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Two New Pets

I’ve wanted goats for years! In the late 90’s, I was making soap and wanted to make goat’s milk soap and that’s when I first started asking if I could have a milk goat. Then when we moved to MO, the Amish near us had goats and I was telling Anna, the Amish lady, how much I wanted a milk goat and then we got into the discussion about when a goat gives milk and doesn’t give milk (kinda like the birds and the bees discussion . . with an Amish lady!) and Vince said “I don’t want a billy goat!” and Anna looked at him with a completely straight face and said “Take her on a date!” . . a conjugal visit for goats . . of sorts!  🙂

About a mile down the road from us is a family that raises show goats. If you’re terribly uneducated about show goats . . as I am . . you might be surprised to know that some of their goats sell for more than many small homes! It happens that their son works at McCoy’s and he and Vince have gotten to be buddies. It’s so funny that the folks at McCoy’s and Tractor Supply are Vince’s best friends!

We’re working in the garden and needed pipe for the watering experiment for the tomatoes so . . off we went to McCoy’s. The goat guy was helping us and I said “I know you sell show goats and all I want is a milk goat so can you give me any advice?” Boy, did I ask the right guy the right question at the right time!

For their show goats, every now and then a mom gives birth and doesn’t want to take care of the babies so they have a couple of not show goats that they let have babies so they can let her be a surrogate to the show goats and then they sell off the not show goat babies. He has two right now for sale!  Two girls! I said “I’ll take them!”

Vince is looking at me like  . . I knew I shouldn’t have brought you in here!

Vince: She doesn’t know the first thing about milking goats! (He’s right!)
Goat Guy: Come down to the house and I’ll teach you everything you need to know.  I have two goats that are tame milkers and  you can milk them.
Vince: Doesn’t the goat have to be bred to keep producing milk?
Goat Guy: Bring the goat down to my house or I’ll pick her up and we’ll take care of that for you!

Am I the luckiest person you know? Goat Guy is off tomorrow and he’s going to call me and we’ll begin Goat Milking 101. We have to build a shelter for them to keep them safe from the coyotes at night and he said he’ll help us get all that set up. I am so excited.

I can make goat cheese! We will learn to drink goat’s milk. Do you know what all you can do with goat’s milk? Check it out here on Pinterest! I can hardly wait!

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Yay!!! I buy stuffed animal goats as gifts and watch them on YouTube! I am so happy for you!!!!!

  4. Well, I love goats, so I will love reading about your new adventures. Good luck. Goats grow on you and have a way of becoming large herds, (grin) Are these Nubian? If so they give very rich milk.

  7. Sounds like a really fun new adventure for you! Wonder what Speck and Boots will think of their new “sisters”???

  9. Here’s an advantage to not having a billy goat: the milk will have less smell and “off” flavors. We made our own cottage cheese and butter when we milked goats

  10. My daughter raises Nubians. They are like puppies! I agree about having your girls go on dates rather than have a bucl. Buck’s can be stinky & nasty. She’s pretty much self taught with help from many goatie friends.

  11. I’m laughing at the thought of Vince milking the goats when you go and see Chad, Nichole and Addie.
    You are really living your dream, grats!
    Helen

  12. Don’t know if you know about The Beekmans, but it is a farm in upstate NY. When they bought the farm, the barn came with a goat herder and many, many goats. They have a book out and have a big business in goat cheese etc. You would enjoy reading about them on Facebook and they have great recipes. can’t remember title. Think I am excited for you,not sure. Another Judy/Vince adventure. Fun, fun, fun!

  13. Beekman are having a milking lesson on line. I forgot, it’s lambing time. My husband lived one whole year of college in the sheep barn to help new mothers (and help pay tuition).

  15. Bless your heart………. We are in for some funny stories. Goats are REAL smart………….. We spent two weeks trying to figure where they were getting out and they spent the next two weeks finding another weak spot………

  16. I thought that I wanted goats at one time and then took care of some for a neighbor while she went on vacation. I found that I didn’t like them. Then when my dau was about 18 she wanted goats. I said no for as long as I could, Then drove her about 60 miles to look at two females They were Oberhalsi’s. They were smart, friendly and fun, would follow you like a dog and hike with you too if you wanted a pack goat and were wonderful mothers. The goats are gone, shes married and I miss it all.

