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Long Time Ago Farm, Things Reminiscent of Long Ago

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The Things We Make

     Homemade Soap

     Lotion Bars

     Hand-painted Pottery

     Alpaca & Llama

     Dogs, Dogs, Dogs

     Donkeys, Mules & Horses

     Ribbon Displays

     Aprons

Meet the Artisans

     Artisans' Calendar

     Our Favorite Links

     Our Favorite Recipes

About the Farm

     Our Little Long Ears

Things to Do Nearby

     SE Ohio Calendar of Events

     Farmers Markets

     Southeast Ohio Wineries

Customer Testimonials

Site Map

FAQs & Order Info

How to Contact Us

The Adventures of Orin
     the Traveling Moose

 

 

 

 

 

Be sure to visit our companion site:

 

DonkeyHonk.com

http://www.donkeyhonk.com

an online directory of family-friendly goods and services in

southeast Ohio and the area known as "Little Appalachia"

 

Check out the FREE Classified Ads

 

 

 

 

 

Our Little Long Ears

 

Meet our four little, loveable long ears - Rocket Man,  his mother Mullie and Nettie are miniature Mediterranean donkeys (also known as Sicilian donkeys).  Sage is a miniature Baudet du Poitou.

 

 

Rocket Man & Friends, miniature donkeys.

Rocket Man

is, as usual, in the middle front.  That is his mother, Mullie, is walking in behind him.  Rocket Man is loveable and affectionate.  He likes to play with milk jugs and walk around with a bucket on his head.  His next favorite activity is hitting the others with their Jolly-Ball toy.  He is the youngest and - like most 'teenagers' - can be quite annoying when the others just want to enjoy a little peace and quiet under the trees.

Nettie

is afraid of the camera so we do not have a good picture of her.  She starts walking away if she sees someone approaching with a camera.  Yes, that's her little bullet-butt at the left in the picture above .  She has the most beautiful brown eyes and the kindest face any donkey ever had, although you maybe never see it in a picture.  She is willing and generous and wants nothing more than to be loved.  Well, maybe a lot of hay and grass.

 

 


What's the difference between a burro and a donkey?  Nothing.  Burro is the Spanish word for donkey.  Although, some people call the wild ass a burro and a domesticated ass a donkey.


Mother & SonMullie

Mullie (black halter) is loyal and intelligent.  When she first arrived on our farm, she wouldn't allow anyone to touch her.  She had been neglected before coming here and we suspect she might even have been abused.  It took months of quiet encouragement but she came out of her shell, and how!  Now she can't get enough of being brushed and scratched.  She study you before deciding if you are friend-worthy; if she decides you're ok, she's your friend for life.

Why are they so fuzzy?  In the wintertime, donkeys get a heavy coat.  Their foreheads and faces get bushy to the point their eyes are almost covered.  This picture (above left) was taken in the late Spring when they still had about half of their winter coats.  By mid-summer they will be sleek and shiny and look as if they had lost about 50 pounds.  As they are shedding out they look rather pathetic.  Many people shave their donkeys to avoid that 'ugly' stage; we don't, rather we groom them because they enjoy the attention and it is our 'quality time'.  Some of our visitors who have seen the donkeys in winter did not know they were the same animals when they came back in the summertime.


WARNING:  This road isn't passable, not even jackassable.   --- Jesse Douglas


Sage

 

Sage

Sage is a miniature Baudet du Poitou donkey.  Many people do not realize that, just like horses, there are different breeds of donkeys.  In the wintertime she gets a long, curly coat of very soft hair.  It is a rich coconut color.  If left ungroomed ,she will eventually look as if she has dreadlocks!

Sage is confident and kind.  She loves to play 'follow-me-if-you-can', leading the others in an all-out run from pasture to pasture and getting as close to things as she can without running into them.  Her next favorite game is playing 'chicken'; she runs straight toward you at full speed veering off to one side or the other at the last possible second.  It can be scary so don't play if you're chicken!  She is our resident pick pocket.

 

Although they are incredibly strong, Poitou donkeys were never used as a work animal; they were almost exclusively used for breeding mules.  The Poitou jack was bred to a Trait Mulassier mare.  The Trait Mulassier is also a critically endangered species, as of April 2010 there were only three in the USA!  The French have taken the lead in careful management and rebreeding efforts and both are beginning to recover from near extinction.

