Announcing Our New Newsletter!

Announcement! I have started a newsletter for the friends and customers of the farm. The current one, which I just sent out yesterday, can be seen here (though if you've been following along here or on Facebook, it doesn't contain anything you don't already know): http://eepurl.com/Vf2tz

The newsletter is going to be sent out a few times a year. A schedule hasn't been determined yet, but it won't be more frequently than once a month at most. The purpose of the newsletter is to update our friends and customers on the important goings-on of the farm as well as new products we may have available (soap should be restocked fully in time for the holiday purchasing season, hint hint). I wanted to start the newsletter as a more personal way to connect. Posts on Facebook and the blog are easily missed; if you don't look at just the right time you may not see them. A newsletter, on the other hand, is sent directly to your inbox and can't be missed as easily. I also feel the a newsletter provides a more personal touch. I know exactly who the email is sent to, whereas here or on Facebook I could be talking to anyone or no one. Perhaps it is only in my mind, but I feel like I'm engaging in a conversation when I write a newsletter. When I write a blog post or Facebook update, I always feel that there is the potential for conversation but never know for sure if anyone is seeing it.

So if you want to be "in the know" and not miss anything important, sign up for the newsletter! You can do so by submitting your name and email in the first form on this page -http://www.tiramarfarms.com/#!contact/c15u8 or by sending me your email and letting me enter it manually. Alternatively, there is also a subscribe button in the top left corner of the newsletter itself.

If you are unsure if this newsletter is something you will enjoy, I encourage you to give it a shot -- there is no long term commitment. You can unsubscribe at any time. See you in your inbox! 

20 Happy Things

Inspired by a blog post over at Antiquity Oaks, I have decided to make a list of 20 things that make me happy (in no particular order).

1. Sunday afternoon naps

2. Polled kids -- less disbudding!

3. Time spent with family

4. Beautiful spring flowers

4.5 Which sometimes hide little critters

5. Those special animals that sneak into our hearts (even though it's hard to say goodbye)

6. Unexpected blessings

7. Watching lightning bugs

8. Writing things my heart wants to write (rather than writing for assignments)

9. Baby goats!

10. Really, baby animals of any kind

11. Perfect weather days

12. Lazy rainy days

13. Big thunderstorms -- so long as no one is hurt

14. Connecting with like-minded folk

15. Cold glasses of raw milk

16. Gardens growing

17. Shopping at farmer's markets for local goods

18. Awesome yard sale finds, like old sewing machines

19. The simple pleasure of cheesy grits

20. Finding a good movie on TV

Brownie's Twin Doelings May 9, 2014

Yesterday was a long, impatient day for me as I waited on babies. I noticed Brownie exhibiting the early signs of labor around noon or one in the afternoon. She was nesting, being vocal, getting up and down frequently, her ligaments were completely gone and her udder had gotten huge and shiny.

Brownie's ligaments hours before giving birth.

I spent the better part of my afternoon and evening camping out with her. I realized in the process that I really, really want to get a barn monitor so that I can stare at goats from the comfort of my living room! She progressed pretty slowly through the first stage, which is not unusual. I was starting to be convinced that I'd be camping out literally all night, though. I eventually drove my car down to the barn and waited in it with the window cracked so I could hear her. (My car seats are much more comfortable than a hard plastic chair or the barn floor.) It was about 8:30pm when I posted on my facebook page, "It's going to be a long night. Please send prayers and good vibes to Brownie and I; she appears to be in the early stages of labor." She had actually been in the early stages for a while, but I didn't feel like elaborating at that time. 

Brownie fixing her "nest."

It was from my car, and not long after I posted on my facebook, that I heard a loud bleat. I rushed out of my car right away, because this sounded like a "I'm getting serious" bleat. I could tell at this point that we were getting a lot closer, so I texted my mom that I needed a lantern from the house, because my phone battery was about to go dead and I couldn't keep using its flashlight app. (Did I mention my barn has no electricity?) It took her a few minutes to find a lantern with operable batteries (I should have planned that out better), but my parents got to the barn just in time. They probably hadn't been present five minutes before a bubble emerged. 

Getting a bit uncomfortable!

It was about 9:00pm when the first doe finally made her entrance to the world. I had a moment of panic as she first emerged, because I initially thought I was looking at the head of one huge single. Thankfully I was actually seeing a leg and a head and thinking that the two were just one large head. She was born with one front leg back. My mom -- who has the smallest hands in the family -- was in the process of trying to get the leg out with the nose and other leg (which is the proper position) when Brownie gave a biiig push and out she came. We had to re-position Brownie at this point, because she had gotten too close to the wall and was in danger of squishing her. I began to suction the doe's mouth and nose and rub her down with a puppy pad, but before we'd even gotten the first doe around for mom to lick, the second came shooting out like greased lightning. I opened her bag and began suctioning and drying her as well. At this point Brownie started helping, too, and licking them off. The afterbirth came right behind them, and I knew we were done. I wish I had pictures of the labor, but with no lights it just wasn't possible to get any good ones.

