We started raising goats a few years back.  My father and I had recently moved from South Dakota to Indiana.  Having been raised in the country there was a need to have livestock around and seeing that Indiana isn't greatly given to large cattle herds my father decided to go into the goat raising business.  He traveled around and bought what I like to call our "trial herd", because once we got them the trials began!  My father and mother decided he was to young to retire and took a job running a 39,000 acre cattle ranch in Florida and left my wife and I the goat herd. 

It didn't take a rocket scientist to find out that goats and cattle are at the opposite end of the spectrum!  After a couple very frustrating years we finally were able to cultivate some relationships that helped us get past the biggest hurdles and begin to move forward.  I once talked to one goat breeder that told me I have had a goat die from every disease possible I think, just call me!  Boy I wish I had found them 3 years earlier! 

Having struggled with feed rations, the question of the buck in or out, grass hay vs.. alfalfa, vaccination schedule vs.. all natural, why did that one die,  how do you kill the worms, what do you mean the vet doesn't know, and every other thing that each goat breeder goes through.  We were excited to finally making headway and understanding our animals.  (Let me insert this here,  I spent hours online, in books and every other resource I could find to learn some of this stuff but if your a new breeder there will be nothing that overshadows a good mentor that will take the time to teach you). 

It was then that life began to throw us some more curves as my second son was born!  We were excited as expected but with me driving for a living and being gone a lot and trying to maintain a healthy goat herd our priorities shifted and when a job in Ohio came open we made the decision it was time to move.  We moved to Greenville, Ohio in late August but before I did I sold over 90% of the herd and just kept my top two does, a doe kid, and a little buck kid.  Being we were moving onto 5 acres from 33 and new to the area with a new job I figured smaller was better. 

So we moved got the goats settled and began to meet all kinds of new people in the industry.  We had the opportunity to meet Cindy Westfall of the Ohio Reproduction Center.  She did a great AI job on our two does and we have twins in one and a single in the other.  We also were able to purchase our herd sire "Captain Chunk" through her.  I had the chance of touring several local breeders and farms, meeting new people and learning from every ones tips and techniques.  It has been a really good time.

And in the midst of all that we are rebuilding our herd.  We purchased last fall a young paint doe from a local breeder Todd Hartzel, three does from Rainbow acres, purchased a grandaughter of Collateral Damage as well as an incredible doe from Red Gate Farms in Indiana,  we then finished it all off by purchasing two more young does from M&C Farms, one a Bo Jangle daughter and the other a Main Event daughter tha is being bred to Backdraft!  Needless to say we are excited about our future.  We welcome you to follow us on this journey of our's and I hope that our trails will meet.  Whether that be at a show, in your barn, or maybe a sale,  I look forward to meeting you.  If your in the area stop by.  We would gladly sit and talk goats all day long. 

Remember,  here it's about the quality not the quantity.  We believe that if we breed for a good topline, good mass, good hindquarters, good shoulders, good head, than we will get a great goat!