I'm not ready to enter any milking competitions just yet, but I can empty a placid goat before she finishes her food, and have come to understand how to get them to cooperate without stressing or forcing them.
I have done loads of little jobs since arriving - fed ferrets; built a nest box for a broody hen; mucked out the goats and nearly gagged from the ammonia in the straw; butchered rabbits; rewired an electric fence; trimmed goat feet; built a feeding stand and made ventilation holes in a chicken house.
There are lots of things here I would like to copy, such as the two milking goats alternatively having kids. I also like the semi free-range setup for the chickens, with plenty of space so they don't reduce the grass to bare earth. Hunting wild game also appeals - few inputs and very sustainable, which can also justify having a dog as it will eat whatever is left.
