Goats galore

This morning Suzi and I went to the Seneca Baby Fair to show off our Ellaroo carrier and talk to new moms with Julie, Kelly and Gauge from babywearing group. Hopefully a few new moms will start coming. I wish I had attended a time or two before Suzi's birth! It could have changed a lot of things. Suzi and I bought a Moby Wrap from Julie in lavender, our color. I love it and want to go somewhere just so I can carry her around in it!

Then Suzi's Nana went with us to Split Creek Farm to see goats and shop. We bought raw goat milk and lavender soap for Suzi, and goat cheese and fudge for Daddy and me! FYI: Goat's milk tastes similar to cow's milk, but it can usually be tolerated by children and others who cannot tolerate cow's milk. Even infants can be given goat's milk in lieu of formula. (Learned that at babywearing.) Farm owner Evin Evans assured me it freezes beautifully, which is good because a half gallon was $5.50 and Suzi could never finish it before it spoiled. She also said many of her customers give the milk to their babies. (Hopefully I will never be in that predicament again, because I never intend to buy another can of formula. But that's another post.) Carey was explaining the virtues of raw milk the other day and I didn't understand; today I tasted the goat's milk and now I do. But I don't think I'll be drinking much of it. It's Suzi's.

Suzi also got to love on the goats a little. I wanted to take one home but I don't think we're zoned for goats.


We toured the milking parlor, but at that point Suzi was ready to go home. They use a machine to milk the goats unless hand-milking becomes necessary due to the goat's condition (mastitis, etc). They milk 175 goats twice a day, so they'd probably develop carpal tunnel doing it by hand. Goats have a lot of the same problems breastfeeding women have. And, just like breastpumps, the machine used to milk the goats uses an on/off suction rhythm. Below, Acorn the goat models for the crowd.


If you live in the Anderson area, I'd highly recommend going out to Split Creek Farm and buying some products to try. Their goat cheese is slap-your-mama good. They are open 9-6 Monday to Saturday and even Sundays 1:30-6! I'll probably be out there a couple times a month.