I just found this site -- don't know how I missed it before! So much information here! And cuteness lol, I'm enjoying the photos and videos.
I've never owned a goat in my life and hardly met any, but I love animals of all sorts and I'm hooked on the idea of having my own dairy animals. I've had chickens in the past, they were a joy. I gave them up when we moved here to Vermont for a job. The job meant no chickens, but it also meant enough savings that we bought our own place, and in a couple of months we're moving back home to Michigan and our own acre. I've always been enthused about homegrown foods and have a strong appreciation for self-sustainability, but hardly had a chance to put that into practice. I'm very excited about having our own little patch of land and have all sorts of projects planned, but top among them are getting more chickens, and I think adding goats as well.
I'm pretty much determined to get Nigerian dwarfs. In my goat newbness I first assumed all the miniature breeds were pretty much just pets. When I found out NDs are "real" dairy animals, I fell in love. Everything I've learned since then pretty much reinforces that! They seem perfect for the little "mini-farm" I've got planned for our acre.
In the mean time, my job allows for a lot of sitting and doing nothing much, so I've been reading, learning and planning. That is, of course, why I'm here. I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions!
Replies
Lara Caldwell said:
Deborah, I found your blog already and have just spent a great deal of time "cyber stalking" you lol... I think you're my new hero! I agree with your philosophy about everything from homesteading to homeschooling. I sent my husband the link to your homeschooling page, because it so nicely sums up what we'd like to do for our kids, when we have them. What you're doing -- with the garden, the animals and even the kids (non-goat variety) -- pretty much aligns with most of my long-term goals. Including your obvious dedication to educating others about your experiences, which I would love to do, when I have more experiences to share. I wish we were even a little closer to you, I'd sign up for every on-farm class you're offering!
At the very least, you've gained a sure buyer for your book, when it's published. I've got a list of similar books on my wishlist at Amazon, but I can tell just from reading your websites that yours will be a better read than the others I've glanced through so far. Meanwhile, I added the goat books you recommended to my Amazon cart. (And thank you for that -- I've got a gift card to spend but was having a hard time narrowing down my options.)
Anyway, I'm glad to find you here and will probably take advantage of your apparent willingness to let your brain be picked ;) Thank you for that, and for the welcome!NDs are definitely real dairy animals. They're our number one dairy source, and I can't imagine not having them. I started almost nine years ago. I just wanted a couple goats so I could make cheese. Last year, we milked 15. If you're interested in self-sufficiency, you'd probably enjoy my blog post today:
http://antiquityoaks.blogspot.com/2011/01/more-than-6000-pounds-of-...
Welcome!