Finding food for the first time!

After giving me nothing but bucks her past two kiddings, Brownie finally gave me does! I was honestly surprised to find that I was lucky enough to get two does and no bucks; that's a dream come true. They are beautiful and healthy, and didn't take hardly any time to find the source of food. It always amazes me how quickly goat kids get up and know exactly what to do to get fed and get moving.

The next day.

Brownie's kids are named after desserts or chocolates, so these were christened Oreo and Cookie. Oreo was the first one out, and she is black with an almost perfect white belt. 

Oreo.

Cookie was the second and is a vary dark brown with white. She has a white goatee that looks like she spilled milk down her chin. (Her registered name will probably be "Milk n Cookies" or something similar.)

Cookie.

One will be available after they are weaned, and it will probably be Cookie. My mom is already attached to Oreo after helping her be born. 

Brownie's udder less than 24 hours after kidding.
(Word to the wise: don't use shavings in a kidding stall if you can avoid it.
Unfortunately we couldn't, because straw prices were ridiculous.)

I also have to say that I am extremely pleased with Brownie's udder and her progress in general. I have never been able to milk Brownie. She was my very first goat, and when I first bought her she was completely wild. The first time we tried to milk, my mom was helping and got her hand gashed open with Brownie's sharp back hooves. I had given up on ever milking her, but Brownie has improved so much over the time that I have had her, and I think this may be the year I finally milk her!

Moments like these remind me of why I love doing what I do. 

Ch-Ch-Changes and Tips for Naming Your Farm

For six years now, my little farm has gone by the name "Wonderland Farm." I chose that name back in 2008 when I bought my first two Nigerian Dwarf does, and I registered "Wonderland" as my herd name*. I chose the name because Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite children's books, and I was enamored with the idea of wonderlands and neverlands during that time in my life. I thought Wonderland would be perfect to illustrate my love of reading, capture my desire for my farm to be a real-life wonderland, and show that I keep a bit of childhood with me.

Fast forward to 2013, and ADGA -- the biggest dairy goat registry in the states -- has decided to register Nigerian Dwarf goats for the first time. Yay! Right? Yes. But there was a problem: "Wonderland" was not available as a herd name with ADGA. I had to change my herd name, and my options were not great. "Wonderland Farm" is far too long and took up half of the allotted space for a goat's registered name. "WNDRLNDFRM," with or without a space, just doesn't look appealing, in my opinion. And Wonderland27, which is what I initially chose to change to, is still pretty long, kinda a mouthful, and to be honest, I don't like the way it looks on paper, either. The 27 does correspond to one of my favorite Bible passages (Prov 27), but it doesn't make as much sense and, I feel, makes it very obvious that this was not my first choice for herd name. I don't want a herd name that necessitates explanation. "Why is there a 27 on your herd name...?"

I struggled with my herd name off and on for months. I considered changing it to WLF, but that doesn't capture anything personal to me or my farm nor does it sound like a farm name. It is initials. If a potential buyer who was previously unfamiliar with my farm saw WLF in a goat's name that I had bred, he or she would have to actually do research to find out who the breeder was. It does nothing to market or brand my goats or my farm to the public. If one day I should be so lucky as to have bred a top ten producer or other well-titled goat, I want the public to have a farm name to look up and be familiar with -- not an acronym. 

This struggle with my herd name led to a greater struggle with my farm name in general. I found that Wonderland Farm doesn't really fit me or my vision anymore. I was a teenager when I chose that farm name, and although I don't dislike it, I realize now that it doesn't send the message I want nor is it easily marketable. The biggest issue is that Wonderland is such a popular and common idea (which is why the herd name was unavailable in the first place). If you Google "Wonderland Farm," the entire first page of results is filled with a horse ranch in North Carolina. I also feel that Wonderland Farm has too much of a juvenile vibe to it. I want a farm name that can grow as the farm grows, that is mature (though not overly serious), that can accurately reflect myself and my farm, and that can be marketed without too much competition as far as other farms already having the same name. Wonderland doesn't really work with that. It was time for a change. 

That, in a nutshell, is how Wonderland Farm became Tiramar Farms in 2014. It took quite a lot of brainstorming and spit balling ideas, but we finally came up with a name that fulfills all of what I wanted from a farm name. It is, as far as I know, completely unique. A Google search reveals no other Tiramar Farms. The change from Farm to Farms also allows much more room for growth; I no longer just have goats, after all. I like that it was truly a collaborative effort that birthed this name. I could not have come up with it without the help of my mother, and I could not have made the decision with confidence if not for the consultation of my father and my close friends. It also contains part of the name of one of the first goats on whom I really learned to milk**, making it more personal to me and my experience than Wonderland. Lastly, it has a pleasing sound as well as appearance, and it gives off the overall vibe I was going for, at least in my opinion. Tiramar sounds mature but not stuffy, elegant but not pretentious, and more like a place-name than a human name (I've never been a fan of having my own name in my farm name, though that certainly works well for others). It just sounds pleasing on the ears and lends itself well to the overall feel of my farm.

