Considering goats or other animals?

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We have had goats for about 12 years. We’ve been milking for three seasons now. We have two wool sheep, 70 poultry, three cats, a LGD, and a horse.

With people considering their own sustainability and thinking about homesteading more than ever, here are some things to consider as you pray into what a homestead looks like for you considering animals.

1. My mantra for animal care:
   • Water
   • Food
   • Health
   • Home

Our animals need cared for and these are the very basics to start with. As human beings we need relationships, our animals are no different. The better our relationship with our animals, the better they will work with us and for us. That means spending time with them, getting to know their individual personalities and needs. Though they are similar, they are also quite different. The only way to know earlier on if they are not feeling well, is to truly know your animal. Even for our meat production animals, we treat them with respect and care.

2. Find a vet that knows and is able to care for your animals and understands your goals for them. If they are negative or unsupportive, find a new vet.

• Not all vets are created equal. Finding a vet prior to finding animals is a must. If you find a vet that’s willing to teach you, all the better.

  3. Know where your resources are and how much they cost. 

We recently moved our farm two hours and in another state. Finding resources was a bit challenging and come to find out they are further away. All matters as we learn to manage our animals and our land. Due to distances, we are still learning time management. 

4. Have a realistic understanding of the amount of time you truly have available.  

Homesteading is not for the faint of heart.  However, there is a spectrum of what homesteading can look like and what works for you. Taking on too much is not fair to your animals, your family, or you.

5. Understand the legal challenges that may apply to your area, as well as your neighbors tolerance levels. 

Though I do not care what people think or say for the most part, I don’t have the bandwidth for certain battles. I’d much rather try and work within limits, maybe push those limits a little bit, but by and large I want to be a good neighbor and try as best as possible to work with them. Which means maybe sharing some of the harvest, and having the best possible communication possible. 

6. Garner community support. 

You are probably going to need to travel away for a night or two, or maybe even a week. We traveled to Thailand for three weeks to pick up our adopted daughter.  Having a community of people to help throughout the year, and then when you travel is vital to your peace of mind. If you are an introvert, this maybe challenging, but necessary when you travel. These are relationships that are built prior to the need. 

We have a beautiful and large community back at our previous home.  Moving two hours was hard, but God is so very faithful and is building another community around us here as well.  He is that good and capable.  

At the start, focus on things you enjoy eating and working with first. If there are things that challenge you, maybe start those later, as the joy of the things you like may help you cope with those things you don’t.