a pleasant task.
Then, I proceeded to start the morning farm chores which includes feeding and checking the goats' health. I immediately noticed that the farm matriarc, my 11-year-old Pipeline doe (Pipeline to the goat business is like Seabiscuit was to the racehorse business) developed a severe case of pneumonia overnight. I hope I caught it in time...but it will be a close call. It could go either way. Eleven years is very old for a goat. I've always said that Downing M85 will die on the farm, but I hope it's later rather than sooner.
We have been extremely busy at the store. The 2nd Anniversary/St. Patrick's Week was a record breaker. Every day was fabulous.
So now we're working on our next major event - Red Carpet Garden Gala - which will be the first weekend in May. It's a four-day event which combines our annual garden show with the Rt. 66 Red Carpet Corridor. It will be fun. There will be live entertainment on Saturday. We'll be set up inside and outside the store and you know it's going to be fun. Of course, we'll be spinning the wheel all four days.
The store has never looked better. As you know we work hard to improve every day and I am really impressed with what our ladies have done. I'm not a real gusher...but it is beautiful.
On the farm, we getting ready for a production sell in Clinton, Illinois on April 21, then the show season starts on May 19th and I'll be heading to Ohio for the first show. We're loaded this year. It has to be our best ever show season barring a castrophe.
So that it's from here today...
I'll see you at The Trinity Knot.
b
Kidding season is over...hooray.
Good morning, TTK bloggers...
Kidding season is finally over for 2012 and I am not sad about it.
Grand total: 18...14 does and four bucks.
And one bottle feeder and that's probably my fault. I lost my patience with her stumbling around trying to find a teat that would work.
What made this kidding season so difficult is I didn't see any of the does breed and if you don't know when they breed, you don't know when they're due. In the end, it all worked out and about the only real trouble was two sets of quads. Four kids out of one doe is two too many.
Anyway, we survived it...now in about three months we'll have to make a determination of which ones are show quality and which ones should be kept for breeding or sold to other breeders and which ones should be 'culled' (stock barn quality).
I didn't breed the 'perfect' goat (I'll know one when I see it, but so far there has never been a perfect one) but I got close with one buck kid. My guess is that Newtown Farms Justabob will be hell on the show circuit this year. We'll see.
NEWS FROM THE TRINITY KNOT
Ann takes the store on the road this Saturday. Manhattan Irish Fest is the first stop for the 'on the road' season. She'll be at the McDonald Elementary School at 1 p.m. with her Irish goods.
We'll see you at The Trinity Knot!
Total revamp coming at TTK; goat update.
Good Friday morning TTK bloggers...
Business is great at The Trinity Knot but we're always looking to improve what we do. You see, our focus is totally on our customers because if we don't please you we're not going to be able to grow.
So we're in the process of giving you more of what you want and less of what you don't. Over the next few weeks you're going to see a total transformation of TTK...just stop by and watch us evolve. And if you come in NOW you'll see that process in action.
GOATS
After a slow start and a couple of disasters...kidding season is drawing to a conclusion. We have 11 great kids on the ground and only one semi-bottle baby. I say 'semi' because as the days go by she's taking more from her mother and less from the bottle.
We have two does that we're waiting on to kid...and the tally up to now is seven doe kids, and four buck kids.
Business is great at The Trinity Knot but we're always looking to improve what we do. You see, our focus is totally on our customers because if we don't please you we're not going to be able to grow.
So we're in the process of giving you more of what you want and less of what you don't. Over the next few weeks you're going to see a total transformation of TTK...just stop by and watch us evolve. And if you come in NOW you'll see that process in action.
GOATS
After a slow start and a couple of disasters...kidding season is drawing to a conclusion. We have 11 great kids on the ground and only one semi-bottle baby. I say 'semi' because as the days go by she's taking more from her mother and less from the bottle.
We have two does that we're waiting on to kid...and the tally up to now is seven doe kids, and four buck kids.
Goat Update!
Good Presidents' Day morning, TTK bloggers...
Business is great at TTK! Come and see what the excitement is all about.
And back on the farm, we have five kids on the ground and I'm bottle feeding two of them. I've realized a big mistake I've made...I let my does get too old. I'll have to do something about that by next kidding season (next year).
I do have a group of eight yearling does in the 'show pen' but I have to 'recycle' the old girls. They've been good ones, however, until this year.
So the latest debacle is that on Friday after Ann finished her early morning store cleanup and went back home, as she was driving up Peotone Road she saw two newborns in the main pasture (I was opening the store). Panic! She called me and wanted to know what to do.