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is a non-profit membership organization working to protect over 180 breeds of livestock and poultry from extinction.  Founded in 1977, the ALBC works to conserve historic breeds and genetic diversity in livestock.  As of October 2011, their list shows the Poitou as "critical" and the Miniature Donkey as "recovering".

03/03/11 Rocket Man gets a Hoof Check

03/03/11 Rocket Man Gets a Trim

Rocket Man Gets a Hoof Check

The farrier, Mike Blackburn, checks for any potential hoof problems like white line or abscesses.

Rocket Man Gets a Trim

Rocket enjoys having the farrier work on his feet.  However, he does not have the same fondness for the equine dentist!


A female donkey is called a jenny.  A male donkey is called a jack.


Joanna & Rocket Man

12/27/2009 - Joanna and her mother recently spent the weekend with us.  The donkeys enjoyed their visit!  They have stayed here before and Rocket Man never forgets a friend.

 


A mule is the cross out of a horse dam (mother) and a donkey sire (father).  Mules are almost always sterile.


Donkey Group Hug

12/27/2009 - Brittany is enjoying a donkey group hug.  She is one of the donkeys' (and our) favorite visitors.

12/27/09  Joanna & Rocket Man

12/27/09  Brittany Gets a Donkey Group Hug

 

12/27/09  Rocket Man Strikes a Pose

Rocket Man Strikes a Pose

12/27/2009 - Rocket Man loves the camera and, it's obvious, the camera loves him!  When you come for a visit, he will be happy to pose with you.

 


A donkey's life expectancy is 30-35 years.  They mature at about 4 years of age, later than horses.


Rocket Man, What a Cutie!

12/27/2009 - He certainly has 'cute' down to an art.  Rocket Man was born May 10, 2001; Mullie is his mother.  He is a gelding.  He is gentle and very affectionate.

12/27/09  Rocket Man, What a Cutie!

Donkeys and mules are smart, sensitive and affectionate.  They are sure-footed and extremely strong for their size.  They have long been stereotyped as stubborn and difficult to control.  The key to working with these bright and inquisitive animals is to understand them and how they differ in many ways from horses.

 

Are donkeys stubborn?  No!  Donkeys are cautious to the extreme; they will not put themselves in a dangerous position.  So, they think things over before acting.

Rocket Man

Rocket Man & Mullie Girl

 


Donkey Delights

Treats are expensive!  These are quick and easy to make and no 'mystery ingredients'.

 

1½ c grated carrots

1½ c grated apples

½ c molasses

10 oz rolled oats

4 oz Wheaties or similar cereal

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Drop by large spoonfuls onto a lightly-greased cookie sheet and gently flatten each cookie with the back of the spoon.  Bake for about one hours until cookies are crispy.


 

 

 

 

 


 

Normally, donkeys are very 'easy-keepers', requiring only water, grass hay and grass (no alfalfa, clover or sweet feed because those things are too rich for donkeys; it makes them fat which causes health issues), a farrier's visit only three or four times a year for trimming the hooves, and an annual floating (leveling the teeth and removing any sharp points).  During a normal year -not counting Mullie and Nettie's special issues- the care for all four donkeys is less than what we spend on dog food for two Rottweilers!

 

Our donkeys were rescued from a less-than-ideal situation.  A woman had acquired these four wonderful creatures; we do not know when, where, how or why.  The woman and her husband divorced and she left the farm, leaving the donkeys behind.  They were in an old one-car garage standing knee-deep in their own manure.  They were not being fed on a regular basis.  Nettie has some minor health issues including a tendency to founder (laminitis) and Mullie has some health issues and dental problems.  The vet bill for equine dentistry in December 2011 was $ 715.00 and Mullie will need a few follow-up visits!

 

If you would like to make a modest donation to help pay for their care it will be greatly appreciated.  100% of donations received will go to pay their vet bills, equine dentistry services (floating the teeth), farrier services (trimming hooves and checking for abscesses, white line and other hoof ailments) and feed (hay) - only for items directly related to their care.

