What do you like most about raising goats?

Milking in the cold... milking in the rain (they are under roof, but I have to walk to the barn).....milking at 6 in the a.m. when it is COLD....cleaning a stinky goat shed in the high heat of summer....flies.....tripping over goats while cleaning out the stinky goat shed.... having my shoelaces untied and chewed off while cleaning out the stinky goat shed....I must like all that cuz I am still doing it!

Soft nuzzly goat kisses after milking (although I know one day one of my does is gonna bite my ear off), a warm side to lean against when it is cold...a captive audience when I break into singing whatever pops into my head....watching them drift off into nirvana while I scratch cheeks.... and of course the way the barn smells...after it is cleaned!

And the milk... that feeds my children while the goats feed my soul......

Great reading! Keep 'em coming!

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Jim Steele
Sweetpea Farms
"To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing." -- Robert Gates

for me its the bond, i go outside and they are calling me and this is going to sound weird but since i have mostly babies i guess i sort of feel like their momma! they are just so sweet and loving... and i thinks it so cute when my son goes and tries to feed them and all they want to do is play with him!

I love my goats because they are very forgiving. I'm not going to say the unconditionally love me... My goats get rather upset with me if I make them pull the cart or do other work, give them shots, etc... but they always forgive me. Now, I'm in high school so having somewhere to go when it feels like the world hates you is really nice... Babies fall asleep in your lap and your best friends all wander over to get a scritching or to lick your face, hehe. Plus they're smarter than my dogs and I always tell dad when he calls my goats 'stupid' that most of them walk better on a leash than his dog does, and of the fact that the dog doesn't listen to anyone, while the goats are all well mannered. He has yet to come up with a good retort to that.

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Dona Barski

"Breed the best, eat the rest"

Caprice Acres

French and American Alpines. CAE, Johnes neg herd. Abscess free. LA, DHIR.

Everything everyone else has said here PLUS that the goats and sheep help me in my attempts to be a better human.

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Goat milk soap & Wool products
www.littlemeadowsfarm.net
http://littlemeadowsfarms.blogspot.com/

I call the goats my "out-patient therapy".
1. resting against the barn wall, sitting in the fresh straw and listening to the evening settling sounds of the group as they cud and talk when heavily pregger-bonus if it's raining out and everyone is snug and dry with the sounds of rain on the barn roof; and Jim, you're right, the smell, the smell, the smell...it is the smell of living creatures, amazing.
2. standing at the pasture fence in that late "green" light time of day, just watching the goats who've all moved out to the back of their pasture for one last round after hay (dessert) and before bedtime, their white bodies against that awesome green/yellow/dusk color( it just absolutely sends me and I wish I could bottle that feeling)...
3. the slick hot wet heat of a new baby kerplopping into my lap, no matter doe or buck or how many times I've seen it before- a total rush every time.
4. standing out in the pen with the goats and having one come up and lip your hand or shirt or whatever...those prehensile lips that some of them have....wow.

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Joan Crandell
Wild Iris Farm
"Fair"- the other 4 letter F word." This epiphany came after almost 10 days straight at our county fair.

Their sweet smell.
Delivery of new kids.
The way my goats talk to me when I come into sight.
The way the big "tough" boss doe's tail wags when she sees a wrapper that might just have a cookie, cracker or other goodie in it.
Sitting in the middle of the barn on a cold evening and listening to cud chewing.
The way they lean into a good scratch.
They love me know matter what I look like or how I have behaved that day.
The big huge buck who stands there looking so impressive till he opens his mouth and squeaks, "naaa".

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Emily Dixon
Ozark Jewels
Nubians & Lamanchas
www.ozarkjewels.net

"Remember, no man is a failure, who has friends" -Clarence

I love the way they greet me as well.
How the wether puts his head on my shoulder and makes little moaning noises.
How my bottle baby cries "mi mi", and when she does not get an immediate answer screams " MA MA " when she looks for me.
How their ears fly when they run to me.
How they look so goofy when you give them a good scratching and their upper lips curls.
I also like that they eat my weeds and poo easy clean pellets instead of big cow pies.
I find it funny when Midnight aka MiMi head butts goats and dogs that get to close to her "mom".



Gail you are never ignored. I think you have a wicked sense of humor, since I have one too I can appreciate it, plus you love spotted goats too!

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You may not copy my posts or pictures without my consent on this board or any other.

Have you ever tried to pound a nail or screw in a screw with a goat next to you? It can be very flusterating.