When I showed my best friend, Sarah, the new logo I designed for Tiramar, she made the comment, "It's like the little girl from the old logo grew up." I loved that she thought of that, because that is exactly what happened! Like I said, I was a teenager when I named the farm Wonderland, and I'm not a teenager anymore. As we grow older our tastes, desires, dreams, and goals shift. We reevaluate things, and sometimes that means even reevaluating a name that has been with us for six years. It's a little nostalgic to see the old name go, but I love the new name. I am happy to say that I believe that Tiramar is a name I can stick with for the long haul.

As a refresher for those who may not remember the old logo...this is what I once used:

And this is what I use now:

(Can I just say that I love that the woman in my new logo has bare feet? Because I am always going barefoot whenever I can!)

So now that my story is out of the way and any confusion about the name change has hopefully been cleared up, here are a few tips on naming your farm, from me to you:

1. Make it Unique. You truly don't want your farm to share a name with a bunch of other farms.When someone tries to look you up to buy your products, you want your farm to at least be on the first page of search results, if not the first result period. You also want any herd names that you need to register to be available. Not every farm will be raising registered livestock, but if you are or even might be in the future, this is important. Most purebred registries, regardless of species, require this type of naming.
   
   Making a unique name can be more difficult than you think, though. Always be sure to search the internet for the names you're considering before you get too attached. Taking the next two points into mind will help you make it unique as well.
2. Make it Memorable. What's memorable? A name that's unique, of course! But I'm not trying to talk in circles here. You want your customers to be able to remember your farm name so that if they lose your information they can find it again, and so that when they're telling their friends about your great farm they can remember a name to pass on.
   
   So, what makes a name memorable, aside from uniqueness? Well, it shouldn't be overly difficult to pronounce or too long. If it's in a foreign language, choose a simple word with only a couple of syllables (Adios Acres rather than Rancho Cielo Morado, for example). Consider making up your own word; doing so will make it more unique, and therefore more easy to remember. But still stick with fairly simple, easy to pronounce words. We did this with my farm name, Tiramar, and I know of a farm called MigMog Acres.
3. Make it Personal. This could be done in many ways. Survey your landscape: is there anything interesting about it that you really love? I heard of a farm named One Ash Farm, presumably because they had only one ash tree. Do you have a dear loved one who has passed away that you would like to honor? A particular quirk unique to your or your family? A special animal that helped found your farm?
   
   Making your farm name personal will make it mean that much more to you, and also help it to be more unique. However, be sure it's not such a private story or inside joke that others won't be able to connect to it.
4. Leave Room for Growth. This was a mistake I made in first naming my farm; the original name was too confined to a specific theme or idea. There's more than one way to not leave room for growth, though. For instance, Hippie Chick'n Farm might seem really cute at the time, but what happens when you decide to add on other species of livestock? Five Harpers Farm is nice, too, but what if you have another child? Obviously these specific situations may not apply to everyone, but it's important to remember that your life might take you to unexpected places. Try not to let your farm name fence you in.
5. Consider Marketing. At some point, you are going to need to generate a market for your farm so that you can also generate revenue. Even if you don't want your farm to be a business, it's likely that at some point you will need or want to sell excess eggs, honey, baby livestock, etc. You want a name that can be marketed. All of the other points in this list play into marketing as well, but putting some thought specifically into how your farm name will affect marketing is not a bad idea. You may want to make clear what your products are (Pint Size Poultry, for example, would market bantam birds or quail well), but then you also run into the risk of narrowing your room for growth. If you want to market multiple things, don't make your name refer to only one aspect of your farm.
   
   It's also best to keep your name in good taste: a vulgar or off-color name will likely ostracize some of your potential clients and may prevent you from advertising in certain locations or publications. Remember that many parents love to take their kids to farms or farmer's markets -- if your name isn't child friendly, you drastically cut your clientele. Speaking of clientele, remember your target demographic when naming your farm. A farm selling women's bath products will benefit from a drastically different name than would fit a farm offering a haunted corn maze. If you want to market to a wide demographic, keep the name neutral.
6. Consider Your Theme/Vibe/Etc. Do you want humor associated with your farm? Whimsy? Romance? History? A name can evoke a certain feeling or imagery very easily. A prominent farm in Illinois goes by the name of Antiquity Oaks. That name combines the image of oak trees with the idea of antiquity, suggesting a historical, or traditional method of farming on a property with oaks. Some people choose to go with their own name for their farm, such as Parham Farms, a wonderful goat farm in Tennessee. Using your name in your farm name denotes a family vibe and brings to mind the human element in the farm. Think of what you value, and what your goals, hopes, and dreams are for your farm, and try to structure your name in such a way that it reflects your chosen theme or the feeling that you want to evoke in others when they hear your farm name.
7. Consider Your Tagline. This is a key tool in marketing. A name can say a lot, but it can't say everything. That's where your tagline comes in. The tagline of your farm can be used to convey your personal code of operation, your values, or something about what you do or your products. Not every farm has a tagline, but I personally believe that a tagline is a good idea for sharing with others what your farm is about in a very concise manner. My tagline is "History. Heart. Hard Work." My mother helped me come up with this tagline, which makes it all the more appropriate. It's alliterative, which makes it memorable (and we already know how important that is), but it also speaks to some of my core values as they pertain to the farm. History indicates my belief in tradition and doing things in an "old fashioned" way, and it also speaks to the importance of my own personal history. I am a fourth generation farmer on my dad's side of the family, and on my mom's side I am a third generation goatherd (my grandmother, mother, and now myself have owned goats; in fact, one of my mother's goats knocked me out when I was a child). Heart speaks to the love that goes into everything I do in my farm and the importance of my family. Hard Work is pretty self-explanatory: a farm takes a lot of hard work! It is the goal to call to mind at least some of these notions for those who read my tagline.
   
