About five years ago, somewhere far away, a little family of goats was born on our farm. This was the beginning of a journey, one that brought joy, more animals, and more fun along the way than we ever could have expected.

The goats were family: Mazie, Leo, Clementine, June, July, and August, just to name a few. These were the beginnings of many different animals who have come and gone on our humble farm land, some more welcome than others.

Many species have coexisted with the Rennwood goats, supplementing the menagerie, adding diversity and challenge to our farm population. The dogs have always made it a point to make sure we are well aware of the dangers of the nearby coyotes, wolves, and UPS drivers and have helped the goats in keeping the sheep in their place. The dogs have been right by our side, right there with the goats.

Our potbelly pig Harley, a feisty little guy with a heart as stubborn as a mule, and a nose as strong as steel captured our hearts as well as the neighbor’s corn and drank Coke products straight from the bottle. He was soon rehomed, though, because of his gluttonous tendencies. The goats were sad to see him go because he made holes in the fence by which they could escape, but not too sad because he ate their grains and wasn’t scared by their horns.

Rabbits provided tasting offerings of manure and spilled grain which mischievous goats devoured at all times of day and night and all hours of summer, fall, winter and spring.

Ducks and chickens provided hopeful opportunities for the pillaging and plundering of even more grains, if only some wayward child would forget to latch the coop door, and some child inevitably did. Thus was grain readily available so long as goats escaped from the goat pen and pushed through the unlatched coop door, which they inevitably did. The goats appreciated the childlike forgetfulness of the Rennwood Farm children and became fat upon it.

The sheep hated the goats who chewed upon their wool and whose kids leaped upon their wooly backs to take unsolicited gambols about the farmyard.

So the challenges and the adventures of the farm were bolstered by and augmented by the goats, and the thread of goaty antics ran through all, or most of, the Rennwood stories.

Recently though, some of the goats got old, and many of them are no longer with us. The rest we sold recently to make room for other animals, which made us sad but also glad to be learning what was best for our farm.

A full size horse has recently joined our farm family, and the mood has been uplifted since then. Quincy enjoys being ridden on the daily, and is thrilled to be a part of the family.

We have a lot of stories to tell, of goats and dogs, bees and ducks, pigs, cats, and mice. Stick around and see what you might find.

Running the race to finish strong~

The Rennwood Farm Writers