Building up our dairy goat pack....

So this evening after a full day's work I headed over to the About An Acre farm to meet up with Jason so we could go pick up a few dairy goats in South Carolina. We were hoping to make it there while it was still daylight so we could get a good look at these goats, but we got a late start.....I arrive and Jason and his friend and business partner, Jeff, were looking troubled about the trailer that was already hitched on the truck - flat tire. Luckily there was a neighbor that had a trailer and another neighbor that had a goat carrier/ cage. We hitched up the trailer then picked up the goat carrier and the three of us started driving north. 

The ride was very entertaining to say the least. You see, we all have different political beliefs - but yet we all believe sustainable agriculture and sustainable living is the only way to ensure the generations after us will be able to survive. We all debated on the ride up there about different political agendas, we laughed together, and we agreed on many things. We all have a mutual respect for each other and I feel like one of the reasons we had so much fun was because we all are such polar opposites. These guys had me laughing the entire ride to SC. 

We arrive at the farm that is getting rid of their goats. They have a boy about 10 or 11 years old out in the field saying his goodbyes and hand feeding his buddies. Jason asks why the man why he is getting rid of his goats and he replies that he is getting some cattle. We all talk about sustainable living and the little things we all do to make a difference. They also have honey bees and make apple butter. He offers us some apple butter and I take it. We then back the truck and trailer up to the field and load up the goats. The boy is obviously saddened by what is happening and I assure him that his buddies will be well taken care of and he can check out our website periodically if he wants to see what they are up to. He takes a few more minutes to run into the house and get some bread for them and hand-feeds them through the cage while explaining to me that Eli (the buck) won't eat anything if it falls on the ground and that he likes to be hand fed. Ellie (the doe), on the other hand is cleaning up any crumb of food that has fallen on the cage floor. The boy says his goodbyes and we head back to GA.

Unfortunately the ride home was rainy and cold. We stopped at a gas station on the way home to check on the goats and just make sure everything is still secured back there. Under the lights of the gas station, you could tell Eli was very skinny. Ellie looked perfectly healthy and happy - but Eli I became very worried about. 

We finally made it back to the farm and wrapped the cage in a tarp to keep the wind off Eli & Ellie. They couldn't go into the field yet because of Brutus - the field guard dog. He would need to be introduced to them in a special way so he would know he is to protect them - that they were not intruders - and that Eli & Ellie were now a part of this farm.

I left feeling very worried for Eli. I just hope he makes it through the night.