What Is It About A Goat?

I never grow tired of this scene. Right now, today I look out the office window and see a similar view (as the one from this summer photo). My girls are gathered around, soaking in some December sun. Some are chewing their cud, some just curled up for a nap, some are playfully butting heads. Most are motionless, obviously very relaxed. And I consider them beautiful.

What is it about a goat? Why do I feel compelled to allow the warm goat kisses on my nose each day? Why do I stand still hoping for the daily nibble on my nose, or the sniffing of my neck? Why do their friendly, inquisitive eyes draw me in?

We raise boer and dairy goats. Amongst the dairy, the nubians outrank by numbers. This admission can cause silent, and not so silent wars amongst "goat people," but I'll openly admit that my favorites are the nubian does, especially the nubian doelings.

I bottle raise every dairy kid born on our farm. My original dreams were to open a commercial dairy operation. I have not given up on that thought, however, for now, the Ohio red tape is daunting, and I am satisfied with using fresh milk in my soap, lotion, and cheese. I then have just enough milk for the dairy kids and the few boer kids that happen along and need human intervention. With all of this being said, dairy kids tend to adopt the human parent, the one that provides the feedings, especially the nubian kids. They can be quite noisey, with some of their "Mawwww" bellows, but I certainly do not mind. They are a special animal. Loyal as in pets (trailing behind like a loving dog), yet graceful and beautiful as in a deer, and silly as in no other species!

Am I in love? Yes! Am I blessed? Yes! Even in these challenging times, I find ways to make sure the goats stay. I try to take each one and hold them to a purpose. They have a job to do, each and every one of them, and for me the job extends out to a daily dose of caring for the animals that I love.