Treasure’s Baby Goat

This past January, on my birthday, a calf was born on Carol and Ed Gulley’s  Bejosh Farm.  They named her after me.

All winter we made plans to bring Maria, the calf to Bedlam Farm for the summer.  But when I found out that because she was a twin, she probably wouldn’t be able to breed and most likely wouldn’t become a milking cow, but a beef cow, I decided not to bring her to the farm.

As a beef cow, she would have a shorter life, about 4 years.  If she were a milking cow, I would have no problem having her here at the farm then giving her back to Carol and Ed, knowing she’d have a good life with them.  But being that she will most likely be slaughtered for beef in a few years, I was afraid I’d get to attached to her and not what to send her back to  Bejosh farm and eventually slaughter.

But even more than not wanting to have to  send her back, I know I don’t want to have a pet cow.  That’s a lot of responsibility.  A lot of hay in the winter and grass in the summer.  And as it turns out, I already have a pet pony.  Because that’s what Chloe is really, now that I’m not riding her.

Chloe is already 20 years old.  But the donkeys are only about 15 years old.  And they can live to be in their 40’s.  We will definitely be growing old together.

I agonized over taking Maria, the calf ,and possibly keeping her.  A part of me thought of how I could save her from slaughter and give her a good life.   But I kept thinking of the animals we already have.  And how sometimes it’s hard for me to make time for them in my day.  The thought of taking on another large animal, that I’d have to train to some degree just to be able to move her around and treat her if she got sick, was not something I wanted to do.

At the Gulleys, Maria the calf will live out her life as a cow.  And I’ve come to peace with that.

I see the two sheep we just  differently.  Sheep stick together and don’t need much human interaction.  Also I’ll be able to use the wool from Izzy and Rosemary to spice up the yarn that I already sell.  Sheep are easy to care for and their wool has been bringing in enough money to help pay for their upkeep.

When our friend Treasure brought her week old baby goat to the farm this morning, I was smitten.  There may be something cuter than a baby goat, but I haven’t seen it yet.  By the time Treasure left, Jon thinking about us getting a goat too.   (She and Donna raise and sells them)

From my limited experience with goats, I know they’re different from sheep.  Part of it is the way you raise them, but they’ve always seemed more like dogs to me.  Following people around and demanding attention.  Once again I thought about Chloe and the donkeys and the dogs.   How thin can I spread myself.  As much as I love the animals, my first passion is my work, and I won’t take time from it.  Do I have enough love in me and time in my day to take on another animal.

My gut tells me no.  That we already have enough.  Jon feels differently, that maybe we met Treasure for a reason, that she’s a messenger. ( he wrote about it here)   Although he’s gets and respects what I’m saying.

And, I have to admit,  I do think about how having a goat would affect my work.  They are creatures of incredible personality.  I can already see her standing on the dog house outside my studio, the giant maple tree behind her.  And like I said, nothing’s cuter than a baby goat….

2 thoughts on “Treasure’s Baby Goat

  1. As my great grandfather said-never get a goat unless you have a fence that can hold water. 😉 Having dealt with goats that isn’t true but it is close. Plus, single goats don’t do well, they need at least one buddy. Good luck.

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