10/16/2026
**Closing a Chapter at Southern Porch Homestead 🐐❤️**
Last week, we said goodbye to Sam and his best friend, Barnum, and with them, officially closed the chapter on goats here at SPH… at least for now.
Sam was something special. He was, without a doubt, the sweetest buck we could have asked for. He came here as a goat, but somewhere along the way, he worked his way into our hearts and became a pet. ❤️
He was the kind of boy who would come lean against your leg for scratches and cuddles, never pushy or aggressive, just a curious, lighthearted sweetheart who wanted to be loved. When I was knocked down by another goat in the pen and broke my tailbone, Sam stayed right there with me. It’s a memory I’ll never forget, and one of the many reasons he’ll always hold a special place in our hearts.
He also gave us some beautiful babies along the way, so he certainly left his mark on our little homestead!
But sometimes, homesteading means recognizing when it’s time to change direction.
When we started this adventure, we had big ideas and plenty of enthusiasm. We still do! But we’re also learning that trying to do *all the things* can leave you spread a little too thin. As we look toward next year, we’re intentionally simplifying, focusing our time and energy on the things we’ve chosen to keep, and giving those things the attention they deserve.
So, for now, our homestead will focus on the gardens, chickens, rabbits, and bees (well… hopefully some NEW bees, since ours sadly didn’t make it 😬🐝). We have plenty to learn, grow, tend to, and probably overcomplicate without adding goats back into the mix just yet!
Does this mean we’ll never have goats again? Absolutely not. We’ve learned never to say never around here. 😂 If homesteading has taught us anything, it’s that plans can change, new ideas happen, and sometimes the things you swore you’d never do again find their way back onto the list…because, “Sure, why not?”
For now, though, we’re grateful for the time we had with Sam and Barnum, for everything they brought to our family, and for the memories they leave behind.
Goodbye, sweet boys. You were loved more than you knew. ❤️ (They both went to the best home possible - the same wonderful owner we purchased Sam from 3 years ago 🥰 They are in amazing and loving hands. And this is another reminder that, after about a year of trying to find them the “perfect” home, God’s plans and timing are always better than our own 😊)
If you’ve been homesteading for a while, tell us: **Have you ever had to let go of something you genuinely loved because you realized you needed to simplify?** We’d love to hear your stories. Sometimes the hardest part of growing a homestead is learning what *not* to grow. 🌱
