Monday, July 26, 2010

My Weed Eaters - No Chemicals Here!!




I am always amazed how my goats would rather eat weeds then grass.. The weeds do have more minerals, a varied taste and Oh Such Wonderful Thistles!!! I spent 2 hours in the heat Sunday pulling and digging weeds out of the front driveway. NO ROUND UP ALLOWED! I pulled for as long as my back would allow in the heat but you could hardly tell I had been at it for so long...

Leave it to my sweet talented girls. Now this does not mean no weeding for Grace but I love the fact that they are willing to lend a hand or should I say mouth. What also interests me is how each goat here has their favorite weeds. Yep, just like us we all don't eat Okra - Yuck!
I also have observed that just like us - if the Mother Goat eats Thistles then their babies learn to as well. However, another Mother Goat wont go near Thistles and that baby will never even try it even when she see other goats eating the thistle.

I think also it has to do with management of the animals. I have taught my goats not to be too picky. Over the years I have learned some tricks - like, if I want them to really go after a spot I stand in that spot because their are one's who are my shadows and if I get them eating then the whole group comes a running. I also found that some schedule is O.K. but I do not have things written in stone. If they can go with the flow then they are much more willing to try new things or make do with what they have got... I must say I raised my two sons the same way and both of them eat just about anything and never complain when their favorites are not around.

Oh I had a thought - How about a parenting book based on raising goats? Really, we are not that different. Maybe not, I guess that might offend some goats!!

2 comments:

Split Rock Ranch said...

Just name it "Parenting Kids" and they won't know what they're getting into until its too late!

larkspur funny farm said...

Sounds wonderful !!!!

Besides you know that - if you can be smarter then the animal you can train them anything..