It's more fun with friends

Sharing is the best when it's CHEESE

Our beautiful giant milk doe, Tabitha, left the farm last week. Based on what we need in terms of milk volume and the amount of time I spend milking, letting beloved animals go elsewhere is part of the process. Every year after kidding, we have to analyze how many goats we have, how many we need, which babies are staying, and who is ready to move on.

Having goats requires a different perspective than having a dog. For me, getting a dog is a lifelong commitment. Having animals, like goats, who must have babies yearly to fulfill their purpose means that someone has to leave, either baby or mama- or I will quickly become a hoarder. They’re hard choices because these goats become a part of the family.

Tabitha is lovely, but she's also a giant. A bit larger than a miniature horse, she is a monster milker, but also is ready to retire. The only problem I ever had with Tabitha is that she is such a great milker I couldn't keep weight on her. All her calories go straight into her udder.

Some goat people handle these situations by putting each goat in a separate pen so they can control the food each one eats. But, since I have a large fenced area, I let my goats roam together in a herd. They're like a roving dairy gang - magically transforming weeds into cheese.

I give my girls free-choice hay, but Tabitha still always looked too skinny. It started to become a hard balance. If I put out enough extra food to fatten up Tab, all the other girls just ballooned into little goat oompa loompas. If I kept everyone else in good condition, Tabitha looked like she was about to keel over from starvation.

One of my best friends, Shanae, dropped by one afternoon to drop off her does to breed, and while she was standing out in the pasture, Tabitha walked right up and rested her forehead on her, asking for scritches.

"I love Tabitha, but I am going to have to retire her," I told Shanae. "I just can't keep weight on her so I don't want to breed her again."

"I'll take her!" Shanae said brightly. Her husband, Brandon, sighed.

I smiled. Shanae's house is the perfect place for Tabitha to retire. Of her many skills, Shanae is great at helping animals gain weight. She has horses, alpacas, chickens, and a yellow Labrador brother to ours - none of whom are underfed.

Shanae and I share our quirky passions and philosophies on life and parenting. We also both love cheese.

Because Shane is just a few years behind me in the goat game this was her first spring of kidding so she hasn’t had goats in milk yet.

This year Tabitha gave us three beautiful doelings and immediately started to lose weight. All her daughters were fat and happy, but it was to Tab’s detriment. I called Shanae - "It's time," I told her. I weaned her daughters and got her ready to go.

The day that Shanae was to come to pick up Tabitha, something came up at her work, so Brandon came by instead. As soon as he pulled up and looked at the crate in the back of his truck, he sighed for the second time. He'd forgotten how big she was - she would have to ride with him in the cab.

Over the following days, Shanae and I would text back and forth about the best way to milk Tab, her health, her new friends, and her new routines.

I already miss Tabitha, but it's so great to know she's at the perfect home for her and with someone who will appreciate all she has to offer.

I knew Tabitha landed at the right place when Shanae texted me this picture ->

When I saw that picture I smiled - not just in triumph for my friend, but because I know, better than most, how much work went into those crackers. I know the milking and the kicked buckets. I know the hauling of hay and the exhaustion and the frustation. But, I also know how it feels to walk inside with a bucket brimming with fresh milk to turn into cheese. There’s nothing else like it in the world.

Now, knowing that feeling is another thing Shanae and I share.

There's something that makes these adventures even more fun when they're experienced with friends. Cheers to Tabitha and Shanae; enjoy those crackers, you earned ‘em.