As
I write
this, the
Pacific
Northwest
is in the
middle of
a very
warm
January
while the
rest of
the
country
appears to
still be
in winter’s
icy grip.
Never
before do
I remember
a January
such as
this,
where the
temperatures
have been
hovering
around 60
degrees
during the
day! My
goodness,
but it has
been
downright
spring-like
which has
caused
buds to
swell and
birds to
sing. It
is just
not normal
to not be
battling
mud up to
our knees
in the
heavily
trafficked
areas
around the
barns.
The goats
have been
far too
warm in
their
heavy
fleeces
and any
exertion
causes
them to
pant. This
is
normally
the time I
begin to
shear
them, but
where I
normally
worry
about
their
ability to
cope with
cold
temperatures,
this time
I’m not
worried in
the least!
As their
heavy
fleeces
are
sheared
off, each
goat gets
a close
examination
for any
lice or
skin
problems
and is
treated
accordingly.
As each
sheared
goat
re-enters
the
barnyard,
the other
goats rush
over to
inspect it
as the
newly
shorn are
viewed as
“new”
goats,
even
though
they still
smell the
same.
Goats are
visual
creatures
and
readily
recognize
their herd
mates and
their
caretakers,
so a
freshly
shorn goat
is viewed
as an
interloper
and must
run the
“gauntlet”
before
being
accepted
once
again.
Luckily,
it takes
far less
time to be
accepted
than a
truly new
member
joining
their
ranks for
the first
time.
Kidding
season is
almost
upon us
and soon
the barns
will be
filled
with new
life. For
me, it is
always a
humbling
experience
to watch a
mother
deliver
and then
tend to
her
newborn
kids. This
experience
continues
to awe and
amaze me
and I
doubt that
I will
ever be
ho-hum
about it,
and I do
the best
that I can
to provide
a safe and
clean
environment
for the
mothers
and their
little
ones.
Although
the chores
at this
time of
year can
be many,
they are
truly a
labor of
love. Over
the years
I have
found that
tending to
my animals
renews my
spirit and
keeps me
aware of
the
natural
order of
things.
For me, it
offsets my
often-frustrating
business
life where
things
must be
plugged in
and booted
up!
You don’t
have to be
a breeder
of Pygoras
to
appreciate
this time
of year.
Those of
you who
maintain a
spinner’s
flock of
Pygoras
are
anticipating
your
harvest of
fiber,
too. Even
those of
you who
keep
Pygoras as
pets can
enjoy this
time of
year. As
the sun
comes out
more
frequently,
you’ll
find your
goats
taking
their
siestas in
the sun,
eyes half
closed as
they relax
and chew
their cud.
Pygoras
are
playful
creatures
and will
readily
play on
any
structure
you might
build
them. For
an
inexpensive
play
structure,
put out
bales of
straw on
which the
goats can
play “king-of-the-hill”.
They’ll
use them
as
scratching
posts as
well or as
sleeping
platforms.
Goats love
to be up
on top of
things and
giving
them
something
to climb
on will
give them
much
needed
exercise
after a
winter of
being
cooped up
in the
barn
during bad
weather.
PBA has
been
blessed
with some
very
talented
people and
it has
been an
exciting
time as
more
people are
coming
forward to
get
involved
in the
various
committees
and
groups.
Elsewhere
in this
newsletter
are
announcements
naming the
folks who
have
volunteered
their time
and
talents to
serve on
the
education
committee,
the fiber
committee,
the
advertising
committee
and the
youth
committee.
The board
of
directors
is
thrilled
to have
such
quality
folks on
board and
we look
forward to
their new
ideas and
input into
how to
make PBA a
better
organization.
The
board of
directors
would like
to thank
everyone
who
completed
and sent
in their
ballots at
the end of
2004. The
board of
directors
was
pleased to
note that
there was
a record
number of
returned
ballots.
As a
result we
have new
bylaws
that we
believe
will carry
us into
the future
quite well
and an
important
update to
our breed
standards
for goats
with Type
A fleece.
So, a big
THANK YOU
to all who
voted!!!
Remember
that there
will soon
be
opportunities
for
members in
good
standing
to run for
open board
of
directors
positions.
Watch for
information
on this
opportunity
in a
future
newsletter.
Susan
Prechtl
Hidden
Meadow
Farm
pygora@clatskanie.com
