Old Dallas Mountain Farms - Nigerian Dwarf Goats

SUNDAY SWEETNESS

Meet Boo Boo.

As many of you know, we recently found Bobo abandoned on the side of the road near the farm. Bobo is doing well, but after some thought, we decided it probably was not wise for him to eventually patrol the barn by himself. So naturally, we drove one hour to Resaca to get him a friend. That is not a sentence we expected to write but here we are.

Boo Boo came from a very nice lady who was giving away kittens and we brought him home so Bobo would have a buddy, a backup, and someone to help him make questionable future barn-cat decisions. We are not even cat people. Or at least, we were not cat people. At this point, the evidence is becoming difficult to dispute.

Boo Boo is settling in nicely and will eventually join Bobo in a very important future career here on the farm. Their duties may include mouse patrol, hay inspection, feed room supervision, sunbeam management and silently staring at us from places we did not know cats could reach.

For now, Boo Boo is safe, fed, warm, and officially part of the farm story. Welcome to Old Dallas Mountain Farms, Boo Boo.

Apparently, we are cat people now.

GOAT GOLD AND WEIRDNESS WEDNESDAY

Today’s picture is Missy and Mischief, standing together and looking very much like they are asking, “What do we do now?”

Missy and Mischief are true sisters out of MOON STATION SS LILY, one of our best-looking does. These two girls were our last kids of the season. They may look innocent here, but this is clearly a two-goat committee deciding whether to behave or start a small (or significant, perhaps) situation.

GOAT GOLD:

Goat kids often form close little buddy pairs, especially with siblings or kids they grow up beside. Having a familiar companion helps them feel more confident as they explore, learn routines, and figure out where they fit in the herd. It is sweet, useful, and occasionally dangerous when both parties agree on a bad idea. Our two girls have been inseparable since birth and we have very high hopes for them.

WEIRDNESS:

Sea otters sometimes hold hands while resting so they do not drift apart. They float on their backs, link up with another otter, and basically form a tiny floating friendship contract.

Which is adorable.

It is also probably safer than leaving Missy and Mischief alone with a plan.

So in summary:

- Sisters tend to stick together.
- Sea otters hold hands so they do not float away.
- Missy and Mischief appear to be deciding whether today calls for teamwork or a misdemeanor.

GOAT GOLD AND WEIRDNESS WEDNESDAY

Today’s picture is LIL MISCHIEF MANAGED, also known as Mischief, conducting a very serious investigation into an empty bottle.

Mischief is in the process of being weaned, which means her milk schedule has started changing. Apparently, Tonya did not provide what Mischief considered an acceptable amount of milk today, so Mischief found an empty bottle and decided the matter required further review. The bottle said it was empty. Mischief disagreed.

GOAT GOLD:

Goats are natural problem-solvers. They are curious, persistent, and very good at noticing patterns, especially patterns involving gates, feed buckets, people, snacks, and anything they have been told not to touch.

Bottle babies learn routines quickly. They know what the bottle means, who usually brings it, and what should be inside. During weaning, the routine starts changing before their opinion of the routine changes, which can lead to some dramatic misunderstandings.

Mischief has learned the bottle means milk. She has not yet accepted the advanced concept of empty.

So instead of walking away, she decided to keep working the problem. There may be milk left. There may actually be hope. There may be a clerical error. Either way, Mischief would like it noted, for the record, she is not satisfied with the current level of service.

WEIRDNESS:

For Weirdness this week, we are going with kea parrots, which we actually learned about years ago when we visited New Zealand.

Kea parrots are incredibly smart, curious, and destructive. One of our tour guides warned us these birds have been known to pull trim, molding, and even rubber off parked cars (as in TIRE rubber). They are basically feathered problem-solvers with beaks, determination, and no apparent concern for anyone's insurance deductible.

Which brings us back to Mischief.

A kea parrot may look at a parked car and think, “I wonder what happens if I remove part of this.” Mischief looked at an empty bottle and thought, “I wonder what happens if I simply refuse to accept this.”

Different species. Same energy.

So in summary:

- Goats are persistent little problem-solvers.
- Bottle babies learn routines quickly and may object when those routines change.
- Kea parrots can apparently dismantle parts of parked cars because nature enjoys chaos.
- Mischief would like someone from the complaint department to review her account immediately.

SUNDAY SWEETNESS

Meet Bobo.

Bobo was found abandoned on the side of the road, most likely dumped off in the woods near us by someone who decided he was no longer their responsibility. So, of course, he is now our responsibility. That seems to be how these things work around here.

