Oh Those Kids- What's a Girl to Do?

As some may recall, one of my favorite parts of moving to land to homestead was that I could, once again, keep goats- my favorites being Nubians with their gentle playfulness and their giant floppy ears.

Without a barn, things were pushed back for the spring and summer but I still had dreams.-- Well, that was the original plan until we realized that the barn might not be up until August (hopefully way before then) and the poison ivy by the river and other brush would be up and well established- and probably procreating- by then and we needed goats to get ahead of that.

So, we started looking- we figured that if we found one early, we could build a temporary goat shelter out of the numerous pallets we have been collecting for our eco-barn and use tarps to wrap it up nice and wind proof- not pretty but workable.

Looking for a goat without spending well over $100 is pretty challenging. It really is. I thought we could find a free or very cheaply priced goat that was healthy, easily, but everyone scooped them up - if there were any- before we reached the ad. That is, until we saw a small ad on a local website that listed a wether who would be ready when he weaned from his mother in a couple months. We jumped and two days later were cuddling the little fella and saying "Yes please!" to the kind farmer and his family.

I asked all the questions about CAE & CL and worming and shots and all the technicalities that goat keepers keep track of. The buck was sweet as was the doe (these being the parents) and our little guy- he just wanted to be held and cuddled- and to nurse, of course. So, we rejoiced as we headed home, leaving him behind in the pin with his sister and mother. We had 2 months to build a shelter and find a companion for him- you can't have just one- they are very social-- so we made plans. We laid out the goat pen and designed the pallet moveable shelter and then we looked for a companion.

We started looking again but this time, thinking that if we could find a doe, this one with good milk line, we could wait to breed her and then we could have fresh milk and make cheese again. But finding a doe- let alone a Nubian- was not only challenging but expensive (oh that elusive money!) and then WHAM! I saw her one evening online (thank you Craig's List)- she was darling and so I called- and she was reserved. I left my number, just in case, and then, the following day in the midst of inventory building, I got a call saying "If you want her, come and get her."

I have never raised a bottle-fed baby of any sort, being a staunch supporter of extended breastfeeding and natural parenting, so it is odd that I would adopt a goat of only 4 days old who would be nursing on her mother (if left to do as nature intended) for another 2 months, at least. But I knew that if I didn't take her, someone else would. Frantic and suddenly terrified, I called my husband. There wasn't even a moment of hesitation as he gave me a big "What are you waiting for- go get her! We'll make it work!" and I was off like a shooting star- with a laundry basket by my side.

And so, there is one waiting with his mother on a farm not too far away- for the day he will join us here. We plan visits with him at least once a week if not more.- And there is one leaping and bounding in our kitchen and following us around as she gets used to these smooth floors and bleats to us when she doesn't know where we are (goodness forbid that we would dare to visit the bathroom!). She plays with the cats and drinks from a beer bottle (what a lush!) with a nipple on the end.

And us? Well, as things fall into place and we wait for things to settle in, we are doing fine, taking each moment in with gratitude and playing with our cats, our dogs, our guinea pigs and our goats- as we make soup, beans and rice and play board games or tell stories (and write them!). I am thanking the Universe for this cornucopia of gifts and finding peace and trying to practice trust in this path we are on. Certainly something spectacular is happening and all will be well, I just have to trust in this divine path......