HAPPY FIRST GOATIVERSARY TO ME!!! Its been just one brief yet unbelievably-long year since I first brought goats home. I know; it seems inconceivable, even to me. And Ive packed a lot into that one little year: Ive learned about the basic care of goats; how to trim hooves and administer injections both subcutaneous and intramuscular; how to draw blood from the jugular vein; how to clip a goat for show; how to handle a goat in the show ring; the ins and outs of breeding; how to know if your doe is pregnant and when on earth she might kid (any day now); how to bottle feed; how to have goats appraised; kidding prep; how to milk; separating boys from girls. Its a lot to pack into one year, but theres more to come. Next, helping with kidding (insofar as is necessary and advisable), post-natal care and the care of newborns, and milk testing will be big in my second year. A great deal more of the same; at the beginning of my second year, my herd is fully three times the size of the herd with which I started. I have a bit of a problem, you see. It seems a propitious time to send out my thank yous, which are many and heartfelt. I began this journey hopeful and utterly ignorant; I am now slightly-less ignorant, in no small part to the people listed below, who have been relentlessly generous and kid: AnnMarie Keenan: The first of my goat Anns is my go-to goat library, my boots-on-the-ground resource for all things goat. No question is too stupid that it does not receive a prompt, voluminous, edifying, panic-reducing response. No worry is too small that it is not answered by a personal visit with hands laid on the goat in question. Her presence at my first shows helped to me feel that I have friends in the community; she introduced me to the herd at which I had our Young Livestock Appraisal done; she brought me the kefir grains I didnt know I needed. In short, AnnMarie ROCKS, yo. Annelise Wood Rebel Wood Heritage Breeds: The second of my goat Anns was introduced to me by (who else) AnnMarie, when I was looking for a date for Storm; Annelise owns the gorgeous Dragonfly SB Gjaller. When I drove up to see them this past February, I had no idea I would be meeting the woman who would become my goat sister. She has a head start on me in goats, but are learning together, and our friendship is so precious to me. It is through her generosity (and her husband Bretts) that our family is enjoying fresh goat milk every day, through the loan of Sissy. I dont believe I could let our baby buck Dodger go anywhere else. Joanne Karohl of Dragonfly Farm: The third of my goat Anns is actually the first, the one who has made it all possible. Poor Joanne! What must she have thought when I attacked her with my long introductory email, vowing that she would be my mentor and I her eager student! I dont know how we made it through those first months until I came to pick up our first three girls; she handled my combination of anxious inquisitiveness and blind ignorance with aplomb and patience. Please believe me when I confess that I started from ZERO, and it is only through a near-constant barrage of emails that Joanne has slowly educated me on the very basics. And that doesnt even begin to take into account the fineness of my goats. I didnt exactly throw a dart at the internet, but it was a risk to so completely commit myself to a single breeder, with the little knowledge I had. I am so thrilled I did. To talk to Joanne at a show, to have her describe what she sees when she looks at a goat...its Goat U at its finest. A year later, I have five breeding does, one retired goat governess, and two delicious bucklings, all because of Joanne. I hope it doesnt seem melodramatic when I say that I had crashed and burned a few years ago from the devastation of my first act; I lived a couple of years where I didnt know how I would get through each day. And, then...goats. I know, I know; it sounds simplistic, but there it is. My second act. Thanks to my goat ladies who make it possible, with a special shout-out to Nicole, my goat neighbour, who was there the day NickNick was injured at only six weeks of age, and whos advice sent us in the direction of his treatment, fifteen minutes to the close of work hours on a Saturday afternoon. In comments, I am posting pics of the first three girls, soon after they came to us. Thanks to all of your for following along. I dont think I could do it without this page.
Posted on: Sun, 27 Jul 2014 15:13:26 +0000
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