2011 Goat kids

You keep your kids in the barn? It was nice of you to let the goats visit them. :)

Congratulations – they are very cute and it’s good to know all went well with the birthings. Does this make you a goat granny?

-- Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves. - Thoreau

They are so cute! Do you keep them for pets, meat, grazing (mowing lawn) or any of those reasons? I heard they are very invasive, do you have trouble keeping them from eating your crops? Sorry for the silly questions, you know I don’t know anything about these darling lil’ guys ;)

-- Alynxia**** It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. 'The Buddha'****

Very cute. I can see why you and your sons get so attached to them.

-- jroot ....... Southern Ontario .......... grow zone 5A ...................."Gardening is an exercise in optimism." ....... . . Author Unknown

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwww wwwwwww
adorable babes.
great photos
and—“Athena, you are a SWEETIE”.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Those are some seriously cute little babies. Triplets is a boat load of babies. Do you have to supplement their feedings? That momma must have looked like a barrel with little legs. Was she wider then she was tall? It would be hard to deny these babies access to the back porch, but they’d be on the window sill before you could blink.

Congrats Granny Nanny.

-- Margaret, Eagle Creek, Oregon. A garden is never finished.

Very cute. I am however confused. You state that your “doe just had babies,” so I’m expecting photos of cute baby deer, but Pam tells me that these are cute little goats. So are goats called does??? I always remember (from Mary Poppins) that “doe – a deer – a female deer….” You can understand this small town boys perplexed state.

To be fair, you do later talk about your goats in the posting, but in my mind you have a small petting farm filled with deer, goats, chickens and Lord knows what else. Someday we are coming to visit!!

Befuddled in Florida

-- Pam grows 'em - I cook 'em...... Melbourne, Fl

Me too. I must come for a visit. Actually, my wife and I are heading to Mass. in late March to see my sister, and then on to NYC for a few days. From your place, where is the nearest train to NYC?

-- jroot ....... Southern Ontario .......... grow zone 5A ...................."Gardening is an exercise in optimism." ....... . . Author Unknown

Thank you for coming to admire my kids. I am pretty fond of them, as you can probably tell. : )

Alynxia, the primary reason I bought our first goats was for the milk. They are dairy goats and their milk tastes incredible. I personally think it tastes a little like ice cream. : ) They have reduced our mowing, although goats are browsers rather than grazers, meaning that they prefer to eat tree branches, shrubs and tall grasses rather than short grass like sheep or cows do. I also have found that their winter bedding/manure has done wonders for my gardens. And of course they have become pets. They are such gentle, intelligent, curious and affectionate animals, how could they not?

Margaret, Gaea was indeed a barrel on legs. With these goats (Nigerian Dwarf), three is a normal litter size, especially if the doe has kidded previously, so I do not need to supplement their feedings. All three kids are thriving. Sometimes with this breed, does will have up to six kids at a time. She did it all herself, without any help. Goats are really incredible animals. The more I am around them, the more I love them.

Harold, the names for goats are the same for deer, e.g. doe and buck. Sorry for the confusion. : )

Jroot – the closest major train stations to us that also go to NYC would be Boston and Worcester. You can send me a PM and we can work out what is best for you. It would be wonderful if you, your wife and sister could come visit.

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

Too bad they have to grow up ;-(( This was my 2nd farorite time of year when I was a kid on the farm. Awesome kids you have there !!

Wonderful pictures, RFG!! But then you have such cute subjects….both the two legged and the four legged ones. :)

These little kids are really beautiful….so colourful and cuddley. They look like they are going to be great pets. How many do you have in your herd now?

Robin, thanks for sharing you wonderful pictures with us.

-- 'To plant a Garden is to believe in Tomorrow'

Wonderful pictures! A sign that Spring is just around the corner. We thought about goats but there are too many predators here. The yaks are larger than goats and can handle all the predators with their horns plus they like the cold and won’t use a barn. Your children are lucky to have so many animals with whom to share their love.

-- MtnMystic, Colorado, www.MysticTranch.com

Tsurvivor, I think my goats are great as adults too. Although Gaea has really settled down and become gentle and quiet, Houdini and Hestia have retained their sense of playfulness and continue to make me laugh with their antics. What was your favorite time on the farm growing up?

