Ranch Life Lately: Goat Kids, Lambs, Garden Wins & Heartbreak on the Ranch

Ranch Life Update: Spring 2025

It’s been a while since I’ve shared an update from the ranch, and it feels like time to catch you up on all the highs and lows of the past few months. Life has been full (in the best way), but that fullness has meant blogging took a back seat. Here’s a look at what’s been going on at 14 Hands Ranch.

Goat Kidding Season: Cookie & Dough Arrive

Cocoa was the first to kid this season with healthy twins—a boy and a girl. The kids named them Cookie and Dough, of course. Kidding went smoothly, and we now have several new Lamancha kids bouncing around the pasture. We haven’t finalized which doelings we’ll keep, as we plan to downsize our goat herd a bit.

Pasture Lambing Success with Finnsheep

Lambing went great. All but one ewe lambed without assistance! Since switching to pasture lambing with our Finnsheep, our success rate has nearly hit 100%. It’s clear they thrive when left to birth as nature intended. We’ve got a gorgeous crop of badger-faced lambs this year. If you're looking to add some Finn genetics to your flock, reach out—I may be willing to part with a few.

Homeschool + Summer Learning Plans

Our homeschool co-op wrapped up for the year, and we’re already looking forward to next fall. We’ll keep a light schedule over the summer—just math, reading, and writing—to give us flexibility throughout the year. I’m excited to be teaching a high school literature class at our co-op and am enjoying diving back into some old classics!

Garden Progress & Flower Slow-Starts

Despite a packed spring, I managed to get the garden in. I stuck to tried-and-true vegetables we’ll eat fresh, can, or freeze—no experimenting this year! The flowers are a little behind thanks to the long, cold start to spring, but I’m hopeful the zinnias will take off as the weather warms.

Tulip’s Loss: A Difficult Goodbye

Our Guernsey heifer, Tulip, gave birth to a beautiful bull calf, but soon after, she fell ill. We initially suspected mastitis, but our vet also believed it was hardware disease—a condition where the cow swallows metal. When a cow is heavy bred (close to calving) the metal can migrate and puncture internal organs. Despite quick treatment, Tulip passed away. It’s been a tough loss. Colton was planning to show her this summer, and now we’re bottle feeding her calf and without fresh milk for our family until winter. Losing a good cow like Tulip is a real heartbreaker on a small ranch.

A Joyful Wedding on the Ranch

Amidst the hard moments, we celebrated a major milestone: our oldest daughter got married! The ceremony was held at our church, with a dinner and dance afterward right here on the ranch. A live band, twinkle lights, and pasture views made for a beautiful night. Please keep the happy couple in your prayers as they begin their life together.

Looking Ahead: Sharing More of Our Story

As we move into summer, I’m recommitting to sharing more regularly—both about our day-to-day ranch life and the handcrafted products we offer. Thanks for following along and supporting our little slice of homestead life here on the Kansas prairie.

I’ve finally been able to get back into the soap studio, and it feels so good. Many of our goat milk soaps are currently out of stock, but I’m working on a big restock planned for July. Making soap is therapeutic for me, and I’ve truly enjoyed spending time creating again. Keep an eye out—your favorites will be back soon!

Enjoy all the photos from this spring below!