The seventeenth of November 2018

goats

One of the many reasons why I find goats to be such inspiring creatures is that they always appear to be thinking about something. What do goats think about? Do they think about the welfare of other goats? Do they think about climate change? Do they think about geopolitical mishaps and troublesome election results? Do they concern themselves with human affairs at all? Is there some kind of caprine realpolitik that they are all carrying out; or rather, a moral ethical code each goat is compelled to fulfill? Are they just contemplating which plant is would be the delicious? Are they plotting an eventual global goat liberation moment where they will collectively free themselves of their pens and fences and break free from human bondage? It is unlikely that humans will ever discover the answer to these and other questions about goat thought and goat behavior.

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What are you thinking about, sir?

The fourteenth of November 2018

goats

One of the loveliest things about autumn is the transformation of leaves from green to beautiful yellows, oranges and reds, eventually falling to the each dried and crunchy. Although the colder and shorter days may be less pleasant than the warm and sunny spring and summer, find some joy in the last moments before winter and have a go at crunching on some leaves. Trust me, it’s quite fun.

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No kidding, crunching on some fall leaves can be satisfying and fun.

The thirtieth of October 2018

goats

In a previous post, goat’s dietary preferences were discussed and some mythology about what goats actually eat were dispelled. However, goats do enjoy eating some unusual things. For example, goats can eat and digest poison ivy leaves without issue. The urushiol compound that causes the nasty, blistering rash in humans does not effect them at all, leading some people to use them as a means to mitigate and destroy poison ivy. You can even hire a herd of goats in some areas to take care of excess brush and such plants! In the UK, poison ivy is rare, but there are still unpleasant, rash-inducing plants about, such as stinging nettle. Unsurprisingly, goats do not experience similar negative reactions to stinging nettle, and are known to enjoy the leaves as a snack. Perhaps goat browsing is an effective and fun solution to problematic plants.

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Snacking on stinging nettles in Kent. Yum?