CG Heartbeats Farm: Dreams for 2024 Focus

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When I think of setting goals for the next year, I do not find myself excited as in years past. Rather I feel a bit of dread wondering how many of these I will fall short yet another year. Some of these projects have been on my list for a few years. So, I set to pen and paper, if you will, my dreams for 2024 focus.

I recently read in James where he shares how believers should set goals. ‘Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this, or that.”’ James 4:15 (NKJV) With this passage in mind I share my process and goals for 2024. God is sovereign after all. Perhaps you would like to read the entire passage? If so, it can be found in James chapter 4 verses 13 through 17.

Learning to discern the voice of God is a process I continue to work towards. So, I pray, I listen, and I seek the counsel of other believers, some who are in my field of work. As I write this list, I position my heart to seek and hear God’s direction for this little farm and how it might bring Him glory.

The goal setting process has been presented multiple times with variations of course and I will not dive into such explanations here. You can find a lot of information on other websites.

Table of Contents

Goat Dreams for 2024 Focus

ADGA or the A merican Dairy Goat Association has 3 performance programs designed to increase (hopefully) the value of a goat herd. These provide documented proof of performance and quality of a particular animal or in repeated generations establishing proven linage.

Milk Testing

2023 was my first year to conduct owner sampler milk tests. I do plan to continue milk testing in 2024.

Linear Appraisal

Involve a day set aside where an approved or certified liner appraiser visits a farm to critique specific animals rating their physical characteristic. I have registered for our does to be appraised at a host farm in 2024. I am excited to learn throughout this process and hopefully will write about my experience.

ADGA Sanctioned Shows

ADGA approved shows provide an opportunity to learn how a particular animal compares to others in their age group, sex and breed. A show is of course based on someone’s opinion of the score card and depending on a judge’s interpretation of the card.

For 2024 I would like to attend a few shows if at all possible. I have specific does picked out I want to see how they would compare to others. They are in my opinion some of my better does. But to really know how they stack up against the industry, goat shows help create a wider view.

For me the choice is which do I focus on for 2024. They all take a degree of money and time. As it looks right now, I will continue with the milk testing, participate in a Linear Appraisal and I have set a goal to attend 3 ADGA sanctioned shows.

CG Heartbeats Farm Bonney Lass kicks off our kidding season with a February 22 due date. She was bred to Meadowmist V Mia Noble. There are currently 7 additional does bred with due dates in March through May. I will be posting updates as they kid on Instagram and Facebook.

Chicken Dreams for 2024 Focus

Admittedly the chicken project has taken a bit of a backseat to the goats, but I have not entirely given up on them. In 2023 we had 2 chicken tractors rebuilt and these are going to help create space to grow out chicks we have hatched. However, we need to create additional space for growing out chicks since many of the chain link panels are now being used for goat fencing.

In regard to specific chicken breeds, I would like to offer Swedish Flower Hen hatching eggs, chicks and pullets. The extra roosters make excellent bone broth and stew meat. I will from time to time have breeding quality roosters available.

The Lemon Flower plan includes hatching eggs, offer hatching eggs, chicks and pullets, replace the current rooster to bring in new genetics and add to current pullet population.

Silver Gray Dorking hens need a new rooster. I have a farm in mind to add stock from but the timing of it all is still being worked out. I may acquire hatching eggs or actually purchase a rooster or two. Either way, I would like to hatch eggs, build up breeding pens and if available sell hatching eggs, chicks and pullets.

Garden Plans and Dreams for 2024 Focus

As in years past my garden plans include the basic tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, onions potatoes and corn. I am excited to grow more Corn Broom Sorghum and look forward to harvesting Black Raspberries for eating.

I would like to do better at preserving food than I did in 2023. There are many ways to save food from seasonal harvest. I know there is room to add more items to the larder.

Roadside Stand

Design and construct a roadside stand to provide a place to sell extra produce, flowers and crafts. There are a couple old trailers sitting here and I have a design in mind for creating a farm stand out by the road.

Grape Vine Trellis/Archway

Using tree limbs from our woods I would like to construct a rustic archway to create a path between the garden and the buck palace.