  18. My parents had a goat when I was in early elementary school. All I remember about the goat is that it got into a neighbor’s yard and we received a phone call saying, “Your goat is eating my flowers!” Good luck with your new animals!

  20. I’ve always wanted goats, the tiny little ones. So I know how happy you are! Hope you take lots oh pictures!

  21. That is SOO funny! When we lived in CO and I used to go to craft shows and stuff (selling, not buying), we had a booth next to a gal that did all this goat milk stuff. Her website is soapygoat.com and I’d buy her lotions and soaps and stuff, She made goat cheese that my DH LOVED and he’d always buy some from her and scarfed it down. I always thought that was so cool all the stuff she’d make from goat’s milk. Yes, you REALLY lucked into that!! (I’m picturing the look on Vince’s face..HAHA)

  23. My daughter raised a couple of goats for 4H several years ago. They were so sweet. I’d love to get a couple as pets but since I have 6 chicks in my basement right now, I won’t be bringing up the subject any time soon. Can’t wait for pictures! Do they have names?

  25. Are you getting kids (babies) or are you getting the nannies (grown-up mamas)? I raise goats and if you are bottle feeding babies, I can give you some good advice (I learned the hard way and lost a few before I learned what I needed to know about what kind of formula to use and immunizations etc!)

  26. How lucky is that .. Wonderful , I am assuming we will have some recipes before too long ?

  28. My husband keeps saying he wants a goat. It will be interesting to see if your adventures can convince me he should have one.. He travels and I stay home with the cats don’t need anything else to take care of.

    Anita/Idaho

  29. “Not show goat babies” say that three times fast! Congrats on your new little milk goats. I can’t wait to find out how easy/hard they are to keep. I am hoping one day to get Jacob sheep, so I’ll be paying attention.

  30. Probably one of the only two critters my husband would not let my daughter have. No goats and no chickens. Now that the kids are gone I have him half convinced to get some chickens. I keep pointing out how much we spend on eggs and chicken. I might get some yet. Probably never convince him on the goats. Good luck. I have a friend who makes and sells goat milk and cheese.

  31. Ohhhhh, Judy!!! You crack me up! This is like a sit-com, but it’s “The Adventures of Judy and Vince Show”!! Can’t wait to read all the new adventures that lie ahead of you!!

  32. Oh Judy, goats are such fun, but be warned they are very naughty! Very easy to milk. I had a milk goat and I just loved her. Goats milk is very nice. The trick is to keep every thing super clean. You’ll never know you’re drinking goats milk.
    Good luck!

    Linda

  33. You’ll love your goats! My parents always had milk goats when I was growing up, and they were the sweetest animals ever. They’d follow us around and want to be petted, just like a dog. And the kids are so funny to watch!

  34. Oh, you don’t have to learn to drink goat’s milk. It is wonderful. We had a couple of dairy goats for several years and I have a daughter who always told everyone she didn’t like goat’s milk. Finally, I told her she had been drinking it for years, I just put it in regular milk cartons so she didn’t know. Of all our experiences, I miss the goat most. They are so friendly and we often had lap sitters, which gets difficult when they grow to adults.

  35. Just one response…..

    LOL!

    I can’t wait to read up on your new adventure as I’m SURE you’ll be keeping us all posted.
    We have two Pygmy goats; not for milking, just pets to enjoy and teach the girls some responsibility.

  37. Goats? Oh, Judy, you are such fun! You know your goats are going to need a guard dog. . .(one that doesn’t mess with chickens) I can’t wait to see pictures and read your goat stories.

  39. I love goats! And I love goat cheese, and goat milk and everything about them. Congrats on your new goats! Can’t wait to see pics of them. 😀

  40. Sounds like you have some idea of how to take care of goats, I sure wouldn’t! But I hear they are smart and sneaky and fun. Vince is due for some major fence building! I love this blog, she got goats and writes about making her own cheese etc. You might pick up some tips. http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/ Good luck!

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