10.04.2009

"3000 years of beautiful tradition."

Because this blog's theme is centered around raising goats, I'll limit my report of the 2nd annual Cochon de Lait to a photo album and captions. But you could easily write a lengthy essay. A weekend for the books, to say the least. (Special thanks to the party paparazzi for donating their pictures. Photographers are cited beneath their pics. Feel free to send me more.)

The goats officially had their first "human interaction" this weekend. Saw that one coming. With somewhere in the ballpark of 100 people out back, they got plenty of exposure all day and night. They seemed to tolerate the entire ordeal fairly well though. They received a lot of attention from curious partygoers just interested in the fact that their were goats in the backyard. Others succeeded in rounding them up and putting t-shirts over their front halves. Give Willy credit for thinking up the "Eat Mor Pig" spoof on the Chik-fil-A cows. The goats didn't seem to care. Just kept kept on munching.

Another fiasco came when Millie, a visiting housedog from Cajunland, decided to test the goats' recreational value. My herd defended itself nicely, headbutting the old pooch before retreating to high ground. It's good to know the boys can throw down when they have to. Never know when an ambitious coyote or neighborhood poodle will need a beat down.

Lastly, Sunday afternoon I got a call saying one had escaped again. I use the term "escaped" loosely, because I honestly think they're too dumb to understand the idea of an enclosure. He simply put too much weight on my makeshift fence when leaning on it to reach some overhanging privet. The fence bent over and he walked over it to get more food. Apparently, it never left the area. Just sat there and ate. Much thanks to Taylor for goat wrangling. 15 minutes of fence mending and we were back in business with a superior, reinforced fencing solution.

It's beginning to become clear that there's not an exploratory trait in goats like there might be in a dog or cat. They're just interested in the next plant to dominate. Ultimately, that's good news for an urban goat owner. If they get out, it's just to eat the neighbor's plants. Not to chase the mailman.

Pictures and observations on their eating accomplishments are on the way.


No comments:

Post a Comment