Thank you, Iris and MtnMystic. We are up to six now. I won’t be able to keep them all because I don’t have enough land to keep them all pastured and healthy if I keep too many. I am hoping to find a good home for one of the bucklings and the doeling. MtnMystic, it makes sense to choose livestock that will thrive where you live. The yaks are wonderful too, even if they are a bit too too big to sit in your lap. : )

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

Robin they are soooo cute.What a great experience for the boys to see and be with them from day one.Love the names you all picked out too.Thanks to your pictures spring just feels so much closer.

-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more

Pheasant season was #1. When school started, it was just around the corner. Made being in school on those hot SEpt days worthwhile to get there;-)

Robin thanks for sharing these nice pictures. All my questions have been answered above. But one more query. Here on most of the goat farms common salt bags are hung to poles for easy access to the goats. And I have observed the goats do come and lick the salt whenever they want. Is this practice followed on your farm also?

Sharad

-- Bagwan-- “If someone feels that they had never made a mistake in their life, then it means they have never tried a new thing in their life”.-Albert Einstein

Bon and Sharad, I am glad you enjoyed the photos. Sharad, we offer the goats a mineral block that they can nibble on whenever they need it. It has salts and minerals that the goats may not be able to get from the hay and limited grain they eat. In particular, our area has a copper deficiency, so I need to make sure I get the mineral block that has copper.

T-Survivor, I enjoy the stories of your childhood. I can just imagine how excited you would be for pheasant season.

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

Spending time in my youth at my Aunt’s small farm there were many animals around, including goats. One year, one of the kids became a bit of a family pet and was let in the house. That only lasted until it learned how to get up on the dining table.

My wife aparently had a little goat as a pet when she was young too, and it too was let in the house. But that only lasted until her mother caught them sharing the same bowl of breakfast cereal under the table. What’s with the moms and the table thing, huh?

Goats are great, and yours are cute as they come, Farmer Gal.

-- There's a box?

Joel, we generally don’t let our goats into the house but when I was in California this fall, this is what my loving husband sent to me to assure me that he, the house and livestock were all doing well.

It also reminds me that President Lincoln’s boys, Willie and Tad had a pet goat who lived in the White House and was known to sleep on Tad’s bed.

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

Your hubby has a good sense of humour.Love the picture. (lol)

-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more

WE never had livestock in the house when I ws growing up except for ;-)) one winiter it didn’t get above “0” F for a month. A couiple of cows calved during that period. My dad built a pen for them in the didning room, put straw down and in they came for a couple days. I doubt if they would have lived long enough to get dried off he he hadn’t. Mom worked 3 – 11 in OB at the hospital. She was a bit surprised the first time ;-))

WHat a fabulous story, TopamaxSurvivor. We sometimes have to do the extraordinary to protect the weak and innocent.

Love the photo, Radicalfarmergal.

-- jroot ....... Southern Ontario .......... grow zone 5A ...................."Gardening is an exercise in optimism." ....... . . Author Unknown

I forgot to comment on that photot. I love it too ;-))

that’s hilarious!!!

in our area there was a farmer who let his pigs and chickens wander in and out of his house as they pleased. Not sure how the Mrs. agreed to that but anyway, at one point he decided to build a new house (according to the stories told) and she agreed but with one stipulation – no animals inside.
There is a new house on the farm. It appears that there are new pig pens as well.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

I can’t imagine having hogs in the house :-(( pee yew ;-(( It doesn’t take very many to raise a awful smell a mile down wind!! ;-((

free-ranging probably was less aromatic – the manure isn’t contained in one area :)

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Glad you all liked the photo. I prefer to keep our animals in the barn but as T-survivor mentioned, there are times when the young or sick may have to come into the house for warmth.

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

Goats need love too! And maybe once in a while a candle light dinner with the good china.

-- There's a box?

Yeah, complete with gourmet alfalfa on oats with a splash of wine.

T-survivor, I think Houdini prefers a good beer. : )

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

I considerred that, but I was afraid everyone would think I was cheap ;-)

Cheap? Naaaaaaa….

