Those of you that follow me on instagram may have noticed lots of baby goat videos and photos lately and you may be wondering why. Well, the answer is that I have started volunteering on a farm!
I grew up mostly as a city girl so when I met a woman who had a goat farm my first thought was "I'm not even sure I know exactly what that means". I started asking questions and it turns out that she has an acre of land behind her house which she uses for keeping chickens, growing vegetables and raising goats. Right now she has 13 mama goats which she breeds and also has for milking for the CSA she runs. When she mentioned that all the babies are bottle-fed by hand when they are born, I immediately asked if she needed any help to which she replied "OF COURSE".
I go to the farm 3 times per week and each time I am there I learn and do something new, which is so gratifying. It's definitely hard work, but I am enjoying every moment of it. So far, some highlights of firsts-for-me include: using a rake, using a shovel, using a pitchfork (pitching? forking?), collecting chicken eggs, feeding baby goats, taking "flakes" off of bails of hay, learning the difference between a bucket and a pail, holding baby chickens, and being called a farmhand just to name a few.
Another aspect of farm life that I had never thought about before is witnessing the circle of life. I have been lucky enough to witness two births. I didn't know this before working on the farm, but goats can give birth to up to 5 babies per litter (I think it's called a litter?). The first birth I witnessed was a tough birth because there was only one kid that the mama goat birthed, but he was really big so it took her a lot to bring him into the world. The second birth I witnessed had 4 babies born, one of which was stillborn. It was sad to witness, but I think also a good reminder to have gratitude for life because it can be so fleeting.
As time goes on I'm sure I will be learning more, and I can't wait to share it all with you! I will also be experimenting making cheese with goat milk and possibly some other DIY farm things so make sure to keep an eye out for those too! And if you want to see more photos and videos of my new farm life, make sure to follow me on instagram for up-to-the-minute updates!