I realize I’ve been remiss. I haven’t formally introduced or talked about the newest addition to the homestead. The day that the sheep escaped, we wrestled them to the ground and drug them kicking and bahing back home we received our 5 baby pygora goats. I had been introduced to pygoras through a friend of a friend about a year ago. One of my alpaca rancher friends had a friend who had these fluffy baby soft creatures and I was kind of in love.
At the time the Mr was all, “Goats, Bah! Who needs them?!” and I was all “But they are adorable and their fleece!” and he came back all “grumble growl snarl goats!” So I let the subject drop. I’ve learned since then that sheep people are not goat people and visa versa. They rarely intermingle the way that I would have thought. I mean they are damn similar right? I would have figured they’d easily cohabitate. Apparently thought I’m naive on the subject but I did it anyway. I first got my boer cross goats and the Mr melted into a big buttery pile of goat loving jello. Then I found a ranch (like the only ranch with in 500 miles!) that breeds and raises pygora goats. I was all “Look what I found, isn’t it interesting? They are taking deposits to hold on kids (baby goats for those not in the know).” And I gave him the computer and let him look. I could see his mind ticking away so I left it at that. A little while later I was all “We could get whethers (castrated males). They cost less and it’s not like we are interested in breeding.”
A few days later he was all “Lets get 5.”
So I put down our deposits and waited for the kids to be born. It was then that I realized what an opperation Lisa is running at Hawk Mountain Ranch. She has tons of goats and each goat at least has twins, many had quadruples! Crazy bananas! That’s a lot of goats! We picked through the whethers and found the five we wanted and waited for them to be old enough to transport here. They came in the back of a red F250 and as soon as Lisa pulled the first kid out my heart melted. Seriously, these guys are baby dolls. They are so stinking cute I can’t even put it into words. Their little fuzzy faces, their huge ears, their bunny soft fleeces, I kind of want to cuddle them all the time.
They’ve been here a little over a week and have settled into the routine nicely. They follow my larger goats around for the most part but are content to go off and do their own thing since they have their own mini flock. The sheep don’t quite know what to make of them and Mama half the time chases them away and then the other half tries to herd them along. No one seems to know if they are goat or sheep. It’s kind of adorable.
I really need to take more pictures of the goats. I’ve just been kind of busy with other stuff lately.
We have four white goats and one chocolate goat. One of the white goats has a blue undertone and was immediately named “Blue Steel” after the Zoolander movie. He’s on the right there, he even looks like he’s making the face! The little black goat was named Count Chocula and he pretty much hangs out with the big goats or the sheep, or off by himself. He does what he wants.
I would say that everyone is on pretty good terms and I’m really excited to shear these guys and spin their fiber. Yes I will have pygora for sale next spring though I plan on keeping a fleece for myself. No, I don’t know how I’ll sell it, maybe by the ounce? Maybe by the fleece? We’ll see.
And because it’s my blog and I can post whatever I want, here are some random sheep, goat, and animal pictures.
The sheep have just figured out that that big green bucket I bring to the goats contains GRAIN! They are now all wild eyed and sort of insane when it’s feeding time. They have also changed my whole feeding schedule since they now want to be anywhere that huge green bucket is. I don’t even give that much grain but they’ll do anything for a taste. This includes letting me pet them. You honestly can’t pet my sheep. They don’t want you to touch them and are really wary of anyone coming near. So when I can hand feed grain to my sheep and give a chin scratch to boot it’s pretty awesome.
Charlie is a pretty happy goat. He doesn’t even know he has tiny ears and only one horn. He’s happy happy happy! (I tease him that he only needs an eye patch now). One thing Charlie loves (and I love giving him) is zucchini. See, my zucchini plants went insane this year and it was only after I had started picking zucchini that I realized that the MR and I don’t really LIKE zucchini. Thankfully the ducks, chickens, and goats do. Charlie is by far the worst, he’ll do ANYTHING for some zucchini, but for that smile it’s totally worth it.
The turkeys have gone fugly and now the boys walk around in almost constant display. I really like them (for the most part). They do as they want and nothing can change their minds. I didn’t realize until the other day that they seem to think I’m some queen turkey. I whistle for the dogs a lot and this usually causes the toms to run after me and puff themselves out. Well, the hens whistle to get the toms all excited, guess I was coming on to the turkeys and didn’t realize it. Now how do I let them down gently? 
The Mr finished putting up goat fence along the second of our three pastures. We are almost done so we can start rotating the animals through the greeness. I’m a little worried about the stupidity of the turkeys though. This pasture is right next to the road and the turkeys are fence hoppers.
And finally the blackberries keep coming. I am still on the same bush and the other day I picked over ten pounds.
Right now I am furiously writing up the pattern for the sweater, then it will go to my amazing tech editor, then to testers. I think with so many details I really want to get this tested. I have to say, I was unsure of the shoulder flap, at first it reminded me of a cowboy’s duster but after I blocked it and seamed it to the sweater I have to tell you I love it.
The thing I think I love the most is that you can wear it as a regular sweater and it looks beautiful, but then you can throw up the hood and hide way back in it’s folds and it’s instant mystery.
