It’s been a glorious week of sun here on the homestead. Almost makes me think that spring is truly on its way. Almost. But the days have been warm and sunny, my seeds in the greenhouse are sprouting, perennials are flowering, bees are buzzing, and grass is growing. Yes, the green grass is growing. And that makes our goats so very happy.
Our sweet goats. Currently, we have a herd of six American Alpine dairy goats. They represent three generations of does.
Nimbrethil is the alpha doe. She is 6 years old. She is spirited and strong. Much like my sweet little girl in the background there.
Her sister is Calypso. Calypso and Nimbrethil came to us as 3 month old kids, when we had to replace a yearling that had been killed by a cougar. She is easy going and a great milker.
Sable is Calypso’s daughter. She is 4 years old and so sweet and gentle. While her dam Calypso is super easy to milk, Sable has been a bit more challenging to milk. She has tiny teats. So tiny that it’s really hard to even wrap your hand around them. (Don’t tell any of the other goats, but Sable may be my favorite!)
This is Gilly (short for Galadriel). She is Nimbrethil’s daughter, 4 years old. She is the only goat that we bred this year. Can’t you see how gorgeously round and pregnant she looks? Her kids are due in late April. She is a fabulous mom and easy milker. A goat-owner’s dream.
And lastly, we have “Jump in the hayloft Rose” and “Black Black”, our yearlings. We make it a policy never to name a goat until we’ve decided if we’re keeping them in the herd – too easy to get attached. But Ella had other ideas! They are Gilly and Sable’s kids, respectively.
That’s our herd! Six goats for a small family is a bit overkill, but we do love our caprine friends. If you have any questions, I love talking about our goats – ask away!
Happy Weekend!
(Featured Article From: http://homestead-honey.com)
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