Breeding Goats VS Family Use and sort of off topic Farm names

AlyCarm · #41 12/02/08, 11:52 AM

Around here we were jokingly called Carmichael's Ark, b/c we had rabbits, chickens, turkeys, horses, cows, goats, a llama, pigs, pheasants, and dogs and cats. We had to sell everything when we moved, but once we get a place of our own, I will be "starting over" and hopefully adding sheep to the "list". Probably go with something like "Anchor T Bar Ark" (our cattle brand) Or Anchor T Farms... not sure which.
A friend of mine has Tiger Lilly Lanes as a name. Her road is just a number... or it might not even be numbered, she is so far in the boonies.

Katgowen · #42 12/02/08, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goat Servant

Say Katgowen what are they singing about? Is this the same song Dr John sings?

I am not sure who Dr John is. This is a kids song(ITS REALLY OLD) that I used to teach my kids what the animals say. It goes like this Old McDonald had a farm and on his farm he had a chicken eieio with a bock bock here and a bock bock there and a bock bock everwhere eieio and on his farm he had a cow eieieo with a moo moo here and a moo moo there and a moo moo everywhere. Anyways you get the idea, you keep listing the animals on a farm and what they say; my kids LOVE THIS SONG.

AlyCarm · #43 12/02/08, 01:17 PM

Doesn't everyone know that song?! Wow, I assumed it was a popular song.

Minelson · #44 12/02/08, 03:47 PM

I know that song....VERY WELL!

I would think everyone would know the Old Mcdonald song LOL

Goat Servant · #45 12/02/08, 07:30 PM

Boy was I way off on that one! Somehow I read Eiko (sp) and couldnt figger out how Old McDonald got in it, just goes to show my brain isnt working very well today Gee wheres that frying pan

chewie · #46 12/03/08, 10:34 AM

whoa vicki! that was soooome tale! you are one tough cookie, hats of to you!!! and thanks for sharing it!!

copperhead46 · #47 12/03/08, 03:35 PM

I grew up on my granma's farm and when we had to move I always knew someday I'd be back. I married and got a small farm back, just raised goats for milking and had a few cows and of course horses. After my husband passed away, I bought a bigger place and went into the Dexter cattle, and recently deceided that I wanted goats again. I now have 9 does and a buck, plus my Dexters, and lots of chickens, and of course, horses !!!
I called my ranch, New Day Ranch, because I realized that every day I wake up, it's a new day, and another chance to get it right.

Katgowen · #48 12/05/08, 09:37 AM

what great stories; I love it. Keep them coming and I'll let you know if I come up with any more names and or when I pick one. In my family every thing has to have a name; we even name the cars and stuff.

Katgowen · #49 12/13/08, 09:40 AM

DH thinks I am nuts for naming our little piece of property; he didn't like any of the ones I came up with and the ones he came up with are already taken. So I guess I will just have to keep thinking of names.

Katgowen · #50 12/14/08, 06:56 PM

We have what I call a pond and my DH calls a wet spot on our property; while wandering around the other day, I also found a small creek, its sort of sandy down there and so I am thinking of sandy creek farms.

Katgowen · #51 12/27/08, 12:42 PM

We have settled on Sandy Creek Farm; Thank you for all your thoughts and stories.

Qvrfullmidwife · #52 12/27/08, 11:25 PM

We started out wanting to be able to get milk and to show. Our first goats were bought with that in mind, looking for show stock that would milk. Knowing that we were going to be breeding we knew that we would need a herd name. We chose Swede farm, after a relative whose nicname was "swede". (story and pics at http://www.swedefarm.com/arvid.html)

After slightly less than 4 years of showing and milking my father was found to be terminally ill. He asked if we would be willing to provide hospice care in our home. We agreed. My dh took a leave of absence from his work, knowing that adding a dying father to caring for the animals and homeschooling and midwifery was way more than I could handle. Although his boss (small family owned firm) was too small to be legally bound to the family medical leave act they assured him that his job was waiting for him when he was ready. It was hard, financially, but what else could we do?

Well, my father passed away and my dh called up his employer and was told "oh, sorry, we filled your position!"

11 children, no job.

We decided now or never, and cheered on by our worth-her-weight-in-gold goat mentor (thank you Vicki!) we took the leap and became licensed as a dairy and as a milk plant. We crossed over to the dark side

and pasteurize and bottle regular and chocolate goat milk as well as yogurt and kefir and sell every drop that we can produce at the two farmers markets that we are in each week, the goats are finally paying for themselves! And maybe, when the goats are fresh in the Spring we will be able to pay our bills as well, LOL!

So...long story, but for us, we started thinking 'milk and maybe some showing for the kids' and now are having the time of our life working together with the goats in a new family business.

Qvrfullmidwife · #53 12/27/08, 11:30 PM

Oh and I think that 2 of the best things that you can do in goats is to 1)find a mentor and utilize them! No need to reinvent the wheel. There is no way things would have gone as smoothly for us as they have if we hadnt been able to pick Vicki's brain, discuss business ideas, get the perspective of someone's BTDT. And 2)keep an open mind. You never know which idea will 'stick' and which path will be the one that actually brings you somewhere.

chewie · #54 12/28/08, 03:47 PM

leeanne, wow, good story! how scary, 11 kids and no job?!

i got a very short and sweet 'business plan' from vicki, (what would we do without her??) and am going to follow it as well. i don't plan for the goats to foot all our bills but a little side money, plus pay their own way.

i wonder, are some areas more accepting to goats (therefore a market for kids, milk, etc.) than other areas? seems here i get the feeling my goats are looked at as a 'cute hobby'. humf. then someone gets a taste of milk or cheese, or tries my soap, and wow, they didn't know it was that good?! ugh.

