Laffing Goat Farm and Wetland Preserve

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Laffing Goat Farm and Wetland Preserve WE DON'T KILL OR SELL ANIMALS!! Our animals are strictly spoiled PETS. Our page is to share the fun at the Farm. We are a HOBBY farm. We do sell EGGS to eat.

We don't offer any "services", our goats are all NEUTERED males. Our email is [email protected] Sweet little hobby farm outside of city limits with 5 (4 men and a little lady) goats, 34 chickens (more or less), 17 ducks, 3 African geese and a bunch of cats. Numbers vary, especially with the ducks and chickens -- as ducklings and chicks are always being hatched through spring and summer. George is a city boy, but this was always my dream, to have a little farm with animals and subsistence gardening, do my own canning and preserving. Both of our parents would be amazed at what we have done. When I have extra I share with my community, and we sell eggs at the front door -- these critters eat a lot! Half our property is protected wetland, which we have and are restoring as it was badly abused before, and the adjoining wetland west of us was “developed” by a local car dealership, so we are doing our best to protect what we can of this beautiful space. It’s work, but it feels good, and the animals are restful to watch when we aren’t doubled over laughing with them.

I wish I could tell the birds how many eggs to lay, but they are birds not machines. I cannot just order eggs and they m...
10/16/2026

I wish I could tell the birds how many eggs to lay, but they are birds not machines. I cannot just order eggs and they magically appear. This is not a business, it is a hobby farm and I sell surplus eggs beyond what my household needs. I have 36 laying hens who in peak of summer might lay between all of them maybe 12 eggs a day on a good day: not every bird lays every day although no bird can physically lay more than one egg a day. If I get 12, that means a third of them laid that day and probably won't again for another day or two. The 24 that did not, MIGHT or might not as they take turns. In autum and winter, MOST farmers do not get ANY eggs, as healthy chickens take the winter off. An average laying hen lays approximately 250 eggs a YEAR which means they do not lay the other 115 out of 365 days.
Ducks are similar but they do usually lay somewhat in winter, but still on average 250 eggs a year. I have 13 laying duck hens (the 4 drakes do not lay eggs any more than roosters can).
I am currently getting around 4 chicken eggs a day and 4-5 duck eggs a day. It takes a few days this time of year to gather a whole dozen. I do what I can, providing them UV nightlights and special high protien feed in winter months with more calories and supplements. Be patient, they are birds acting according to their nature. Check the pinned post at the top of this page as I update it around 2pm daily. I do not do my rounds until noon, as I work well into the night usually to around 4am and then I sleep until noonish when I start my farm chores.

Tomatoes still ripening at the end of the season. I pick them just as they start to blush and let them finish on the kit...
10/12/2026

Tomatoes still ripening at the end of the season. I pick them just as they start to blush and let them finish on the kitchen sill. As they get red, I core them and freeze for canning when I have them all for the season. I have about 10 pounds so far but as you see still a few more pounds on the vine and sill. I never get "blight" because I plant my tomatoes very far apart in separate tubs AND I never EVER water the leaves, only the bases, and only in the morning. They need the air flow and sunlight to evaporate moisture and prevent the blight mold. Made the mistake several years ago of planting many in one bed, and they all got blight and were lost. Live and Learn.

Templeton (see Charlotte's Web) and all (well most of) his/her kin will be history soon. I finally broke down and made i...
09/28/2026

Templeton (see Charlotte's Web) and all (well most of) his/her kin will be history soon. I finally broke down and made it to Tractor Supply and got new rat baits which are 90% effective in at least controlling the rat population -- they are never truly gone, but they can be managed. I was just too lazy to drive out there to replenish the supply of Prowler baits (the purple ones, the green "Tomcat" ones do not work and get ignored, the purple ones are gone within hours of baiting the little bait stations). Never put poisons any place your animals can reach them.

