My best friend and I have been seeing several posts on Craigslist from people looking for free animals and somehow decided we would post one for goats for meat. I got Chris to agree to this, since they would come here and simply go to slaughter. Many of you know from my last blog that I've been begging for two years for milk goats and have hit a wall with him. He outright said NO! The first and only thing he's ever denied me. It hasn't stopped me from persisting though.
Today, to my surprise, I got a call from a woman that raises Alpines. When I told her what we were planning she offered me two that were still on the bottle. I told her all I had been through wanting goats for milk and she offered me 2 does, 1 with twin weathers and one that had lost her kids at birth. She owns a farm up north and bought another. When she went out to the property, she found that the previous owner had left all of his goats and hadn't been taking care of them. She's nursed them back, but wants to get rid of them because they have horns and that makes her nervous. She told me that if it didn't work out, I was welcome to take them back to her and she didn't mind that the weathers were for slaughter.
So...I called Chris and started sucking up right off the bat. He asked what I wanted and I told him my tale. I let him know that they were returnable and asked if I could try it. His exact words were, "Since you won't take no for an answer, I guess you can get them and find out for yourself." Normally, I would say nevermind, but this is something I'm going to run with. I figure all of the animal care around here is all on me anyways, so what's the difference. Goats just make sense to me. I will have to really work to change his opinion. Not by harping on it, but by showing him that they can be easy to keep if you do it right.
My problem at the moment is that I don't have a pen or shelter built yet. I have all the materials and the rest of the week to get it done. I obviously won't have any help from my husband but my friend is willing to help build the pen, since she will be getting one of the weathers when it is butchered. I hate to ask her to come down though since she has been suffering from a sinus infection. I could do it myself, except the only fence posts I have are 10' tall. Someone's going to have to hold the ladder while I pound the posts!
I have sooo many projects going, but, in my mind, this is just to good to pass up! I will post pics as I go and as soon as I get them home. Wish me luck!!!
LIBERTY VS TYRANNY: WHICH WILL WE CHOOSE
4 years ago
Post hole digger, nearest hardware store probably has one. Metal posts? So what, think outside the box.
ReplyDeleteYep, got a post hole digger. Went and got several more wooden posts for the corners and after 'setting' them realized that I am going to have to use concrete. I also needed to pick up some more t-posts for the hog pen, so I grabbed more for the goats too. I try to use what I have, but figured I would do it right the first time. Chris told me that he would help me. I sure didn't want to ask him and push my luck, but he's awesome like that!
ReplyDeleteI'm curious and obviously have not read your last blog, why hubby said no to goats? I had to talk long and hard for mine to agree to goats! His was simply that he didn't want a farm at all! lol I am really glad he agreed though and I bet you won't be sorry yours agreed either! I am so looking forward to reading about your adventures with your goats as well as chickens and rabbits. I am going to go finish reading your blog now - OH! And btw, thanks for stopping by mine!
ReplyDeleteOh ya, my husband absolutely said NO to pigs... lol They aren't that important to me so I am ok with it...
ReplyDeleteOOPS! I guess you DIDN'T visit my blog! Now I don't remember how I found yours! It's ok, I am still glad I found you! lol
ReplyDeleteHi Linda! Welcome and thanks for coming by. I will definitely go check out your blog too. Chris didn't want goats because he's had them in the past and hates that they escape and you have to chase them down. His ex-wife had tons of animals that were kept for pets only. I won't keep an animal that doesn't have a job that can benefit us and our property. Hopefully, seeing that there are more uses for them than brush eaters he will come around. He figures that if I want fresh milk, we should wait until the property is fully fenced and get a cow (next year's project is beef). Pigs on the other hand, he is advocating. When he lived in California, he raised them every year and always came out ahead. He's not too fond of the idea that I'm interested in breeding them eventually, but he said he'll live with whatever I decide.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! You have the same mentality as I do! I think I am going to enjoy your blog! I had wanted to eat the unsold offspring from my goats - they would contribute a great deal to the food budget, but my husband says no way! He considers them pets - *sigh*. I am hoping with this new venture of mine (breeding MiniNubians) will change his mind. I don't want tons of goats around and what to do with those that don't sell or we need to cull? I am hoping he will come around and truly understand that the goats are cute for sure, but they really are utilitarian for the most part. There are some that are pets ~ like my first doe, my buck, and our first wether - but the rest are not.
ReplyDeleteHa, my friend who I do all of my butchering with told me her husband wants to lock up their dogs. I don't think I'd ever eat a dog, but some people are so against eating anything that isn't 'conventional'. My husband has always hunted squirrel, so eating something others would consider strange is just part of life around here.
ReplyDeleteGlad your husband decided to help, it'll make it a lot handier on several planes.
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