Feeding Goats from the Farm

I did a lot of research over the past few days, and found that with the exception of giving purchased feed during milking time (a small amount once a day), the Nigerian Dwarf goats can do well on forage and what I grow in our little garden. So yesterday, I placed an order for some seeds at http://www.heirloomseeds.com/ for some of what I'll grow for them AND for us (and, well, for my father-in-law's holiday gift).


Buy as needed for the goaties:
-timothy and alfalfa hay
-goat feed
-worming medicine
-molasses for kidding does


Here's what we'll grow for our goaties:


Grow to Store:
-jack-b-little pumpkins
-sunflowers
-rutabagas
-turnips
-carrots
-apples


Grow in the Pasture:
-clovers (several dif kinds)
-soybeans
-fescue
-wheat
-rye
-timothy hay
-alfalfa
-bluegrass


Other:
I read that they love to strip bark, so next year, we'll collect Christmas trees after the holidays, and stack them up. One at a time we'll throw them into the pasture and let the goaties gobble them up. I understand maybe a toothpick will be left! We'll also let them into the corn-patch part of the garden after all the harvesting is done for the year... let them clean it up!


Note: we'll buy dairy-goat feed when we're ready, and yes, we'll research the brands. We will NOT buy sheep feed because it doesn't contain copper, and goats really need copper.

Another thing that I read is that jack-b-little pumpkins can keep for a really long time, and I certainly believe it. I still have one out on a bookshelf from **2** summers ago! It's just barely beginning to get a little bit soft. I also ordered seeds for turnips and rutabagas and carrots that store well for the winter. Considering the goats we'll be raising will be quite small, giving each a jack-b-little pumpkin a day, along with half an apple, a carrot or two, and alternating turnips and rutabagas... quite a healthy little meal! Then they get forage in our 2 small pastures... well, I think our goaties will be quite happy.


Don't you?