Someone asked how I can do my waterbath canning on a glass top stove. The myth that you cannot do waterbath canning on a...
09/25/2026

Someone asked how I can do my waterbath canning on a glass top stove. The myth that you cannot do waterbath canning on a glass top is just that: a MYTH. It has nothing at all to do with the weight of the pot and everything to do with the manufacturer's instructions to not place pots of larger diameter than the painted circles on the stove indicate. I don't explain it well so I asked the AI to help me explain it better:

AI Overview
Using a pot larger than the painted burner ring traps radiant heat against the unrated ceramic glass surrounding it, causing it to overheat, cycle off, or crack from thermal stress.

Why Oversized Pots Break Glass Tops
Trapped Heat Radiation: Glass-ceramic cooktops are engineered to handle high temperatures directly over the designated heating element. When a pot overhangs significantly, it reflects and traps radiant heat back down onto the surrounding unpainted glass, which isn't designed for that thermal load.
Component Overheating: Excessive trapped heat can cause the internal limit switches or the burner element itself to malfunction, cycle erratically, or permanently shut down.
Thermal Shock: Uneven temperature gradients across the glass surface create localized stress points, dramatically increasing the risk of cracking or shattering.

How to Explain It Simply to Others
The "Sunburn" Analogy: Compare the painted ring to a targeted spotlight. Putting an oversized pot on a small burner is like holding a magnifying glass over a wider area -— it spreads and traps heat where the material isn't built to take it.
The "Design Limit" Point: Explain that the glass outside the painted circle has no cooling mechanism or thermal rating. The manufacturer paints that line as a physical boundary for safety, not just a suggestion.
The Weight & Balance Factor: Remind them that oversized pots usually mean heavier than normal weight than what that inscribed circle is rated for, compounding the risk when the excessively heavy weight meets an overheated, weakened glass surface.

The weight of a normal even quite large and tall stock pot, as long as it fits within the painted ring -- even if filled with water and jars of whatever you are canning -- is not actually more than what the same pot full of chili or stew would be (I make then freeze massive pots of chili!). The glass top is specifically designed with this weight in mind. It is not the weight that matters on a glass top it is thermal distribution. My stock pots that I use for waterbath canning fit within the painted rings and hold max 9 half-pint or 5-7 pints (I have 2 pots one taller narrower one shorter wider). I can do only 4 quarts in the taller one, as WB canning requires 2" water over the tops. Those are only for applesauce though. My pressure canner OTOH has its own heating element and never gets near a stove. I have had glass top stoves for like 20 years now and never had one break despite canning many many batches of fruits, jams and jellies every year. I'll be doing about 20 pints of stewed tomatoes in a few weeks. 6 jars at a time will take a while :)
CORRECTION I can put 6 quarts in the tall canner (shown). It LOOKS like I could fit a 7th but nope, won't go.

UPDATE 8/14/26 mostly gone, I'll be picking the remaining ones that are not yet spoiled and pitting/freezing them this e...
08/05/2026