   What's your message? Compress it to its most basic form and then make it your tagline.
8. Make Sure It Can Stick Around. I know that this post is all about how and why I changed my farm name. Fair enough! But realistically, you aren't going to be able to change your farm name in the future, and if you do you'll likely only get one more chance at picking a good one. I got lucky; the reason I was able to change mine is partly because it made sense practically (just being discontent with a name is not really enough reason to go through the trouble and expense of changing it) and partly because I did not have a huge audience at the time of changing it. Even though my farm had been around six years, two of those years were in a sabbatical from breeding and my farm had been no more than a small hobby for the rest. I hadn't marketed my "brand" much yet, which meant that I would not be confusing many people, undoing years of getting my name out, or replacing tons of marketing supplies like business cards. Make sure that your name is one you can live with for a long time, because once it gets out there it will be hard to change it without potentially hurting your business.

That's all, folks! As always, thanks for reading.

*If your are unfamiliar with what a herd name is, it is the name goat breeders register with breed registries as the first part of each goat's name. Breeders of registered goats must have a herd name so that each animal they breed will be identifiable as bred by that breeder, and so that each animal recorded in the registry has a unique name. Instead of having 100 goats registered as "Hilda," each Hilda would be recorded as "Tiramar Hilda," "Oak Hill Farm Hilda," or "Happy Udders Hilda." 

**I am referring to my dear MiniMancha doe, Tiramisu, though I was learning to milk on sweet Abigail at the same time (whose face graces the top of this blog). Although both of these girls will always hold a special place in my heart (as many others do as well), "Tira" lends itself best to a farm name. "Abbymar" just doesn't have the same ring to it, nor does "Browniemar" even though she was my our first founding doe.

Blackberries in Framboise

Those who follow me on facebook got a sneak peek at the end result of my first canning foray this year. I've  been canning -- or assisting in canning -- since a very young age. I can remember being in the kitchen as my grandmother and mother put up muscadine jelly before I was even tall enough to see into the pot...but I still got to lick the spoon. ;)

But as much as I love jam and jelly making, I wanted to try something I hadn't done yet this year. So I bought the newest edition of the Ball Company canning guide and sniffed out a recipe. That's how my mother and I ended up going to three different wine and liquor stores to find Framboise for these blackberries. When we finally got back from that and other shopping, it was already well into the evening, and it ended up being well after midnight before we were done canning.

But it was so worth it.

If you enjoy putting up preserves, you have to try this recipe. The tartness of the blackberries pairs perfectly the sweetness of the raspberry liqueur, and the nutmeg and cinnamon adds another depth of unexpected flavor. It's perfect over ice cream or in kefir or yogurt. It would also be the perfect match for a lemon pound cake.

It's a very simple recipe with few ingredients. Just blackberries (more in the stainless bowl), lemon peel, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, sugar, water, and the Framboise. (Ignore the olive oil bottle in the background.)

The first step is juice one pint of blackberries, which is very simple. You just heat the blackberries until they are all hot and soft, then press them in a sieve or cheese cloth.

The end result is a beautiful purple juice.

Next is making an infused simple syrup with the cinnamon stick, fresh ground nutmeg, grated lemon peel, and sugar; then you strain it to remove the cinnamon. Your kitchen is going to smell so good during this step.

Next everything is added back into the pot: the simple syrup, remaining blackberries, reserved juice, and the Framboise. It is then brought to a boil and put into the jars to be water-bathed.

The end result is 3-4 half-pints of blackberries (we got three, but I packed them very full) and a lot of leftover liquid. I was unwilling to just waste the remaining sauce, so I jarred it up and processed it as well. In the end I had three half-pints of berries and four of liquid. In the future, I will probably pack my berries looser.

I enjoyed a bit of the sauce over ice cream before canning the rest of my berries (which I just put up as for baking). It is so yummy. 

