Our fainting goat, Pepsi, came from Tennessee, but we didn’t have to go that far to get him. We just had to drive a couple hours south to Beckley, West Virginia, where we met up with Pepsi’s owner, Bob Lewis.
We found Pepsi in his arms, wrapped in a blankie.
Pepsi’s last goat baby companion had just been picked up, and he’d left his mama in Tennessee, so he was feeling pretty forlorn already and he hadn’t even gotten back in the car to complete his trip.
We brought a carrier, but decided against it. Pepsi didn’t need a carrier. Pepsi needed another set of arms. So he came in the truck with me, on my lap, with his blankie.
Pepsi’s just a baby.
And he was bawling like one, too. He was pretty upset the first little bit. Then he pooped all over me and the truck and he felt so much better. We stopped and cleaned things up. (Then we felt so much better.) And Pepsi put his head down on my lap and I rubbed him behind the ears. He sprawled out across me and slept almost the whole way home.
And that’s when I was really surprised.
I got out of the truck with Pepsi and took him to the goat yard. I told him to get ready. That bossy Clover was going to have at him! Clover doesn’t cotton to strangers, not in her goat yard!
He ran into the yard and Annabelle said, “WHAT’S THAT?”
He even did a little dancing leap.
Annabelle thought he looked like so much fun! She can leap, too!
She couldn’t wait to get to know him better.
“Are you a dog?” Annabelle said. “I am!”
But Pepsi just kept going.
Annabelle had a sinking feeling.
He wasn’t a dog……
He was…..one of THEM!
And they liked him. They really really liked him.
Even CLOVER.
Nary a head-butting to be seen. And can you blame them for being smitten? He’s a beautiful goat. I love his markings.
He’s going to make a stunning herd sire.
Well, when he grows up some day. He’s just a baby now. He’s two months old, and still, in odd moments, looking around the goat yard crying for his mama. Clover and Nutmeg tell him everything will be okay and they show him where the good grass is. Eventually, he’ll have to be separated from the girls and a more suitable companion arranged. He needs a little girl fainting goat. A Sprite to his Pepsi.
And speaking of that fainting thing……
The kids could hardly wait to see him. I haven’t seen them so excited over a farm animal since…..never.
They wanted to make him faint. Weston had to be sure he wasn’t a defective fainter.
He rushed into the goat yard, ran at Pepsi, waving his arms and making noise.
Pepsi fell over on his side like somebody’d shot him with a rifle.
Yeah. See the little dark hooves just to the left of MORGAN’S FIST THAT SHE STUCK IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA AT THE VERY INSTANT PEPSI FAINTED? Those are Pepsi’s hooves as he’s flat out out his side in a dead faint.
The other animals didn’t know what to make of this bizarre moment, though the children found it quite amusing. It was pretty funny.
Except for the part where Morgan stuck her hand in front of the camera.
Weston strode away quite satisifed.
He said, “I pronounce him to be not defective.”
His job was done.
Me, I’m left with no photo of the fainting and I wouldn’t let them scare him again.
We left Pepsi, who got right up and back to normal as if nothing ever happened, to carry on settling in with his funny herd of Nigerian Dwarf goats and a lamb who thinks she’s a dog.
Pepsi’s home!
shirley says:
It’s 4am. I’m sitting here laughing at the monitor. 😆 This post was worth waiting for. :yes:
I need to get a life. :help:
On May 13, 2009 at 2:06 am
Nancy in Atlanta says:
Ahh, Shirley, I also need a life. Couldn’t sleep, still coughing from the blasted pneumonia (this sucks!!) so figured I’d sit up at the computer and cough less. Until I started chuckling at the goat and lamb-puppy antics! Pepsi is gorgeous, and I’m soooo glad Clover and Nutmeg were gentle with him.
Love the chicken/rooster farm photo, too! :chicken: :sheepjump: Hmmm; you need a goat thingy!!
On May 13, 2009 at 3:19 am
beekudzu says:
What a great story?! He’s such a little cutie. Clover was a good goat mama. But Annabelle still has my heart.
On May 13, 2009 at 3:27 am
Runningtrails says:
He is such a cute little guy! I’m glad the other goats liked him. He’ll have a nice home with them and Annabelle.
On May 13, 2009 at 4:12 am
jenn says:
He’s darling! What a beautiful little boy.
On May 13, 2009 at 4:19 am
Diane says:
Cute story. Pepsi is very cute.It looks like he will settle in nicely at your farm.
On May 13, 2009 at 4:50 am
Lynda Dunham-Watkins says:
Pepsi is beautiful! I’ve never heard of a ‘fainting goat’. How funny!
On May 13, 2009 at 5:55 am
wildcat says:
I’m so glad that Pepsi was so well accepted by the other goats!
I’ll bet they didn’t know what to think when he fainted. 😆
On May 13, 2009 at 6:25 am
Mim says:
Glad to see Pepsi home..I love to get a new animal but worry about how they will be accepted…your bunch did excellent. I would love to have a fainting goat but we have too many (1) very aggressive boy in our neighborhood that would probably aggravate it too much…but when I get something fenced in closer to the house, I would love to have one.
