How many goats for over an acre? Is the whole 1 acre plus for the goats or does that include your yard, house, etc.? I've always gone by the rule or no more than 6 full grown goats per acre. We have any excellent pasture, so it supports then well. If you have brush for them to eat, that's good too (some breds perfer brush more than pasture). Your local county extension office can come out and tell you all about your proper or clear up anything. Most of them know something about goats. Either way, be sure to clear plants/trees that are poisonous to goats, most commonly: WILTED WILD CHERRY, MILKWEED, HEMLOCK, MOUNTAIN LAUREL, LOCOWEED. arm yourself with a good plant identification book for your region.
If you are going to have a garden, make sure it is fenced really good to keep the goats out. We use T post and 2x4 welded wire, no climb fencing. Does the trick and none of my escape artists have gotten out (yet).
Go and visit a real farm, not a petting zoo, to figure out the type of goat you want. If you want a lot of milk, my alpines are the best (I had one last year that just did not want to dry up!!!). If you want ones that are good (to great) milkers and are really cute (even when adults) Nubians are great (we mostly have Nubians). If you want to have something to do with the offspring, and you don't mind eating the boys, 1/2 breds have been doing well for us. These are half Nubians and 1/2 Boer goats. The does are producing a good deal of milk, the doelings are good body shape and the boys get big fast (we sell them for meat, my husband won't eat an animal/goat that's he's had a personal relationship). I bred the 1/2 Nubian-1/2 Boer does to a full bred Boer buck. I haven't had much luck with LaMachas', we've had several over the years - all mean tempered and they don't fit into the herd. I have one that bit the tail off of a Boer, which caused an emergency vet visit and surgery on the truck tail gate - she currently pregnant, I'm waiting to see if she is a good mother before I decided if I should sell her.
Try to find someone locally (or several people) who have goats (and like them) to tag along with one day at their farm to see how everything is done. Pick someone that you like how they keep their farm, etc. If they like their goats they will be more than happy to talk, and talk, and talk. Also, make sure you have a good vet in your area that will take goats at patients (one that makes house calls is preferrable) - and you should do this before you buy the goat. Make an appointment and visit them, and have them give you the low-down from their perspective (it helps). Also, set-up your account with the local co-operative, and find a good hay supplier before you need the hay.
Also, read, read, read. Books, internet, anything you can get your hands on. Also, it's a good idea to find out what you state laws are regarding the sale of your goat (by products), as soon as someone knows you have milk/cheese/soap, etc. they will want it - it's agood idea to know if you can sell it (legally) or if only your family can use the by-products.
Also, join the dairy goat association in your state and go to some meetings, and talk w/goat people. And probably the best advice I can give you is don't buy a wether (castrated male) for a pet, a doe is better even if you don't breed her. We've figured out how to feed the wether we have, but it's pain, and adds time, and he doesn't produce babies or milk. Also, you don't need a buck for a couple of does, you can have them surviced by a buck - in our area it's about $40 for a registered doe/buck coupling.
And lastly, should you get a registered goat or non-registered goat? Depends what you want to do with it. You can get some very nice pure-breds that are not registered for a lot less who will provide you with lots of milk and be a good "pet". But a lot of my friends only have registered does because they sell the offspring, show in the 4-H, etc.
Let me know if you need info on again. Happy to help.
