Babies!

An unavoidable fact of dairy farming is that in order for the goats to make milk, they must have babies.

So, most of the goats on Swede Farm have babies once a year. We have worked hard to have goats that are desirable to other goat breeders, so many of the babies born on our farm are spoken for before they are even born. Most people who buy dairy goats want the babies fed by people 'moms', not by the goat moms. There are many reasons for this, too many for this post. Suffice it to say, feeding babies is a big part of our day during certain seasons and we are in one of those seasons right now.

These babies are eating from a "lambar". They suck on the nipples and milk is drawn up through a tube not unlike a person drinking through a straw. Last month Sara (16) and Emma (11) were responsible for feeding the babies three times daily. They quickly learn that the person walking towards them with a bucket in their hand is "mom".

These two white girls here are LaMancha and Saanen crosses from the batch of goats that we bought in Iowa this past November. The black dog in the background is "Charlie", a dog that was dumped on the property as a tiny puppy and has appointed himself the "nanny". He LOVES babies and is often found cleaning them and curled around them when asleep.

OH! Have to go...kids just ran in the door with three dripping wet babies--did I mention it is kidding season?

Edited to add--make that FOUR babies, the first quads ever bon at Swede Farm. Two boys, two girls.