So what happened to the goat forum?

[HappyFarmer]

I think most posters mean well, and have the goats best interest at heart.

Occasionally I'll pipe in when I feel strongly against something that was posted. Never did believe in there is only one way to do something. Heck we've changed our management 5 or 6 times and still looking for a better way.

I've come across as short sometimes; sometimes I yap on and on, depends on how much time I have. Not that anybody really listens but it feels good to share what I know.

As far as this forum being nicer, well maybe the headbutting was giving us headaches?

HF

[Pony]

Originally Posted by thaiblue12

Some people have been banned, some stopped posting but mostly it comes down to how mean CJB is, probably the meanest mod there is and he cracks the whip and keeps us all in line

Does CJB even check in here any more? Haven't seen him in a while...

We're pretty much self-policing, so that makes his job easier.

Sure, we can get a little up-in-arms, but we all still have the same goal: Healthy goats and healthy humans.

Oh, and a rolicking good time! :smiley-laughing013:

[Pony]

Originally Posted by cjb

^^this^^


;-)


Actually, I think this forum has always been one of the more pleasant ones. We've gone through some kinda snarky seasons and posters but issues work themselves out... .or get some assistance from the meanest mod there is.

I think this is one of the most friendly and helpful forums for sure.

I also agree that being direct is sometimes called for and that some folks have a hard time accepting that. I have been on the receiving end of direct input on what I should do immediately or what I should have done. As long as the strong messages are directives and not personal insults, I'm ok with it.

Keep up the good work and... I have to say it...

BE NICE!

Well, THERE you are! <G>

[mrs.H]

Originally Posted by Pony

Sure, we can get a little up-in-arms, but we all still have the same goal: Healthy goats and healthy humans.

Oh, and a rolicking good time! :smiley-laughing013:

What she said!

[Wonderland]

We're like our goats; we have a bit of character, and we may be a bit stubborn at times, but we're loveable overall!

[Minelson]

Originally Posted by HappyFarmer

I think most posters mean well, and have the goats best interest at heart.

Occasionally I'll pipe in when I feel strongly against something that was posted. Never did believe in there is only one way to do something. Heck we've changed our management 5 or 6 times and still looking for a better way.

I've come across as short sometimes; sometimes I yap on and on, depends on how much time I have. Not that anybody really listens but it feels good to share what I know.

As far as this forum being nicer, well maybe the headbutting was giving us headaches?

HF

Happy Farmer I love it when you post! And I have never thought of you as being short...Thank you for sharing all your experience and ideas! I listen to you!!!

[dragonjaze]

I don't have goats (yet) and this is still one of my favorite places here

Oh, the only real trouble you can get into is not posting pictures.

[beccachow]

I agree, if someone posts certain symptoms and pays no heed to advice, it can be hours, literally, until the goat succombs. I believe it is the nature of these little prey animals to hide illness until, by the time we notice it, it is usually almost too late to help.

I had to learn by trial and error, and the good advice given to me here. I HAVE no goat vet in the area.

I also think it is the nature of some folks to be blunt, to the point, frank, no nonsense. There were one or two when I first joined who taught me a TON, but were very brisk and matter of fact.

[Sonshine]

Hmmmm, when I was first looking into getting goats I got sort of frustrated, but please hear me out. I wanted a small breed and had the chance to get a small herd of African Pygmies. I was told by some on here that they wouldn't make good milkers, where other places I had researched them disagreed with that. Unfortunately, I'll never know because before I was able to start milking my AP's I had to have my back surgery and we sold the entire flock. Now I have my ND's that I bought from Cannon Farms. They are very good milkers and I'm quite content with them, but I did feel like I was being belittled a little when I first showed an interest in goats and was talking about the AP's and it almost made me not come back to the goat forum. Of course, I'm glad I came back and actually got to know all of you. I'm still not sure about the opinions on the AP's, but bottom line is, a person needs to get all the advice they can from experienced goat owners, but in the end, we still have to decide on what breed of goat works best for our family.

