I wish there was an adult 4-H!!!!!!!!!!

[PETSNEGGS]

Well, I just got in from cutting my one goat's hooves. I have read and read so much on it but, I swear I have always been a better hands on learner. I really miss 4-H !!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so great, you went and got to learn everything hands on! Someone was there to show you, watch you and answer any questions. I really don't think I did a good job on her hooves and I am so sure I didn't take off all that I needed too. Went to both of the local feed stores and no one had the snips to cut them with so I had to make do with what I had til I can order a pair. Crazy huh? They don't have hoove snips, they don't have DE, gee if I keep thinking I'm sure there is much more I could come up with that they don't have. In 4-H you signed up, paid your dues and got a cute little book, some supplies and off you went to learn. I really wish there was an adult 4-H. I will say that I was so proud that I got her to go in the stantion, very unhappy she was though. By the time I got done I think we both had sweat a gallon! and I have one more to go... I think I'll do her tommorrow. Thank goodness right now til I learn I only have two.

[BethW]

I'd join up in a heartbeat if there was

There are some very good books out there, but nothing replaces hands-on experience.

[BlueHeronFarm]

Are there any goat clubs near you?

We belong to one that meets every other month. We get great speakers in to talk about lots of stuff - parasite management, being my favorite so far. They also put on clinics from time to time - last year there were hoof trimming and showing clinics. I'm trying to get the club to hold FAMACHA training, too.

I'm a former city kid, so we had no 4-H - but "goat club" has been my adult 4-H.

[PETSNEGGS]

Well Blue, how about that! That is just the neatest thing ever... I have not heard of any maybe I'll just have to PM you and see how to get one started here if there aren't any. I have never seen anything in the paper or on any of the feed store boards. I will ask around and from there maybe I'll just DO IT and Beth you are more than welcome to come if I get one going... I even wanted info on showing some of my pretty chickens and baking in the state fair and I can't find any info on that. From everything I see it is all listings for 4-H contests local here. Gee, once you get older do you become chopped liver??? tee hee hee

[mygoat]

I don't use the fancy 'hoof trimmers' that they sell for goats/sheep in like the Jeffers catalog. I use what are called 'hardware shears' or something along that line. I find them for about 8.00 in the hardware store here. Much cheaper than the hoof trimmers and it is the same danged thing.

My feed stores don't carry 1/2 of the ESSENTIALS I use to keep my goats healthy. Request a catalog from jefferslivestock.com

[Freeholder]

If you do have a local goat club, surely someone in the 4-H goat clubs would know about it. We have a Dairy Goat club (mostly ADGA members, but not all), and I found out about it when they had a display in a local mall for something or other. But if yours doesn't do stuff like that, the Ag. Ext. agent or the 4-H clubs are likely to know how to contact them. If they say there isn't one, then you will need to start one.

Kathleen

[HazyDay]

You could contact your local 4-h and see if they are doing any health classes or anything like it. Im only 16 never been in 4-h but went to a 4-h day with my little doe. They told us how we are to show,clip,trim feet,etc we even did some tattoing. (On my poor little doe and a La Mancha doeling.)

It was free and I learned alot.

[PETSNEGGS]

thanks so much everyone... to bad we all can't get together somewhere in the middle and teach each other what we all know in person. Boy, wouldn't that be one heck of a camp out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gee, now that I think about it how much fun that would be!

[DocM]

It's called being a 4H leader. I didn't know anything about many species of livestock when I started. Who do you think learns first, and then teaches the kids?

[HazyDay]

Originally Posted by PETSNEGGS

thanks so much everyone... to bad we all can't get together somewhere in the middle and teach each other what we all know in person. Boy, wouldn't that be one heck of a camp out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gee, now that I think about it how much fun that would be!

