# How do you go on vacation?



## LauraLea (Oct 19, 2012)

I introduced myself in the other thread but to give a little back story, we don't currently own goats but are trying to make the decision. We will be moving to a new location where we don't know anyone and no family will be close, so how do you handle vacationing? We have 3 small children and right now seem to 'travel' quite a bit.


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## firelight27 (Apr 25, 2009)

I would wait to get goats until you've made some friends, gotten to know some neighbors, etc. When purchasing, look for a breeder that offers to help you out with care questions, etc. after the purchase...someone who is willing to be your mentor. I never had that here, but I am able to ask my friend to come out every day when I have to go on a trip and feed according to directions I leave for her, and who updates me on them every evening. She has the authority to call in an emergency vet and use my credit card should it be necessary if something goes wrong.If you start breeding it gets even more complex. I work full time, so I make sure that A. I know my does due dates by monitoring breeding, and B. I know how to find lost ligs so I can call my friend to come over and watch my does when I know they are in labor so she can call me at work should they get to business before I'm off and I can rush home. Lucky for me, I have a good friend who doesn't work, so she has the time to goat sit laboring does.


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## Texas.girl (Dec 20, 2011)

I got goats by accident. Fortunately before my first doe showed up I got to know my nearest neighbor (half mile away). He asked me if I could feed his cat while he went to Germany for a month to visit his son (and family) in the army 2 summer's ago. It turned out to be a daily task, thanks to a roccoon eating the cat's food. Since May I have been bottle feeding kids. I live an hour or more away from a decent size town and over 2 hours from a city. So I cannot go shopping and be back by 3pm to give a kid a bottle, but so far my neighbor has always been able to come over and take care of that job. This past summer my neighbor's grandson even got to feed a kid (and pet him). I am really thankful that I have someone I can ask when necessary. I have not been anywhere over night yet so not sure what I will do if that becomes an issue.


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## JaLyn (Oct 10, 2012)

Honestly we don't. We knew when we got our goats it'd be hard to go away for a few days so now we found something we really like to do that only takes away for one night and two days. We have adult children that we bribe into helping lol..now when I had my gall bladder taken out (it was an unexpected emergency surgery cause i was too stubborn to go the dr even though i hurt for a year lol) i waslucky that my aunt and stepmom came over for 4 or 5 days to milk and feed. 
U could also find other goat people in your area and trade off with them..they go out u watch goats and in return when you go out they can take care of yours


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## GoatsLive (Jul 1, 2012)

LOL, what's a vacation? Really though, now that we're retired, our little hobby farm is our vacation. One or the other of us is always home to tend the goats, and watch over our autistic adult son. The most time we manage to ourselves as a couple, is a couple of hours every month or so to go on a date, thanks to my wife's mom being able to come over and watch things for us. I would not however ask my 80+ year old in laws to tend the goats in case they were knocked off their feet by the goats wanting to play. Not being able to have time away from the farm was something we thought long and hard about before we got goats. So far, no regrets with that decision.


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## LauraLea (Oct 19, 2012)

Thanks everyone! Will have to look for a goat baby sitter when we leave. I have two autistic children and am hoping that a 4-H type opportunity may help them with making friends and some social things. My in laws own a condo in Florida and we go for vacations there to recharge a few times a year. Not sure I'm ready to give that up.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

I don't leave anywhere for more than 10 hours. I live with family but no one will take care of my goats and I can't pay someone to take care of them for me so I don't go anywhere.


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## GoatsLive (Jul 1, 2012)

LauraLea said:


> Thanks everyone! Will have to look for a goat baby sitter when we leave. I have two autistic children and am hoping that a 4-H type opportunity may help them with making friends and some social things. My in laws own a condo in Florida and we go for vacations there to recharge a few times a year. Not sure I'm ready to give that up.


My autistic son is 25, and he really comes out of his shell around our animals. We let him name all of our chickens, ducks and of course the goats. He's so funny, will sneak out to the goat pen and just sit with them, pet them. It really makes him happy. He also spends hours sitting on our front porch, watching our 5 ducks in the pond. Farm animals and autistic kids really go well together.


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## LauraLea (Oct 19, 2012)

That's wonderful! My children are 3.5 and 2. I have another kiddo but he's only 8 months so we'll see if he on spectrum or not when the time comes. They seem to be very interested in animals so I'm hoping to use this as a responsibility/motivator for them. I've seen some other home schoolers work goats into their curriculum. I'll have multi-tasking goats


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## .:Linz:. (Aug 25, 2011)

We don't, really. That's one of the things we discussed extensively when we were considering getting goats. Would it be worth it to not be able to really get away, to have to leave picnics and what-have-you early enough to get home to milk, etc. 

The last time we all went away, overnight, as a family, was just about a year ago when we went to SC for my cousin's Marine graduation ceremony. I asked two of my friends to take care of the animals, taught them to milk, and just had to trust everything would be ok - and it was. Now I know more goat people so I would probably ask one of them to take care of things. But that's definitely one of the things that goes with farm life, especially dairy - you're pretty much tied to the farm. We love it, but it's not for everyone.


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## Shellshocker66 (Mar 19, 2012)

Even if I took a vacation I couldn't relax worrying about the goats! 

I think probably the best thing to do is to find a good 4H/FFA kid who needs a few bucks (as in dollars not breeding bucks) and already has experience with goats. They tend to be pretty responsible. Leave lots of phone numbers and pray a lot!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Shellshocker66 said:


> Even if I took a vacation I couldn't relax worrying about the goats!


This happened to me for the first time this year ... I hated leaving the babies and was super happy to get back. I'm such a homebody farmgirl.


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

I don't. The closest to a "vacation" is the annual Rendezvous at our black powder club, which is a 4 day event 20 minutes drive from home and I come home twice a day every day to milk and feed.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Nope.. no vacations here! LOL! we may go out for the day to my grandparents lake house but we don't spend the weekend anymore... just the day... And I worry over my babies! LOL! I say my vacations are shows hehe!


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

I am really bad about traveling. I used to just jump in the car and drive...no problem. As I get older I have decided I really don't like to travel. It's not the traveling...I like that...it's sleeping in a strange bed. I really hate it. So...I admit it...I use my goats as an excuse not too. I'm getting to be an old recluse!

That said, my son/daughter in law, would be happy to feed the goats. Probably wouldn't want to milk them though.


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## bessmiller (Jan 23, 2012)

We have friends and family who live nearby who we have "trained" to take care of our animals while we are gone. We pay them, of course, as it is a tough job! It has worked really well for us, though. If we are going to be gone for a week or more, we always offer to let the caregiver stay at our house while we are gone, just to make things easier.  I have made extensive "To Do" lists with for reference while we are gone, as well, just in case. Haven't had any hiccups yet! I will say, though, that we do have a smaller herd than most--we have 5 goats, 2 dogs, and a handful of chickens.


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

Our "Vacations are normally overnight IF we even take one...so we don't go far even if we do leave.

I have a neighbor who I trust to care for the animals, but no one takes care of them like MAMA  I worry too much so if I went on "Vacation" i would want to come back and worry the whole time...so needless to say WE DON'T lol 

We have two small dogs inside as well as our LGD's outside, goats, rabbits, chickens, ducks and turkeys.

This is a lot to take care of for someone who doesn't normally do it...so I stay home


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## LJH (Aug 27, 2012)

Honestly, I thought this was a gag question. Vacation? [insert hysterical laughter]


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