Bobo has already taken over the basement while we get him healthy, vaccinated, cleaned up, de-wormed, de-flead, de-mited, and generally introduced to the idea of regular meals and people who do not leave kittens on the side of the road. He is still little (weighing in at 19 ounces), still scruffy and still has some catching up to do, but he is safe now and pretty much living the good life.

The current plan is for Bobo to eventually become one of our barn cats, which means he has a very important future career ahead of him. For now, though, he is enjoying the basement life while we fatten him up and help him get ready for the next chapter. Based on this picture, he appears to have already accepted his role as supervisor of whatever situation he happens to be sitting in. He did not have the easiest start, but he landed in the right place.

Welcome to the farm, Bobo. Your official job title is still pending, but "basement supervisor" appears to be going well.

GOAT GOLD AND WEIRDNESS WEDNESDAY

Today’s picture is Boris and he has had himself a week.

Boris recently experienced what we’ll politely call a major change in career direction. He was not especially pleased about it for about a day, which is fair. We all have moments when life makes sudden adjustments to our plans. But Boris is doing just fine now, and he will be staying here on the farm as one of our mascots.

GOAT GOLD:

A wether is a male goat who has been castrated, which means he will not be used for breeding. That may sound like a rough deal, and Boris may have never consented to this life change, but wethers can make wonderful farm companions. They often avoid many of the challenges that come with keeping intact bucks, while still bringing plenty of personality, charm, and goat-level nonsense to the herd.

Not every handsome young man needs a career in goat romance. Some are better suited for public relations, treat inspections, fence-side gossip sessions with the lady goats, and looking photogenic while pretending they had no idea what just happened.

Boris seems qualified for all of the above.

WEIRDNESS:

Banana slugs are hermaphrodites, which means they have both male and female reproductive parts. Nature looked at the banana slug and decided some biology lessons should make the room (and this post) uncomfortable. Everyone gets options. Everyone gets responsibilities. Everyone gets dragged into the team building trust falls.

And because this is Weirdness Wednesday, it gets worse. Banana slugs have some of the largest reproductive organs relative to body size in the animal kingdom. Which is already more information than most of us needed, but here we are.

So yes, Boris had a major change in career direction this week. But compared to the banana slug, his situation is still fairly straightforward. Some animals are born into simple roles. Some animals are banana slugs.

So in summary:

- Boris is now moving into farm mascot work.
- Wethers can make wonderful herd companions.
- Not every handsome young man needs a career in goat romance.
- Banana slugs are proof nature occasionally makes decisions without adult supervision.

GOAT GOLD AND WEIRDNESS WEDNESDAY

Today’s picture is Callie and Ollie, stepping in as honorary goats for Goat Gold and Weirdness Wednesday. Callie is on the left, having what appears to be a difficult hair day. Ollie is on the right, looking supportive but not particularly empathetic of Callie's situation.

GOAT GOLD:

Around here, you do not technically have to be a goat to participate in goat-level judgment. Callie and Ollie may not be a direct part of the goat herd, but they are absolutely part of the farm rhythm. They know the routines and know when people are coming and going. They know feeding times, chore times, suspicious bucket times, and the exact moment we walk past without offering Nicker Makers (horse treats).

Farm animals are very good at learning patterns. They know who brings food, who opens gates, who carries treats, and who might be convinced to make poor decisions under pressure. Different species may show it in different ways, but they all seem to develop opinions about how the place should be run.

So many opinions.

GOAT-ADJACENT GOLD:

Donkeys and horses are both highly social animals, and companionship matters to them. They notice their people, their surroundings, and each other. A good farm routine gives them comfort, structure, and a sense of what to expect. It also gives them plenty of opportunities to stand in a doorway and quietly evaluate Barney and/or Tonya.

WEIRDNESS:

Horses cannot vomit.

That is not a joke. Because of the way their digestive system is built, horses are basically unable to throw up. Their anatomy makes it extremely difficult for food to come back up once it goes down.

So yes, Callie may be having a difficult hair day, but she is also living with the unfortunate knowledge nature gave horses speed, beauty, sensitivity, dramatic manes, and then apparently forgot to install reverse.

Ollie, meanwhile, appears to be offering emotional support from the side. Or possibly waiting to see if apple treats are involved.

So in summary:

- Callie and Ollie are not goats, but they are fully qualified to judge us like goats.
- Farm animals learn routines, people, and feeding schedules very well.
- Horses cannot vomit, which seems like a pretty serious oversight.
- And Callie’s hair suggests she has already been through enough today.