Great Pyrenees

As I evaluate and weigh in on the pros and cons of breeding Aneta and Lewis for spring puppies these are a few of my thoughts. I am currently exploring the possibility. One consideration is who will be guarding the goats while she is raising her puppies. Lewis is still in training and not quite ready to be out with the herd without supervision. Along with these thoughts, exactly what type of structure and design do I need to create to allow the pups to be raised with the livestock. Subsequently allowing Aneta to continue to guard while raising her pups.

Do I have the resource capacity for pups along with the given freshening dates?

Connecting the right people with each of the pups is another consideration. Great Pyrenees are a fantastic breed but require certain accommodations and training routines for them to succeed.

Aneta has been living with the bucks for over a year and I am grateful on a daily basis for her contribution to keeping the goats safe from coyotes. Coyotes appear the biggest predators threat we have on a regular basis. There is no doubt in my mind northern Indiana sports the occasional roaming bear or panther. However, with Aneta’s sharp ears and consequential barking our farm doesn’t present an easy target.

Lewis and his complete opposite personality of Aneta keeps me on my toes. The are bound to be some difference between a male and female, but they are rather opposite beyond those differences. So, Lewis presents a new learning opportunity.

Sale Offerings

As in previous years I will have the following for sale throughout the year.

Goats: wethers or casterated males, registered does and bucks both kids and adults
Garlic: 8 or 9 varieties
Chickens ~ hatching eggs, chicks, pullets and an occasional rooster
Extra seasonal garden produce as available

In December 2023 I began offering note cards featuring baby farm animals using photo’s taken here on CG Heartbeats Farm. Look for this line to be expanded in the coming months offering additional themes and inspirational writing as an option along with the current blank card option. Check them out here.

Farm Babies Blank Note Cards

For 2024 I am looking at adding 2-3 additional hand-crafted items to the website and potentially in local stores so keep an eye out for those.

Structure Goals for 2024

I have a long list of projects I would like to see completed I listed some of the top projects. Truth be told they may not all get done in 2024. I have yet to prioritize which I will tackle as a second project, but the barn cleaning and organization has been decided for me out of necessity for in less than 2 months the does will begin kidding.

Roadside stand
Outdoor coop 1
Outdoor coop 2
Barn cleaning and organization
Update brown shelter and start using for either goats or dogs
Horse barn work
Garden entry way
Buck Palace interior
Garden shed
Horse shelter renovation

Landscape

I lumped a few other projects into a landscape citatory for completing them would improve the landscape here on the farm. Many of these also provide for the animals in one way or another.

Overgrowth removed around barn
Additional goat pasture
Horse shelter
Front pasture clean up
Cars cleaned out and removed

Online Goals

A few weeks ago, I mapped out topics for 2024 weekly blog posts. Information will range from goats, chickens, and garlic to brooms, gift guides, and Lord willing a special sneak peak of a new project for January 2025 published in December. If you like reading the quarterly farm updates, I desire to add those back into the posts as well.

The creator side of me longs to design PDF’s sharing information on goats and garlic, not necessarily as a joint topic but rather as 2 different topics. The plan is to offer them as free resources.

Giving Back

I shared briefly in a social media post last November about the child I am sponsoring through Compassion International. Connecting with a child from another country, getting to know about the culture, and her lifestyle altered my perspective on finances. Several months I was not certain where the sponsorship money would come from and found myself needing to rely on God and His direction in order to meet my commitment. This has been faith building experience.

Are you interested in learning more about Compassion International or sponsoring a child? Click below:

Help End Child Poverty | Compassion International

New skills

There are a couple new skills I hope to learn and become proficient in during 2024.

Making brooms from Sorghum
Goat Milk Soap Making
Write a book (or at least a rough draft)

Hey thanks for reading till the end. I am not sharing these 3 goals other places for now. I will be sharing progress on social media and via email as I make progress.

What to follow along on social media for updates?

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/countrygirlheartbeatsfa rm/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/countrygirlheartbeatsfarm

For the record, these are goals relating to the homestead and I have additional personal goals as well.