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!