UPDATE 8/14/26 mostly gone, I'll be picking the remaining ones that are not yet spoiled and pitting/freezing them this evening.
FYI you can NOT use groundfalls plums (even if you watched or made them fall) as these can be deadly.
THE FACTS
Why You Should Never Cook with Spoiled Fruit
Mycotoxins survive heat: Molds on plums can produce a toxic chemical called patulin. Boiling the fruit destroys the live mold, but it does not destroy the toxin, which stays in the sauce and can make people sick.
Ruined flavor: Even a small amount of rot or fermented fruit will give the entire batch of fruit a musty, bitter, or alcoholic taste.
Canning failures: Spoiled fruit alters the natural acid levels of the apple. If you plan to can the sauce in a water bath, this drop in acidity can allow dangerous bacteria to grow in the jars.
avoid squishy plums. While you can be a bit more flexible with overripe plums than with apples, fully squishy plums cross the line into unsafe territory very quickly.
The Danger of Squishy Plums
High moisture accelerates rot: Plums are much juicier than apples. Once they get squishy, mold and bacteria spread through the soft flesh in a matter of hours.
Hidden fermentation: Squishy plums often start fermenting right on the tree or counter, creating a sharp, vinegary, or alcoholic flavor that ruins jams, sauces, or w**e.
Patulin risk: Just like apples, moldy plums can contain heat-resistant mycotoxins that boiling will not destroy.
Safe vs. Unsafe Plums
Safe to use: Plums that are soft to a gentle squeeze, slightly wrinkled near the stem, or have minor bird pecks (that you can cut out). These are high in sugar and great for cooking.
Discard immediately: Plums that leak juice on their own, feel completely hollow or slimy, have white or gray fuzzy mold, or smell like alcohol or vinegar.
The strict rule using only firm fruit even for w**e is actually a necessity for two reasons:
Wild yeast contamination: Squishy, split plums carry high amounts of wild, airborne yeasts. These will fight with your commercial w**e yeast and can ruin your ferment, creating off-flavors or turning your w**e into vinegar.
Pectin breakdown: As plums become overripe and squishy, their natural pectin breaks down. If you try to use them for jam, the jam will turn out runny and fail to set (even with added pectin as the sugar and acid ratios will be off)..
Babies and toddlers should absolutely never be given jam made from ground-fall or squishy plums.
Infants and young children have highly sensitive, developing digestive and immune systems.
Toxins like patulin (from hidden molds) or contaminants from the soil can make a baby very sick, even in amounts that might only give an adult a mild stomach ache.
Why Mirabelle "Ground-Falls" are Unsafe
Impact damage: Mirabelle plums are small and delicate. When they hit the ground, the skin almost always micro-fractures, creating an instant gateway for soil bacteria, bugs, and mold spores to enter.
Rapid spoilage: Because they are already overripe and squishy when they fall, they spoil from the inside out within minutes of hitting the dirt.
Invisible mold: Even if the plum tastes okay, the beginnings of mold and bacterial growth are invisible to the naked eye.
The "Blush" rule: Pick only the firm yellow ones with the beautiful pink-red blush. These are at the absolute peak of flavor, acidity, and natural pectin—perfect for a jam that sets beautifully.
The "Two-Second" test: Give the branch a very gentle shake. Plums that stay attached are perfect for picking. Any that drop instantly into the grass should stay on the ground.
Pick from the tree: Ensure every single plum going into the basket is hand-picked directly from the branch, never collected from the grass.

ALSO: if you have your own fruits or berries or even tomatoes you would like to have preserved like this (shelf stable 1...
07/28/2026

ALSO: if you have your own fruits or berries or even tomatoes you would like to have preserved like this (shelf stable 18-24 months as long as they remain sealed and in a cool dry place and not stacked -- never stack home canned jars) I am happy to do the work for you for $3 per jar. I have the jars (pints and half-pints) and canner and rings and sugar and lemon juice -- You need to provide the lids (only Ball or Kerr, unused, as generic brands buckle in the canner and/or do not seal and lids are never reuseable) and sure-jel low/no sugar pectin only in brand new unopened boxes because moisture damages the pectin if it is opened. (except for tomatoes which don't need pectin just a pinch of salt) -- regular pectin requires way too much sugar and rarely sets properly so I won't use it. If you want seasonings, ask and I will try to find a safe recipe for that.
For reference 6 pounds of tomatoes makes 4 pints of stewed crushed tomatoes. It takes about 2-3 pounds of most fruits (pitted) to make 4 half-pints of jam or jelly. You will know for sure your jam is 100% pure and organic with no preservatives or colorings.

Goose eggs available, come get them before they expire (I feed them back to the chickenz when they do). If you are inter...
07/28/2026

Goose eggs available, come get them before they expire (I feed them back to the chickenz when they do).
If you are interested in homa canned jams and jellies. LMK what kinds of jellies you would like and I'll start making small batches on request. I have berries in the freezer and more on the vines, just haven't started the seasons canning yet.
If you have sewing, mending or upholstery projects you need done, now it the time to hit me up, I'm available.

