A Goat's Diet: You wouldn't think feeding a goat is complicated. I mean, let 'em loose in the overgrown backyard and they'll be happy, right? Unfortunately, no. Surprisingly enough, goats don't prefer grass. Sure, they'll nibble at it a bit, and if it's all that's available they'll force it down, but it's like brussels sprouts to them. They'll … [Read more...]
Building a Goat Pen: Step by Step Videos
In all my years of owning goats... Never has anything proved quite as frustrating as building a strong goat pen. You'd think that goats (being relatively small & docile) wouldn't be so tough to contain. But oh no. It's like Jurassic Park over here. Except, instead of being killed and/or eaten, you just have a goat staring at you … [Read more...]
A Day in the Life on our Urban Farm
Seven years ago we were newbies at urban farming... We didn't know how to grow anything and, truth be told, I was a teensy bit afraid of chickens. I had always been interested in urban farming, but it wasn't until I was married and had kids of my own that I took my farming dream seriously. At the time my dream developed we were living in a … [Read more...]
GOAT CROSSFIT. Yep, it’s a thing.
YOU GUYS. It happened. I decided to join the crossfit crowd. There's only one difference. I use goats. ENJOY! STORY BEHIND THIS CROSSFIT VIDEO: Each year, I love to satisfy my funny bone and create an April Fool's Day blog post that is sure to get some laughs. It's probably one of the most hilarious times for our … [Read more...]
Taking Care of your Farm while on Vacation
Although we love farm life Sometime we just need to get away from it all and take a vacation. A real, non-goat milking, vacation. Last week we took a vacation to the Arizona mountains and it was so nice to know our animals were happy back at home. There are a few different ways people with farms can vacation. In our early farm years, … [Read more...]
Planning an Efficient Pasture Rotation for Goats
You know you're a serious goat farmer... When you spend hours researching and planning an efficient pasture rotation area. In my years owning goats, I've learned that raising a healthy herd of goats can come naturally if you understand their behavior and instincts. Goats don't eat grass. At least they aren't happy with grass alone. One of the … [Read more...]
Homemade Udder Balm Recipe {with free printable label}
Breastfeeding mothers can relate. It hurts to have a milk supply. And goats are no different. That's why I created this udder balm to soothe and protect the skin of my goat's most precious feature -- their udders. After you get the "how to milk a goat" part down, it's time to make sure those teats and udder are healthy. An udder balm can … [Read more...]
Assisting a Goat Birth Delivery {A Video Tutorial}
Can you believe... ... that it's taken us 7 years of goat-owning, over 20 assisted deliveries, and countless little baby goats running around for us to finally film a birth? Gee whiz willikers. But last Tuesday, on a sun-shiney morning while we were still in our PJs, we realized our Luna gal was about to give birth. And darn it, I was … [Read more...]
How to tell if your goat is pregnant
It seems like it should be simple, right? A pregnant goat would look... well, pregnant. The problem is, goats have naturally large stomachs, due to the activity in their rumen. So, figuring out if your goat just has a large stomach or is actually pregnant can be harder than you think. The difference between a bloated rumen and pregnancy: If … [Read more...]
Creating an HOA-approved Backyard Farm in the City
Backyard farming is truly one of the most rewarding things you'll ever do. Sure, some plants will die and you'll make beginner mistakes like the best of us, but your life will become so much richer in the process. Gathering fresh eggs from your chickens and milk from your goats in the morning, along with some chives, kale, and blueberries … [Read more...]
Goats & Minerals: What you need to know
Minerals are the backbone of a goat's diet. Really, they're the backbone of any diet, including yours. Assuming you've got a good foundation of quality food in your goat's diet, now it's time to understand how minerals work to make your goats thrive! When we first had goats we offered a (white) salt mineral block and a (red) trace … [Read more...]
How to Draw Blood from a Goat
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking this might be one of my satire posts. It's not. You're thinking maybe I've gone nuts. I haven't. (not yet at least) You're thinking I may have started to dabble in witchcraft or naked moon dancing rituals. Occasionally, but not today! The practice of raising healthy goats. If your … [Read more...]