I am looking at getting two goats for milking

[Chamomile]

Hi Guys!

We are trying to be a little more self sufficient and my two boys are going through 2 gallons of milk a week. At over $4 a gallon, it's getting expensive! I weaned both my boys from breast milk onto goats milk and they did very well. I got it from a gal up the road from me. I could probably do this again, but was also thinking that I want to get into soap and lotion making, all natural with only the best ingredients. The only way to do that is to make everything myself

. I am also looking into getting a bee hive for homegrown honey and for the beeswax for candle making. This is going to be a lot of work, I know, but am really interested in learning more. If you know something about bee hives please share! If you know something about milk goats I would love to learn more about that as well! I want friendly goats, bigger bodied, for ease in milking and also so they are a little easier to keep in my pastures. I don't want something so small that it will squeeze out any little hole in the fence. (I've been looking into LaMancha's.) Anyway, I'm rambling. Any info you can share would be welcome. Thanks!

 

[ChrystalPaths]

LaManchas are perfect for your neck of the woords. Take the cold well and SO sweet tempered! I also am doing more myself, lambs come spring, chickens, etc I hope

 

[Cherokee Rose]

Hi Mindy Montana !!!

Sorry couldn't help myself

I use to have a goat fedish infact I think goats make super pets!! I would have to say my favorite breed was the nubian....they are the Jersey of the milk goats....and I think 2 of them would produce more than enough milk for your famliy....the French Alpine was another favorite breed good producers also....if your looking for the higher milk yeilds then there is the Saaeen( I think I spelled that wrong ) they are the Holsteins of the goat famliy...and there's nothin cuter than baby goats

My sister raises reg pgymy goats but I think you might need about 10 of them

I do like your idea of back to basics this whole China thing is driving me nuts what country do we live in anyway

So good luck in your new venture...........Carrie

 

[Endless]

I used to hve lots of goats and this web site is the best I ever found, it is so loaded with goat information I never have read the whole thing!! It even has emergency medical info for goats.

www.goatworld.com

 

[Bess Kelly]

Personally I like the nubians. Great milk, plentiful, kind animals and pretty. You can make some good cheese, too.

Bee hives....I had the Italian bees and found them relatively docile in comparison to many others. However, during one of several swarms, they had some wild bees infiltrate and the following season those rascals were attackers. So, I gave the hive away to a beekeeper and he now just gives me honey each year. Good deal

He had also gotten one of two swarms from me, so another colony. I had an extremely healthy hive for a couple of years. It's still doing well for him.

My daughter was interested, got books & books, suited up, did great -- then got preggers. SO, the hive left a I had no one to take care of mine (which I had gotten for her!). Great honey.

OH--white. Wear white when you work the bees....they do not like loud colors coming at them, keep perfumes, hair spray, etc. minimal (or NONE) and use that smoke! You know the females will kill off almost all the males when it turns cold? Yeah, no need to feed them all winter

They'll push them out the opening and you'll start finding little piles of dead male bees. OH! Interesting life...get a good book.

Added:

Some of my nubies were star milkers (a graded/rated thing for registry milkers) and would give me 3/4 to 1 gal per milking! Younger ones not so much, maybe 1/2 gal+ per milking. So 2 will give you plenty to drink.

 

[TriggynBluenDaisy Too]

I adore goats but they can be naughty. They completely ate my lilac and used to stand on their hind legs on the picnic table to get the apples. Not the least interested in brush clearing as I'd hoped. My kids were raised on goat's milk and in addition to fending off milk allergies, they actually liked it. I had Saanans and Nubians and found both types to be great milkers. If you get a real prolic one you may have more than enough for your needs. The barn cats usually got a good feeding of it every morning and I still had more than enough for the family with only one active milker at any given time.

 

[Chamomile]

Hi Minnesota Carrie

YOU have a Goat Fetish!!? How cool! I think I might end up with a Goat fetish myself

I'll do some more research on Nubians and Saanans as well. I am just trying to gather as much info as I can right now, before I make up my mind. Thanks everyone for all your information!

Bess Kelly, thank you so much for your info on bees! I really appreciate it. I ordered a Backyear Beekeeping book and am anxiously awaiting it. Thanks all!!

 

[JO~*]

I have been looking for a couple of goat too. Im finding that this isnt the easyist time of the year to find what I am looking for. Young milking does. I guess this is the time of year that they dry does up?

I do have a lead on a couple of Saanans not to far from me.

Good luck in your search!!