Dances with Goats, Part 2

Life has been an adventure since the goats arrived.  Webby and I have finally settled into a good milking routine.  I'm still a painfully slow, clumsy milker, but the job is getting done.  After a week of struggling, frustration, and getting my hands kicked; I had my Goat Guru come out to see what was the problem.  It was an easy fix, move the milk stand!  I had been bringing Webby up to our deck to milk, which was too far away from the herd.  The milk stand was moved next to the goat pen a couple weeks back, and Webby is happy as a clam.  She's milked every morning around 8:15 am and gives me about 10 ounces of milk.  That may not seem like a lot, but I'm milking a very small goat who is still nursing a doeling.  At the moment I'm toying with the idea of milking twice a day to get more milk.  The sweet, rich Nigerian Dwarf milk is excellent in coffee.

Luna, our LaMancha doeling, is weaned and thriving.  I'm thinking of selling her because I like the smaller Nigerian Dwarf breed better.  Tanner, our recently wethered LaMancha, is weaning now and not too happy about it.  My future hope for him is to become a companion for Lil Bit.  Pipsqueak is sill as clingy as ever.  You can't open the gate to the goat pen without Pippy racing out to see you.  He has been wethered as well.  Buck goats are incredibly rude and disgusting, and I really don't want one around.  Pippy will get bigger, but stay sweet.  He's little Sweet Candy's best buddy, so I want to keep the dynamic duo together.  Bucks need to stay separated from the does for a multitude of reasons. 

My goals now for my goats are milk for coffee, cheese, and possibly soap.  I'd like to breed Webby this fall for spring babies.  Sweet Candy will be bred in the spring for fall babies.  This way I'll always have milk, and the sales of their offspring can fund my insanity.  The girls are also considering joining 4-H, so they can show the Nigis.  Webby is registered and the two little ones will be soon.  I'm looking forward to seeing this little enterprise grow and flourish.