Kidding Season 2016 has begun and the total buck/doe count is 7 to 3! The 3 does born will be retained at this time but I have a feeling we'll be needing to sell them by the end of the year as well as all these boys. These lovely kids would be great family pets in pairs, pack goats, weed eaters or family milk goats. As you might have seen we have an Indiegogo campaign about to end March 19th. I inititally started the campaign to fund our aged cheese endeavors but now that it's crunch time just to make chevre in time to pay bills - we need the campaign to flourish for the sake of the business.
Farming is hard, ya'll. Unless you're hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt with inherited land and mentors - it. is. hard! No wonder beginning and young farmers are falling like flies and our agriculture is left to be raised by robots. I'm always hopeful and have faith but a daily reminder of health insurance, bills and human babies - is this venture worth it? I can say 'I've done it', I can say 'I've done it and I've done it well' but it almost feels like a long high school hallway being tripped constantly and inevitably.
How much does our area like goat cheese? Will we sell out weekly like last year or have they had their fill? Will the stores in other locations keep their word to purchasing our product? Will the goats stay happy in our temporary living conditions? Will we survive the constant battle of paying insurance on EVERYTHING and taxes on EVERYTHING versus being self employed and not having to take orders 'from the man'? There are so many questions! But I do know one thing: sitting in the barnyard on a sunny day waiting on my favorite doe to kid - PRICELESS!