[Minelson]

Originally Posted by dragonjaze

I don't have goats (yet) and this is still one of my favorite places here

Oh, the only real trouble you can get into is not posting pictures.

Yes some people here can get pretty obnoxious about pictures.

[CaliannG]

~ponders~ I was reading some southern humor books and I realized it applied here.

We southerners tend to be WORDY. Not that northerners can't be, just that it is a part of our culture. We don't tend to say things like, "Pass the butter, please." We're more likely to say, "Would you, in a manner, be so kind as to pass that lovely butter boat to me, please?"

We have phrases in our sentences that have no other practical purpose but to lengthen those sentences.

Now, those that are from more northern areas or, more importantly, grew up in or currently live in, large cities know the value of brevity. I realized this when I vacationed in Canada with a dear friend from New York. Of course, we had to stop in NYC and of course, we had to have lunch at his favorite deli.

I couldn't believe when the waitress came up and said, "What do you want?" How completely and utterly RUDE, I thought! Why, if she was going to be so brusque for the entire time, *I* wouldn't leave a tip. And as soon as she left with our drink orders, I told my companion so.

"What are you talking about?" He said, "she was perfectly polite. What more do you want from a waitperson than that they take your order?"

I blinked. This information was something I digested for a while. This had cultural implications. It had class implications. It had population implications. It might even have economic implications.

What, exactly, is politeness? I am speaking in the casual interaction with strangers. You would say "excuse me" after passing in front of someone in a theater on your way to your seat, and that would be considered polite. But how does politeness change from geographical, socio-economic, population, and cultural aspects?

One needs time to afford to be polite, that is certain. Especially if you go for the extreme degrees of politeness such as one might find in an Alexander Dumas novel. After all, who has the time nowadays to exchange enough social niceties to fill an hour before one finally gets around to retrieving one's mail from one's mail-person? And if one lived in a time and place where NOT taking that hour to exchange social niceties was considered EXTREMELY rude, well, one might wonder when folks considered such things as, oh, say growing food, fit into social discourse.

Which leads to socio-economics. One's class. The higher one is on the socio-economic scale, the more free time one supposedly has. Therefore, the more social niceties one is expected to engage in. This is why a mechanic can take 3 seconds to tell you that your wiring is screwed in your car; while it will take a popular architect 3 lunch dates to tell you the same thing about your house.

(Such class distinctions have absolutely NO bearing on the time and effort that it takes to achieve skill in one's specialty. It takes no less time and effort to become a Master Mechanic than it does to become a Master Architect.)

Population has another point. City folks tend to be more concise and to the point than rural folks. This has less to do with class than with time. Not "time" as in work time. Rural people tend to work longer hours than city people. In this sense, it is "time" as in the amount of time spent in each human interaction. City folks, due to populations, will have 50 human interactions to a rural person's 3 interactions. But each person has the same amount of time to HAVE those interactions. Ergo, if a person has one hour to have all of their interactions, the city person is going to have 50 interactions of about one minute each...the country person will have 3 interactions of about 20 minutes each.

And this is why abruptness is often an urban trait. The "Why hello, how are you this fine day? I hope the wife and children are doing well and you are in splendid health? Wonderful! Might I trouble you to prepare a hot dog with mustard, relish, perhaps a bit of onions before I head back to my workday? Terrific! Thank you so kindly for your time. Oh, no please, you may have what is left as a tip for your wonderful service!" tends to be shortened to, "Hey Al, family good? [nod] Yeah, dog fixed the regular, keep the change!" in city environments.

The northeastern areas of the country are more densely populated than southern or western areas of the country. This is why northerners have a reputation for being rude and abrupt, southerners have a reputation for being polite and wordy, and westerners have a reputation for saying very little, but taking an eon or two to say it. Population also tends to be greater along the Eastern Seaboard, and progressively lesson the further west one gets...until one hits Los Angelos, upon which one is technically not on Earth anymore.

Now, how does that all apply here, on the forums?

It is because we are a melting pot. We are online, and we have folks from all geographical areas, all population densities, and a whole bunch of cultures.....and we have to adapt to one another. Folks that are of the abrupt and concise side of things have to practice patience and not get annoyed at those of us writing posts by the word tonnage, and those of us that are wordy and drawn out have to not think of the former as rude and mean. We are just different...

