We’ve had problems with the electric fence ever since the barn burned down. Rather than the straightforward connection it used to be, the fence is powered via an extension cord, through the laundry room window and into to the house. Every so often someone inevitably innocently unplugs it, thinking I’ve absent-mindedly left it on.
The goats, being just one half an evolutionary step away from the raptors in Jurrasic Park, have been waiting for this exact moment. Even the most gravitationally challenged of the bunch heaves themselves over the wall and into the glamping field. They have learned to go that way, instead of towards the house as the glamping is mostly empty and someone has to be looking for the goats to find them there.
One afternoon a few weeks ago, the escape happened about 5 minutes before the school run. The goats were way down past the pods, tucked around the corner, enjoying someone else’s grass. With a bucket of food and a useless collie dog at my side, I power walked down the lane, passing some newly-arrived guests.
“No matter what happens next,” I joked. “You didn’t see any goats.” We all laughed as the herd started running toward us. I realised too late that it was the rustle of the guests Tesco bag, rather than my bucket they were excited about.
After the goats decided that the guests and their bag didn’t have treats for them, I managed to get all of the goats, bar three, into the correct field. Let me confirm for the record that my goat management skills deteriorate completely when I have an audience. (The guests thought it was the best thing ever, FYI.)
Already late for the bus, I left the other three - our three easiest goats - out, convinced there was no way they could make it home before I got back and would be safe grazing in the woodland.
As Theo and I pulled back to the house about 10 minutes later, we were met with the three goats, happily grazing around the laird’s car, with him, his mum and two workmen chatting about the windows, while Lucy chased her pigs, who had also escaped while I was out, in circles around the courtyard.
“There is always something loose up here!” they commented before driving away.
They aren’t wrong. Despite progress - our vegetable garden remained mostly unscathed this year! I grew tulips for the first time in 10 years! The Cotoneaster at the back is growing again! Try as we might though, herding goats with a couple of pigs thrown in is a walking…running…jumping circus.
During our first Long Table Feast earlier in the summer, I looked up from serving folks and Lucy was chasing her pigs back to the barn in her chef’s apron with a dishtowel over her shoulder. At another dinner, some local farmers were in attendance and I watched in slow motion and Kevin tried to get the animals back in the barn after a farm tour and as he put one in, another escaped. During another event, I walked into the house after getting the group settled and found Loretta asleep in the kitchen next to the Aga (this isn’t the first time this has happened). The pigs have definitely thought a couple of pizza nights were for them and wandered over to the Fire Kitchen for dinner.
I am sure that one day we will be the efficient operation I dream of, but today is not that day. And so we embrace a certain level of chaos around here. While our skills may not be keeping goats in, we are expert-level goat wranglers, which is a skill.
But if you are visiting next year and you see goats somewhere they shouldn’t be, no you didn’t.
Goat Rodeo Goods
We obviously took inspiration from the above shenanigans in naming the range of pickles we’ve been working on. Goat Rodeo Goods is a collection of seasonal preserves using locally farmed and foraged produce. We have been working with our friends Upper Ballaird Farm Coop, helping them deal with excess veg as well as using our own gluts from the woods and garden.
It feels quite full circle for me personally, as I started the farm and the farm school many years ago to teach preserving skills and do exactly this kind of work for my own family! Plus many of the recipes are actually from previous editions of Life in the Making.
We have a small selection of items in the Fodder + Farm Shop, if you are interested. Local folk can buy jars for collection, but at the moment we are only shipping the spice blends.
I am excited to see where 2024 takes us.
Thank you for letting me read along with what's happening. I look forward to when your spices ship abroad!
Lovely to hear tales from the farm 😍you do seem to breed exceptionally inquisitive creatures there!
The shop range looks great - those names 😂 genius!!