I mailed off a deposit on Thursday night. So far, these are the two I have chosen:
This is my first doeling. Isn't she just the cutest?! And, she has blue eyes! I love her markings.
This is my first buckling. His bloodlines are fabulous. He has great milkers on both sides.
I'm thinking I want at least 3 does to start, I might go plus or minus one from that. If I win the lottery, I'll go plus 2 on the does and plus one on the bucks. That would be a perfect starter herd. These little guys are crazy expensive and by the time I pay for vet certificates, transporting (even though you just stick a couple of them in a dog carrier!!!), the import fees, etc. they will be very valuable little food and dollars producers. Since the breed has never been imported into Belize before, there is all kinds of red tape to file. There are quite a few people living on the mainland that have expressed interest in having "a dozen" of their own. So, here's hoping that this time next year I am posting pictures of my new babies that I have helped deliver and that there are people that will be checking my website every day to see pictures of their new babies! See that continual cycle there?
I have to come up with a name for the "farm" and register it with the associations here in the US. I'm thinking we will have to form our own associations in Belize. I know they have 4H groups there and there is an Annual Agriculture show in the capitol city of Belmopan. After I come up with a name for the farm, then I need to decide what "theme" I want my goats to have their names associated with, like Candy, or Nuts, or Famous Playwrights, or something.
Quite a few of the dams at this farm have B'Udder in their names, like B'Udder Scotch, or B'Udder Cup, or B'Udderly Bonnie, or Peanut B'Udder. Their names are very appropriate, too. All of these dams have great milking characteristics in their background, and they are consistently producing 4 and 5 kids in a litter!! I love that!!
Typically I have named my pets after food, like Petit Four, Snickers, Rooney (cuz she had markings like a macaroon), etc. I think it should be something uniquely referring to the various interests in my life. (Which could be just about anything, right?)
This whole plan is being developed pretty much how I develop any other venture I decide I'll do...on the fly....by the seat of my pants....fairly colorful and whimsical....and trusting that it is all going to work out just fine and will fall into place like a giant puzzle.
So, I'm emailing many different government entities on a regular basis; I'm reading and learning all kinds of animal husbandry specifics; setting up appointments to keep me busy here until September; and, well, buying lottery tickets!!
There are so many things that I need to get done in less than 4 months. I try not to think of all of it at once because it could easily become overwhelming. Like the old saying, "How do you eat and elephant?", "One bite at a time." Well, I'm taking a bite here and a bite there....and, checking the website for pictures of new babies!!!
Next time....another project.
