Last night for the first time in my life, I learned how to milk a Nigerian Dwarf goat. Our neighbors in Woodview, have been very kind and helpful in answering a whole bunch of questions I have on getting a new doe kids. In fact, they offered to sell us two of theirs. YAY! I can move them across country, to Newfoundland and begin my new adventures. At first, I was thinking my idea was kind of nuts. Yet, I have taken many risks before. I have learned with previous risks taken, that the “nuts” feeling of nervousness can be a negative. If you do something without a solid sense of preparation, and act only on pure excitement, you can get into things that can potentially backfire. What immediately comes to mind is a few different relationships, that I could have said no too. However, this time, I feel I am going in with eyes wide open.
Why? Well, it has been a year now since I have become interested in goats. On, and off, I have been researching them. With a lot of self reflection and improvement the last 17yrs, I have gotten to know myself really well. A constant inner tugging to do something, has shown me, that I will completely give it my all.
This interest in goats the last years, has intensified the last 3 months that COVID 19 quarantine hit. My family would definitely qualify it as an obsession. So much so, that it really seems like the best time to pack, move and implement plans, 14 months earlier than originally anticipated. This plans now includes our soon to be two little females (aka Does’) Nigerian Dwarf goats coming to live with us. We pick them up this weekend.
I have been researching all the fencing supplies. Our little girls are already used to electric wire fencing. When you are not sure where you want a permanent fence and goat house (that would definitely be me at the moment). This is the smartest, least energy producing and most cost effective strategy. Flexibility is definitely the name of the game at this time and place. My plans for building a small sustainable 1 acre organic farm, are just in the complete beginning stages, so I have to make sure what I implement now, is open to flexibility, because this is a new adult adventure.
I have been visualizing how this is all going to go, before making any drastic decisions. So far this is what I have:
Step 1 Research and know about goats and what kind would be best for our needs. I say ours because my Mom (aka Lola) will be the care taker when I am busy via vacation or away training clients. The answer has come up as Nigerian Dwarf goats: Small, friendly, milk goats that are a great introduction to small animal farming. I have become obsessed with Weed em Reap’s Vlogg channel The only other time I have become this obsessed compulsive over anything on Youtube, is when I feel in love with boxing. I would watch over and over again different fighters and their techniques.
Step 2 Get all the supplies for the goats and set them up effectively (that is happening this Friday)
Step 3 Buy the goats (that is happening Saturday)
Step 4 Learn each others goat and human behaviour before we drive 3-4 days across country to settle in New Chelsea Newfoundland. Safety and love needs to be established first.
Step 5 This is a bigger and where more sub steps will take place in the future. The cole’s notes version is: Settle in in temporarily at my parents place in New Chelsea’s, Newfoundland with our new girls, this fall buy land on the ocean, build or find a garage structure to put my gym together, then build on the small animal and food organic farm.
I am needless to say, super excited about it all, but especially the Goats!! Stay tuned for all the steps.
Check out the introduction of our goats to the whole family on Youtube.
