Dancing with disaster

That's about the most on point description I can make about the big decision to move nearly all the plants into the greenhouse. We've had temperatures down into the upper 20s at night for several weeks, with highs only reaching into the 50s. But gosh darn it, all my plants were really suffering, being held under artificial lights.

We made the big move a few days back....which took quite a number of trips with the four wheeler and trailer, shuffling down over 60 flats, a couple dozen bowls and 30 or 40 pots of tomatoes and peppers. Any amount of sun and the greenhouse would heat right up into the 80s, and the fans would do their magic as usual. But it was the night time temps that had me most worried. I was able to borrow a 1500 watt electric heater from a fellow gardener, and thank heavens I did. Friday morning, I had a temperature of just 35 degrees inside. The expected low last night was forecast to be "in the upper 20s" which prompted me to find a second 1500 watt heater (also borrowed, this time from a neighbor) and I am so so thankful I did! Yes, 29 degrees here this am, but temperature in the greenhouse was about 40. Yay! Disaster averted!

And in the goat world here..........

All That continues to dance with disaster herself. A few days back I saw a partial post she made with the phrase "someone unmentionable". Really, All That? She is trying so hard not to publicly mention the farm, the breeder, and so forth, that she is forced to resort to stupid phrases like this. All That, many of us can see that big yellow stripe down your back from a long ways away.....stop trying to be cute. We're not buying what you're trying to peddle.

So here is the situation: A local breeder sold All That what essentially amounted to a starter herd. The breeder mentored All That for months, and answered questions and provided sound advice and so on-like anyone would do who is helping someone get started in something new. Now, breeders who understand breeding realize that pairings have several goals. No need to trot out the specifics as they relate to goats, but the aim is to improve quality not just create numbers. You look through the results, and cull what does not seem to be able to help you attain your long term goals-and if you are smart breeder, you also let a number of your best move on to new homes. This does two things: Allows the purchaser to continue with your lines, and helps to reinforce the farm breeding program. The trick is finding the right person to take those lines forward, you see? Culls are typically placed in either the stew pot or pet homes (in goats anyhow) and placing a promising doe or buck (sometimes with show and production accomplishments) is a gamble that knowledgeable breeders know they must take from time to time. Eventually the new owner breeds the animals and this helps the original breeder to see what different crosses and genetics can produce. In most cases, it's a win-win situation-but not, or course, with All That.

How the mentor became the someone unmentionable is a long story, but it boils down to the inexperience of All That, the breeder's decision under pressure to sell a particular goat, and then that goat did not turn out the way that All That expected. Therefore, the goat itself, it's parentage, and the fact of its origins are curiously absent from All That's public communications-but not the private ones, alas. She'll type any contortion to avoid the breeder's name, farm name, side and dam and so on. Just hilarious-and shows her true colors to all.

To anyone else, this is no big deal. We buy an animal, making a sound choice (hopefully) on what attributes are known and sometimes it just doesn't pan out. In horses, this can turn out to be an unknown physical condition, an undesirable behavior, or just a case of "don't click" at all. All That knows this, but seemingly does not believe it applies to herself and her choices in goats.....because, remember, she IS "All That".

As far as the court case, it moves forward at the glacial pace of the legal system. The Alaska Mini Goat Cache is moving forward as a club and several shows are planned this summer. It's a happy group of goat loving people and the meetings are well run, organized, and much gets accomplished each time.

Rumors continue to arise about the missing club funds' and All That's newly purchased (and expensive!) goats from the Lower 48 earlier this year, but we are all quick to squash this one. Since All That does not participate in the club any longer, and does not interact with us online or via email lists, this is just one of a number of questions that remain unanswered. Of course, this didn't stop the (former, resigned on Jan 9) president and All That herself from attempting to seize control of the club's bank account, haha This happened in March, btw. Of course they were not able to take the funds....but it surely shows intent.

Doesn't it?