# Excited!



## NewbieNubian (Nov 7, 2011)

I'm pretty new to all this goat stuff and am currently working on a 300-doe dairy farm. What I really want is to have my own goat dairy...and two days ago I was given a possible opportunity! I had to phone my mum right away to make sure she wasn't pulling my leg!

Some friends of ours are running a farm here in MB, on behalf of the owner, who actually lives in BC. They get paid to care for the land and the grass-fed galloway cattle. However, they have an old dairy barn sitting barren there, and really wanted to do something with it, but couldn't decide what. So, my mum mentioned goat dairying...and the fellow was eager to learn more. So, I've been given the task of coming up with a proposal for a goat dairy!

At my age, that's a dream come true. My mother and I would run it with the help of the couple, and the guy in BC would fund it all. So we're planning for 75-100 milking does of different breeds (I love to see colour and variety in my pastures), striving for going organic.

I can't wait to find out if this'll be a go or not, but until then, I'll just keep my hopes high. :laugh: As you can tell by my name, I love Nubians, so I'm really excited to have a few does...though Toggs run in my blood.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Does sound exciting for sure.... :leap:  :thumb: :greengrin:


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## NewbieNubian (Nov 7, 2011)

I can't wait. The barn's about 80ftx30ft (though that was just my mum's best guess) and all the old milking stalls are there and everything, though we have plans of actually building a simple, hand-operated rotary parlor for our does. Also trying to work in plans for a special climate-controlled breeding barn so that we can kid all year round.

I'm just having a really hard time coming up with set-up and yearly costs for it, as well as possible income from it. We hope to self-process all our milk, and also make soap, cheese, and lotions, as well as yogurt and possibly even butter. The guy who owns the whole thing is an organic nut; my concern is keeping the does healthy without the use of vaccines etc.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Wow neat opportunity!


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## NewbieNubian (Nov 7, 2011)

Definitely. Just hope it goes through, and believe me, everyone here will know if it does.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

That DOES sound exciting! So.... where's MB? and how old are you? ... It's exciting at any age!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

:stars: Cool!


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

:wave: Hi there! What an awesome opportunity! If you're looking to go natural, I highly recommend Pat Coleby's book "Natural Goat Care."


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## NewbieNubian (Nov 7, 2011)

MB = Manitoba, Canada. We'd be one of two goat dairies in all of the province (with the one I'm currently working at being the second). And I'm almost 22, just graduated college Summer 2011 with a diploma in Animal Science. In fact, it was college that brought me my passion for goats; my swine production teacher actually bred Boers and I'd help her and her husband with them at the show sometimes. I fell in love with goats pretty quickly after that.

Thanks for the book suggestion Milkmaid! I'll try to get my hands on it; we wanted to go organic, but I don't think we actually are. I'm happy being natural about it; letting the does graze/browse in the summers and just generally enjoying _*being goats!!!*_

The place I work at now has "Natural" on their label, but I don't think they deserve it; the goats are inside on a straw-pack 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I am just now getting to post and was wondering how things were going? I hope you are able to do this, what a dream!


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## goatshows (Oct 5, 2007)

Wow that's exciting, for your climate confirmed area for kidding I would suggest a heated cement floor, they put tubing in the concrete and run hot water through it so you can regulate the temp, that way you don't have to have heat lamps


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## RMADairyGoats (Jun 20, 2011)

:stars:


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## Petersfamilyfarms (Jan 15, 2012)

HoosierShadow said:


> I am just now getting to post and was wondering how things were going? I hope you are able to do this, what a dream!


Ditto!

My crop and soil science degree holding husband and I are 27 years old with 4 young sons and in Aug. we were able to start turning a 65 acre property into our dream farm. While he still has to hold an outside job ( for now) at least it's in the AG field. So anyways, I can so relate to your possible dream come true :leap:


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