Bought a new goat!

[LostNFound]

do you have any lambs yet?? .... I know this sounds horrible but YUMMMMMM!!

[Cheryl Marchek aka JM]

Nope~ no lambs. I'm not too keen on the whole wool thing~ especially as the pastures for the goats are mostly wooded and overgrown with brambles. Will be getting pigs soon though~ built the pig pen~ waiting on the breeder to wean the piglets!

Oh~ and YUMMMMM???
Why would that sound horrible to me? This is a working homestead and I intend for the animals to begin paying for themselves within the year. I just lectured the Turkeys and ducks this morning that LAZY BIRDS that don't lay me eggs can always be added to the menu next week! (The turkeys and ducks are not laying right now because of the season~ but I keep hoping a threat will get back to work faster!........or~ maybe I just spend too much time by myself with my animals!)

[MarkS]

Are you milking your goats? Or are you mainly keeping them as meat producers?

[Cheryl Marchek aka JM]

Right now just as meat~ but there is a farm about an hour from me that holds a class where they teach you how to milk a goat, then how to make goat cheese, ice cream and stuff out of it. Next class is Feb 7 and I'm planning to sign up for it!

[broadude]

Wow...you have been busy!

What made you decide to take up homesteading? The economy?

[Cheryl Marchek aka JM]

Always wanted to. Never thought it was really a possibility though~ Property is so expensive and jobs that pay well enough to buy property are rarely located within driving distance of any property worth trying to homestead on. Scott works IT and I gave up on having my own homestead/farm/ranch whatever you want to call it a long time ago. And then~ last year~ it just kind of all came together and here I am~ Having the most fun I've ever had.

Wish I could have starter when I was younger~ but I'll get there. Do you have any idea how satisfying it is to serve dinner and know it all came from your hard work?

[Epona142]

Homesteading is great. My goats are miniature milkers and we love it. We're expecting kids in February.

Serving breakfast or dinner that you just collected/harvested/butchered yourself from animals/crops you grew yourself . . . there is no better feeling of self-sufficient hard work.

Good on ya!

[nybp]

which type of goats are the ones that faint?? i'd love to get a few of them...i'd get really bored on day and "BOOOO" ...fainting goats

[Cheryl Marchek aka JM]

myotonic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fainting_goat

But those in my pics are Boar and Boar/Kiko (aka genemaster) goats

[starmom]

That is so exciting!!!

When we live full time at the ranch (16 months) we'll have Nubian does and a Nubian buck and a Boer buck. Boer's are great brush clearers and awesome meat goats. Nubian's are great milkers. They are both similar in build and musculature and so do well when bred together.

It is exciting to move toward greater self-sufficiency and less reliance on powers-that-be which are so out of our control.

I am very excited for you!!!!