These are some of the folks you would meet at This Little Farm. Click on the picture and read a short description
Heidi is an Alpine. My biggest milker, she is also my biggest lover. Sooo sweet, she won't get off the milk stand without her lovin's.
Tacoa is a LaMancha and was a "first freshener" as a two year old in 2017. She has grown into quite a lady.
Pearl is a sweet girl and one of the two Saanens I have here. She and Carolyn are best friends and are always together.
Pearl's other half. Carolyn always wants to look deep into my eyes after she get milked. Such a sweet girl.
Pixie was found by her previous owner and rescued out of terrible conditions. I don't know how old Pixie is, but she is a fixture here. She is also naturally polled, which means she was born without horns and so are her babies.
Chrystal is my Herd Queen. That means she has risen to the top of the pecking order and earned the respect of all the other goats. Along with the perks (best sleeping spot, most food, etc) she also has a lot of responsibilities. In addition to keeping order, she is responsible to protecting the herd. If an intruder (like a mean dog) would break into the barnyard, she would be the one to defend the rest.
Don't tell the others, but sometimes, I have favorites and Monica is mine. Monica is a LaMancha.
Sally is a cross between a LaMancha and an Alpine. She's very young and is always happy and eager to milk.
One of my sweetest ladies, Olivia (I call her Mommy) is also one of my biggest milkers. She's very unassuming and never pushy.
These girls were born in the spring of 2016 and will have their first babies spring of 2018. Then they will become full-fledged milking ladies, but until then, they are still enjoying being teenagers!
This character is Gunny. He's kind of a mascot around here, because he is way more trouble than he is worth! He's always into something.
The oldest goat in the world? Maybe, but she's a real joy! She can't be in with the rest of the goats anymore as she is too feeble, so she is Queen of the rest of the place. She is free to roam the place and welcomes all the milk customers and kids that come around. She's quite the lady!
My amazing barn cat. Isn't she beautiful? And what a hunter she is! She came from the Kansas Humane Society and was designated a "barn cat" because they said she was "just odd". Lucky me!
Scott is a Livestock Guardian Dog. Her breed is Anatolian Shepherd. She patrols the place at night, keeping out coyotes and other bad animals that might want to hurt the goats.
To Mary Faye,
I didn’t even know enough to ask the lady how old you were that day I brought you home in my van all those years ago.
So, I don't know how old you were when you patiently let me learn how to milk a goat.
I don't know how old you were when you became Herd Queen and whipped my other goats into a proper herd of milking ladies.
I don't know how old you were, when you nearly bled to death after trying to protect the others from the big dog that was attacking your herd.
I don't know how old you when you stole that baby from a new mother because you didn't have one of your own that year.
I don't know how old you were when you helped me understand that getting older doesn’t mean you’re not still beautiful.
I don’t know how old you were when you abdicated your crown to a younger Herd Queen.
I don't know how old you were when you lost your teeth or had to start taking pain meds everyday so your arthritis didn't hurt so much.
I don't know how old you were when you couldn't get up anymore and I knew it was time.
I may not know how old you were, but I know there will never be another goat like you and I loved you very much.
Thank you, old friend.