07/07/2024
Warning...this one's a long one.
Let's talk about the tough side of raising animals and livestock...this may gross some people out but it is so important for me to share this.
On Thursday morning Maggie went up to feed our herd of goats as usual. I'm down by the house and I hear "Mooooooooooommm! Mooooooooommm!"
My husband looks at me and says
"Is that Maggie or a goat?" It was Maggie.
She proceeds to bellow "Help Moooom! Bambi has a broken leg. I think it's a compound fracture and she dislocated her shoulder."
I wasn't even a cup of coffee in so, I slide on my sandals and march up the hill in my PJ'S. Maggie was on the ground next to her and had just pried her out of the trees. Sure enough the poor girl is all beat up.
There was no saving her from this. I knew what had to be done. My heart sunk into the pit of my stomach. WTF!
Bambi was one of the first goats born on our place. We raised her and loved her. The kids showed her as bouncing yearling dairy doe at the fair. She is the face on our SawMill Homestead page and this spring, she gave birth to a beast of a buckling. She was a great moma. She was strong and healthy. Had no problems kidding and gave a fair amount of milk. A beautiful goat. All that gone in one moment. She was foraging and came down between the crotch of two trees and snapped her leg.The lower portion of the break was cold. She had tried so hard to get out that she pulled her right front shoulder out of joint as well. It must have happned the evening before.
We often watch the goats peacefully forage in the pasture/brush behind our house until dark.
I hollered for Fred(my husband) and he came with the .22 pistol.
As I stood there watching her next to her baby, the morning sun glistened through the trees. I questioned everything. I knew that in this calm meadow, on a hot sunny morning, she would draw her last breath. I was filled with deep sadness. In the midst of it all there was still a moment of beauty. I wanted the peaceful image burned in my mind because, I knew what would follow. So, I made Fred pause.
Then he dispatched her and I sat down next to her. With her blood pooling in my brand new sandals and cried as she took her last breath.
Now...here's where the tears end.
Fred says" What do you want to do with her? Are we going to burry her?"
My answer...
"Hell no! I'm not letting that beautiful animal go to waste. She'll feed our family. Get the kids we have a goat to process."
I know some people don't eat their goats but I was raised in a family that believed all livestock should serve a purpose and that nothing should be wasted. The animals on your farm should be cared for well, live a good life and thus they will in turn provide sustenance for your family.
When life give you lemons...make lemonade.
Or goat curry...
