Meet our three goat friends! Their names are Zingiber, Clover and Fern. Their heritage is a mix of Nubian, Oberhasli and Alpine, I believe. But it really doesn't matter. They're wonderful! They are on loan to us for a while to help us see if we like "goating." And so far we love it. They are surprisingly affectionate and have such cute bleats. Baaaaaaa.
Applying Nehemiah's Style: This is definitely a Nehemiah Moms type project. Just as God placed the idea of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem into Nehemiah's heart, so I believe God gave me the idea of using goats' milk for our family, years ago. Nehemiah didn't drop what he was doing to leave for Jerusalem that day. He prayed and planned and waited. Finally the time was right, and he moved into action. This goat project has been several years in the pray-plan-wait stage. And now, with great excitement and thanksgiving to God, we have recently moved into the action phase. Nehemiah's style of approaching projects always reaps thanksgiving to God, since it becomes so obvious that He has orchestrated it! I know some people think certain projects are taking too long due to lack of decisiveness, an unresponsive spouse, poor management, or laziness. That's what I used to think. But I am learning the value of being a Nehemiah Mom and wife: Pray, plan and wait. Then when God says go, He gets all the glory. And that is our aim in life anyway: to glorify Him!
Cows' milk problems: Some of us Dukes have an intolerance of cows' milk. I simply don't feel good after drinking it. One of our children has behavior problems that can be directly tied to cows' milk consumption. If we've had ice cream or lots of cheese one day, we can expect problems the next. That child becomes extremely difficult to work with: pestering, talking back incessantly and challenging everything. If we eliminate cows' milk products, the whole family is much happier. So I've wanted to try us all on goats' milk, but have never found a safe, reliable source in our area. The alternative was to milk our own goats. Over the years I've prayed about it, read materials on the topic and talked to goat people. Not that I was eager for the extra work, nor the time commitments, but the idea of having our own source of really good milk is very appealing.
Spousal support: My husband Tom, however, was not as excited. He humored me with my dream for quite some time. He and the children actually tried to get me a goat for Mothers' Day one year. But the timing wasn't right yet. Then this year, a new family started attending our church. They had dairy goats! One day, at the library, I was talking to the new friend about it. She said they were not planning to milk the goats this year. They wanted a summer off to do some travelling. But then she said, "Would you want to borrow them?" I was so taken aback I couldn't even answer at first. I said I'd talk to Tom. By the time I was leaving the library, I was sooo excited. Was the action phase actually happening? I prayed about asking Tom. I didn't want this to be something to which he simply acquiesced. But when I asked him, he smiled and said, "Yes! Let's do it!" God had changed Tom's heart during the "pray and wait" stage of the project. Now he seems to enjoy the goats more than I do! Praise the Lord! God's timing is always best.
Our goat plan: In order for these goat does to be "milkable", they have to have babies first. So our friend found a nice buck named Joe-Pye, and now we have three pregnant does. After their kids are born and nurse for a couple months, we'll wean them and keep milking the moms. We get to keep and raise the kids to start our own herd. When they are old enough to breed and eventually milk, we'll return Fern, Zingiber and Clover to their original owners. Our daughters don't like the idea of butchering the buck kids, but that's the plan right now. Brennan has graciously offered to be the slaughter-master when the time comes. We'll find something else for the girls to do that day.
Action phase: Our back field is still frozen and covered with 6ft. high, solid drifts of snow, so for now we put up a make-shift pen in the front of our garage. We've had to shore up, revise and make the sides higher, especially when Zingiber, the smallest goat, began launching herself over the edges. One time she even jumped straight into Tom's arms! Our shed and fencing project is in the pray-plan-wait phase now. Each family member has a different design in mind. We located a fallen barn whose owner says we can use the wood, once it's free from the 5 feet of snow on top of it. In the meantime we're learning to love these three "ladies" and to care for them diligently. I like God's thoughts on the topic, found in Proverbs 27:23-27
"Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds; For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations. When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in, The lambs will provide you clothing, And the goats the price of a field; You shall have enough goats' milk for your food, For the food of your household, And the nourishment of your maidservants." NKJV
I especially like the idea in that last phrase. I wonder when the maidservants arrive?
I've gotten into the habit of singing a little song whenever I go out to give the goats their treats (banana peels, broccoli stems). It's a spin off of a little table grace our family occasionally sings at supper. This revised version goes, "Thank you God for giving us goats, Amen." I noticed after a few times, that even before the goats saw me, they would hear my little song, and come running to the edge of the pen to get their treats. It is a bit like Pavlov's dogs, but instead of "Ring the bell, spray the meat powder and the dog salivates," it's more like "Sing the song, feed the broccoli stems and the goats salivate!"