THANK YOU in advance for every donation - large or small - every penny helps!


 

Amber, after teasing the donkeys.

Amber loves to tease the donkeys!

 

Amber searching for a mouse in the woodpile (1 of 2)

Searching for a mouse in the woodpile.

 

Amber searching for a mouse in the woodpile (2 of 2)

She tore up that huge log trying to get a mouse.

We didn't have the heart to tell her we saw it run out

the other end and was long gone!

 

Amber, just chillin'

Still alert, Amber doesn't hold still long!

 

Amber, just chillin', and Rupert (background)

Amber (front) with Rupert, her buddy.

 

Rupert & Amber (right)

Rupert (left) has slowed down in his old age.

Amber is always a whirlwind of activity.

This was a rare moment when both

were taking a rest in the shade.

 

* * *

 

Check out the

Things to Do Nearby

for a list of Southeast Ohio's

Wineries, Farmers Markets

County Fairs, Golf Courses, Historical Sites, Parks

Food & Dining, so much more...


Southeast Ohio Calendar of Events

for a list of dated events

Festivals, Concerts, Theatre, Exhibits

Horse Shows, Sales, Auctions

Lectures, Art Walks, Gallery Hops, more...

 

* * *

 

02/13/11  Rupert Finds a Deer Carcass

 

02/13/11  Rupert Gets a Deer Meat Snack

 

Rupert Finds a Deer-Meat Snack

We often find along the property deer carcases that poachers have killed just for the head and antlers.  The bodies are left behind and sometimes thrown into the creek.

 

Usually, coyotes or other dogs finish off the meat within 24 hours.  It was a frigid February day so the carcass was frozen, solid.  He worked and worked to get some of the meat off the bones.

Deer - photograph by Don Marsh

Deer Grazing - photo by Don Marsh

 

At the End of the Day
 

I decide to water my garden.  As I turn on the hose in the driveway,   I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.  As I head towards the garage, I notice mail on the porch table that I picked up from the post man earlier.  I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys on the table, put the junk mail in the recycling box under the table, and notice that the recycling box is full.  So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the recycling first.  But then I think, since I'm going to be near the post-box when I take out the recycling paper anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my cheque book off the table, and notice there is only one cheque left.  My extra cheques are in my desk in the study.  So, I go inside the house to my desk where I find the cup of coffee I'd been drinking.  I'm going to look for my cheques, but first I need to push the coffee aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over.  The coffee is getting cold and I decide to make another cup.

As I head toward the kitchen with the cold coffee, a vase of flowers on the worktop catches my eye - the flowers need water.  I put the coffee on the worktop and discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning.  I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers.

I put the glasses back down on the worktop, fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote control. Someone left it on the kitchen table.  I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I'll be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.  So, I put the remote back on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.  Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day...

The car isn't washed.
The bills aren't paid.
There is a cold cup of coffee on the counter.
The flowers don't have enough water.
There is still only one cheque in my cheque book.
I can't find the remote.
I can't find my glasses.
And, I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

When I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled.  I know I was busy all day and I'm really tired.  This is a serious problem and I'll try to get some help, but first I'll check my e-mail....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

| Home  ||  Site Map  ||  FAQs & Order Info  ||  Artisans' Calendar  ||  Contact Us  ||

 

||  The Things We Make  ||  Homemade Soap  ||  Lotion Bars  ||  Hand-painted Pottery  ||  Alpaca & Llama  ||  Dogs, Dogs, Dogs  ||  All Things Equine  ||  Ribbon Displays  ||  Aprons  ||

 

||  Meet the Artisans  ||  Customer Testimonials  ||  Artisans' Calendar  ||  Our Favorite Links  ||  About the Farm  ||  Our Little Long Ears  ||  Farm Fun Photos  ||

 

||  Things to Do Nearby  ||  Southeast Ohio Calendar of Events  ||  Farmers Markets  ||  Southeast Ohio Wineries  ||  Recycling Events  ||

 

||  The Adventures of Orin the Traveling Moose  ||

 

Long Time Ago Farm  -  P O Box 862 - Somerset, OH  43783  -  (740) 743-0099

 

 

 

This page was updated 01/19/2012

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