Red Dirt Farm and Studio

Today is the Chinese New Year – it is the year of the goat.

I’ve been thinking about adding a goat or two to our fold.

I’m interested in learning how to make goat’s milk soap and maybe cheese.

I have to confess, I try to like goat cheese, but often don’t.

Do any of y’all have goat experience?

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White Winter arrived here at Coral Cottage.

I have to say these last few days of snow and frigid temperatures have me re-thinking farm-yard animals.

 It is a lot of up-keep made more difficult in these extreme weather.  I’ve sure learned that with the cottage chickens this past week.

I must replace the water every hour or so, as it freezes.  I’ve given up on the metal waterer – it freezes lickity-split.

I’m now using cheap plastic ware.

Chickens drink a lot of water.  A lot.

I’ve ordered a heated waterer which should arrive oh – some time middle of summer when it is 90 degrees out and heated water is the last thing I want or need.

Mr. Cottage shoveled paths everywhere to make life easier for us and all the animals.

That Cat especially has trouble getting around in the snow on his three legs, so he really appreciates the paths.

He likes going out to the coop and visiting with the girls.

Inside the coop everything is snug and dry.  Fresh straw and pine shavings keep the girls happy.

  Lucy especially doesn’t like the cold and hasn’t laid an egg in several days.

Mr. Cottage installed a heat lamp for them last night and they seemed pretty happy with it.

All my paranoid thoughts about them knocking it down and setting the coop ablaze were laid to rest this morning, when I woke to find all was well in chicken land.

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Here is a little more Chinese New Year trivia.

I was born in the year of the rabbit; how about you?

They are part of a larger 60-year rotating name cycle of years used by the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar, which is consulted for special events (such as Chinese New Year), astrology, and Moon phases. This 60-year cycle is called the stem-branch, or sexagenary, cycle. Each year’s name contains two parts: the celestial stem and the terrestrial branch. The celestial stem is taken from a rotating list of 10 terms concerning the yin/yang forms of five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water): jia, yi, bing, ding, wu, ji, geng, xin, ren, and gui. The terrestrial branch is taken from a rotating list of the 12 animal names of the Chinese zodiac: zi (rat), chou (ox), yin (tiger), mao (rabbit), chen(dragon), si (snake), wu (horse), wei (sheep), shen (monkey), you (rooster), xu (dog), andhai (boar/pig). For example, the first year in the 60-year cycle is jia-zi (Year of the Rat); jiais the celestial stem, and zi (rat) is the terrestrial branch. The next year is yi-chou (Year of the Ox), etc. The 11th year is jia-xu, and so on, until a new cycle starts over with jia-zi.

The Chinese lunisolar year has 12 months of 353 to 355 days, or during a leap year, 13 months of 383 to 385 days. The Chinese year usually begins several weeks into the western 365-day year, so the animal designation changes at that time, not on January 1 of the Gregorian calendar.

Below are the 12 animal designations of the Chinese zodiac:

Rat (Zi)

Ambitious and sincere, you can be generous with your money. Compatible with the dragon and the monkey. Your opposite is the horse.

1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008

Ox or Buffalo (Chou)

A leader, you are bright, patient, and cheerful. Compatible with the snake and the rooster. Your opposite is the sheep.

1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009

Tiger (Yin)

Forthright and sensitive, you possess great courage. You have the ability to be a strong leader capable of great sympathy. Compatible with the horse and the dog. Your opposite is the monkey.

1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010

Rabbit or Hare (Mao)

Talented and affectionate, you are a seeker of tranquility. Compatible with the sheep and the pig. Your opposite is the rooster.

1903, 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011

Dragon (Chen)

Robust and passionate, your life is filled with complexity. Compatible with the monkey and the rat. Your opposite is the dog.

1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012

Snake (Si)

Strong-willed and intense, you display great wisdom. Compatible with the rooster and the ox. Your opposite is the pig.

1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013

Horse (Wu)

Physically attractive and popular, you like the company of others. Compatible with the tiger and the dog. Your opposite is the rat.

1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014

Sheep or Goat (Wei)

Aesthetic and stylish, you enjoy being a private person. Compatible with the pig and the rabbit. Your opposite is the ox.

1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015

Monkey (Shen)

Persuasive, skillful, and intelligent, you strive to excel. Compatible with the dragon and the rat. Your opposite is the tiger.

1908, 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016

Rooster or Cock (You)

Seeking wisdom and truth, you have a pioneering spirit. Compatible with the snake and the ox. Your opposite is the rabbit.

1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017

Dog (Xu)

Generous and loyal, you have the ability to work well with others. Compatible with the horse and the tiger. Your opposite is the dragon.

1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018

Pig or Boar (Hai)

Gallant and noble, your friends will remain at your side. Compatible with the rabbit and the sheep. Your opposite is the snake.

1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

*the above information is from The Farmer’s Almanac.