Freya and Jack Coming Up Behind Her
I've never had much to do with goats - the first recollection was when I was a wee lad driving with my mom from Woodpecker, BC to Prince George, BC. Just as the car was winding its way down a long hill and shortly before entering Prince, my mother always pointed out some goats that were living on somewhat of a hilly farm. They of course always brought to mind Three Billy Goats Gruff, a Norwegian tale about three billy goats and a troll. From what I remember three goats wanted to cross a bridge because the land was richer on the other side but a mean old troll was in control of the bridge and wanted to eat them. The first two convinced the troll that the last goat to cross the bridge would be the biggest and have the most meat so he let them go across. However, what the troll didn't know was that the last goat was very big and he pushed the troll off the bridge. I'm sure there's a moral to that story but like many things that occurred in my youth, they are long forgotten. However, since we now have a couple of goats here on Golden Unicorn Farm (Freya and Jack), if there is one thing I remember, goats are indeed very pushy and ours are no exception.
Although Freya seems to have a few more smarts than Jack, he is definitely more the boss - very pushy. I'm not sure if being close to mating season or if both goats were terribly spoiled, having the run of the place where they used to live, but they both seem to think that everything should go their way, they should be able to do whatever they want and go wherever they please. However, short of butting heads with the goats, because I'm sure Jack would win that contest, they are slowly discovering that the meanest billy goat in the barnyard is me. They sometimes put the run on the big dog and I'm amazed that he lets them get away with it because he could easily have one and then the other for dinner.
Goats are jumpers too; great escape artists. Although their pasture fence is only 4' high, which I knew they could easily jump, I thought since they have a very large area with an abundance of trees, shrubs and bushes to eat that they would stay in the enclosure but no - I guess the grass always looks greener on the other side. The first goat to leap the fence was Freya, which she easily did without even taking a run at it. However, I'm hoping she may have learned a lesson about jumping over the fence because as soon as she leaped over and was returned to the enclosure, she immediately cleared the fence once again. Unfortunately for her, this time, she must have misjudged it a little because she caught one of her hind legs in the wire and slightly hurt herself. Jack, perhaps because he's hung like an Arabian stallion, a few days later decided to leap the fence where it's lower because the ground is going uphill slightly. He thought he was terribly smart because as soon as I put him back in, he immediately leaped out again. Since I fixed the fence problem and he's very concerned about the family jewels, he hasn't attempted jumping over the fence. But somehow, beginning to learn a little something about goats and realizing how stubborn and bull-headed they can be, I have my doubts that the fence will contain them much longer.
Besides jumping the fence, I do believe Jack has dreams of jumping something a lot more desirable - as far as I can see, Freya appears to be looking more appealing each day - certainly a lot of foreplay happening in the barnyard. He's constantly nuzzling her and spraying his face with urine (supposedly a major turn-on for female goats) besides doing some other unmentionable things, so I expect she is nearing the point where his affections will soon be rewarded. Unfortunately for Jack, when the mating is completed, we will most likely find a new home for him. We weren't really keen on having a buck to begin with but they came as a pair.
It should be interesting when Freya's kids arrive (I believe goats usually give birth to twins) because I hear they are real keen jumpers. Hopefully if they leap over the fence, Freya will remain in the barnyard and then they will leap back to be with their mommy. We're looking forward to getting fresh goat milk and Sarah plans on making feta cheese and using it for her baking. I can remember a long time ago being coaxed into drinking goat milk after I had belligerently turned up my nose at it, figured cow's milk was the only type that was drinkable. However, I have to admit I was quite surprised how good it tasted - couldn't really tell the difference from cow's milk. But no matter how good it may taste, I doubt that I'll drink much goat milk because I don't really drink much milk anyway - usually just have it with a bowl of cereal or in my coffee.
It will be interesting to see how the goats fare or maybe how I'll fare with the goats might be a better way to put it. They certainly have their own personalities and see things very differently from me. However, I'm sure as time goes on, we will work things out between us.
No comments:
Post a Comment