"Man in the black pajamas."

Scott and I laced up the work boots and went to town on the jungle this afternoon. Solved the creek channel problem, uncovered some fencing from under the deck, sawed some trees, rearranged brush, relocated some cinder blocks, and built a shelter. At some point during all that, some good ol' boy delivered two truckloads of wood to smoke our pig over. So now there's a 5 foot high wall of stacked wood surrounding the pit. That's a lot of wood.

Notice the brilliant combination of form and function in this low budget example of Minimalist architecture. Holla at ya boy Ludwig, reppin' the "Less is Mo'." Unfortunately, it' will only be on display for the public temporarily. The cinder blocks will be placed around the pork pit, and the "Free Palestine" rally-goers want their sign back. (This particular side reads "Tear down this wall!" It took Taylor about 15 minutes of exposure to start yelling his new favorite phrase. Pretty funny.) Next week we'll have to build a more stable structure. Assuming no tornadoes or Palestine haters sweep through the backyard, this baby should last the weekend.

The creek channel issue was resolved by jamming the frat dumpster salvaged wood horizontally above the water. It's got enough space for higher water and your everyday flotsam to pass under, but no goat's gonna go through the trouble. It isn't like this place is Alcatraz. They should perfectly content chilling in our back yard.

The deadline for the fencing to be ready to go is tomorrow around 9:45 AM. It shouldn't take long though. Under the deck and entangled in English ivy, we unearthed several bundles of black plastic fencing and a dozen stakes. Scissors work fine on shaping the fencing to size, so that chore shouldn't take more than an hour. Plus, in an exchange for a ride home, our buddy Archie donated a bag of zip ties to the cause. Another friend, Hans, is lending his SuperSize dog crate to help in the goat transportation process. "Friends like these, huh, Gary?"

I meet Miss Charlie tomorrow morning around 10:30 to pick up these three dudes. To date, our total cost has amounted to zero dollars. All salvaged or stolen goods with the help of only a rusty old saw. Good practice for 2012. The goats will be our first cost. Miss Charlie set the rate at a buck a pound. With each goat weighing at most 45 pounds, the most expensive scenario is under 150 bones, or clams, or whatever you call them. Not bad for a mute landscaping crew. I'll keep a running tab on the operation and compare the total cost to the crew alternative. Interesting to see how much cheaper it will be.

Several family members have expressed interest in investing in my goat venture. Word's gotten loose within the family tree that $20 bucks up front will get you a couple of pounds of prime goat meat for the freezer come Christmas time. Now I've got eager calls coming in from uncles and aunts, and Grandpa claims Uncle Al is willing to outbid all competitors. I'm hoping the Thanksgiving table turns into a livestock auction and I end up looking like a miniature CSA. "Goat farmer" on the resume?

Tomorrow, you'll see goats. Until then, this should tide you over.

Goat Toy

If our goats are anything like these badasses, this 3 sided compost pile and fallen tree should provide some entertainment.

Here's the creek entering Dunc' and Dora's property. Notice the existing fence a couple of feet above the water.

Student run vegetable garden on campus? Yes please.

Educational garden could come to University campus - News

How is this not a good idea? I know I'd be down to volunteer some grunt work and/or architectural drawings.

They're doing it right up at Yale, which should say something for it's credibility. Come on, Mike. You already goofed UGA's World Cup bid. Don't blow this one, too.

Backyard

This is a snapshot looking down from the top deck across the middle of the yard. Not Nat'l Geographic quality, I'm aware, but it'll have to work until Santa brings me a new camera. (Mom, I know you're out there.)

"Lotta ins. Lotta outs. Lotta what-have-yous."

Between the front page floods and project deadlines, not a whole lot was accomplished since the last post. I did, however, get a chance to talk to both neighbors. Here's the skinny:

I had spoken with Duncan the same day I met with Miss Charlie. Conditions weren't ideal. I was on the street with Duncan in his yard, separated by a wall of camellias. He seemed a little taken aback by our idea of housing three goats out back. He and his wife are avid gardeners, so I could tell it didn't take long for the image of goats munching on their annual flower beds to cross his mind. As predicted, his main concern was the goats using the creek channel/ditch as a passageway into his backyard.

He scoffed at the idea of installing fencing across the creek. Inevitably, debris would collect upstream and create a mess. He questioned the proposition's legality, as well. I'll admit to some truth stretching, but it didn't seem to improve his outlook. I left a little discouraged with only a "Well, we'll think about it."

Yesterday, I tried again with fresh vegetables as my ammunition. Dora answered the door this time. Unfortunately, I had interrupted supper, but she hung around the doorstep long enough to give some good news. The homegrown peppers couldn't have hurt our cause, but she said that they had decided the idea had some merit, and were excited to see the project along. In fact, Dora was a goat owner herself back in her day. So, she could turn out to be a valuable resource right next door.

The other neighbor, a Brazilian woman who's name I cannot pronounce or remember, is a professor at the veterinary college on campus. As any good animal lover would, she gave us the green light on the proposition. As is the case on the other side, this neighbor could be a good contact if anything ever goes wrong.

So, with a previous goat owner on one side and a veterinarian on the other, it's looking like we'd really have put a conscious effort into failing for this project to not succeed. Tonight's game plan is to construct some sort of shelter. Today's LAND3530 doodles and daydreams all point toward a three-sided structure of only cinder blocks and "Free Palestine" signs. But we'll see what happens.

"Ah. Nice marmot."

I met Miss Charlie this afternoon on her farm a few miles south of Watkinsville, GA. She's got a beautiful piece of property with hardwood creek bottoms, plenty of pasture, and a nice, homey house. The goat herd was up under the barn with the two coolest guard dogs you could ask for. Apparently, Great Pyrenees have an instinctual trait that makes them protective of "their" goats. Charlie vouched for them, saying that if I were to cause any kid to bleat or cry for help, those dogs would be at my side in seconds, ready to get physical. And I believe it. At waist high, those beasts could get up and throw 'bows in a heartbeat.

After being introduced to the herd, Charlie spied three young males that fit the bill perfectly. Born in April, these three dudes weighed about 35 pounds a piece, and would put on another 30 before the end of the year. Their size - a little above knee high - is ideal for our existing fence situation. After all, having three hungry goats can only mean less weeds.

Just like every other goat farmer I've come in contact with, Charlie was very generous and informative. I got brief tutorials on catching and worming goats, veterinary troubleshooting, and feed requirements. Nothing too complicated, from what I can tell. She was even nice enough to offer some spare equipment to help get my career as a goat farmer off the ground.

So, everything's peachy on the goat front. As of right now, we have the following:

• 3 goats ready for pickup on Tuesday
• Materials to build a shelter
• A great resource in Charlie
• A yard full of food

Yet, there a more than a few things we lack:

• A goat proof enclosure
• A shelter
• Neighbors' consent

I lied about the pictures. It rained the entire duration of my visit, so the camera stayed dry in the Jeep. They'll be up soon.