Wow it took me forever to get past 1990 the summer of the goat.
We had a Summer exchange student by the name of Anke from Germany that was the same age as our oldest daughter. Far Guy took all the girls to a centennial celebration over in Ponsford and a goat was being sold at auction…so he bought it for me. The girls thought it was all great fun. BUT I had always wanted a goat. We named him Seger (Ziege).
One of the camping people put the shucks from sweet corn in a bag on top of his car…well you can guess where the goat went. So I had to rehome the goat. It was a sad day when I left him with other goats at a tourist attraction where he had lots of room to roam with a tall fence and bridges to cross.
Seger was a very smart goat. He learned that if he lowered his head and ran at teenage girls they would scream and run from him. He tried it with me…I stood my ground and he would stop and press his head against my leg to be scratched.
I have very fond memories of that goat!
Far Side
What a story! It's a shame Sege had to go, but it just couldn't have happened that way. It's still nice to have such a bond with the animal...
ReplyDeleteThat is a wonderful story. Reminds me of Logan buying Asti two donkeys for Christmas years past. Now we have a pasture of donkeys. At least FG didn’t buy a pair. Also, I took note of the exchange student you cared for! 👏
ReplyDeleteI don't remember hearing about the goat before. He sounds like a treasure.
ReplyDeleteWhat a small world, Anke from Germany was the maid of honor at our wedding though I suspect we are talking about two different people named Anke. Our Anke still sends us a box of German gingerbread delights every Christmas.
ReplyDeleteWe could use a few goats at our place to control the poison ivy and underbrush in the hedgerows, but then they would also eat all of my plants and flowers. So no goats. 😞 RHill, TX
ReplyDeleteGoats are quite intelligent, but stubborn. Seger sounds like he would be a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteMy brother acquired a goat when he bought his acreage, and Cliff liked his head scratches. He'd lightly butt you for them, and if you didn't pay attention, the head butts got harder. He was very old and passed away a few years later.
Goats are great fun - but they are trouble makers!
ReplyDeleteMy mother gave me a nickname which friends and co-workers from the 1970's and prior remember. (It helps me place people I haven't seen in a while if they use it). Meanwhile, I had a co-worker who decided to raise goats. She named the first baby goat after me - using my nickname. Some people thought I should be offended. Are you kidding? It was an honor!!! Now I want to dig through photos to find my little namesake goat.
ReplyDeleteAwww, such fun goat memories! Sorry you had to re-home him.
ReplyDeleteI think a couple mini goats would be fun to have, but we do not need more animals to take care of!
Goats are extremely smart. That one loved you!
ReplyDeleteAww, you had a goat! What fun, when I was growing up my cousins had to goats they thought they were keeping a secret from their dad, but it turned out he knew about them from day one. They were extremely friendly, but very bold, they would eat the buttons right off your clothes, if you weren't firm. :)
ReplyDeleteAwe....this is so special and some great memories for you all. How neat this must have been and I can read that he brought a lot of joy to the family....and neighbors. I love this story!!!
ReplyDeleteYour story made me smile. Way back in my history, I babysat with a little boy whose dad bought him a goat. The goat had plenty of room but I think they found a new home for him after having him for a summer.
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific memory!! When we were farming (1980s) my husband took some fat lambs to the sale barn one day - and nearly came home with the trailer refilled - with racing goats. Luckily one of his friends was there and convinced him it was a bad idea. We didn't have anywhere near the tall enough fences to have kept those racing goats from escaping.
ReplyDeleteOh, how I love this story. It's obvious Seger loved you very much and you were his "person". I'm sorry you had to get rid of him, that had to have been hard. Animals are the best, most loving creatures. I've heard that lambs and goats are the next best thing to a dog, but I have no personal experience of that.
ReplyDeleteBlessings and hugs,
Betsy
LD....As a kid living on the farm in southern Iowa, we woke up one morning with a large goat occupying our front step. He didn't want to leave and wasn't scared pf the dog. He would bang at the storm door when he laid down against it. During the day a farmer was searching for him and came by and got him. Your goat was just naturally being a goat.
ReplyDeleteOh, what a sweet and fun pet!
ReplyDeleteHis wanting to be scritched made me smile! My kids had morning/afternoon care with a lovely lady who had a baby goat. Somewhere I have pictures of them feeding Ruthie her bottle. Ruthie grew....and grew....and grew. They finally had to make a goat pen and put her house in the middle, because otherwise she would get on the roof and jump the fence.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story. After reading the comment left by LD I can't help wondering if your goat escaped from the tourist attraction and found a house to lie in front of hoping it was yours.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of our Billy. Billy did the exact same things as your goat. Billy was also rehomed. Billy got into big trouble when the house door was left open. Billy walked in and up on the table where he ate all the butter.
ReplyDeleteWe've had to rehome a couple of cats. Not quite the same, but the best decision at the time. Good to revisit the good memories!
ReplyDeleteEven when I think she has surely run out of stories, you hit one again :-D. Glad all is well. Nice to catch up!
ReplyDeleteFun stories about the goat! I have always thought I wanted a goat but... :)
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