# What is your favorite information source?



## Harriet_and_Hens (Apr 26, 2015)

Hello all! As I've stated in previous posts, I am a complete newb at goats; however, it is my nature to get my heart set on something and devour every bit of useful information I can get my hands on!

I'm curious to know, what is your go-to book/ website/ person for all things goat? The saying goes "if you want to be rich, do what the rich do". I understand that nothing compares to first hand experience, but if there is some great big Goat Bible out there, I'd like to read it 

Any and all help is appreciated!


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

Excellent approach. I read, read, read, but nothing drills it in like FHE (first hand experience)! And then I re-read, and because of FHE, stuff sticks the second time that didn't the first time! In addition to Goat Spot, I have several go-to's.

Online (all FREE):


www.tennesseemeatgoats.com
Articles searchable by topic: she's got an "articles" section that is a university library of information. Search by topic.
Newsletter: She also has a monthly internet newsletter you can subscribe to for free (Meat Goat Mania). You can find back issues on her website.
Blog -- you can subscribe to her blog and ask questions about anything goatie. email [email protected]
Phone consult in emergencies -- finally, she makes her phone # available for free emergency consults. Very knowledgeable person but be prepared...Marcus Welby she's NOT! Her focus is meat goats, but many of us talk to her about dairy as well.

www.fiascofarm.com -- excellent resource on all things goatie. Lots of charts, diagrams, etc in addition to articles. Indexed and cross-linked. Her focus is dairy goats.
www.merckvetmanual.com -- I got this resource from HappyBleats. Haven't used it a whole lot, but it seems to be a phenomenal resource waiting to be tapped. One word -- Wow!

Books -- I don't have a lot of funds for books (the ones I really want are prohibitively expensive!!!) so I'm relying more and more on internet. Still, these are two that I have that I refer to alot:


Natural Goat Care by Pat Coleby. Available online or at TSC
Goat Health Care by Cheryl K. Smith. This is a compilation of "Best" articles from Ruminations magazine 2001-2007. I'm re-reading this right now. In fact, I had an "ah-ha!" moment last nite while reading regarding a doe I can't get to settle. Excellent and affordable. I got mine online.
Hope this helps!


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

All good suggestions  Truth be told, I have found 90% of my correct information from the awesome old time farmers on here....their wealth of experience and knowledge have made my goats happy and healthy  Sometimes the web or vets will tell you one thing, and turns out it's wrong! I choose to ask people who have been farming goats for a long time successfully. Good luck!


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## thegoatgirl (Nov 27, 2011)

Lisa had some excellent suggestions. Those sites and books are always my "go-to" resources, aside from TGS, of course.


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

So I use this forum a lot, pat Coleby book is really good for me as I'm based in Australia, we have a vet that specialises in goats that's happy to be called during emergencies, I also have an awesome goat mentor which is a breeder that I bought a goat from. The person I got my first goats from wasn't really interested in helping out, then I joined an association and went to my first show with 2 goats. We didn't do great in the show, but met a lot of goat people who were all lovely and willing to help. The president of this group had a buck that I just loved so started chatting, organised to go on a waiting list for a baby from said buck too. We have now become close friends and she is always there for me to ask questions and I visit her farm a lot too learn more too  I still go to shows and learn from the other breeders/ goat owners there too


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## Harriet_and_Hens (Apr 26, 2015)

Awesome suggestions! Thanks so much, all of you! I agree - talking to people who are experienced is tried and true  in the mean time, I will be sure to look up these forums/ books/ etc!

Thanks again!!


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## martyna1114 (Jan 31, 2016)

Fiasco farms is amazing!! Just type fiasco farms in Google and it will pop up. I learned everything I know on that site


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