New to Goats, New to farms... New to it all! From NC

[Southern by choice]

Babs is right! GREAT ADVICE!
BOOTS!
I have found Bass Pro shop has boots that are just like the "Muck" and Field and Stream has boots similar to the "Muck" brand and they are great. My friend has "Bogs".

They make a huge difference especially in the winter with NC rains, mud and occasional snow. My DD and I live in ours.
Also bibs for winter are great! I have the Berne brand
http://www.berneouterwear.com/berne/ladiessandedwashedinsulatedbiboverall.htm
We have Carhartt too and the Berne's have been just as great but a little less pricewise.

 

[Ericka]

Oh my gosh! POOP. What do you guys do with all the poop? I just realized why the boots were rubber and tall.... cause your walking about in the muddy poo

I'm guessing I should be setting up for some kind of compost pile?

 

[OneFineAcre]

I don't believe anyone mentioned hay.
Make sure you have a good source of quality hay.

Yes, goat poop and waste hay makes great compost.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Forget the goats for now and buy the boots No rancher/farmer's wardrobe is complete without a good pair of boots, MUCK is the brand to drool over. I have a low pair for just the wet damp days and a high pair for mucking.

my DD got a pair of boots for her birthday and loves them!

 

[Hens and Roos]

Oh my gosh! POOP. What do you guys do with all the poop? I just realized why the boots were rubber and tall.... cause your walking about in the muddy poo

I'm guessing I should be setting up for some kind of compost pile?

we put it on our garden area and put a lot of it on our raspberry rows- it helped a lot this past growing season. We are figuring out that our soil is lacking in some areas!

 

[babsbag]

If you garden or have fruit trees you won't mind all the poop. Did I mention that have 40 goats? We clean our pens out 2x a year and just spread it around the fruit trees and on the garden beds. We go through a lot of straw for bedding in the winter. Of course all of that will change when I get the new barn done...I will be sweeping up much more often.

Goat poop is not cow patties...Thank goodness. It isn't all the bad, it is the wet decomposing straw that is gross...and heavy. The little goat berries stay nice and firm and not smelly at all, unless they get wet.

 

[Latestarter]

Another huge advantage to goat poop is that it's like rabbit poop... it isn't "hot" like chicken poop... you can place it directly on/around plants without killing them. Chicken poop is hot (nitrogen) and if placed directly on plants, will kill them.

 

[sadieml]

I just found this thread today, so I had to catch up. Welcome from your neighbor to the south, Ericka. I've only been here a couple of months, even though I was a lurker for several years before that. These guys are great. They have helped me through the early days with our 2 pygmies(1 to be a herdsire, 1 wether) and I don't know what I would do without them. I learn so much every time I come on the site! It's amazing. @Southern by choice have you looked into the clove oil injection method of disbudding? It looks really interesting to me and from what I can tell has been 100% effective. I only ask because right now I'm thinking of using that method eventually, when we have babies, since reading about the dangers of holding the iron in place too long. After reading that I am terrified I'll do long-term, permanent damage. OMG

@Latestarter My Nannie would haul her chicken squat to the old hog pen where she started growing her peanuts and potatoes. She got hog and mule poo from her neighbor to fertilize the regular garden ( you know, the above the ground stuff).

We have power lines and, therefore, right-of-way issues with about an acre of our land. We are checking things out and hoping that come spring we can plant alfalfa and timothy under those power lines. That way, we grow our own hay(saving $$$) and don't have this huge chunk of land we can't use. I've been watching for new goaties to get by March or so. If I end up in NC, I'm looking up some of you guys!

 

[Latestarter]

...
We have power lines and, therefore, right-of-way issues with about an acre of our land. We are checking things out and hoping that come spring we can plant alfalfa and timothy under those power lines. That way, we grow our own hay(saving $$$) and don't have this huge chunk of land we can't use. I've been watching for new goaties to get by March or so. If I end up in NC, I'm looking up some of you guys!

The right of way for power lines simply means you can't build permanent structures... Many farms have power lines running through their plantings/meadows/fields. You still own the land and have the use of it. You should be able to plant any grasses or a garden or anything else (except trees of course) and graze your animals there as well. I believe you could fence as well, but would have to leave access gates for the easement owner. Hope it works out for you!

 

[sadieml]

Thanks @Latestarter. I know we can't build under the power lines, my only real questions are what about gates(i.e.-how big, etc.) and will they at least let me know if they're gonna drive a big truck through my crops? We want to grow feed there mostly. Our "people food" garden will be closer to the house, since my hubby will certainly want to be able to check it out and his mobility is somewhat limited. Of course, picky-eater that he is, he won't care about most of the foods we'll be growing. He likes about 6 veggies, that's it. He will be happy with potatoes, peas, carrots, corn, limas and green beans. I can't think of a veggie or fruit I don't like!