Long story, short: She carried them into a kidding pen and turned a heat lamp on them, but their mother wouldn't come in. So Ann rushed back to the store, I went home and got everything settled...except the babies wouldn't nurse. So those are the two I'm bottle feeding. They have started nursing some, but they're rather have the bottle. I'd rather they nurse...so maybe we'll get there as time goes on but right now I'm bottle feeding every four hours.
We're still on doe duty...five does remaining to kid. Fortunately, one of our Great Pyrs (Mollie) has taken on the responsibility of the does. She's letting us know when a doe is getting ready to kid and makes sure that the Great Pyr puppies (we have three males for sale - registered, all shots and wormed and ready to go) stay out of the way.
So that's it from Newtown Farms and I'll keep you updated.
b
Business is great at TTK! Come and see what the excitement is all about.
And back on the farm, we have five kids on the ground and I'm bottle feeding two of them. I've realized a big mistake I've made...I let my does get too old. I'll have to do something about that by next kidding season (next year).
I do have a group of eight yearling does in the 'show pen' but I have to 'recycle' the old girls. They've been good ones, however, until this year.
So the latest debacle is that on Friday after Ann finished her early morning store cleanup and went back home, as she was driving up Peotone Road she saw two newborns in the main pasture (I was opening the store). Panic! She called me and wanted to know what to do.
Long story, short: She carried them into a kidding pen and turned a heat lamp on them, but their mother wouldn't come in. So Ann rushed back to the store, I went home and got everything settled...except the babies wouldn't nurse. So those are the two I'm bottle feeding. They have started nursing some, but they're rather have the bottle. I'd rather they nurse...so maybe we'll get there as time goes on but right now I'm bottle feeding every four hours.
We're still on doe duty...five does remaining to kid. Fortunately, one of our Great Pyrs (Mollie) has taken on the responsibility of the does. She's letting us know when a doe is getting ready to kid and makes sure that the Great Pyr puppies (we have three males for sale - registered, all shots and wormed and ready to go) stay out of the way.
So that's it from Newtown Farms and I'll keep you updated.
b
Some News, but mostly a goat story
Good Thursday morning, TTK bloggers...
Some quick news: Looks like we might be getting another antique store on Water Street. Good...the more the merrier. Any way we can get more shoppers to Water Street, the better it is for all of us. We're not like the Pizza boys or the liquor stores...we won't be running to city hall. We want more antique stores on Water Street and if there is any way we can help them, they can county on us.
Well, goat kidding season is finally upon us and it began Wednesday with a near disaster...and we're not out of the woods yet.
So Wednesday morning - after moaning and groaning for three weeks - Painted Style went into labor with what turned out to be quadruplets. Not good. No Boer Goat doe in the world can raise quads. But it does explain why she had such a miserable three weeks before going into labor.
To complicate matters, the first three in the birth canal were a tangled mess so she couldn't deliver without help. I was trying to pull the first one and had the back foot of the third one. So I just took a deep breath, acquired a lot of patience from somewhere, shoved them back in the canal and went about untying the knot. After about an hour, I pulled the first two...then the third who came backwards (not good because backward kids tend to suffocate). The third one was particularly weak.
I didn't realize there was a fourth and when it came out backwards (while I was in the front of Painted Style helping her get her kids organized). It had suffocated. So we were down to three. All the kids were weak and to make it worse, Painted Style had no milk. Oh, she had plenty but it hadn't dropped yet and when the milk isn't there yet, it isn't there and there's no way to get it.
So I ran to the house to mix up some colostrum so I could get some nourishment into the kids, Painted Style laid on kid number three...and then there were two.
All afternoon yesterday and overnight, I've been teaching the two remaining kids how to drink out of a bottle (with a nipple, of course), knowing full well that we were going to how to re-teach them to nurse their momma.
So I kept them going all night and this morning Painted Style had plenty of milk and that's when I had to call on Ann. Nobody better in getting kids trained to nurse than Ann because she has the patience of Job.
Here's where we are: we have a doe and a buck kid. The doe is strong, the buck is weak with a good prognosis. The doe kid is named Kerfuffle because that's what this has been. Kerfuffle can nurse on her own, the buck kid (yet unnamed) can't (the has to be held up to the teat)...but progress is being made.
It looks like we could have three or four more does kid today...hopefully without a kerfuffle.
We'll keep you posted.
b
Some quick news: Looks like we might be getting another antique store on Water Street. Good...the more the merrier. Any way we can get more shoppers to Water Street, the better it is for all of us. We're not like the Pizza boys or the liquor stores...we won't be running to city hall. We want more antique stores on Water Street and if there is any way we can help them, they can county on us.
