I'm updating the website as I can get pics of the kids and goats for sale. We had such a colorful bunch of kids and such a variety of horned/polled, etc. that I think we have something for everyone. Stop in and see them for yourself. It'll be tough to go home without one.

We have some interesting crossbreds this year. In addition to the TMG/Boer crosses (which have produced some splendid kids) we have TMG/Spanish crosses and a TMG Nubian cross. The Spanish crosses were not growing as fast as the Boers but now that they are weaned they are starting to catch up. Threre are 2 polled and two horned doelings available. Our TMG/Nubian kids were just born July 29th and are looking really good.

We butchered rabbits yesterday and have some available frozen and vacume packed ($9). We also have live rabbits available ($35 with pedigree). There is a litter of whites born 5/25/10 that is ready to go and another litter of whites born 7/8/10 that is just being weaned and is now available. There is a litter of darks that will be ready in a couple of weeks. We already have deposits on 2 of them and interest in some others so if you are interested in any it's best to either send a deposit or contact me and make arrangements to come as close to weaning time as possible. We are expecting two litters next week.

WEBSITE UPDATE COMING SOON!

I'll be updating the website with pics of our 2010 kids very soon. The site needs a bit of repair as right now I can't upload pics. We'll have full Myotonic (Tennessee Meat Goat) kids for sale plus some Myotonic/Spanish crosses and Myotonic Boer crosses.

The kids are growing well and we'll have data available on average daily gain. We have a variety of colors and some are horned & some naturally polled.

We will also be offering several adult goats for sale as we have to make room to keep some of the new kids. Although pics are not updated you can look at Sheila and Maurisa on the doe page. There will also be a yearling Myotonic (had twins in May) and an adult % Boer doe for sale.

There was one San Clemente Island goat doeling born in May. She will be for sale as that is the committment I made in getting started with the SCIs. It's going to be tough to let her go as she is just a cutie. If you are serious about wanting to help save this breed please contact me.

We also have 3 litters of American rabbit kits at weaning age or almost there. We have whites, blues and blacks to offer. There are two Feb. born bucks available; one white and one black. Americans are a rare breed that hopefully will make a comeback. They are a good meat rabbit. They grow quickly, have large litters and are very good mothers. If you want to get started growing some of your own meat why not start out with a heritage breed?

We have Easter bunnies at Shonyo Farm! Our American rabbits have been very productive. We have a litter of whites and a litter of blues/blacks that will be ready to go before Easter. These two litters are not related so we can make up breedable pairs/trios. I haven't done any gender checks yet but there are 7 whites and 8 blues & blacks so there should be a few pairs in that mix.

The Americans are a good meat rabbit. They grow fast and are very productive. We sell bunnies for $35 with pedigree.

This cold weather has us dreaming about Spring. It will get pretty busy around here by mid-April as there will be assorted species of kids all over the place. We'll have full Myotonic kids and Myotonic/Boer, Myotonic/Spanish and Myotonic/Nubian goat kids. We have two pair of San Clemente Island goats in the breeding pens so we hope to have some SCI kids to offer for sale to breeders serious about saving this critically endangered breed.

In the rabbit barn we'll have both white and blue American rabbits. We've been having very good luck with our litters and have saved one buck & one doe (if available) from each litter. These adult or near adult rabbits will be offered for sale in addition to having young bunnies for sale. If you are interested in raising this heritage breed please contact us. We also have a limited amount of rabbit dressed & frozen available.

From the chicken coop we have been getting a consistant supply of brown eggs from our Buckeye and Light Brahma hens. These heritage breeds were so happy free ranging in the pastures I was worried how they'd deal with being cooped up during the cold months. They are doing fine but do enjoy getting out of their coop and 'ranging' in the lean-to aisle on warmer days. The plan is to separate the breeds and then have a couple of the hens hatch out eggs. We'll have fertilized eggs for those who are looking for incubator stock.

We are planning a trip to Hardin, KY the first week of March and would be glad to deliver or transport animals along the way there and back. We'll be taking a stock trailer so this is a great opportunity to move those mature bucks. I have a young San Clemente Island buck, Tepper bloodline, that is available for sale or trade in addition to a couple of young Myotonic bucks and our Myotonic herdsire, Brigadier. It's tough to let a good herdsire go but Brig has done such a good job for us that it's time to send him to another farm.

I have tentative plans to travel to Indianapolis, IN March 26/27/28th. I'll be taking an SUV so there will be room for a couple of big crates but mature bucks will NOT be welcome on this trip.

Contact us if you'd like animals delivered or hauled on either of these trips. Routes and timelines are still flexible and will be set dependent on what we haul.

We have just added an additional San Clemente Island doeling to our herd. She came all the way from MA and is Pymouth bloodline. 'Liberty' is a beautiful doe with stunning markings/color.

Our heritage breed farm is expanding in leaps and bounds this month. We had our first litter of American rabbits born on September 18th. There are 4 kits in the nest and all seem to be doing well.

Festus, the buckling we have at the WIU Buck Performance test in IL is doing great. He was listed in second place for both average daily gain and feed efficiency at the 42 day measuring period. I'll be going to pick him up on Oct. 24th so keep that in mind if you would like delivery of an animal or if you'd like to have something transported along the route (Elk River, MN to Macomb, IL).

We butchered our first 10 chickens and have had the opportunity to cook a couple of them. Great taste! The chickens have been a good project. I love to see them running all over the pastures and in the woods. We've been lucky not to lose any to predators as they roam quite a ways out from the buildings. It will be sad when they have to be more confined during the winter. We plan on keeping some hens and a rooster of each breed for eggs and so that we can raise some chicks next spring.

The San Clemente Island goats are home! The trip went well and the goats have settled in nicely. They are more friendly than I expected. This is likely due to time spent in the zoo's petting area where they learn that visitors = treats. They do LOVE treats! The only downside was that the buckling that I thought would be a mate for my doeling, Santa Monica, turned out to be a half brother. On the upside; the 2 year old buck, San Gabriel, is being traded to a PA breeder for a buckling of a different bloodline. I can't believe how well all this worked out. We're making the trade when I bring my TMG/Boer buckling to the IL buck performance test. The trip allows us to make the trade off while meeting somewhere in the middle between MN & PA. The Kratzer family will get a nice buck that will introduce a new bloodline into their breeding herd and I will get a buckling that is a distant bloodline from my doeling so I will have a breeding pair. I still have the other Tepper bloodline SCI buckling available if anyone else wants to make a trade or purchase him.

I also brought home some American rabbits. We are now the proud owners of 2 American white does, 1 American white buck and I also got 1 American steel doe. I'm not really interested in the colored rabbits but I thought others might be. Since I was making the trip and there are few other American rabbits in this part of the country I thought I'd bring home a colored one in case someone would want to start up with colored. When mated to the White buck this doe could produce blues, steels, whites or blacks. The Americans are a critically endangered heritage breed. They are a good meat breed & also have a very nice pelt. I'll work on getting in another buck so I can offer breeding pairs to those who would like to get started breeding these bunnies. They are known for their layed back & friendly dispositions.