Animal Personnel

At the beginning of November, we did some goat shuffling, moving the yearling does back home, and this spring's doelings down to the neighbors' place. The yearlings grew a lot over the summer, and they are ready to be bred.

Victory and Bergamot

Nettles

Raindrops

In previous years, breeding season involved a lot of driving back and forth, with a goat in the back of the pickup, to a farm with a buck in a neighboring town twenty minutes away. This year, we are saving time and gas by borrowing a buck. He is staying in his own shed in the pasture so he can interact with the other goats, but we won't have any surprise babies in the spring. It's the Love Shack. His name is Emeril, but we call him Disco Hair, because of the fancy puff at the top of his head.

Emeril Surveys the Scene

I was apprehensive at first, expecting him to barrel through the newly-reinforced door of his shed to get some lovin', but he's actually pretty easygoing, albeit smelly. Male goats, in case you didn't know, smell awful during breeding season. There is a little spot on the top of his head where I can pet him without regretting it. He's very friendly to us humans, and very very friendly to the lady goats.

Flirting with Juniper

We also have a new farm dog, a happy goofy boy with limitless energy who loves every creature he meets and is becoming an excellent fetch player. I expect there will be a few more interesting personnel updates over the coming weeks, so stay tuned!