Like many herds, ours began as a 4H project, really a pre-4H project many years ago.  Despite the many changes over the years in my life, the goats have always remained a constant.  After marrying Mike on July 12, 2003, the herd and the family once again grew and evolved. On the family end my three children---Dylan, Shanna and Chase were joined by Mike’s son Garrett and then we were blessed in June 22, of 2004 with twin daughters Faith Michael and Hope Madelyn.  Truly a “yours, mine and ours”.

In the barn, I had just 6 milking does and a dozen dry does those years ago, mostly LaManchas.  Mike thought he would like Alpines, so in an effort for marital harmony we purchased some to increase those numbers.  After a couple of years of the Alpines producing well, he thought Saanens would be a good idea and of course his father in law was there to fulfill that wish with two does from the des Ruhigestelle herd, so now had those as well as a few recorded grades to round things out for good measure.  From 3 children to 6 and from 18 does to 60.  It has been quite a ride. 

Thank you to my wonderful and supportive husband who now likes the goats "almost" as much as me... I never thought I would say that about anyone much less a spouse.  Without you  none of this would have been possible!  He is there to keep me grounded and sane and to take care of me and all of it when he has to. Mike was the one who insisted we go on official test, Linear Appraisal, and go to National Shows again.  "How is everyone going to know what you got without doing these things?" he would say.  I don't like to admit it too much, but he was right!!  I would like again to thank my father, Harold Nation.  I can always count on Dad if push comes to shove to come do whatever it is we need him to do, no matter what.

Year 2008 brought about many changes in our life.  We were trying to rebuild our home from the fire of 9-12-07, which fifteen months later is still not ready to move into.  All eight of our family are still living in the one room dwelling that we have that is the size of a two car garage.  We sure never thought it would take so long to build a house!  So many challenges to survive day to day in an environment like that.  I must say despite this living arrangement our children have still been the best!  Making good grades, never any behavior problems and always helping out on the farm.  Sure we have our moments, what family doesn't?  In August of 2008 we also started the new endeavor of selling our milk to a cheese maker. In the winter when production was decreasing because of does being bred and others drying off, our milk went to another cheese maker due to the size of the set ups, Susan Miller at Bleugrass Chevre: www.bleugrasschevre.com .  See photos of our dairy on the dairy page.   This caused us to retain all of our milkers this year, not just keeping the small hobby show string, as well as purchasing some outside does to increase numbers.  In the summer of 2008 we were milking 47 does.  We expect to be milking 75 by spring of 2009 as long as the milk market continues.  While we enjoy this new dairy and our goats finally earning their keep, it certainly adds a lot of work!

 Thank you to some of the best friends that I could possibly have---Kelley Nielsen Hines.  Kelley listened to an awful lot of hard times from me, was administrator of the CTTF Auction when our house burned, and sent countless cards, care packages, and pick me ups for me and the kids!!  She is my little red headed sister in FL!  Marilou Webb---another one that God blessed me to have met!  I thought it was just to have allowed me to have added great animals in my herd, but no - Marilou is a wonderful person and friend as well.  Again, she is only a phone call away when needed, my goat Mom.  Another person who has become so close to me and dear to my heart is Trisha Walker.  It amazes me when there are such genuine good people in this world as Trisha and what she has for my family and continues to try to help with...she is truly a wonderful person!

Tim Vanzant and Luke Simons were my "peoples" in the show ring in 2008!  These guys are the best, standing long hours and working their tails off making our girls look good, never too tired to take in a doe when I have had too much!  Tim has been helping me for years and has his "own" girls to show in our herd!! I know they handle them like their own and I couldn't do better.  Tim always writes a nice ad in the UCN thanking Mike and I for our help at Nationals, he owes us nothing---sorry I am just now getting around to putting in print our thanks to him!!  Even when Tim comes to "just watch" he will take a doe in for me, like showing Temptation at NAILE in 2008.

Thank you to my web designer Coni Perry who also works long and hard to make me happy with this site!!  I so appreciate you!  Thank you too Kelley who lately has been updating on the site for me!  Don't know what I would do without my computer gurus!

Sometimes it is hard to see and hard to feel, but yes we are truly blessed!

 

 

            

 

 


 

 

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