raise goats

I AM PLANNING TO START A GOAT FARM ASSISTANCE REQUIRED FROM EXPERIENCED PERSON

This weekend I made it a point to go out to the farm and meet Ms. Bossy Toes. There is no doubt in my mind that I have picked the right goat for me. She is a nubian goat and absolutely gorgeous. She is incredibly friendly and I can tell that this woman spoils all her goats as well.

From horse treats to constant petting, this woman loves her goats. She was very knowledgeable and was willing to answer all my questions.

I didn’t get to see Bossy’s baby because she had let her grandkids take it home and bottle raise it. Bossy was crying and bleeting for her young one which means that she is definately a good mother and will make a good mother in the future.

I’ve started preparing myself for bossy and have picked up 14 lawn timbers to start with her fencing. I took my mother to the farm with me and she fell in love with all the goats as well.

Occassionally, like twice a year, my husband and I have to be gone for weekend, visiting his family a couple hours a way. My mother has agreed to come over and milk Bossy and take care of her during those times so I won’t have to worry about her.

I still have a lot to do to get ready for her, but I can’t wait. Here is a picture of my baby and I hope you all enjoy.

Her name is Ms. Bossy Toes. She’s 19 months old and just had her first kid. The kid will be leaving at the end of the month and Bosssy will be coming home to us.

Bossy was raised as an inside “Pet” goat for the first year of her life in the mountains. She has since had to move to Fayetteville and lived out in pasture with those of her own kind. She loves people, children, and camera’s.

She is very well priced and because she’s only about 20 miles away from me, I know she will be climatized already to my area. I am so looking forward to our new addition and the lady that is selling her is so knowlegable, and caring. She has given me a wealth of information so far and said I can come and visit Bossy real soon..

As I am starting back to work in a about 10 days, I will have to do it quickly. I can’t wait and hope to take some pictures to add to this website. So Excited!

I was saving money to purchase our first goat, and my husband sent me off to Tiger Direct this week end to buy parts for 2 computers. So needless to say the money is gone. I was very upset at teh whole thing, but my husband only has this one vice and he only wants something once every 2 years or so. Unfortunately, because this is once every 2 years, it’s a lot of money all at once. That’s okay though, because now that he is satisfied for a couple years, I can really get started and get my goat. I’m still looking forward to not spending all that money in milk anymore.

More updates to come.

My husband has been talking for about a year now about owning a goat farm and making money of it. About three months ago he started taking it seriously. I need a project over the summer and this became the new “THING”. So I don’t own any goats yet, but I have found 3 goat farms in a 10 mile radius from my house.

I have bought several books on both Dairy and meat goats and have probably done about 20 hours worth of research on them.

Because of deed restrictions on this land, I can’t have more than one goat. I can only get away with one because it can be considered an outside pet and not simply a farm animal. So my husband and I are saving money up to start putting up a small fence in the back yard and we are going to start with a Nanny Dairy goat.

When we finally move out onto our own land, we will simply take her with us. In the mean time, she will become part of the family, help control the massive amount of brush growing in my back yard, and provide my family hopefully with a gallon of fresh milk a day.

Just the goat milk alone will save me almost $120 a month. I have 5 kids and go through almost a gallon of milk a day. So within a month, I figure she will have definately paid for herself.

I plan on giving updates on our progress and can’t wait to add our newest addition to the house.

yup. for cheese!

Milk,Cheese,Butter

a giving garbage disposal

Goats are sooo much fun to raise. They’re ridiculously funny and definately full of personality. I love my goats!

I am milking 3 LaManchas twice a day and am just thrilled with all the milk. I am fixing to make cheese and soap, I have been freezing milk, making yogurt and pudding, the dogs are fat on milk, we are healthy on milk and this is the way things should be on the farm! I can’t recommend the LaMancha breed enough. Sweet temperments, willing dispositions and over a gallon to a gallon and a half each a day for 8 to 10 months out of the year. I love goat milk!