I love interacting with the goats. Watching them and observing their behavior. The favorite phrase we have about our goats is "we will never understand goats". I love spending time in the pen with them, looking them over, looking for potential problems. I try to communicate with them. I certainly talk to them. I love watching them run around the field and seeing their ears flap. The kids tend to run around in a group and that is funny to watch.

The kids, and just sitting with the goats. I like when they try to sit in your lap, even though they dont exactly fit. And dont forget goat kisses! Goats have soft lips, and they like to lick your hands.

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Abby
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Unless life also hands you sugar and water, your lemonade is going to suck.

What is there NOT to love about them? I Love it all.

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Raising Beautiful Cashmere goats, to produce the best quality cashmere.
www.freewebs.com/sweetgoats
Lori

The way they made our property come alive. I wish we had discovered goats earlier in life, but we will never be goatless again. I like the feeling of these special creatures needing to be cared for & how blessed I am to get to do it.

I can't think of anything not to love, either!

~The way my smallest kid falls asleep in my lap with his head stretched up on my chest...all the better to kiss on him and stroke his nose.
~That delicious warm goaty smell...mmm.
~Tidy, neat berries instead of, say, the incredible mess of waterfowl. And mulch for the garden, too!
~The relaxing feeling watching them look into the distance and chew cud.
~Watching them leap off the picnic table and do a half-twist, just because they can.
~The way they come running whenever they see me, but especially if I look like I might pick a few sweetgum leaves that are just out of their reach.
~Having them lean into me and snuggle up while we listen to rain on the barn roof.

I wanted goats for years and knew I'd love them. And I do.

Dona Barski, my wife grew up on a diary farm, and the barn was her refuge as a teen. She still tells about going in there when it was cold winter outside, feeling th heat of the cows, and listening to them chew their cuds. It's a good and comforting place when you are trying to figure things out. She spent a lot of time there. Thanks for sharing.

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Jim Steele
Sweetpea Farms
"To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing." -- Robert Gates

I agree with ALL the posts. It's the smells, the love they give, the gentle sweetness, the silliness. The wisdom of old goats, the wonder of new.
I did think of one more thing I look forward to each year. As kidding time draws near, it's going out to the barn to do a middle of the night baby check. The cold winter air, the clear starry night...so beautiful, so calming...
then the joy of standing in the middle of the barn just listening...I have nubians. As time gets close all the pregnant does hum. I sometimes just flip over a bucket and sit, eyes closed listening, to each doe humming her own individaul lullaby to her unborn kids. Ah, life is good...
susie, mo ozarks

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"My darling girl, when are you going to understand that "normal" is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage."
http://www.agesagoacresnubians.com/

ahhhhhhhh... I had forgotten about the Nubian humsong.... It's so peaceful to hear them singing their momsongs...

And I LOVE the "well, happy birthday my beloved" babycooing the does give when they are cleaning their newly born babies... (and the licks on the forehead and arms we get when we are helping)....

I remember sitting in the big pole barn when I was little listening to the cows chewing their cuds and lowing at their babies... Best times EVER. (The only thing better was my own baby...)

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Radically conservatively un-biased liberal.

http://whitepinesoapworks.com/

Gailann, DW the Herbalist would go crazy over as much stinging nettle as you describe. Really powerful herb, good for what both ails goats and humans, too! She actually grows a patch here.

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Jim Steele
Sweetpea Farms
"To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing." -- Robert Gates

LOL. ONE year I decided to use the belly mower on the Allis B and mow them down? When they were 5+ ft tall?

Yeah. It's ROPE. They use stinging nettle fibers for weaving CLOTHING for God's sake.

It took me quite some time to cut it off... Now I use a hand weed whip instead. Gas powered gums up with the fiber as well...

The llama eats the tops and seed head off... The goats eat the rest when I cut it down.

When I initially realized it had taken over? 12 ft tall. I'm not kidding. I tried to use it to make cheese, but couldn't get the concentration correct...

Neat stuff, but it sure takes over...

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Radically conservatively un-biased liberal.

http://whitepinesoapworks.com/

Once it wilts, it loses the sting. That is a tremendous herb to be feeding your goats. It's nutritious, it'll prevent an armfull of stuff and it'll save you a lot of doctoring. And it ain't bad for you, either. The dried leaves make a medicinal tea that is not bad tasting to my palate.

That stuff is also worth some money to folks like Frontier, if you have that much of it.

DW has the BS in clinical herbalism, not me, so she knows all about whatall it'll do. I just know the goats love it. And I drink my tea when ordered. LOL.

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Jim Steele
Sweetpea Farms
"To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing." -- Robert Gates