On May 13, 2009 at 6:31 am
Bev says:
Loos like he is a good fit. What an adorable little animal. Poor Annabelle…she needs another puppy to play with… 😆
On May 13, 2009 at 6:39 am
becki says:
Do you think the Girl Goats may see Pepsi as a funny-acting Honey?
:fairy: are animals like that?
On May 13, 2009 at 7:12 am
iowacowgirl says:
Annabelle is a HUGE girl! She grew!
On May 13, 2009 at 7:14 am
Mary says:
:sun: Pepsi is gorgeous!! I’m so glad the “crew” accepted him so well. Looks like he’ll have a blast at your house! He even jumped for joy! Have a great day!! :snoopy:
On May 13, 2009 at 7:18 am
Linda says:
Pepsi is a sweetie. How much bigger than Clover will he get? I’m glad the other animals took to him so well.
On May 13, 2009 at 7:25 am
JeannieB says:
Pepsi is a doll, I’ve made up my mind, I must have fainting goats, neighbors be da–ed. Does Annabelle need counseling?? when are you going to tell her that she is not a puppy??
On May 13, 2009 at 7:36 am
sondra says:
Very cute! Love reading your blog!
On May 13, 2009 at 7:45 am
Claudia says:
How could they not love him…. he’s adorable!
On May 13, 2009 at 7:53 am
Ms E says:
He’s just precious wrapped up in his blankie!
On May 13, 2009 at 8:14 am
Melinda says:
I only thought I was smitten before…I love you Pepsi…
On May 13, 2009 at 9:03 am
Brandi says:
He is a COMPLETE cutie!!! :happyflower:
On May 13, 2009 at 9:42 am
mmHoney says:
NOW I KNOW WHY BOB LEWIS HAD THE “BABY” WRAPPED IN A BLANKET. I GUESS HE RAN OUT OF PAMPERS. HA HA
On May 13, 2009 at 10:16 am
thecrazysheeplady says:
He’s beautiful!
On May 13, 2009 at 10:34 am
Carol says:
Welcome home, Pepsi!
On May 13, 2009 at 10:37 am
KentuckyFarmGirl says:
What a handsome young man! Welcome home Pepsi!
On May 13, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Barbara Bretton says:
Are you sure Pepsi isn’t one of those legendary Calico Fainting Goats? He is absolutely gorgeous!
On May 13, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Gienah Ghurab says:
I’ve been a long-time reader of your blog but have never commented before. I absolutely loved this post – particularly the part about Morgan sticking her hand in front of the camera! Oh, how I have been there! Without goats, though.
May Pepsi bring you much enjoyment (and some more blog posts.)
On May 13, 2009 at 12:48 pm
catslady says:
Another day to say awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
On May 13, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Estella says:
What a cute NONdefective little guy!
On May 13, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Winifred says:
Oh he is gorgeous. I had never heard of this kind of goat. I thought it was a spelling mistake. I’m not say what I thought it was meant to be!
On May 13, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Karen Templeton says:
A Sprite to his Pepsi — love it!
He’s adorable.
Are you averaging like one new critter a day? Kittens, pooches, goats…ee-ii, ee-ii, o, for sure! :woof:
On May 13, 2009 at 4:06 pm
The Retired One says:
He is beautiful! His markings look like he is wearing a blanket saddle.
I love your stories and pictures of farm life!
On May 13, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Amy W. says:
I’m so happy that Pepsi is accepted in his new herd. How nice that the girls all greeted him and like him too! Such an uplifting story–thanks for sharing.
On May 13, 2009 at 6:25 pm
SuzieQ says:
What a BEAUTIFUL face he has..lucky no mirrors in the lot or he would be admiring himsef all day instead of fainting! :woof:
On May 13, 2009 at 7:21 pm
Taiya says:
I had to read the part about the fainting(and then fist) to my husband, because I was laughing so hard!
On May 13, 2009 at 7:40 pm
trish says:
When a goat poos on you, I think that means your officially a farmer!!! lol Congratulations
On May 13, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Kristi of Million Dream Mom says:
oh lordy, I am laughing so hard right now! Pepsi is adorable! And I do hope that, once he’s settled in, there will be so fist-less fainting photos…what a (hilarious) bummer, lol!
I love your farm. Reading your blog makes me want to run away to live on a farm too!!
On May 13, 2009 at 10:30 pm
shirley says:
If I ever get a female fainting goat, I’m going to name her Miss Pitty-Pat from Gone with the Wind. :yes:
On May 14, 2009 at 6:25 am
Taryn says:
Hi, this is a few days old, but I told my daughter that you were going to name your fainting doe Sprite to go with your buck Pepsi. (She was so proud of me for the idea). She suggested you name one of the kids Root Beer. Had to pass that along. 🙂
On May 16, 2009 at 1:39 pm