Madfarmer · #55 12/28/08, 07:44 PM

Le Anne's chocolate milk should be on the controlled substance list. Definitely habit forming. I gotta hide my partner's car keys every Saturday!

Madfarmer

DairyGoatSlave · #56 12/28/08, 08:44 PM

Well, i just got my herd name regestered with ADGA wich will be Twillight Skys Farm, cause when it gets to be twillight around my place its so pretty and relaxing, very quiet, exept for the goats.... I got into the goats because i love them, my friend has some and i fell in love with em. I really conected with one, Medow Creek Yuno Yasmine, so my friend gave her to me, i joined adga and well now i am with my small herd or regesterd la manchas. I may be young(olny 18) but this year im going to apply for a government grant to start my own goat dairy, im working towrards going organic. But i also show my girls on the side as well. And i occasonaly have a diary heifer...and iv got a horse that im gona use as my herd watcher...Its really nice though...most people think because im young mommy and daddy pay for everything, but nope i make all my own money and pay for all my animals by traning horses for people. its awsome! I wouldnt give up my girls for anythign! whew...sorry for the novel

roneil76 · #57 12/28/08, 09:20 PM

We are setting up a "myotonic fainting goat" registerd herd. We are breeding for large size and strong health w/ an easy temperment. Myotonics fit the bill and thats why we choose them. Plus they are considered "rare". Not sure why but "Rare Breed" has some appeal to it for us.

Like many here we know our jobs in town are only so stable.We figure true stability would be a self reliant food source. at milk, meat and eggs in mind we chose hogs, goats and chickens & ducks.

I have three children. At each of their births I planted a tree. They moved in pots w/ us from appartment to apartment. They are now planted here at our home.
"3 Tree Farms"

Bonnie L · #58 12/30/08, 12:54 PM

I named my first place Thistledown Farm because of the thistles. When we moved here we had a heck of a time agreeing on a name (the first place I lived alone so didn't have to agree with anybody!) Finally noticed a community south of Spokane named Opportunity & realized that the move was a new opportunity for us to try different things. And it sure has been!

manygoatsnmore · #59 12/30/08, 06:11 PM

Our herd name for the LaManchas is Heron's Bend - we live very near the Toutle River, which bends and twists around us, and we have a good population of Great Blue Herons in the area. They fly over our little farm often, and it just seemed like a good fit. If we ever decide to move over to Moses Lake, WA, on the east side of the mountains, they are known as the home of the Great Blue Heron, so our farm name will still fit.

As far as the Rusty Duck Oberhasli name, there was a restaurant by that name in a nearby town, and I always got a kick out of the name, as we live on the rainy side of the mountains, where even a duck could rust, lol. When the restaurant went out of business, I decided to use the name for my Ober herd, since they are a beautiful bay color, close enough to a rusty duck for me.

We have had goats off and on over the years since my kids were 13 years to 13 months old. We started, like so many others, with free goats out of the Nickel Ads, and had just started building to nicer milking stock when we were living on the home farm. One too many goat escapees and my brother, who owns the farm now, put his foot down and said no more goats! A few years later, I bought our 6 1/2 acres. It was basically a combination of overgrown forest land and clear cut. I wanted goats to clear the brush, and for milk, and my dd wanted goats she could show in 4-H. We bought our first goat, a Nubian doeling, who was spoiled and very, very LOUD. By the next day, we knew we had to find her a companion - luck and providence brought us to a lovely lady with a small herd of milkers, mostly Saanens. We brought home a sweet Saanen doeling to keep Ariel company. The rest, as they say, is history. We've owned nearly every breed of dairy goats at one point or another, but finally settled on LaManchas as our primary breed, and Obers as my secondary, both chosen for their sweet disposition and quiet voices. Surprisingly, we still have our original Nubian doe, Ariel...as stubborn and ornery as she is at times (and occasionally somewhat loud), she is still our special girl. Now we breed her to our LM buck - we have her dtr, Melody, in our herd now and we are looking forward to HER first kids in about 3 weeks. Melody has the LM temperament that we are breeding for, and I can't wait to see how her kids turn out.

On the brushing side, our goats have done a great job of clearing the 6 ft tall salal out of the woods on the west side, giving us a useable pasture and revealing a great mushroom patch! As soon as we can get it all fenced in, we'll let them start on the north side woods, although I don't want to clear it quite as thoroughly as we have neighbors on that side. On the milk side, we have a number of customers waiting for milk as soon as the girls freshen. We only sell the milk for pet use only - I'm not responsible for how they might use it after it leaves the farm, but it is clearly labeled as pet use only, not legal for human consumption. This year, between kid sales and pet milk sales, with any extra going to raise our own animals, we should see the goats break even. As far as 4-H goes, dd showed in 4-H for years, and showed open class last year, as well as having shown at the ADGA show at the local fair. She loved (and still loves) to show, and having the goats has helped her with some of her special challenges (she has AS and ADHD among others). We had planned to increase our ADGA showing last year, but work schedules and high gas prices made it impossible. Maybe this year will be our year.

We love our goats, and it is hard to imagine our lives without them.