Now, Lord have mercy, just where ARE those biscuits? And won't you, in a manner, be so kind as to pass that absolutely darling butter boat over here, pretty please? I have a hankering to actually LISTEN to my arteries hardening.

[Minelson]

Caliann...yep that is a bit wordy...and an excellent observation. I saw this post last night and it looked so long I waited until this morning to read it when I would have more time and a good nights sleep under my belt

[nduetime]

Yeah, they are are awful, mean spirited people.

They keep posting those cute pics and we all fall over "thunk" from cuteness overload. How rotten can they possibly get!

I could not get throught the end of winter/beginning of spring without the goat forum!

[TennesseeMama23]

I think this place is great for newbies that need help.

But there is little tolerance for disagreement, imo. A few have set the standard at what they see as "right" and anyone who doesn't agree will be attacked. Many, many people won't post because of this. There is an appearance of all is great, but in reality, I'm not so inclined to believe so.

ETA: I don't think there are mean people here, that's not what I'm saying. Everyone's friendly for the most part.

Edit again: I do think it has shifted here some in the past few years from treating newbies like idiots to being more helpful and friendly, which I think is wonderful!

[beccachow]

Originally Posted by Minelson

Yes some people here can get pretty obnoxious about pictures.

I am offended by this remark!:happy0035:I cannot help it if people refuse to post pictures of cute goats...in fact, how do I know your doe HAD kids if I don't see a pic??? :baby04:

[Fowler]

Caliann where have you've been?...I missed your postings.
Oh...sorry for intruding I am not a goat person...but I love reading and learning from y'all.

[Shygal]

Originally Posted by Fowler

Oh...sorry for intruding I am not a goat person...but I love reading and learning from y'all.

Inside every person there is a goat person waiting to get out :baby04:

[Otter]

I know what Shygal and TennesseeMama23 are talking about. It was a couple of years ago and this had kind of turned into a show goat forum for a little while.
Baby goat pics were not met with squeals of cuteness but often with rather harsh critiques of conformation. And Heaven FORBID you bought a goat off craigslist, with <gasp, horror, scorn> no pedigree or production records! What, all you wanted was milk for your family?? Ignorant peasant!
And heaven forbid you confessed to buying that goat without testing, you murderer of every man, woman, child and - more importantly - goat, in the free world. Put that animal down immediately for the good of us all, and consider harikari afterwards.

I remember one person being told that this might be a homesteading forum but if you wanted goats for reasons of self-sufficiency there was no way to do that and give the animal any kind of "proper" care and they needed to educate themselves (to practices of culling and care practiced by national show herds) or just not keep goats.

Some people have stopped posting, and some have taken it down a notch and I am VERY glad that the goat forum is now the friendly, lovely place that it is today.

[Sonshine]

Originally Posted by TennesseeMama23

I think this place is great for newbies that need help.

But there is little tolerance for disagreement, imo. A few have set the standard at what they see as "right" and anyone who doesn't agree will be attacked. Many, many people won't post because of this. There is an appearance of all is great, but in reality, I'm not so inclined to believe so.

ETA: I don't think there are mean people here, that's not what I'm saying. Everyone's friendly for the most part.

Edit again: I do think it has shifted here some in the past few years from treating newbies like idiots to being more helpful and friendly, which I think is wonderful!

I agree with this. As a newbie I felt that no matter what I said was wrong, even though I had done quite a bit of research. I don't think it's a matter of being mean spirited, it's just some are set in their ways. I've learned alot here, but I've also done my own research and talked to my own vet etc. I figure it takes a combination of things to do the best for your animals. As with most things in life, I listen to all, and take what benefits me and mine and disregard the rest.

[Kshobbit]

I was on the countryside forum and when it closed I moved over to this one. I didn't post very much for a few years. I was working full time so there was no time to add my two cents worth. Now I am retired and have more time to read and learn. I have found that life in the goat world is a rapidly changing place.