Well, goat kidding season is finally upon us and it began Wednesday with a near disaster...and we're not out of the woods yet.
So Wednesday morning - after moaning and groaning for three weeks - Painted Style went into labor with what turned out to be quadruplets. Not good. No Boer Goat doe in the world can raise quads. But it does explain why she had such a miserable three weeks before going into labor.
To complicate matters, the first three in the birth canal were a tangled mess so she couldn't deliver without help. I was trying to pull the first one and had the back foot of the third one. So I just took a deep breath, acquired a lot of patience from somewhere, shoved them back in the canal and went about untying the knot. After about an hour, I pulled the first two...then the third who came backwards (not good because backward kids tend to suffocate). The third one was particularly weak.
I didn't realize there was a fourth and when it came out backwards (while I was in the front of Painted Style helping her get her kids organized). It had suffocated. So we were down to three. All the kids were weak and to make it worse, Painted Style had no milk. Oh, she had plenty but it hadn't dropped yet and when the milk isn't there yet, it isn't there and there's no way to get it.
So I ran to the house to mix up some colostrum so I could get some nourishment into the kids, Painted Style laid on kid number three...and then there were two.
All afternoon yesterday and overnight, I've been teaching the two remaining kids how to drink out of a bottle (with a nipple, of course), knowing full well that we were going to how to re-teach them to nurse their momma.
So I kept them going all night and this morning Painted Style had plenty of milk and that's when I had to call on Ann. Nobody better in getting kids trained to nurse than Ann because she has the patience of Job.
Here's where we are: we have a doe and a buck kid. The doe is strong, the buck is weak with a good prognosis. The doe kid is named Kerfuffle because that's what this has been. Kerfuffle can nurse on her own, the buck kid (yet unnamed) can't (the has to be held up to the teat)...but progress is being made.
It looks like we could have three or four more does kid today...hopefully without a kerfuffle.
We'll keep you posted.
b
News U Can Use
Good Valentine's Day afternoon, TTK bloggers...
I just feel like blogging this afternoon so here goes...
Our next major event - our biggest event of the year - is our second anniversary week and St. Patrick's Day all wrapped into one big week.
That would be on March 12th through March 18th.
We're going all out for this one. In fact, we're going to give away at least $200 in The Trinity Knot gift certificates...$100 in a drawing (March 18th at 4 p.m.) and another $100 (in two $50 certs) on our famous Spin the Wheel on St. Patrick's Day. A clue: the earlier you get here on St. Patrick's Day, the better chance you have because when the two certs are won, they'll be off the wheel.
You can enter for the drawing now and every day until 4 p.m. on March 18th.
Now here are a few things that are on the way from Ireland that you're going to love (some of them are already here):
Linen and cotton fashion sweaters from Tivolli Spinners of County Cork; linen and cotton traditional sweaters from CarraigDonn of Westport (these are Spring and early summer sweaters);
Irish lace, blackthorn and ash walking sticks from Grange Crafts, County Cork;
Fine Irish leather from Tinnakeely Leather;
Celtic Design Rugs from Higgins & Company, Claremorris (my hometown).
And much, much more.
On the farm, we're still waiting, and waiting and waiting for eight does to kid.
And we have three male Great Pyrenese puppies for sale. $400 each (or you can pay $1000 in Chicago for one). They're AKC registered, have all their shots and a ready to go.
The chickens are laying again. So we generally have those lovely brown eggs from free-range chickens at the store.
So that's it for now.
I'll see you at The Trinity Knot!
Irish Ann
It's beginning to look like Spring at TTK!
Good morning TTK bloggers:
Although as I write this Valentines is four days away, it's beginning to look like Spring at The Trinity Knot.
As you may know, I just got back from 10 days in Ireland and Showcase Ireland where I bought all of our Irish goods for spring and summer. My orders are arriving almost on a daily basis and I'm getting them displayed in the store as fast as they arrive.
So we're taking on that 'spring Irish look'. By the way, Spring in Ireland begins February 1st.
I'll see you at The Trinity Knot!
Irish Ann
Although as I write this Valentines is four days away, it's beginning to look like Spring at The Trinity Knot.
As you may know, I just got back from 10 days in Ireland and Showcase Ireland where I bought all of our Irish goods for spring and summer. My orders are arriving almost on a daily basis and I'm getting them displayed in the store as fast as they arrive.
So we're taking on that 'spring Irish look'. By the way, Spring in Ireland begins February 1st.
I'll see you at The Trinity Knot!
Irish Ann
News U Can Use from TTK!
Good morning TTK bloggers and interested bystanders:
A belated Happy New Year to you and I hope it's a prosperous one. It'll be about what you make it unless there's a disaster somewhere along the way. We're planning on a great one so we'll see what happens.
