This is the time of year where the grass is growing explosively and the sun is shining. The kind of days that make me so very thankful to be where we are. I get to watch the kids grow and the momma goats take care of them so tenderly. One of my favorite things is to look out the window in my living room and see all of my goats happily grazing out in the field. You can ask my husband any time I see them out there is a huge smile on my face and I call him over to go look at them too. Then we stand there side by side enjoying the beautiful sight that is our home, our herd and our life that we are building together.
This is also the season where I get to spend more time with my goats traveling around to shows, preparing them and clipping them and simply enjoying the better weather together. This is also the season where our kids are finding their new homes. This year all of our kids found loving homes without me having to advertise them, which is a blessing to me as I care deeply about where my kids end up. I do not take breeding my does lightly. I understand they are sacrificing themselves to produce these kids. Pregnancy is hard on their bodies, lactation is a major strain of energy and kidding is perhaps one of the single most dangerous things a goat could do. Not only does her life hang in the balance but her unborn kids lives do as well. That is why it is so hard for me to accept when I see kids at a local auction selling for a pittance. I know that this is a needed outlet for people that cannot keep or find good homes for all of the kids born on their farm but it is not an outlet I am willing to use. I only breed a few does each year as a morale obligation to myself. I want to produce high quality kids that go to homes where they will be cared for as preciously as any goat deserves. I also want to care for all of the goats on my property for their lifetime, because I believe I owe that to them for their years of service to me and our farm.
If you cannot tell when goats leave for their new homes it gives me significant anxiety, as I really desire for them to have good homes and I do not want to add the amount of unwanted animals out there to increase. That is just to emphasize that I try very hard to review the homes that my kids go to in order to do my best to provide them a wonderful life. I hope you are all out there enjoying the warmer weather and the sun along with those bouncing baby goats! Happy Goating!
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