Hello from Black Frog Farm!

We’ve been busy working on big things at Black Frog Farm ~ Welcome to our new blog!
I always get questions from people about different happenings on our farm, or animal care, or even plant questions. I love that people ask me questions! It makes me happy that I can help someone with a particular problem they might be having with their own animals or plants. In fact, the questions and talking to people about our farm has been my favorite part of growing Black Frog Farm 🙂 It inspired me to start this blog and hopefully reach more people. I plan to blog on what WE do on our farm and how WE handle things in Northeastern Wisconsin. I am by no means an expert, but I’m working through different things all the time on our farm. I’m constantly figuring out what works for us, and maybe it can help you too. So spread the word for us! And please, keep those questions coming!!
A little about us….There are three of us that keep this place running! My name is Kerry, and I’ve been married to my husband Nick for over twenty years. We work our farm together, along with our 12 year old daughter Aubrey. She also helps us with animal care and some good old heavy lifting 🙂
Our farm currently houses five llamas, seven (soon to be eight) goats, five Indian Runner ducks, one turkey, a pair of American Buff geese, a LOT of chickens, three dogs, two hives of honeybees, and a heck of lot of cats.
Nick and I both work outside the home, and Aubrey goes to school. We obviously enjoy being busy!
It wasn’t always this crazy here, but “normal” would be a stretch. We bought our home in 2000 and just had cats and dogs to start with. Then, we added….chickens. People I’m telling you that chickens are the gateway drug. We got more chickens. And more chickens. One chicken coop grew to two coops, and then a full sized brooder coop. Chickens all over!!
Then we added a human CHILD! (This one has been the most work of them all! LOL!)
Then….. geese, and a goose coop. (**full disclaimer** the geese are utterly hated by everyone but me because they can bite….hard. But I think they are adorable and love to pick them up and force my love on them! )

Then a few years ago I had an idea I pitched to Nick:
Me: “we should get some goats”
Nick: “Goats???”
Aubrey: “GOOOOOAAATSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
And so we started with two Fainting goats. Then for my birthday that summer Nick got me two Pygmy goat twin brothers. And while at the goat farm checking out the baby goats we were introduced to Tank, a baby Nigerian Dwarf goat that had nobody interested in him. Well, you know how that worked out. Little did I know at the time that Stacy, the lady who runs that goat farm, would become my Goat Dealer. Yes dealer. Can we say addiction? She is proud of that name;)
This year we added two more Fainting goats to our herd – courtesy of Stacy the Goat Dealer. And yep, while there:
Stacy: “Hey you need to check out Tanks full brother that was just born!!”
Me and Aubrey: “heck yeah!”
Nick: rubs his hand over his face looking up at the sky
Stacy: “I haven’t advertised him yet. Look at his cute little face!”
Me: “He looks like a little square on legs!”
Stacy: “Spongebob it is!”
Aubs (whispering): “He is MINE”

And so Spongebob will be joining us in September when he is weaned.

Similar happenings with the llamas. I was interested in one llama for a guard for my (then) five goats. I did a ridiculous amount of research on llamas to see how to handle them. I made sure to read llama books within eyesight of Nick so he could come to terms with the idea. Dude, it was happening.
Then in early 2019 I found a llama named Lady Jane not far from our place. She was unregistered, 8 years old, gigantic, and miserably grouchy. She was perfect. She affectionately came to be known as Banana. To be 100% clear, the affection was completely on the human side. Banana hated us.
Me: “Banana, wanna go for a walk?”
Banana: *SPIT*
Me: “Banana, time to halter”
Banana: *SPIT*

As for the goats, Banana tolerated them at best. So I thought, let’s get her a friend! Preferring one that could be handled and NOT get covered in spit – enter Peaches-N-Cream. “Peach” is everything opposite Banana, and she was perfect too. She had a cria in fall of 2019, but we unfortunately lost him to unseen defects within a few weeks. I bawled my eyes out. It sucked. So what else to do other than get another adult llama? I mean, I had planned food for winter for three of them, right? In comes Star Fawn Princess – or just Princess. She is a gorgeous girl, kinda a mix between Peach and Banana in attitude, and thankfully no spit. She is perfect too.

That brings us to 2020. Crazy year! And we are still growing at BFF. We moved our llamas to a new pasture that took us all winter to cut trees out of. New pasture, new shelter. Well how about more llamas! Enter Sweet Kisses and Cloud. Both are perfect! Llama-land is quickly becoming a favorite place for everyone. More goats added, a Turkey named Scott is added- who is a serious favorite of Aubrey. And GOOD GOD more chickens added!
I’ve got big plans for the next year! I am hoping they work out like I’m thinking, but if not I’m certain something else crazy will happen here and some new creature will join us.

One more thing you need to know about us. Well, me in particular, but Aubrey is reaching my level quickly. We are cat people. Yes I will completely OWN the crazy cat lady title! My mini-me is right after in my footsteps (so PROUD!! *wiping tears of joy from eyes*). Now, there are three things you need to understand.
1. I am a sucker for anything cat.
2. I did cat rescue for many years with a local group and ended up with a lot of feral cats here that would have been put down. I also got a ton of experience with that group that has helped me immensely in taking care of our cats.
3. I have a lot of cats that mysteriously show up at our place. Not “mysteriously” (air quotes), but for real mysteriously. Dozens of them. I get everybody fixed and vaccinated. If they are friendly I try to find them a good home. If not well fine. Stay and eat here. Just be nice.
Gossip clearly spreads quickly in the cat world by us, as each year the number of strays that show up here never lets up. And now I have a pile of cats. (refer back to number 1.)
So that’s our story sofar! What else do you want to hear from me about? I’d love to hear your comments!!