Sneezing Goats

I was working outdoors yesterday and was knelt in the sunshine sorting out some stuff. Of course the goats came to help - very helpful creatures are goats.
One had his face directly next to mind as he helpfully cut my hair. I'm used to it.

Next thing, he gives the biggest sneeze ever, straight into my face. Bad enough to be covered in goat snot you may think, but no, he excelled. He then proceeded to wipe his nose on my cheek. When I protested and pulled away he simply leaned further forward and gave my cheek another pummelling.

I just wanted to share the fact that although I have always suspected that I have "Wipe Here" written on my forehead, it has now been confirmed.

So it looks like quite a few of us are pegged as walk overs then?

Ah Yes, Cathy, getting little goat's heads unplugged - I remember it well - that's actually how I ended up with one of mine but it's a long story.

The other thing was that this happened just as a builder turned up to look at some work I needed doing. His first words were "I don't like goats" (as they pulled pens out of his pockets and nibbled his sleeve)
He immediately went on to say that he had once turned up at a place to do some work in his brand new, just delivered car. He turned round to find two goats 'dancing' on the bonnet (hood)

I nodded sympathetically and decided not to mention the fact that last week I had to get one of mine out of the cab of a tractor when the farmer had delivered some straw ...

(Hope those damn queries deliver, Joyce!)

I think I may have to change my user id to Snotface...

I must admit, DamaNegra, I get uncomfortable when I see the fainting goats, cos I don't like to see them upset. They all seem to be related to the pigmy breeds, don't they?

So you're back off to the farm for a nice, clean, relaxing country life, then Deborah?

Okay, I admit it, I'm on dial-up too. It is the worst connection I've never had!

I also sympathise with Deborahs sludge problem. We've not been here long and the land has been badly poached by horses in places. One bit was absolutely dire and not helped by having the wettest January on record.
Most goats would stay out of the mud ...
I found one of mine up to his elbows. I struggled out to him and the stuff was over the top of my wellies, which ended up being irrelevant since I lost one. After pulling his legs out and dragging him back on my backside to the six inches of dry ground that we could use, the other two goats were waiting and wouldn't let us back in through the stable door! Everytime I got him close, they just butted him and he fell back into the mud!!!!

My language was a little on the 'choice' side.

That aside, I can put my hand on my heart and say I would not be without 'my boys.' If I lost them all tomorrow, I would be lost.

Oarsman, I'm really glad that you put that up

I actually only keep castrated males, and, sometimes take some right stick from the smallholding community by doing so.

I hear over and over again, "but what use are they?"
I tend to now interpret that statement as being "But how can you make money out of them?"

They are actually brilliant at land management, taking on the stuff that even my primative sheep won't touch.

No, I don't actually see any direct financial benefit from them, but they cost me very little to keep compared to a nanny due to the fact they aren't eating to produce milk, and they benefit the land making sure I don't have to buy fertilizers, weedkillers etc. Neither do I have to use my time, energy or any machinery in applying the above, so the indirect financial advantages are many and numerous and I actually find them a huge boon to smallholding.

There is however the downside of them being just a smidge more complicated to handle than the sheep and they view fencing from a totally different perspective ...

There, you see, you Americans have a much more positive attitude towards goats other than just for milking!
I've never read about the fire-fighting goats, but have seen a couple of people in the US who hire them out to clear rough ground.
I don't think (but could be wrong) that we have anything like that here in the UK.
We do have flocks of Hebridean sheep that do land clearance though. Quite a few councils have used them. I'm biased. I actually own a heb and she would be my second choice as a lawnmower next to the goats!

It's been quite funny really because I only moved here 3 or so months ago and the farmer next door wanted me to put some chemical fertilizer on the land to give it a kick start. I wriggled and squirmed and stared at the grass, but stuck to my belief that the goats and sheep would bring it round.
He stuck to his and even measured out how much I would need and offered to spread it.
Anyway, he and his wife came round yesterday and both said that it was actually coming round rather well and responding to chemical free treatment.
Phew! Fingers crossed that it keeps going that way.

"Making the pasture breaketh the man" (or woman in this case!)
I never realised that grass could make you this edgy