It is a bit pricey due to the expense of the Framboise, but I believe at least two batches could be gotten out of one bottle. Alternatively, the left over  Framboise could be used in mixed drinks as well. Either way, I think the berries are yummy enough to warrant a little extra expense. :)

Next spring the first thing I will be making with my goats' milk is fresh homemade ice cream, and you can guess what I'll be topping it with!

Blackberries in Framboise 

3 pints blackberries
2 cups sugar
1 stick cinnamon, broken
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups water
1/2 cup Framboise, or other raspberry brandy
Extract juice from 1 pint blackberries. Measure 1/2 cup juice; set aside.
Combine sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon peel, nutmeg, and water in a large saucepot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
Strain syrup; return to saucepot.
Add blackberry juice, remaining blackberries, and raspberry brandy; bring to a boil.
Pack hot blackberries into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
Ladle hot syrup over blackberries, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles.
Adjust two piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Recipe from the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving, 2013 edition. I highly recommend the Ball Blue Books to home canners, new and experienced alike.

Being Wildlife Friendly: Dealing with Natural Predators and Livestock

This is sort of a part deux to my earlier post, but I felt like there was enough to say about the topic to give it its own post. Also, this round is focusing more on natural predators, whereas the other post is focused on predation by domesticated canines.

Owning livestock means dealing with predators. There is no way around it; it's a part of life with livestock. Livestock species are all natural prey animals, and therefore attract the unwanted attention of natural predatory species. Predators can be skunks, possums, raccoon, predatory birds, coyotes, wolves, bears, or even humans. In warmer climates such as the deep south, alligators also end up on this list. But the existence of predators does not have to mean a death sentence.

Predators and Nature

In most cases, predatory species are also an important part of the natural ecology of a given area. The presence of natural predators is essential for a healthy balance of wild prey species. If a predatory population drops too low, the number of prey species can get out of hand. In my area, the deer population is out of control due to a lack of sufficient natural predators. While in some states hunters are only allowed 3 deer a season, here hunters are permitted to shoot three doe a day because their numbers are so high. Disease has increased. Crop farmers, including my uncle, are issued special permits that allow them to shoot deer out of season because the population is so high that they are stripping crops and damaging yield and profit. I have seen with my own eyes the tops eaten off of almost all the soybeans in a field. The sad thing is that these off-season kills cannot be eaten; they have to leave them in the field where they fall. Clearly we need predators here to take the deer population back to a healthy level, and predators in this case include human hunters.

While nature has a way of righting itself, it still causes damage when things get out of whack. Often disease strikes and drops a population, other times a new predator will move into town and start taking out the over-plenty prey. My personal opinion about the deer in my area is that we will eventually see a population of mountain lion or possibly even black bear, both of which were once native here, regrow and start feeding on the deer if their numbers continue to remain high. Black bear sightings have already occurred and been documented in this area of the state, and many people -- some of whom are friends or family -- have claimed to see cougars in the area.

Only time will tell for the deer in my area, but nature is a naturally balancing, sustainable force. Each thing plays a part; the predators, though they kill them, work symbiotically with the prey. Without prey, predators die from starvation; without predators, prey die from disease (and cause problems for humans in the mean time). Exceptions to this rule include invasive, nonnative species, but overall if nature is left alone it balances itself quite naturally.

Unfortunately, humans are not a part of nature anymore, at least not to the extent that they once were. The numbers of hunters and fishers who act as predators in the ecosystem have fallen. Now most people get their meat and fish from the store, wrapped up in nice plastic packages. This isn't inherently wrong, but it does change the balance. Humans also encroach on wildlife habitats, which in turn drives out certain species. Though some animals do quite well adapting to human presence (like raccoon and squirrels) others are driven away by or clash with them. It is also an unfortunate fact that in most cases, people attempt to work against nature instead of alongside it. They fight it out of selfishness or greed, or even just sheer ignorance, and they cause problems when they do so. The buffalo massacres of times past comes to mind, as does the more recent introductions of nonnative animal and plant species by well-meaning but no less stupid and nearsighted humans. Nature is here for us to responsibly utilize, but often times we abuse it instead.

Predators and Livestock Owners

One way in which we often work against nature instead of in symbiosis with it is in livestock farming. People all too often either a) take the easy way out and deal with predators by killing them or b) ignore the very existence of predators until an attack occurs and they must kill them. In both cases, losses are going to be inevitable, and life will be an uphill struggle. Killing a predator only opens the door for either prey species to become overpopulated or another predator to simply move in and be the next threat to one's livestock.

I want to make clear right now that this is not me saying that predators should never be killed. If a predator is caught attacking livestock, they should be put down. Once that behavior is learned, it's there forever and that animal will always recognize livestock as a smorgasbord. Also, predators that do not fear humans are a dangerous thing. A quick Google search of wildlife attacks on people (especially mountain lions and bears) will assure you of that fact. That said, I 100% believe that the best way to deal with predator attacks is to prevent them.

