Today was a little more productive .

This was a really big day on so many accounts ,  Two years ago we started a micro loan to build a cow barn in the mountains.  The deal was that the loan would be paid by taking cows for us.  Today we went to the bazaar to begin the search .. so many cows and prices all over the map, but once we started buying , The nice calves showing up, and realizing that we were only buying 10 cows, the sellers became more and more desperate, and the price started to come down 

Jengish and his brother gathering the new cows 

Next was to load them on to the truck .. it took four guys to lift their front legs up, then they pulled and pushed to slide them in on their bellies .

The trip to our mountain farm is only about 15 minutes to the base of the mountain and another 15 minutes to the end of the road. 

Vlady lead the way 

off loading the cows 

they love it in the mountain , all very content and did well on the journey 

the girls with the new boys 

we thenherded them another 15 minutes across the river bed and up to the barn.

the water levels were down a lot so the crossing was easier 

Vlady and Jengish stopped for the photo, Talbek carried on with the cows 

And they made it 

this will be their new home until November when they will make their way to the home farm for a few months of grain to fatten them up.  We are thinking it will be fun in the fall for one of our teams to heard them on horseback  to the farm.

We are so blessed to move forward in this next area .. A special thanks to Jengishes brother for lending your expertise with this , We have 10 of the best looking calves I have seen .. Good job 

A Wild Goat Chase

What a day .. but certainly not one of our most productive days .  We had made arrangements to go way back into the mountains to purchase some goats .  There is a herd of special milk goats that are a pure bred.  We spoke with the owner last night and made arrangements to come and get about twenty or twenty five today.  We got our little blue truck to follow us along the way.   

the road just kept going higher and higher ...

then finally we spotted it.  The little yurt here is the home of the goat herder 

When we got there we were told that the owner of the goats had gone into town, and had not told the others anything about us coming .. We figure that he was so excited to know that he had a big sale coming that he decided to celebrate, but just a little too soon. 

Just about the point that we realized that we had been stood up, our little blue truck arrived 

Jengishes brother went looking for a phone signal to call the goat guy, but the guys phone was turned off.  This whole hill side is covered in horse radish .

so we had a choice of going back the way we came , or over the top of the mountain and down the steep side ... So with our little blue truck in the lead we headed on our way . 

right at the top of the mountain we stopped to take some pictures and discuss if we would be going forward or going back 

 Decision was made , lets go for it ..

So it was a nice 4 hour trip, but no goats, and all we had to show for it was a bill for $40 for the truck for the day. 

We then went back to the farm and made a pen for the ducks and geese.   Our little tipsy goose needs go go back to the farm before we go, and we were hoping if we fixed up a nice new pen he would do ok there .  With in 15 minutes he was looking like a drowned rat.. and just lying on his back , so it looks like he is coming back home with us now. 

taking a break 

this rabbit has a real double chin 

  Finally home , goosy bathed and time for a nap .. a long day and nothing accomplished ! 

baby goose bathed and rolled up in a towel, ready for a nap 

Celebrations and more work on the farm

Lots on the go today ,  Starting with a trip to the bazaar, then to Kolya's graduation, then on to a children's day celebration.  After that we picked up more lumber and headed to the farm to build the counters for the kitchen and get it set up .  I also brought Kolya's bed out and set it up in the boys living room .  It will be a day bed, and also where Kolya will sleep . 

One of the bunk beds in the girls room ..

Here is Kolya's bed.  Aigula is working on all the blankets and sheets now 

We brought one of the table sets from our apartment out to the farm as well so that the kids will have an extra table inside. 

There is a great work space for the kitchen now.  We went with three of everything so that Aigoola will be able to teach two kids at the same time , kind of like a coking school.  We have a nice island table as well as another old dinning table that can be used as a work center when we start canning .  

these are the dishes we went with .  When I was looking for sets they were about $50 a set of 6 , we were able to get this set for 18 for just $30 

we did not have time to paint the walls and ceiling yet, but we can't do it all, and it will also be a great job for the kids .The have chores in the morning and evening, then have a few hours in the afternoon for special projects like this . 

  

I missed the photo of the dish station where there can be a garbage pail, then a low counter with two bus pans and then a water tap and basin. 

We still need some towels and personal toiletries and barn boots  for the kids, and would love it if anyone wanted to help with this , just use the link on the side of the blog.  We would really appreciate the help.   Just 4 days and we are wheels up, ready or not!