Recently, a couple returning to stay with us (for the second time this year!) had been so charmed by our goats that they asked if there was any way they could spend a bit more 'quality time' with them.
Well, of course - why don't we all go for a walk! Our guests would get to get to know the goats a little better and explore the wild side of the property, and we get a couple of extra pairs of hands to help keep the goats away from their various escape routes...
Simon lets the goats out for an hour or two every morning to give them some fresh forage and exercise, whilst they repay us by clearing and fertilising the land. They've pretty successfully cleared the field nearest their enclosure now, to the point where we are planning to plant an orchard there this winter, and move them on to another part of the land next year.
You may have heard that goats have a particular talent for escaping, and ours are no exception! Ours seem to go through cycles - lulling us into a false sense of security before making a co-ordinated dash for freedom when we least expect it. They always come back, in their own time, but usually it's by way of our vegetable garden!
Would the goats be on their best behaviour for our guests? In the end they did pretty well. As it's still been hot here, even at 9 in the morning, the goats preferred to be in the shade by the river, and so did we, following them as they meandered along a section of riverbed that is dry this time of year, and the shade meaning the grass is still green. A few followed our 'queen', the aptly-named Rebel, as she forged ahead through bramble bushes, but enough politely stayed with our oldest male, Archie, who acts pretty tough but in reality is the most affectionate of the bunch. They entertained themselves, and us, with their tree-climbing antics as they got as high up into the branches of the Alders as they could, and we helped them out by collecting small branches ourselves to be turned into tree hay for them when the leaves drop in a few months.
As it was our guest's anniversary, we had brought along the ingredients for Buck's Fizz, and we shared this as we walked along, chatting about the different characters of the goats, as well as the plants and the trees and some quirks of the landscape, and when it was time to call them in four voices proved better than the usual one, with all the goats marching home in impressive formation.
If you're staying with us and would like to come for a morning walk with the goats during your stay, just let us know!
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