Meat spots in eggs are harmless protein deposits or small pieces of tissue that break off from the hen's reproductive tr...
07/24/2026

Meat spots in eggs are harmless protein deposits or small pieces of tissue that break off from the hen's reproductive tract during egg formation. They appear as brown, red, or white specks. These spots are completely safe to eat, though you can easily scrape them out with a knife if you prefer.
While rarely found in commercial eggs due to automated candling lights, spotting them is quite common in fresh, backyard eggs or brown-shell eggs. They are not an indication that an egg is fertilized or unsafe.
Meat spots are just small pieces of tissue, such as bits of the oviduct lining or blood spots that have oxidized into brown or grey specks, which break off during egg formation.

Although the AI disagrees, I do find them more often in my duck eggs than chicken eggs, and I do candle all my duck eggs when I box them. I attribute this to the fact that I have several drakes, and drakes have a p***s which penetrates and can damage the duck hen's reproductive tract, whereas a rooster (chicken) does not have any kind of p***s at all. Chickens mate by way of a "cloacal kiss": A cloacal kiss is the mating process for about 97% of bird species, as well as most reptiles, amphibians, and monotremes. Since they lack external s*x organs, male and female birds (except ducks and geese) press and rub their multipurpose rear openings (the cloaca/vent) together for just 1 to 3 seconds to transfer s***m.

As Mo Rocca would say: "The mo you know" :)

Our Newman kitty went to the vet today. Years ago he had (twice) mast cell cancer of his face which was treated and he h...
07/23/2026

Our Newman kitty went to the vet today. Years ago he had (twice) mast cell cancer of his face which was treated and he has been fine since then until a couple weeks ago. We thought he just had a stroke, tongue sticking out so we started him on special soupy diet and helped him with grooming. His mouth at that time looked fine no dental issues (he had most of his teeth removed over the years w routine dental care at vet) and he wasn't acting sick. Then yesterday as I was washing his face I noticed a huge swelling that I swear was not there before, so off to the vet. He has a mass under his tongue extending under his jaw and neck. We're running bloodwork etc but the vet says it is inoperable. We don't want to make him suffer through chemo and radiation that won't save him anyway, and since he appears otherwise comfortable and happy for now, we are opting for comfort care and lots of snuggles until he lets us know otherwise.
Rocky is over his UTI so he's all well.
Smokey is ongoing treatment for cardiac disease and seems fat and healthy and happy on his current meds.
The joy of having senior cats :) We love all our kitties!!

Smokey is doing much better! Had a scare over the weekend and had to wait till Monday to get him in to the vet (VCA). Wa...
07/15/2026

Smokey is doing much better! Had a scare over the weekend and had to wait till Monday to get him in to the vet (VCA). Was having breathing problems and wasn't eating or drinking. Turned out to be we -think- congestive heart failure/pulmonary edema due to enlarged heart on the xrays. Vet started him on diuretic and an appetite stimulant, sent home with IV fluids for subcutaneous injection if needed but only very cautiously because of the pulm edema and heart issue (we could not afford to have him admitted for inpatient care at Pilchuck) but I am a nurse, I can give fluids and meds and watch him. So stayed up with him all night Monday (as well as Sunday and Sat night). He made it through Monday night and took a little bit of food and water and even peed yesterday morning, so no subQ fluids needed. Did even better all day yesterday started purring, breathing better and peeing normally, and last evening he was even playing with his toys, rolling over for tummy rubs and demanding attention. He doesn't especially like being confined but that's going to be his situation for quite a few weeks. He is used to being outside with the barn kitties but his new life will be strictly indoors with our other spoiled brats :) I got sleep last night at last!

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Snohomish, WA
98290

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