Last week we said goodbye to our two remaining llamas (Llami Salami already went back to his original home a few weeks ago).
I know I was supposed to be sad about losing these three animals, these three that I wanted SO badly and thought were the most beautiful creatures…and who had the best breath ever (only llama people understand!).
But honestly all I felt watching them head out was relief.
Sometimes animals just aren’t right for our farm. Here’s a lesson for those who wants llamas: If you really, really want a llama, move to an area without white tailed deer. Because nothing is less fun than giving monthly injections to llamas to prevent them from getting M-worm, a parasite that the deer bring in, that is deadly and impossible to test for until a necropsy is done. Had we lived five hours north of here we would have been okay. But unfortunately in Central Texas those deer are every which way. And giving a shot to a llama that doesn’t want a shot, well, it’s challenging, it’s stressful, and it’s honestly dangerous. Llamas weigh about 250 pounds on average which isn’t so big but if they don’t want to do something holy heck are they strong. They will pull, they will kick, they will spit in your face. None of that is fun at ALL. And in the end when I looked at what made sense for our farm and what I wanted to put time and energy into, teaching the llamas to drive carts was low on my priority list. Not to mention I’ve accepted that I’m a really crappy animal trainer. And well, llamas are really pricey and I’ll be honest, we could use the money for more important things right now (and did—already bought a few months’ worth of hay that feeds everyone else on the farm).
So I did feel like a weight was lifted. And I moved on. Now one thing the llamas did do that was useful was that they mowed the lawn/pasture. They kept the grass down which means our property is less snakey. The horses were great for that too. Now we’re wondering if we should free the pigs to the main part of our property so they can eat down the grass regularly or if we should consider some rescue donkeys, or well, my human child, the one who doesn’t usually like animals except the ones that are growing into bacon, has a big obsession with cows right now. I still have a fear of cows but again with donkeys I’m back to “is this animal useful ENOUGH for our farm” compared to a cow that could provide us with whipped cream (goats don’t). Cows are pricey so that’s unlikely to happen any time soon (did anyone else not get their stimulus? Tick tock…tick tock…).
We have our first kids arriving in 3.5 weeks or so from Amelia and Kissy (Burt Reynolds is the sire)—that should be the first week of February but could end up being the last day or two of January. We also have three goat kids coming from other farms this month (one is weaned and two we’ll bottle feed).
And with kidding season coming up so soon, Christine and I did a thang…we finally delved into the silly world of goat yoga! (We did have an event scheduled for us to teach goat yoga in March 2020 but then when Covid hit we canceled, so we never did experience the magic). We went off to get our baby goat fix and to see what goat yoga is really like (and to say we actually did yoga, haha, we’re the worst sometimes!). It was funny! Did we do much yoga? Not that much, no, because how can you when there are goats in tutus and sombreros walking around on your mat? But was it a hit? Completely. I looked around at the people who seem like they’re probably living in fear most of the time these days but they were smiling and forgetting for a few minutes that it’s been a scary year. I hope we can provide that for people too, soon, with our own kids.
Goat in a tutu! 
Happiness 
Goat Yoga at it’s finest
Not much else to report right now. Just getting our ducks in a row, like getting set up for milk testing the goats so they can earn their milk stars, getting our birth kit together, and well, of course praying hard for our country.
Oh wait, speaking of ducks, I ordered ten muscovies yesterday that will arrive in February. I’ve wanted some for a while because in spite of their ugly face, called a caruncle I believe, they are fabulous fly eaters which means they can live with the pigs and goats and manage the pests. They’re also interesting because they have less webbier feet than other ducks and actually perch on roosting bars at night like a chicken. Oh and they taste like beef tenderloin, so hello, of course I want them! If that’s actually the truth and I have found a bird that tastes like a cow I will really feel like I’m winning at life. I love red meat, can’t understand why anyone likes chicken or turkey b/c it’s just so bleh…but then my fear of cows has not worked for getting some big ole meat cows. The perfect solution may have been found!
Next time I write we will have goat kids and I’m really hoping everything goes smoothly! I have a love/hate relationship with goat births, especially after our last one turned out so challenging (Kissy had both her kids get stuck, they were HUGE, all three of them almost died). And now of course we’re starting out with Amelia, who is a first timer born here on our farm in 2019 and is one of my favorites…
and then Kissy again, eeeeeek. And oh is Kissy HUGE this year—she has to have at least three in there! So really, really think good thoughts for us that everything goes smoothly. I’m so happy that we planned out our breedings so that we only have two per month and each time they’re due within two days of each other, so that it’s Amelia/Kissy in February, Powder/Promise in March, and Bridget/Lady in April (and then the sheep—one is a mystery because we didn’t think she ever got bred but she never went back into heat, and then the other was bred and is due in May if she’s pregnant—are sheep as fertile as goats??).
If you’re in our area and looking for goats to add to your herd or to start a herd as pets or milking goats, I feel like we have it all. We’ll have registered and unregistered, floppy eared, airplane eared, elf eared, and gopher eared. Medium sized goats and small goats. Sweet goats and probably some with some attitude (HEHE, cause goats!). Polled goats and horned goats. Some are reserved already so contact me to go on our list! If we have triplets and quads as we seem to every year we will pull some and offer them as bottle babies, too. So really, we do have something for everyone unless you hate goats and then you’re a monster anyway. No, that’s okay, I didn’t like goats until I did. I get it…many of us have had bad goat experiences as kids. I’ve had more than a handful of families come out on tours and comment on how sweet our goats are. Yes, they are! They’ll definitely win you over.