Thank would be very very fun! But where is half way from Canada!!! :baby04: :baby04: :baby04:

[Spinner]

4-H should have a spinoff, they can call it 40-H for us adults. LOL

My feed stores don't carry much for goats either. Most of them have a small goat & sheep combo section. They get mad at me when I tell them goat minerals are not the same as a sheep/goat mineral block, etc. I still have to buy baking soda in the little boxes at the grocery store cause the feed stores look at me like I have 2 heads when I ask them if they can order bags of it. They also tell me to use horse or cattle supplies for the goats, after all, they are ONLY goats.

[BethW]

Originally Posted by Spinner

4-H should have a spinoff, they can call it 40-H for us adults. LOL

Ahaha! I'd be a member of 39-H, thankyouverymuch. LOL

The state fair starts at the end of September. That might be a good place to ask around about goat clubs. Hmmm.

[hoofinitnorth]

Yep. I've said this for years. I've wanted to start up an adult 4H but the community (in horses where I was mostly talking about it) is so fractured that it's tough to get anything going. Now GOATS... that may be a possibility!

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

ADGA.org has lists of goat clubs by states. Get several of your goat friends in your area together and pay a local breeder to come and visit, this is an excellent thing for spring when there are babies to be disbudded, goats to shave, perhaps a mini showmanship clinic for your first shows, hoof trimming, bolusing, tricks for giving wormer etc....shots...really the same thing we taught the 4H kids we have taught adults before. Vicki

[Patty0315]

Cornell in NY has a mentoring program. I am mentoring a couple not only have they gotr to learn but we have become friends.

Next Sept Cornell will also put on there goat school. I forgot the real name . But it starts Friday night and ends Sunday. I will pot about it next year when time comes near . It is a great learning experience and alot of fun. My girls and I did it last year .

Patty

[Gailann Schrader]

Yep, I agree with DocM. Get involved with 4-H. Be a co-leader. Be a helper. Contact your local extension office. They drool for folks like us that either know some or want to know more. It's called Lifelong Learning.

Imagine you are 12 and don't know anything and your parents don't either. It's much more daunting at that age than now at our age. My best friends are the Goat Superintendents of our big 4-H County. They are great folks and I would never have known them otherwise.

Learn this (below) and then call or go to your extension service. You'll have the experience of your life!

4H Motto

My Head to clearer thinking
My Heart to greater loyalty
My Hands to larger service
My Health to better living

[Gailann Schrader]

p.s. 4-H isn't for children. Never was. Still isn't. It's for FAMILIES. Really. Do not think it's children-only. Trust me.

[devdragon33]

you guys must have better 4H groups then we do. My daughters leader cant even remember to tell the children when and where the meeting are. Or let me rephrase that she has a little "group" that are her favorites and she will have dinners with them at the fair and leave all of the other families out of it. She only covers rabbits because those are her favorites. She told one girl that she could show her steer at fair and in what breed and class. Well during check in and after raising it for a year the girl was dissapointed to find out that the leader told her wrong. This leader must just be a mess. She has had half of the kids switch groups on her, and get this she has been a leader for over 7 years. You would think she had learned by now.

[4Hmomwyo]

Yes--4-H is for families!!!!
You can access almost any state's 4-H website and download project books and some states (like Wyoming) have centers where you can order project books even if you are not in 4-H. You may also be able to get on a mailing list for workshops, mini-shows, etc.

4-H needs lots of volunteers, and you can learn as you go--I was only a horse and dog person before my daughters joined, now I know and share information about market swine, and dairy goats. I use sites like this one for my research!

I hear what you are saying about your club leader, because I've been there. My daughter's first year the leader gave us all sorts of wrong information, so at the end of the first year we were looking for a new club when the leader decided to quit. At that point I became leader and have tried to do a good job, but my point is if you aren't satisfied with your club contact your extension agent and find one that fits your needs, they are out there and they are always looking for members!

[hoofinitnorth]

4H for families still counts me out. I don't have kids. I would get involved with a select few clubs locally but there are a handful I wouldn't go near.