Monthly Archives: July 2013

Eating and sleeping… it’s a goat’s life

Here’s a photo of Nubbin doing what Nubbin does best. She’s learned that when I come outside with the milk pail that she should get busy, and she promptly drains the entire right udder, even if she already ate half an hour ago.
Nubs_MilkBar

She’s so soft and cuddly! I always want to just pick her up and snuggle her to my chest.
Nubs_Lounging

Petunia is so big and heavy now that it’s getting hard to pick her up. Phil and I are calling her the “fatling” because she’s gotten to be such a chunk. I mean, with her long, lean, athletic build she doesn’t look remotely fat, but she’s obviously extremely well-fed nonetheless. I think she’s going to grow into a gorgeous goat, with exactly the kind of conformation we’re looking for. If she were a boy I’m convinced she would be a pack goat par excellence. I can’t wait to show her and see how she does. She’s going to be in recorded grades where there won’t be much competition, but I have a feeling she’d show well against any goat regardless of breed.
Pet_Lounging

Chainsaws and old goats

It’s been a while since I’ve had time to take photos, but last week I did grab a few. Cuzco made himself useful by helping me take stuff across the property so I could cut up a tree. I put chainsaw and oil in one side and gasoline in the other. I love that Cuzco seems to always be eager to do real work. He stood perfectly still while I loaded him down and was eager to follow me out across the property with his load. I tied him to a fence post while I worked, and he soon got used to the noise of the chainsaw and laid down to patiently wait and chew his cud and watch the grass grow. He’s such a good goat. I wish he didn’t have to get older. =(
Cuzco_Chainsaw

Cuzco the amazing aqua-goat!

This Rendy event deserves its own post. Cuzco did something I never thought he would do. He went for a swim! It was not even coerced. Phil and I went in for a dip and we turned around to see Cuzco following right after us! He came in up to his chest and then stopped, but with a little more coaxing he waded right out into the deep water and started swimming. I didn’t have any treats or a leash, and of course we didn’t have the camera. So we went back for all those things and started over.

Of course, once we had the camera, Cuzco didn’t want to go in any more. Especially since Herb’s dog Sasha had joined us and was now in the lake.
Cuzco_Swim2

“Come on in, Cuzco! The water’s great!” (Actually, it was freezing!)Cuzco_Swim3

As soon as Sasha ran back onto the beach, Cuzco was more than willing to come into the water. Cuzco_Swim4 Cuzco_Swim5

Into the deep water.Cuzco_Swim6 Cuzco_Swim7

“Yeah, I’m awesome!”Cuzco_Swim8

Video proof that an old goat CAN learn new tricks!

Good times at the Packgoat Rendezvous

Well, we’re back from the Rendy, and what a weekend it was! First of all, Cuzco would like to thank all his loyal fans for driving miles into the wilderness over bumpy dirt roads just to meet him. Second of all, he would like to apologize for making a scene at the campfire the first night. He knows perfectly well he should not have whacked Phil in the face with his horn no matter how cranky he was feeling.

Phil is doing much better. His irritation with Cuzco has subsided along with the bump on his forehead. However, I think he’s decided that I should be the primary goat handler in crowded situations in the future. Cuzco seems to mostly be a one-person goat, and I’m usually that person when he’s in an intense situation. Right before he whacked Phil, Cuzco had been entertaining the crowd with his repertoire of tricks, so Phil said he wasn’t sure whether he had the best-behaved or worst-behaved goat at the Rendezvous.

In stark contrast to Cuzco’s stand-offishness, Lilly had the time of her life making the rounds. I did not see that goat lie down once all weekend when there were people or goats to interact with. Wherever there was a crowd, Lilly was in the middle of it, and often as not Petunia was in somebody’s lap. Lilly made friends with every person and picked a fight with about half the goats. She seemed to win most of them.

Nibbles spent most of her time hiding from a certain little boy who wanted nothing more than to play with her and Nubbin. She also liked to torment the young wethers that Dwite brought for the silent auction. They were smaller than her, so she took advantage of the situation–especially when they were tied up.

Nibbles was taken aback by Amelia Goat-hart’s rather aggressive introduction. My goats and Herb’s (Charlie Horse’s) goats hung out a lot. Nibbles adopted Herb’s trailer as her favorite hide-out spot, and Lilly fought, er… roughhoused with his goats the entire time.
Nibs_Amelia

Cuzco enjoys the fruits of another goat’s labor. He didn’t dig this lovely dirt pit, but he laid claim and guarded it jealously.
Cuzco_DirtPile

My babies loved this trailer, and Nubbin spent a good deal of time trying to pick a fight with her own reflection. “Watch out! I’m bigger than you!”
NibsNubs_Trailer

Lilly, Victoria, and Amelia had some vicious knock-down, drag-out fights. Lilly usually won, even against two at once. It’s because she has the udder and she’s proud of it.
Lilly_Vicky

Speaking of udders, I entertained romantic visions of supplying the camp’s source of milk each morning. At home I’ve been getting a gallon a day out of these beauties from just one milking. At camp, it was a different story. I was thinking of starting a rodeo event: wild goat milking. Between flying feet, flying bucket, and flying dirt, I felt very fortunate that I was able to get one clean quart on the first morning. That was it. After that they were onto me and there was no more milk fit to drink. Oh well. Can’t say we didn’t try.