Goats were the first livestock to arrive at Bear Valley Farm. Having decided to purchase a donkey as a guard animal for the sheep, we thought it would be good to give Daryl (the donkey) a couple of companions, as it is not good for a donkey to be alone. The sheep would not arrive for several months. And so, we began our search for some goats. Answering an add in Craigslist, we found Gretel and Goofy not 10 minutes south of our farm. Here
is the movie of our first introduction to these two wonderful goats...
is the movie of our first introduction to these two wonderful goats...
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We were immediately taken with Goofy and Gretel. They were so friendly and amiable. We never owned goats before and it was more than daunting to actually take this first leap into caring for such animals. But after our first meeting, we had nothing but enthusiasm for the adventure that was about to unfold. Gretel was a pure-bred Alpine goat. And Goofy, a Toggenburg. Both breeds are known for their great milk production. However, these two will serve only as pets for us and companions for the donkey... |
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On March 16, 2013 our goats arrived at Bear Valley Farm. This was an exciting time for us, as we're sure it was for Goofy and Gretel. Take a moment to watch their introduction to their new home and their new owners. We are so happy to finally have some real farm animals on site. And they seemed to enjoy themselves and their new pen and their first meal at Bear Valley Farm--fresh hay... |
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The next day we took Goofy and Gretel outside for the first time, as they explored their new world at Bear Valley Farm. They seemed at little apprehensive at first, but soon enough they started to enjoy their new environment...
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We named the new goat "Babygoat". Not very original we know, but it just seemed to fit her. The very first baby born on Bear Valley Farm. It was a very special moment. We watched in amazement as Gretel so wonderfully cared for her little one, tending to her every need. And while Goofy was not the father, he quickly became very father-like towards Babygoat. He would play with her, nuzzle her, and stand guard over her. It was touching to see. On Memorial Day, we recorded some footage of our goats at play. It's one of our favorite memories at Bear Valley Farm... |
On April 1, 2013, Farmer Tom was busy constructing the leanto shelter in the Marshview Paddock when he noticed a small black lump on the ground next to Gretel, who seemed to be very interested in the lump. Upon closer examination, we were utterly surprised to see that Gretel had just given birth to a baby goat. We had no idea she was even pregnant. Farmer Tom was beside himself with glee and awe as he quickly grabbed his video camera to mark the occasion. Notice how his voice is several octaves higher than normal as he narrates... |
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Yes, goats are great animals to have on the farm. We have found them to be very friendly and very interactive with people. They always seem curious. "What ya doing? What ya doing?" is what Goofy always seems to be saying with his eyes whenever we're working on something. Over time, we noticed that Babygoat started to grow horns. Horns and farms don't mix. Goats can use their horns as dangerous weapons or get them caught in the fencing, making them vulnerable to predators. Better to have all farm goats de-horned. It is a must. |
Babygoat has quickly become a farm favorite. Due to her small size, she could easily squeeze through the fence and explore the surrounding area. We didn't have to worry about her running away or anything. She always stayed reasonably close to mama. One day, we found Babygoat examining one of our ATV's, as you will see. What "kid" isn't fascinated by an ATV? Be sure to watch how Daryl the Donkey keeps a close on Babygoat. His guarding instincts are already being honed... |
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Here's a sample of our goats at play. Another beautiful memory of happy goats and happy times... With the joys of farming come also the pains. On April 25, 2014, we lost our dear Gretel. Her death was a terrible loss. We and the vet tried everything to save her, but could not. She is buried on the northeast hill overlooking the Bear Valley. She will be sorely missed. Babygoat is old enough to be on her own and Goofy keeps a close eye on her. They will be okay. As for Farmer Tom, a hole in his heart has grown. It began to be filled the following month, as Daisy came to brighten our days at Bear Valley Farm... |
Poor Babygoat. We had to de-horn her a second time around, as the first try didn't work well enough. We didn't want her to have to experience the pain a second time, so we had the vet come to sedate her for the second de-horning, which involved a cauterizing iron and some steely nerves which the farmer simply did not have at his disposal. The vet did a good job and Babyboat recovered well, though she was very groggy coming out of the anesthetic. Poor Babygoat. We are gratified to know that we will never have to de-horn another goat as long as we shall live. It's Christmas Day. Of course, we had to wish our goats a Merry Christmas. And the sheep...And Daryl too... |
We enjoyed many fine days with our goats during the summer of 2014. And you can watch some of the other movies on the Movies page that include our goats in them. The joys have always outweighed the heartaches. But one heartache was felt especially deep on November 13, 2014. Goofy became very ill very quickly. He had a condition called CAE (Caprine Arthritus Encephalitis) which has no cure. It is something he was born with, and it took him without mercy. There was nothing we could do for him in his suffering. So, with sad and heavy hearts we had to say good-bye to our dear Goofy. We buried him next to Gretel on the hill overlooking the valley. We will treasure him in our hearts forever and our farm will never be the same. Farewell, Goofy. You were the best goat ever...
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Barney came into our lives shortly after Goofy died. Of course, no one could ever replace Goofy, but Barney has quickly become a favorite here at Bear Valley Farm. He is a chocolate brown Alpine goat with a very sweet disposition. He was bottle-fed as a baby and has grown very attached to people. He is by far our most affectionate goat. And he got along with Babygoat and Daisy right off the bat, which is unusual. |
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Barney has taken to some silly behavior as of late. You're going to love this. Whenever the sheep come to eat at the hay feeder at the back of the barn, Barney hops on the ewe's backs and sheep surfs. It's hilarious to watch. Luckily we got some footage of it. And now for your entertainment, we present "Sheep Surfing" starring Barney the Goat |
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Gary the Goat was never something we planned on. The woman who sold us Barney e-mailed us one day and said that she had a friend who had a Toggenburg goat for sale. At first we looked for a Toggenburg like Goofy but couldn't find one. Then Barney came along and we loved him right away. So getting another goat really wasn't something we wanted to do. We thought three was the perfect number. But there was no harm in looking, right?
Well to make a long story short, Farmer Tom was only going to consider another goat if the goat looked exactly like Goofy. Well, that's what we found -- another goat just like Goofy. We were amazed. The next day, Gary the Goat became the latest member of the Bear Valley Farm family...
GOODBYE BABYGOAT
We lost our dear sweet Babygoat on Monday February 6th 2023. She was born on our farm on April 1, 2013 and gave us many years of joy. We will miss her very much. Goodbye Babygoat, you're in our hearts forever.
