Trouble in the Garden

Jul
19

We’ve been tormenting the goats for years due to the fact that they share a fenceline with the garden.

They’ve long held onto a cherished fantasy that one day they would enter its bountiful borders.

After all, everyone has to have a dream.

What are we without our dreams?

If only they could just get in there! They would wander in the verdant paradise and eat anything they wanted.

They would run between rows and leap over stakes, dining upon eggplant and sipping from tomatoes.

Cabbages, corn, cucumbers, and more, it would all be theirs!

Unfortunately–or fortunately, depending on your perspective, this ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

Some fat little somebody (NUTMEG) pushed so hard trying to reach into the garden that they finally broke through the fence. And everybody was in there in no time. I rushed down with a bucket of feed. Rounded everybody up. Got them back in the goat yard. That’s when I figured out how they were getting in the garden. You know, about the time they had lined up and gone right back into the garden through the same hole. It was hysterical. And not in a good way.

IMAGINE THIS IS YOUR GARDEN. THERE ARE GOATS (AND SHEEP!) ALL OVER IT.

Clover wasn’t even speaking to me at this point.

Luckily, right about the time I was going to just sit down in the middle of the garden and start crying, 52 got there and fixed the hole.

No doubt they are already mapping their next point of attack, but in the meantime, this weekend we brought up the first round bale from the 29 we bought off our neighbor Sonny across the river.

The round bale came up on the tractor–

–then into the goat yard. To keep everybody out of the way, I shut them all up in the goat house.

Except for this one, because the day before that, we got the lambs in the goat house and docked their tails. This one wasn’t going back for more! Annabelle’s pup is a little (emphasis on little) more people-oriented since her mother is a dog, so she just galloped in there with everyone else. That little black lamb is Crazy’s baby and he’s Crazy Junior. By the way, the pup’s name? Minnie Belle!

As in, Annbelle’s mini me. She is HUGE. I’m starting to wonder if she has a growth abnormality! Or she’s just showing her Cotwold genes…….

Back to the round bales. We’ve never had round bales before. The goats couldn’t believe their eyes. It was like, almost like, the garden all over again! A FEAST laid before their eyes!

Hopefully, that’ll keep them busy for awhile……….

Because sometimes dreams have to die!





Comments

  1. jan n tn says:

    It could have actually been worse….they didn’t eat it all. It looks like you got there in time to squelch the smorgasbord.
    Minnie Belle is gorgeous! I couldn’t be mad at her, even if she ate the whole garden. :snuggle:
    Good thing 52 came to the rescue,before your total meltdown occurred.

  2. Granny Trace says:

    52 to the rescue! Them little stinkers!
    Love sweet Minnie Belle and all of your furry kids!
    Granny Trace

    http://www.grannytracescrapsandsquares.com

  3. Barbee says:

    “Awww, don’t be mad, mommy. We thought you planted it for us. After all, you bake cookies for us.”

  4. kelsimom1998 says:

    Just so you know Suzanne… Goats with floppy ears would NEVER do this!!! hahahaha Daisy and Popeye and Bubbles loved seeing their picture! Now they are famous! They think they need more treats now!

  5. chickenherd says:

    Who is the goat standing on the haybale? Guess I haven’t been keeping up on my goat celebrities…(GASP).

  6. holstein woman says:

    I’m sorry those adorable little stinkers ruined your food supply. What a nice garden it is also. I’m glad you have time for it to regrow and replentish.

  7. Liz Pike says:

    Awww, sooo sorry Suzanne!! I always told our farrier clients I’d much rather deal with keeping horses in than goats–goats are little Houdinis!!! And it doesn’t help that they can be soo cute being soo bad!!! (I can say that since I’m not looking at MY groceries being eaten 😉

  8. prayingpup says:

    What you need is that new, special breed of goat that does only “selective grazing”. . . . . you point out what plants they can or cannot graze on & they take it from there – weed control!!!! Hee, hee!

  9. joykenn says:

    You just sit those goats down and tell them that I said goat meat, especially after it’s been eating nice juicy vegetables, is very tasty. Not threatening here, just making an observation that it might be best for little goaties to stick to their nice big hay pile. AND, mutton stew is delicious. Just saying. :hungry:

  10. Flowerpower says:

    :sheepjump: animals always want to be where they are not supposed to be. I guess they assume since you are in there surely you would want them there too and just look at all the goodies! This heist has most likely been planned for years! :happyflower:

  11. SkipOnStars says:

    My veternarian says any fence that will hold water will hold a goat. She always tells the truth! But, I love them anyway!

  12. Ms.Becky says:

    well I love that Dr. Pepper, always one of my faves, is king of the hay bale. hah!!! :airkiss:

  13. countrydreams64 says:

    I can’t believe Minnie Belle is that big already!! She is beautiful! :sheep:

  14. Drucillajoy says:

    Try to look on the bright side…they could have waited till they saw you driving away to go to town 😕
    They are adorable :yes:

  15. whaledancer says:

    So how much damage was done to your garden? Will your first tomatoes also be your last?

    • Suzanne McMinn says:

      They did do some damage to the garden, but it could have been much worse. We’ll still have tomatoes! (And other stuff. They actually ate more weeds and grass at the edge of the garden than they ate vegetables, luckily.)

  16. lavenderblue says:

    Because they’re, like, you know,…goats :hungry: Bet you miss quiet, grazing, non-goat BP all the more now. But when she comes back so does that bad baby, GB.

  17. Mountain Blessings says:

    😥 I’m so sorry bout your garden, but it sounds like they helped out with the weeds. They are all too cute to get mad at.

  18. Window On The Prairie says:

    Have you considered borrowing a fence wire stretcher and tightening up your fence?. Or how about electric fence? We have a solar powered one. Works great. You’ve got to be going crazy with all your animals getting out so frequently. Put your foot down woman and lay down the law. No more jail escapes. :moo:

  19. Julia K says:

    I’m glad they didn’t eat everything. I’m sure you were disappointed they got in your garden, but you have to admit, they are so cute. Even when their behavior isn’t. I’m lucky I only have ducks and chickens that occasionally get in the garden to feast.

  20. rainss61 says:

    :dancingmonster: oh those goaties!! every gardener/farmers nightmare!! :wave: love this post with the the hay treat!!~~Rain :shimmy: shimming on down to WV soon!! :snoopy: :snoopy:

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