"Back to the land!' is the war cry of those who want to drop out of modern life. Instead of working nine to five and earning 'a good living', they want to live the good life and make it pay for itself. Five acres of land can support a family, if you do it right. A lot of small farmers know that sustainability using goats really is possible.
The goat is a versatile animal. It can provide meat and milk, is gentle enough for even transplanted city folks to handle, and it's small size means that it can be kept in a small barn lot. It requires only a small amount of feed. Two good milk goats can give enough milk for a family.
Goats don't like grass much. They prefer weeds, tree leaves, and bushes. This means that they are happier clearing out a fence row than being confined to a lush field of grass. You can keep them in a barn lot and feed them hay, but this is a lot more expensive than letting them browse any wastelands on your farm. It will save manpower, too, if you let them do the weed-eating and mowing around rocks or downed trees where a machine can't go.
They do need hay during the winter, when browse is scarce, and grain if you want them to produce a lot of milk. The amount they need, however, is much less than what a cow requires. You won't be able to make butter, since goatsmilk has little cream. The milk is great for drinking fresh and for making cottage or soft cheeses, however.
You can use a goat to clear out an overgrown fence line or lot. Throw up a temporary electric fence around an area that needs to be cleared, or tie the goat on a rope. Be careful not to leave it in the hot sun; these animals are susceptible to sunstroke. Goats need both shade and water when they're tied out.
If you don't want to fool with milking, you can still raise goats for meat or use them for clearing. You won't get a lot of meat from a goat, but many families can't use up a whole beef cow. If you also raise chicken or rabbits, you'll fill your freezer with no trouble.
A goat will have one or two babies every time it's bred. It's not always necessary to breed every year; a good milker will often keep on going for two years or longer after it's had babies. The unpasteurized milk is considered more digestible than that of a cow, and it has medicinal properties, too. Many European cultures have used goatsmilk as a wound dressing and as a nourishing food for invalids.
Goats are fun to raise. They can be very affectionate. A family can keep a few chickens, a few goats, and a vegetable garden and make out just fine. Their 'barn' can be a shed, and even young children can handle most of the chores. The goat should definitely be part of a plan to live off the land.
The goat is a versatile animal. It can provide meat and milk, is gentle enough for even transplanted city folks to handle, and it's small size means that it can be kept in a small barn lot. It requires only a small amount of feed. Two good milk goats can give enough milk for a family.
Goats don't like grass much. They prefer weeds, tree leaves, and bushes. This means that they are happier clearing out a fence row than being confined to a lush field of grass. You can keep them in a barn lot and feed them hay, but this is a lot more expensive than letting them browse any wastelands on your farm. It will save manpower, too, if you let them do the weed-eating and mowing around rocks or downed trees where a machine can't go.
They do need hay during the winter, when browse is scarce, and grain if you want them to produce a lot of milk. The amount they need, however, is much less than what a cow requires. You won't be able to make butter, since goatsmilk has little cream. The milk is great for drinking fresh and for making cottage or soft cheeses, however.
You can use a goat to clear out an overgrown fence line or lot. Throw up a temporary electric fence around an area that needs to be cleared, or tie the goat on a rope. Be careful not to leave it in the hot sun; these animals are susceptible to sunstroke. Goats need both shade and water when they're tied out.
If you don't want to fool with milking, you can still raise goats for meat or use them for clearing. You won't get a lot of meat from a goat, but many families can't use up a whole beef cow. If you also raise chicken or rabbits, you'll fill your freezer with no trouble.
A goat will have one or two babies every time it's bred. It's not always necessary to breed every year; a good milker will often keep on going for two years or longer after it's had babies. The unpasteurized milk is considered more digestible than that of a cow, and it has medicinal properties, too. Many European cultures have used goatsmilk as a wound dressing and as a nourishing food for invalids.
Goats are fun to raise. They can be very affectionate. A family can keep a few chickens, a few goats, and a vegetable garden and make out just fine. Their 'barn' can be a shed, and even young children can handle most of the chores. The goat should definitely be part of a plan to live off the land.
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