Goats in Pastureby James Hayford
Their bony heads untaxed by need of moving,
Changing, repairing, laying by,
Goats keep a comprehensive eye
On the condition of the sky -
Such store they set on keeping dry -
And live attentively, without improving.
If you have goats, you know the truth of these words. We have two pastures: the 'home' pasture, where the barn is, and the north pasture. If those goats, Esther and Bracelet are in the north pasture, and there is the littlest sprinkle of rain, they begin to bleat. On a day when there 'might' be rain, Tom doesn't even bother moving them across the road because the goats will be so miserable, they'll go through the fence to get back to the barn. There is truly no other animal we've ever had with the personality of goats. Whatever they want to do, they will do. There is no stopping them. Last year I posted about how they got out of the pasture and ate down a brand new crab apple tree, two new Duchess apple trees, and did a lot of damage to a new sugar maple. I've also mentioned the fencing around the pasture lilacs - one of their many favorite foods. I keep threatening to put a note up in the vet's office, saying free goats, but we labor on - searching for ways to keep them in. Tom is always coming up with new schemes like mesh fencing, improving the charge on the fence (which they apparently don't even feel), and trying to foretell where they want to be on a particular day. We'll see. "Without improving" indeed. They know they are perfect as they are. It is the humans who need to change. We are on the earth for their benefit, period.
Nan...what a fun post about the goats..being a city girl I know so little about them...
ReplyDeleteAnd that's not a bad thing! :<)
ReplyDeleteThe poem, and your comments are making me smile this afternoon.
ReplyDeleteI've only ever encountered goats in petting zoos.
Jeanne :)
A good place for them, Jeanne! We've just decided the maple they chewed last year, simply isn't going to make it, so we're going to cut it down. Right now, Tom's bringing them into that north pasture. We'll see how the goats feel about spending the night there. I'm sure they'll let us know. :<)
ReplyDeleteGreat goats girl. ;) That last photo, the goat appears to be saying 'Don't be bothering me while I eat'.
ReplyDeleteOh, Nan! This is priceless. Thanks for guiding me here. The girls will be over to read it too. It is such a deep truth; we're the ones who need to adapt to what the goats want.
ReplyDeleteJune, I just shake my head. They decide everything around here. ;<) Again, good luck. Our Pygmies were nicer, more malleable. These two are pure devil.
ReplyDelete