-- There's a box?

Great responses, guys! Joel, why don’t you get a few chicks for your backyard? A few hens don’t take up much space and I think you and your children would really enjoy them.

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

So would Samson & Delilah, our pit mix pups (for lunch, that is). Someone in the neighborhood has chickens, and I can hear a couple crowing at all hours of the night, so my wife might have issues with that – I can sleep through anything but the pitter-patter of my daughter’s feet on the carpet.

-- There's a box?

Joel, Samson and Delilah might make raising hens tough and of course you should keep your wife happy. : )

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

Indeed.

-- There's a box?

too cute,, looks like you have your hands full, we are going to try goats again, we are going to need it for the petting zoo that will go along with teh pumpkin farm,, we had pygmy goats, 2 males,, I thought that as long as they didnt have does around to excite them they wouldnt be so smelly,, boy was I wrong,,

they were cute as a button, but the smell of just the 2 bucks was overwhelming,, in the barn,, we found a good home for thema nd they and happy and breeding now,,

I now know either females or wheters,, probably get females, then I can send them away for a few weeks and have them bred,

good luck with your kids, pat

LOL I love the pic of your hubby with his side-kick at supper! What a great sense of humour he has. :)

-- 'To plant a Garden is to believe in Tomorrow'

Robin, which one is your husband?

-- Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves. - Thoreau

Oh, Steve you are wicked! And yes, Iris. He has a wonderful sense of humor. I am lucky.

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

Steve,

I am the one with the facial hair.

- Chuck

-- "...and the flowers bloom like madness in the spring."

well that helps, now, doesn’t it!

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Got it Chuck. So you’re the one drinking the beer!

-- Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves. - Thoreau

Sharad asked for an updated photo of the 2011 goat kids. We have already found a good home for them, but here are two photos we took just before they left for their new home:

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

haha they are SO cute.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

They are adorable Too bad they grow up ;-((

Robin the young goats are looking very cute. It is interesting to watch their coat patterns and other genetic markers.

Sharad

-- Bagwan-- “If someone feels that they had never made a mistake in their life, then it means they have never tried a new thing in their life”.-Albert Einstein

TMS – the secret is to find them a new home before they grow up : )

Sharad – As you said in your interview, genetics is a very interesting science. The Nigerian Dwarf Goat (NDG) is a relatively new American breed. It is based upon the West African Dwarf Goat which was thought to have been brought to the Unites States in the 1800s but shipments in the 1930s and 1940s also have been documented. These first goats that came over were probably black, but now black is the recessive gene in this breed. These goats were crossed with with other goats and the genetic markers from some of these crosses can be found in the coloring in NDG kids. For example, the moons spots on sees on the NDGs probably come from the Nubian and the Chamoisee color is the base color for the Oberhasli Alpine breed. This information came from my goat mentor, Pat Garland Stewart, in her book Personal Milkers: A Primer to Nigerian Dwarf Goats. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in having this breed, particularly if they are interested in milk production.

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

Robin for some reason I can’t see the pictures at the top of this blog anymore.

-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more

They don’t show up for me either. I have asked Debbie to look into it. Thank you for letting me know that you were having the same problem. I had been blaming the delay on my archaic computer.

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

I thought they might be on photobucket or some other site that expired??

Thank you for your suggestion, TMS. Project photos are uploaded directly onto the GT site so it has to be something else.

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

Are the pictures saved on your computer or camera? Have you made any change to them?

Sharad

-- Bagwan-- “If someone feels that they had never made a mistake in their life, then it means they have never tried a new thing in their life”.-Albert Einstein

The link on GT is incorrect. If you right-click (in Firefox) on one of the pictures and choose “view image info”, you see:
http://gardentenders.com/images/.png

Notice that the file name for the image is empty, just ”.png”.

In contrast, an image from another project that works correctly will be something like:
http://gardentenders.com/assets/pictures/projects/4935-97x65.jpg?1315154269

I am just guessing, but perhaps at one time the GT project pictures moved from the “images” folder to the “assets/pictures/projects” folder and the links for this project were not properly updated.

-- "...and the flowers bloom like madness in the spring."