About Us

 

Our first goats come into our lives the autumn before Abigail was born, when Elizabeth was seven years old. And they've been part of the family ever since.

They were a mother daughter pair, the mother was a gentle old girl who milked a ton, and her daughter was a little more spiffy, with respectable production. Those first babies that spring were the beginning of a long, long story, that just keeps going on. Can you imagine the fun? Seven goat kids and four siblings... as well as any friends that could persuade their parents to drop them off for a few hours. We had a blast.

 

Abigail started goatkeeping early. (Shown here at around 6.)

 

The herd grew from there, as herds tend to do! The numbers got up into the double digits, and over the course of the next ten years we'd fluctuate from numbers in the teens to the thirties, encompassing two breeds. (Saanens and Alpines.) It was fun... Everbody helped, and we all split up chores. They were a major part of growing up, and the life lessons learned were enormous. The breeding and selection process was taken very seriously from the first, and our herd was soon improving very nicely. We never had a big budget, but through diligent research were able to find high-end genetics at economic values, and so get the improvement we looked for without breaking the bank.

Around 2004 due to deverging interests, the rest of the family voted to get out of goats. Abigail and I voted to keep them, and so we got them! We've had them ever since, with no plans of ever having it otherwise.

Because there's only two of us now, we keep our numbers down and only one breed. (As tempting as it is to wander!) The Alpines were our mutual favorite, and we've specialized in them with great success. When we moved to Nebraska we had the opportunity to go to several shows with very good results. [See below.]
Now that we're in Missouri, we'll have to see what the schedule allows!

We love our herd, and wish every goat-lover happiness in their own herd's journey!

 

 

Elizabeth started early, too, come to think of it.

(Here around 8; with the second year's kid crop.)
 

Showing

(Photos are us showing in showmanship.)

We have always wanted to be able to show our goats, but our previous very remote location worked against it. When we relocated to McCook, (in '06,) we were able to have more opportunities for that. So the next year, ('07,) we went to our first goat show, the Tumbleweed Classic in Clay Center.

We had a lot of fun, placed in the ribbons, and met great Nebraska goat folks.

Abi is hooked, I'm afraid she might become a goat show fanatic.

Elizabeth surprised everybody, and herself, by being placed first in adult showmanship. The fact that there was only one other competitor didn't alter the surprise for her at all.

Abigail + '07 doeling. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ` ~ ~ ~ ` ~ ~`` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Elizabeth + Argentina (2007)

In '08 we were able to figure a trip to the Nebraska State Fair, in Lincoln, into the packed summer schedule for August, 22nd through the 24th. It was a close run with getting everything together, but we were finally nearly ready for the big weekend.

The girls did good... placing in the ribbons on nearly all counts. Elma placed first in her class, and took best udder, which made two for two! Two shows, two best udders.

Ave and her daughter Argentina captured second place in the Dam & Daughter.

We were pleased to have Tigiris, Ave and Argentina take third place in the Nebraska Dairy Herd class, even though Tigir was milking through from the previous year!

In 2010 we were back at the Nebraska State Fair, this time in the new fairgrounds at Kearney! It was great to catch up with all our old aquintainces, and, because of the new location, we were able to meet a whole batch of new attendees!

Again, we did well, and brought home plenty of ribbons to impress the neighbors! (They're all beef cattle folk, and don't understand it...!)

Showing goats is a great way to get away for a weekend, talk goats with fellow 'carriers', and still not miss any morning milkings!

We're not sure if any more showing is in our near future, but we certainly enjoy the memories and the pictures of those we did go to!

In the show ring, Dam and Produce!