Upcoming Class: Basic Goat Husbandry

Upcoming Class: Basic Goat Husbandry

Many, many people express interest in learning more about goat care, something we view as an important responsibility. We are now excited to offer a day-long workshop to share our knowledge. Our March 30 Basic Goat Husbandry Workshop session filled up, so we've now opened a second date, on April 6, from 11am to 6pm. Each workshop is limited to 12 participants. To register for the workshop, please use the Paypal link below (which enables credit card processing, even if you don't have a paypal account). Cost for each participant is $110.
We are one of two goat dairies in North Carolina which bear the Animal Welfare Approved third party certification. As of right now, we have 150 goats on our farm; we expect approximately 150 kids to be born on-farm this spring. Some will be born prior to the start of this workshop, which will enable us to cover a broader range of topics. Depending on the whim of our does, who do seem to have a sense of theater, perhaps we'll see a live birth during the workshop. We are entirely pasture-based. If it's pouring rain that day, we'll reschedule for the same day/time the following week. If it is just sprinkling, the show will go on. Bring a lunch—it's a long day! We'll have handouts for you to take home, but also bring a notebook. We're covering a lot of information in a short period of time.

• assessing your goatkeeping goals
• preparing for your goat: shelter, fencing, considering other animals
• finding and selecting your goats
• essential and handy equipment and where to find it or how to make it
• nutritional requirements and supplements
• vaccinations, parasite control, and discussion of common health issues
• hoof trimming
• assessing health and illness
• finding a good veterinarian and when to consult
• basic breeding and kidding
• disbudding of horns and castration
• milking

To check availability, please email kat@prodigalfarm.com. Cost for each workshop is $110.