Anyway, this little behavior modification came in handy the other day. We had taken the goats out for a romp around the yard on their leashes. When the frolicking was done, we guided them into their pen and unleashed them. But in the process, Fern did a "180" and bolted back out and into the yard. The little girls squealed and Fern took off for the far-reaches. I had been waiting for just such an opportunity. I called for everyone to quit squealing and make a clear path between Fern and the pen. Then I sang the little goodies song: "Thank you, God, for giving us goats, Amen." As we watched with delight, Fern perked up her half-Nubian ears, turned and ran full speed back into the pen! It was great!
It's been fascinating to watch how God has been working out the details of this goat project. Our goats at this point are still in our garage in a makeshift pen made of pallets and chicken wire. It's fine for now, but not good long term. So we have been applying the "pray and wait" principle for fencing and a shed of some sort. I haven't the faintest idea how to put up fencing. But I've done a little research on the internet.
Then about a week ago, a neighbor called. The conversation went something like this:
"Paul and I are doing some fencing at our place and found a good deal on some cedar posts. You're needing some fencing for your goats, right? Would you like to use cedar posts?
"Um, "
"We're going to be getting forty for us. You're doing goats, hmmm, you'll probably need about thirty and we can get them for a dollar a piece. Thirty would be fine wouldn't it?"
"Well, uh..." At this point we hadn't even decided how large an area we needed. What could I say?
"We're going this morning, " she continued.
I said I'd call her back and went out to pace off what I thought would be a proper size. Can you guess how many posts we needed? Exactly 30! I shook my head and thanked the Lord. These fun little happenings remind me that God is in control of this project. We traded our neighbors the "delivery of 30 cedar posts" for "removal of one hazard tree" the next weekend. I feel a bit like Nehemiah who got letters from the king to allow him all the wood needed for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
Now we're gradually digging the post holes and putting in the posts. It is fascinating how even "fence building" can be an educational event. Tom was teaching a couple of the boys how to use the post-hole digger, and answered questions about why the soil was different colors at different levels. We used our math skills to calculate how many posts each side needed. We learned how to set the poles against one solid edge, not right in the middle of the hole, so they'd be more firmly planted.
Then this week our family got paid for a singing event, so we used the money to buy the roles of metal fencing. We are still doing the posts, but will very soon have a nice little pasture. But what about the shed? I'm eager to see what God has in mind. Stay tuned.....
This summer our family had a reunion in Colorado in July. The baby goats were due to arrive shortly after we returned. We still didn't have a good shelter for the goats. I prayed earnestly, "Lord, you have been so faithful in guiding us through this whole goat project. I have no reason to be concerned about this next step. Yet I'm anxious. Please take these anxious thoughts captive. We have been praying and waiting for Your answer to our request for a good shelter for the goats. We'll soon be away on vacation and the babies might be born as soon as we return. Not to rush you, but it appears we only have this next week to get something put up. Take captive my anxious thoughts that perhaps You won't provide in time."
That week, we stopped at a rummage sale on the way home from town. In the yard was an ice fishing shack that I considered for a milking house. But the price was too high. Then my eye caught the sight of a square building in the back yard. It had hay in it. I asked if they might consider selling it. The lady pointed to a sign on the garage: Walk-in Cooler for sale. I was ecstatic and immediately knew it was God's answer. I said, "We'll take it!" They had used it to house goats as well! And they were pleased that it would be used for more goats. It came apart in sections, so it was "easy" to move. We set it up next to our little pasture and our goats have been enjoying it ever since. It is a sturdy, insulated little building that will keep the strong winter winds off the goats. I was delighted...and still am, every time I think of it. Pray and wait, then God gets the glory when He answers!
God is a god of perfect timing. We can count on it. Our goats went way overdue, but our family needed that. We were busy with visitors, singing engagements and helping Grandma and Grandpa Carlson get ready to move. But at the right time, our three little buck kids were born. The first two were standing sweetly near their mother when we returned from singing in town. A week later we and the neighbors witnessed the third little guy's entrance. He was stuck, so I helped a bit. That was an interesting experience. Our third mom goat appears to be unpregnant (pardon the non-scientific terminology). She really had us going there for a while. I think she just wanted the extra grain.
We were really hoping for a doe kid or two, so we're in a quandry as to what to do with our little bucks. They're cute and all, but.... And the girls can't even entertain the thought of raising them for meat. I guess I can't either. We will see what God has in mind.