Animal Husbandry?

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Yes, I know this is a sheep, and not a goat.

I don't have any goat portraits to share.


Saturday morning, I was at work painting one final coat of sealer on the stage floor. I came home, ate some of the beautiful biscuits that Robb made, and headed out to Annie's Annuals for free class about raising urban chickens.

Annie's is one of my favorite places. It's a nursery with a twist. They have a very whimsical visual sensibility, and they stock an impressive selection of California native plants. There are always hummingbirds zooming around. Yesterdays' class was surrounded by dozens of fluttering orange butterflies.

I don't know if it says more about me or the instructor, but I really didn't learn a whole lot that I didn't already know about raising chickens at this class. I've been reading online, and paying attention to what my sister tells me about her hens. I don't feel even remotely prepared to care for backyard livestock, yet. I'm just soaking up information. And pondering.

At some point, the conversation turned to urban goat keeping, and my ears really perked up. I have a perverse fantasy about keeping a couple of small goats, who would provide our home with milk and fiber. Robb could make goats' milk cheese, and I could knit weird itchy garments out of homegrown mohair.

But who am I kidding? The little house we are buying has a little yard. Goats are smelly, and I'm not sure I want to be tied down to the intense schedule of dairy farming.



The class went from chickens to goats to world-wide conspiracy at a frightening pace. Did you know that there is a group of powerful people -- governments and pharmaceutical companies -- whose goal is to murder half the population of the planet, by reducing access to raw milk products, and tricking people into using deadly flu vaccines? This was news to me.

Comments

OMG! You evidently were spending time with those who have the tendency to believe everything they read on the internet--like our SON! Because of these very things you spoke of (in blue print) our son and his wife are moving to Ecuador!! No lie! Seems they have the raw milk/immunization-by-choice issues sewn up.

CHEEEEZE!!

~~Doublesaj~~
Lisa said…
No way!

By the end of the class, many people had drifted away. But by the time the teacher got to the Crazy Talk, I was the only person not nodding their head in agreement.

It seems to me that planning to murder half the world's population is a mighty poor business plan. But maybe I'm missing some crucial part of this idea.
Unknown said…
Well- you know that's because government is the Anti-Christ, and until we REPENT then we are doomed. Baptize yourself in unpastuerized organic soy milk before you go to hell!!!
Lisa said…
Soundtrack from our living room, after reading Tonya's comment:


Both: (giggling madly.)

Robb: "It *is* a pretty good argument for home-schooling your goats."

(More giggling.)
Knit Wit said…
Little yard? Alpaca!

They are apparently very cute and have a tendency to only use one area of the yard as bathroom facilities. Might be easier to keep the smell down. :-)

Good luck with the backyard farming ideas.
Mel said…
My bf's mom has goats; the trouble with the milk supply is that it also means you have the cycle: baby goat, wean baby, milk for your cheese, soap, fudge, whatever... eventually, you 'dry the goat off' and then breed her again. Repeat. I like the alpaca idea, though! Apparently they and llamas must have one designated communal poop pile, and need a jar of starter poo pile when traveling to the state fair or anything. So wacky!
Cinderellen said…
I share your goat fantasy, but like you I have decided to keep it in the realm of fantasy, at least until retirement gives me some other options for my time....Chickens though are another kettle of fish. Seems almost manageable.
Marissa Dupont said…
If you had goats, you'd never have to mow your lawn either! :) And also, their favorite food is poison ivy! Love that! :D
Anonymous said…
It's a good thing I'm not interesting enough for the government to murder. I still owe Sallie Mae WAY to much money to die, anyway!

And since when does ANY government's plan to kill off their taxpayers make sense?

Annalisa
Anonymous said…
One goat, coming up. His name is Curly...
http://www.heatherspages.net/images/curly.jpg
Gad XX
Julie said…
I'm still in the closet about this but it seems you might understand....i have sheep. Dairy sheep! Shhhhh.

Your garden looks great, reminds me i must take more pictures. And i love your green bees.

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