Preventing predatory attacks on livestock has twofold benefits: 1) livestock does not die and 2) predators do not die. In short, nobody has to die if livestock owners simply take measures to ensure the safety of their stock rather than waiting until an attack occurs and acting after the fact. There are a number of ways to live in harmony with nature, including natural predators, and drastically lower if not completely prevent losses of livestock to predators.

Guardians

In my opinion, the presence of livestock guardian dogs is the best deterrent. The guardian breeds, when bred for the job and trained accordingly, are better at protecting livestock than even humans. With sharp eyes, ears, and noses they can detect threats long before a human could. They also add the benefit of being able to be with the flock 24/7, and the ability to deter most predators before they even attack. Unless a predator is desperate, they will most likely move on to easier targets before ever even attempting to go after the ones guarded by large dogs. Dogs, especially males, will also mark their territory to alert predators to their presence even when they aren't in that specific area.

How many that are needed depends on the predators native to the area and the amount of land the livestock are on. I have a small acreage with goats and chickens. Each goat pen is less than an acre. The only natural predators here that could feasibly attack a goat are coyotes. Therefore, I only have two guardians (though I do have plans to add a third in the future when our perimeter fencing is complete). If I had more land or lived in an area with mountain lions, I would have a minimum of two guardians in every pen, and if I had bears to contend with I would run three or more in a perimeter fence. Other things to take into consideration when choosing how many dogs to run include how big the predator population is, how ample their natural prey is in the area, how bold they are around humans, and how far spread out your livestock may be when grazing (i.e., the size of the actual livestock areas).

Fencing and Housing

This is also an important aspect of owning livestock. It's important that your fencing is able to keep your livestock and guardians in while also keeping predators out. After all, even a guardian can't protect a kid, lamb, calf, or what-have-you if it's running outside of the fence. Be sure and take into consideration the size of the stock that will be in the fence; for example, baby goats can slip right through the holes in cattle panels. Be sure to research proper construction if you aren't familiar. A well built fence will be useful for years, but a poorly built one with be nothing but a pain. Don't take short cuts -- it's not worth it in the long run.

I highly recommend using electric fencing around the bottom of the fence when housing small livestock, especially goats, or dogs that are known to roam or dig. For dogs that like to climb, a string around the middle or top also works well. Electric is difficult to maintain, but it prevents goats or other animals from damaging fencing by going under it or rubbing along it and using it as a scratching post. In order for it to work properly, it must have the correct size charger for the distance, the correct voltage for the species inside it, and no dead leaves or live vegetation grounding it out.

For extremely heavy predatory areas, electric can also be run around the bottom and middle or top of the outside of the fence. This helps deter predators without permanently injuring them. The bottom strand is most important in areas with canines predator species, while the middle and top are important in areas with climbing predators such as big cats or bears. Obviously a potent shock would be necessary to deter a bear.

Housing also needs to be a secure place, but understand that it must also be well ventilated. Housing cannot be your sole defense against predators for this reason, and because the livestock need to have free access to move in and out of the housing during the day. If a prey animal can get into and out of the housing from the field, so can a predatory animal. Therefore, fencing and guardians are the first line of defense. It is possible to lock livestock inside of their barn at night while predator activity is typically at its height. This is the recommended method for poultry, and is not a bad idea for young stock or for areas where predators are dense or of particular threat.

Birthing pens should be especially secure, both in fencing and housing. The sounds and smells of birth draw predators looking to make an easy meal out of vulnerable young or mothers in labor.

Other Habits of Prevention

This is a list from PredatorFriendly.org of other methods of preventing predator attacks. Predator Friendly is an organization dedicated to promoting wildlife stewardship practices by farmers and ranchers. They promote coexistence between livestock owners and natural predators and offer certification to those farmers who work to coexist.

• Schedule pasture use when predator pressure is low

• Graze cattle with smaller livestock to protect sheep, goats, and calves

• Time calving and lambing to avoid predation risk

• Lamb in sheds, secure fenced lots, or protected pastures

• Make frequent and unpredictable patrols in pastures

• Fence out predators

• Learn the ecology and habits of area wildlife

They also recommend the use of guardian animals. All of these are methods of preventing predator attack, and they all relate to two core principles: 

1) Create safe environments for livestock that keep them separate and guarded from potential predators. Having secure areas, especially for small livestock and for young and birthing animals, guarded by dogs bred and trained to protect them ensures safety and often negates the need for action against predators.

and 

2) Be aware of wildlife habits and the local ecosystem. Understanding the way predators operate, and the important role that they play in their natural habitat, is key to operating a farm that is beneficial rather than harmful, that works with the natural processes instead of against them.

Conclusion

I have always believed in being sustainable and as naturally responsible as possible. Coexisting with native wildlife and plants is just one small part of raising happy and healthy livestock in as natural a way as possible. It is a common desire among small or hobby farmers such as myself to raise animals humanely and naturally as possible -- to step away from the modern conventions of putting profit above all and quantity over quality -- but all too often we leave out this important part of the equation. Wildlife, predators included, are important. It would be remiss to seek to responsibly raise livestock with our right hand while our left hand blindly struggles against nature.

