Welcome!

I hope you enjoy reading this blog. I will never claim to be an expert on cheese making, goat milking or farming (everyday I learn something new). However, I have learned so much from others who have generously shared their experience in books and on the web and hope to use this blog to pass it on to folks considering goats. I am completely enchanted by these creatures and how they have enriched our life. The amount I have learned since we got our first two goats has been exponential. Now our herd of 21 Nigerian Dwarf Goats is a big part of our daily life and I can't imagine it any other way. This blog will chart the seasons of milking and cheese making as a record for myself and a resource to others who are looking for a window into what it is like to own these adorable mini dairy goats.
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Thursday, May 19, 2011

The Waiting Game...150 days since our buck's visit.

Life on a farm is a school of patience; you can't hurry the crops or make an ox in two days. Alain, Henri

It wouldn't be so hard to wait if the arrival of kids wasn't tied up with such a variety of goodness. The first birth means the start of: fresh milk, delicious cheese, summer nights watching the antics of herd of all ages set free in the field, early mornings that for some reason feel invigorating instead of painful, hours of snuggling tiny goats in a stall, and visits from great people interested in beginning down the same wonderful road or just stepping into a different world for a few hours. There is no time of year which is so overwhelmingly rich with delicious anticipation. And yet although all five of our mama goats look nearly ready to burst, they are not quite ready to let the season begin. They tease us with plaintive bleating that suggests they are ready to give birth and then let another day pass without sharing any cute babies with us. Meanwhile the cats stay close in the stalls, touching noses with the pregnant mamas, seemingly content to wait out the next few hours or days and provide a watchful eye. Inside the house, we pretend to sleep, ears tuned to the barn baby monitor, eyes forming colorful kids and tasty containers of chevre in the darkness. In a week I'm sure part of me will look longly back on the lazy mornings of winter, but for now my patience is stretched thin and if all the does went into labor tonight I would definitely not complain!


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We welcome comments, questions and ideas! The greatest part of small farming is how much we can all learn from each others experiences!