My new adventure with goats

I'm a little embarrassed to say that its been a year and a half since I've done any updating on my blog.  But here's to a new day.

We have miniature goats.  They're adorable and so full of personality.  Every day I learn something new (like how on earth did they get through the fence this time?)  Goats are escape artists.  And Nanny isn't that small.  Well, technically she is.  She's a Pygmy but she can limbo like a champ.  I watched her shimmy under a portion of fence that was loose.  She really, really wanted to get to the other side because, well, she can.


It all started when we found ourselves in this beautiful little town of Gunlock.  Sweetie and I were feeling adventurous and bought two Pygmy goats thinking that they would mow the pasture for us.  Yeah, right.  We're noobs.  We still are after over two years but I have my favorite blogs (my list is below) and Facebook pages that teach me new things every day.

Last year our herd grew with the addition of a little family of Nigerian dwarf goats - Pearl, Frank and Stinky Pete.  Again being clueless, we decided to let Ninny and Nanny, our pygmies, have a little social call with Stinky Pete.  Now this is July, mind you, and if we had thought through this at all, we would have realized that December probably wasn't the best time to have two new sets of triplets. 

We worked hard to make sure their barn was draft free and warm, and thankfully, everything went smoothly.  We walked outside one morning to check on them and it took a good full minute to register that there were three of the most adorable brand new baby goats wobbling around Nanny.  Baby Goats!!!!  Ninny had her three days later.

Two months later, Pearl is standing outside with a new baby.  Wha.....  Pearl was pregnant???  Well.  Egg and our faces are in alignment.  BUT, Buttercup is the cutest, sweetest, most adorable little thing in the world!!!

So now we have twelve.  On one acre.  Yikes.  Twelve is too many.

Nanny, buckling, buckling, doeling

Ninny, buckling, buckling, buckling

(Five new boys and only one girl?  Come on!)

Pearl, Frank, Buttercup

Stinky Pete.

So we sell four little bucklings, and give the last buckling and Frank to Sweetie's sister.  She loves goats and has an acre too.

Down to six.  That's better.  My ultimate goal is to have a little dairy and make cheese.

My "go to" sites
http://www.weedemandreap.com/raising-goats-milking-goats/ (Great play on words, by the way)
http://fiascofarm.com/goats/
http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/
http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/start

Do you have goats?  I'd love to have you share your stories with me!