*You will notice that I did not mention dogs in this post. This is because dogs, domesticated or feral, are not a natural predator. They are instead an introduced threat that become predators and problems for small livestock owners when the owners of the dogs do not act responsibly and keep them on their own property. However, the practices listed here also work toward preventing attacks on livestock from wandering dogs as well. Furthermore, my statement that wild predators attacking livestock should be put down applies to dogs as well. There is more about dealing specifically with dogs as predators in this post.

Wandering Dogs

I have been silently following a thread on social media by someone who lost two of her goats to a neighbor's marauding dogs. The neighbor, after having her dogs shot and being taken to court, has made blog posts and fb statuses about how her dogs "never could have done that" and that the owner of the goats was in the wrong. Of course, after reading the posts by the dog owner, I'm convinced she has more air in her head than brain. The woman's dogs were caught on the goat owner's property having killed on goat, maimed another to the point it had to be euthanized, and were in the process of attacking a third; she (dog owner) is responsible for her dogs roaming and the goat owner was not at fault. Period, end of story.

However, as my grandmother would say, I don't have a dog in that fight. This post isn't about that situation, and I would personally rather not link to the woman in question as I feel that she is getting far more attention than she deserves.

Instead, I simply want to go over my experience with wandering dogs and make note of some dog characteristics. I'm going to recount some instances where I have lost animals to stray dogs.

My Experience 

The first animals I ever lost to a neighbors dog were rabbits. I bred rabbits when I was kid-preteen, and they were the first livestock species I owned (other than the family horse). However, I was raising them as pets, not commodities. At the time when I had first gotten three does, a huge mastiff was routinely doing his rounds through the neighborhood. Long story short, the mastiff literally broke into our rabbit hutch -- which was well constructed with wood and wire -- and killed my rabbits.

The second rabbit loss occurred at a later date and was caused by my own dogs. A storm came through in the night with strong wind. It blew over our rabbit hutch and opened our dog fence. You can probably put together what happened after that.

I have also lost chickens to a neighbor's dogs. This was the worst encounter. A German Shepherd and a Lab mix continuously got out of their owner's fence and came to our property to get our chickens. Our birds were in a fence; however, the dogs learned how to double team them and make them fly out. One would bark and run them from one side, and the other would do the same on the opposite side, until finally a terrified chicken would fly out and into their waiting jaws. This happened almost every day, and almost every day my parents (who wrongly believed that she would actually keep her dogs on her property and wanted to keep a good rapport with her) called and told her to keep her dogs up and that they were killing our chickens.

The neighbor's obviously did not do this, and we lost almost our entire flock. Then one morning while I was sleeping, the dogs caught one of our Pomeranians outside and killed her. The neighbors then took their dogs to be euthanized, and the story ended unhappily for all involved.

Misconceptions

The saddest part about all of this is that it could have been avoided. First of all, in our county there is a leash law, meaning that all dogs must be kept either on the owner's property or on a leash. Secondly, one of the many misconceptions that dog owners have is that their dogs will not kill other mammals. 

The attitudes of our neighbors (at least, as they appeared to be -- I don't know what they thought or felt, I can only go by their actions) was that it was "just a chicken." Of course anyone who owns chickens knows that losing them is a financial drain as well as an emotional one. Adult laying hens sell for $20 and up from individuals, and much more from hatcheries. Then there is also the value of the eggs, the time and money that was put into raising them from chicks, and the time and money that is required for us to replace them with chicks which we then had to spend time and money raising again before they reached laying age at around 6 months old. Also, in my experience, hens do not lay consistently until they are older than that.

Furthermore, once a dog has learned the behavior of killing, they will not change and the behavior can easily progress from killing one species to another, as was evidenced by our neighbor's dogs. No, not all chicken-killing dogs will also kill other animals, but for the most part it can be assumed that they likely will. If a dog ever learns to hunt and kill, it is very difficult to rehabilitate them and is many times impossible. It is for this reason that most dogs who have been trained into dog fighting must be euthanized and cannot be adopted back out by a rescue. Once that instinct has been ingrained in them, it is there to stay. Many older people will use phrases like "having a taste for blood" to describe this type of behavior. 

People believe that their precious Fluffy and Fido could never hunt and kill because they have been domesticated. As much as I would like to live in a world where that were true, it's simply not. Dogs have been bred down over many, many years into the breeds that we have today, but they are still a predatory species. Many breeds were actually originally bred to hunt, such as my grandmother's dachshund that was quite skilled at hunting and killing rats. He had never been trained to this behavior, but it was in his blood. Canines are built to hunt and kill prey, and though some breeds have been selectively bred to bond to certain species and only attack threats (LGD breeds), or to be typically non-aggressive in general, that is not only not the case for most breeds, but there are also still exceptions even within breeds developed to be non-aggressive. For example, one of LGDs will kill chickens if they fly into his pen. He was not raised with foul, so despite being kind and gentle with goats (including babies), cats (who he will let eat his food), and our other dogs, he will go after our feathered friends.