We love these early January days because we can get our planning done for the year. We have some big plans for the store and some big hopes for the goats.
We're hoping to make the store even more customer friendly. We have customers now who say they could stay all day...and that's the way we like it.
I think I told you in my last dispatch that I'll be heading to Ireland on January 20th for 10 days. I'll spend the first three days at Showcase Ireland in Dublin where I'll be checking out what new in Irish products for 2012 and it will be great to see many of my friends again.
After Showcase, I'll catch the train across country to Claremorris where I'll spend a few days with my family. My mother (Mammy) turns 100 this year and it'll be great to see her. I talk with her by telephone every week but there's nothing like being there in person.
On the farm, we have a litter of six-week-old Great Pyrenees puppies that are ready to go to new homes. We had four males and two females and it looks like we'll have three males left for sale after the next couple of days.
We have some crazy chickens. We built them a new chicken coop but they don't seem to like it. They've gone on an egg-laying strike but it seems to be picking up just a little.
While I'm gone to Ireland we have 10 does due to kid so Bill will be having his hands full running the store and watching the does. But Berto is going to come out and stay at the house while I'm gone and he is great help.
So that's about it from here.
I'll see you at The Trinity Knot!
Irish Ann
A belated Happy New Year to you and I hope it's a prosperous one. It'll be about what you make it unless there's a disaster somewhere along the way. We're planning on a great one so we'll see what happens.
We love these early January days because we can get our planning done for the year. We have some big plans for the store and some big hopes for the goats.
We're hoping to make the store even more customer friendly. We have customers now who say they could stay all day...and that's the way we like it.
I think I told you in my last dispatch that I'll be heading to Ireland on January 20th for 10 days. I'll spend the first three days at Showcase Ireland in Dublin where I'll be checking out what new in Irish products for 2012 and it will be great to see many of my friends again.
After Showcase, I'll catch the train across country to Claremorris where I'll spend a few days with my family. My mother (Mammy) turns 100 this year and it'll be great to see her. I talk with her by telephone every week but there's nothing like being there in person.
On the farm, we have a litter of six-week-old Great Pyrenees puppies that are ready to go to new homes. We had four males and two females and it looks like we'll have three males left for sale after the next couple of days.
We have some crazy chickens. We built them a new chicken coop but they don't seem to like it. They've gone on an egg-laying strike but it seems to be picking up just a little.
While I'm gone to Ireland we have 10 does due to kid so Bill will be having his hands full running the store and watching the does. But Berto is going to come out and stay at the house while I'm gone and he is great help.
So that's about it from here.
I'll see you at The Trinity Knot!
Irish Ann
Merry Christmas from TTK!
Good Wednesday morning, TTK bloggers:
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you! We've had a fabulous year and that's is all because of your support. We'll have big numbers to crack next year so we're busy coming up with some great ideas on how to enhance your shopping experience. The wheels are turning!
I'll be heading to Ireland on Jan. 20th to visit my family and search for new Irish products at Showcase Ireland in Dublin. If you have a wish list, let me know.
We're awaiting kidding season on the farm...we have 11 does scheduled to kid in early January and we already have one doe kid who looks like a superstar. Her name is Belladonna and she is out of our best doe, Southwinds V-14, and by Air Force One, the second best two-year-old buck in the world.
We have a new litter of Great Pyr puppies. They were born on Thanksgiving and will be ready for a new home on January 10th.
Our next major event at TTK will be Super Bowl Sunday on February 5th. We're already planning our refreshment menu and it'll be the best on the planet.
Again, you have a fabulous Christmas and New Year and we hope to see you soon.
Irish Ann
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you! We've had a fabulous year and that's is all because of your support. We'll have big numbers to crack next year so we're busy coming up with some great ideas on how to enhance your shopping experience. The wheels are turning!
I'll be heading to Ireland on Jan. 20th to visit my family and search for new Irish products at Showcase Ireland in Dublin. If you have a wish list, let me know.
We're awaiting kidding season on the farm...we have 11 does scheduled to kid in early January and we already have one doe kid who looks like a superstar. Her name is Belladonna and she is out of our best doe, Southwinds V-14, and by Air Force One, the second best two-year-old buck in the world.
We have a new litter of Great Pyr puppies. They were born on Thanksgiving and will be ready for a new home on January 10th.
Our next major event at TTK will be Super Bowl Sunday on February 5th. We're already planning our refreshment menu and it'll be the best on the planet.
Again, you have a fabulous Christmas and New Year and we hope to see you soon.
Irish Ann
