4 Wheels 4 Girls

Wednesday, April 13, Dad’s friend, David, took us to go see his friend, John’s, farm. When we first got there, David was going to take us to see John’s goats. David looked for the goats out in the field but didn’t see them. We didn’t even bother to look in the goat’s pen, which is where they were. I was fascinated by the goats. There were ten goats; all female except one. All the females were pregnant and we saw them right in the season when the baby goats were being born. I really wanted to see one give birth. And I REALLY wanted to see a newborn baby goat. I sat there and watched the goats and there was one pregnant one was laying on the ground right next to me. The biggest goat, which was also a pregnant female, really seemed to think she was in charge. She butted one goat out of the way so she could be closest to the people. But the goat laying on the ground was still the closest to us. The big goat wasn’t okay with that. So she put her head down and butted her out of the way too. Now she was in front.

You may be be thinking that this big goat is mean and like a goat-bully, but really, she just wanted a lot of attention. Actually, she was very sweet; once she was in front, she put her front hooves on the fence and stuck her nose out. When I petted her nose, she didn’t move a muscle, and she just stood there and let me pet her.

When John decided it was time to take the goats out for water, (which was a tiny bit strange because there was already a lot of water in their pen, even though I understand that John would want his goats to have some freedom ), I didn’t want them to leave. I was excited when John said, “Would you guys like to take the goats out with me? I could use some help.” He opened the gate, Dad told us to step back because if we didn’t, the goats would be too scared to come out. My sisters and I stepped back a little and they filed out of the pen, the biggest one in the lead, of course, and the little trotting of the goats was beautiful. Once they made it out into the field, John used a stick to herd them through a hole in the gate, big enough for humans to climb through and goats to easily hop through. The goats seemed to know the way down to the river. I wasn’t surprised when John said, “Follow the goats!” We followed them out to the river and we left the goats alone while John told us stories about dog attacks and how one of John’s goats, Raisin, was killed. It was so sad but I was glad that the other goats survived.

We had such a great time at John’s farm, and now, we have one burning question for David and John: Have the goats had their babies yet?

I enjoyed John’s goats so much that I decided, when I grow up, I’m going to get some goats for myself!

Ellie drew this picture of John in his covered wagon with his mules