Just as we cannot train a cat not to catch a bluebird or dig up a mole, it's impossible to undo thousands of years of predatory instinct in dogs. While many dogs, especially those who are raised around other species from puppy-hood, do get along just fine with livestock species, the ones who have not been trained to be safe around chickens, goats, sheep, or even larger livestock like cows often still see those species as prey and not fellow pack members.

With the dogs that killed our chickens, even though their owner believed them to be dog safe and "couldn't believe" (her words) that they would do such a thing as kill another dog, the problem lay in the fact that they had learned how fun and tasty killing smaller animals was. Dogs don't necessarily differentiate between a chicken and another dog that isn't any larger than a large hen or a rooster. Bree was small, and therefore Bree was prey. Again, that isn't always the case, but it can be expected. I expected it and  gave this warning, but others did not understand or believe it. I understood because I had researched the issue of predatory dogs while preparing for my goats and again when prepping for my Livestock Guardian Dogs.

Yet another common misconception is that a livestock owner has no rights over dogs on their own property that are posing a threat to, or have already killed, their livestock. This is not the case. In my own state, as in most if not all, it is entirely legal for a livestock owner to kill a dog that is harassing, preparing to kill, in the process of killing, or has just killed livestock as long as it is on the livestock owner's property. It is not legal to follow the dog off of the property to kill it; if it has left the property, the owner of the livestock must go through the court system. The owner of the dog is legally liable for damage and losses caused by their dogs. 

These are the facts:  

1. It is the dog owner's responsibility to keep their animals on their own property. 
2. Dogs will hunt and kill livestock. In fact, they are notorious for this behavior among livestock owners, and for good reason.
3. Livestock owners are within their rights to take action against such dogs and to seek reparations from the dog owners.

Dealing with Wandering Dogs

I can't tell you how you should deal with stray dogs on your own property, or what you should do if you have incurred a loss. That is a judgment call that only you can make because only you know your situation. But I will tell you how I handle them.

First of all, I have livestock guardian dogs in with my goats, and have plans to add a third for my chickens when our perimeter fencing is complete. I believe that the best way to deal with livestock loss is to prevent it, and one thing that I will tell everyone to do is to have an LGD if they have small livestock like goats. For those living in an area with predators larger than dogs and coyotes (cougars, bears, wolves), I say have guardians for any species of livestock, and to have them in pairs. But unfortunately it's hard to convince some people that they need LGDs, and then those same people end up hurting after stray dogs kill their beloved goats (or sheep, chickens, what have you).

Secure fencing is also important, but fencing fails. Predators like dogs can dig under or even break through fencing with ease, or simply scare animals out of it like they did with my chickens. It's not enough to put up fences and have secure barns, because animals find ways into and out of fencing even when it seems completely secure. We have recently added a perimeter fence as well as our individual fences to add further protection and to protect our own dogs when they go outside, but I still do not trust it to keep other dogs out 100%.

When dogs roam through the part of our yard that isn't fenced -- like this huge bloodhound that has been running around the neighborhood lately -- I leave them alone so long as they don't bother things. I know that sometimes dogs run off. We have had dogs hit by cars, so I do completely understand that sometimes dogs go where we don't want them to. I also get that, just as fencing doesn't always keep them out, it doesn't always keep them in, either. We've had breakouts of our own.

But I have zero tolerance policy for any dogs harassing my livestock. I have tried the playing nice game, and it got me nothing but heartache and an anger that still has not completely gone away. If I could go back and do things differently and save Bree I would, but unfortunately that's not possible. What's done is done, and though we did the best we could at the time, we made the wrong choices. I won't make those mistakes again, and my parents wouldn't either.

Thankfully we have not had another instance of dogs harassing or killing our livestock, but if we did there would be no warnings to the owners to please keep them up. There would be action, and yes, I might go to court for reparations next time depending on the extent of the loss. 

I have been a dog owner much longer than I have had livestock. I have volunteered for dog rescues, and I have even fostered dogs for rescues. As I type this, there is a Pomeranian laying on a pillow by my desk and a rescued Collie mix sprawled out behind my chair. I love all animals, dogs included, but I still have a no tolerance policy with dogs harassing my livestock. I understand that the owners of dogs who have to be put down because of killing livestock hurt because of it. I would hurt if I were in their shoes, and yes I would be angry at the situation, but when it comes down to it if one of my dogs somehow escaped and attacked someone's livestock, I would accept the fact that they should have been on my property. (Of course all my dogs have been trained to be livestock friendly, but that isn't the point).

When it comes down to it, dogs owners accept a responsibility when they buy or adopt that cute little puppy. They have a responsibility to give it proper care, and they also have a responsibility to keep it on their property. At the end of the day, if the dog isn't where it belongs no one is at fault but its owner.

In Memory of Bree.