Early Spring brings Bunnies and Baby Goats.

Our Cashmere Goat kids arrived before the Easter bunnies each spring. They are the most charming and entertaining  pets imaginable when they are hand raised.  Penny gave us our first three does when we moved to the little farm. I have seen Jack with six adorable small kids at one time in his lap, on his shoulders and under an arm.  All that was required to have their trust was to sit on the ground each day near where their mother's were being fed, and the little ones would come to climb in your lap and be petted and played with. Here are some pictures of Jack and the goats. I wish I had known how to take home videos then!

  Cashmeres are not dirty like sheep. They are lovely pink and white. If they get in mud it soon dries and falls away from their hair.

Goats need lots of petting. Even our cashmere billy, Banner, was gentle and good natured.  The smell of a billy is something else.  We did not have him in the early years but rather hauled the does to a breeder to be put with prize winning sires.

Maggie was born in the ice of February and was the smaller of twins, drawn up with the cold. Her mother accepted her larger brother but would not have Maggie. I bottled her and she readily took to the house, as clean as any domestic pet and eating cereal from a blue Staffordshire dish.  She wanted always to be in our laps or right with us. and preferred our company all of her long life to that of the other goats. Here is Jack with Maggie tucked casually under his arm while talking on the phone.

 

 Maggie was exquisitely beautiful to me. She stayed as close to us as possible but had to be set outside at intervals like a puppy, and was made to sleep in a box by herself at night where she complained very loudly. I have had many lovely dogs and cats and a great many horses, but Maggie was my favorite pet above all. 

One wonderful spring we had six kids! Armloads of love. Who needs bunnies?  e