Everything ELSE you wanted to know about goats but NEVER asked.

I sit bundled up in the worlds largest pair of Carhartt coveralls on this crisp, clear winters night, bringing the newest baby to her mama for milk before bundling her back inside to keep her safe and warm. I watch these sleepy fuzzy lumps snuggled together in little piles, gently rubbing their noses on each other, or resting their heads on each other's back.

Their warm breath rising into the air.
It's calm and quiet.

I admit I probably spend a few more minutes out here than I need to (sorry Ken). But it's such a peaceful place to escape the chaos of the house for a few minutes that I can't help myself. Even when it's -30.

I am thinking back to the summer when someone at a market had wanted to know how my goats were treated. She had concerns over animal welfare on farms (absolutely a valid concern, we should all be concerned about that).

I began to tell her about my goats and their lives with us. About how they raise their babies and rest. About how I only milk once a day so as not to demand too much on their bodies, I could push them and milk twice daily to get even more milk but that doesn't seem fair to either of us.

I told of how they don't start providing me with milk until after their babies have weaned. About how I lay my forehead on their sides and sing softly to them while I milk them to relax them. I showed her pictures of my children snuggled up with blissfully snoozing goats on their laps.

I hope she understood that I am in a partnership with these animals, and they are raised with so much love.