Animals #39 and 40

Just in case I didn't have enough to take care of around here...


These 2 arrived here at their new home yesterday evening. They are Saanen goats, both females, and are a few months old. They haven't been around people too much so they are a bit skiddish, but we spent a good amount of time with them this afternoon and they are coming around.

I've wanted goats for a couple years now. I wanted ones to milk but wasn't sure when the best time to take on that responsibility would be. But over the past couple years my flower garden, as well as a spot in the front yard, has been taken over. With poison ivy.

All summer Paul wanted to spray it but I wouldn't let him go near it with chemicals. It was too close to my vegetable garden...and well, I just don't like chemicals. He did try a vinegar and salt mixture which did kill back some of it, but wasn't terribly effective. Paul can't go near poison ivy without breaking out terribly. I've pulled it bare handed before, but I assume one of these days I will get it....

My suggestion to cure the poison ivy problem? Goats.


So meet Bertie....

She's the more shy around people of the 2. Loves to eat. Seems to be the protector by the way she stomps and lowers her horns at the dogs when they get too close to the fence.

And Bella

She seems to be warming up a little quicker than Bertie. She'll come up and sniff, and occasionally let you pet her nose, when you stretch your hand out to her. She even started to cry and call when we went to leave the yard.

According to the farmer they both come from good milk lines, so maybe in a year or 2, we might attempt to breed them and use them for milk as well as weed eaters.