WHO *IS* FARMER?

Farmer & Elvis, our Attack Donkey

This blog is especially for Marigold and her Goat Mother
 http://marigold-goatphilosophy101.blogspot.com/
 though it's not like plenty of you haven't asked over the past year.
(Wonderful blog, by the by!  Check her out!  She is another of the Sisterhood....and a Kindred Spirit, as well!)

You'll have to read back to find out all the details but the crux of the story is this:

One day, on my way to a Victorian tea for my seniors (I am an event coordinator) at a lovely B&B here in the area my good friend said:  "I wish for you a goat today."

I laughed.

Unlikely I'd find a goat at a Victorian tea!

Never second guess the Universe!

During the course of discussion (the pumpkin loaf was FABULOUS!) I said, as I had many, many times in the past months:  "I should like a goat."

I got the usual response:  "What?"  "A goat?" 

But one nice lady, quietly said.  "Ask  **.  He has a goat farm."  (I omit Farmer's name as he's not an internet kind of a guy and I haven't permission to do so.)

Me:  "No way.  If there were a goat farm around here wouldn't I have seen goats?"

Nice Lady: "Nevertheless.....he's got goats."

Me:  "Do you think he'd let me kiss them on the lips?"

Nice Lady:  "You'd have to ask."

And so, I did.  The farm is around the corner from where I work. I coordinate a Wanderers Club for my seniors-"all who wander are not lost"-and so I called to ask if my group could visit the farm.  Farmer said yes.  And so we went.

Farmer let me snuzzle to my heart's content and then, him not knowing yet what he was in for, made plans together to use Sweet Bill as the upcoming tree lighting Yule Goat.  (this was November) 

The night of the tree lighting Farmer figured out how much I REALLY wanted a goat and so let me know that babies were expected and I could help out.  (I heard:  covet, borrow, snuzzle, kiss, dress up and take home!)  lol

And, well, you know the rest. 

Farmer is an amazing man, a *true* farmer in every sense of the word.  It's what he's done his whole life.
And he's damn fine at it!

He puts up with a great deal from me-most notably the day I cried (sobbed!) for 6 hours straight when I returned Darla.....as she did, as well.

But, we've become friends and he's taught me so much.  We work together now and have designed a Rural Awareness Program with the wee farm animals.  We do events and are quite the Odd Couple with our pen of animals and my clothesline art!

Mostly he just shakes his head and laughs when I come up with a new idea.  lol

He's a great friend.  And there will never be a way for me to thank him for letting me *borrow* his time.....and his farm.  Like I've said, the Universe granted me a boon.

Me & Farmer at the Community Festival this past summer

Farmer at my work pretending to pay Darla for a Goat License

Darla processing the paperwork

Farmer & Darla at my work

Darla passed out in my office from exhausting paperwork

Clothes Line Art at the Festival

Rural Awareness

(Little Miss Shawna was quite full of herself leading the goat around and being in charge.

Moments later-Darla turned and did the Goatie Rear and the look of horror on Shawna's face was priceless.  How sad I didn't get it on camera!  Don't worry-I can laugh because she's my granddaughter.  Normally, we wouldn't let a random child alone with goats.  But....oh, how funny it was!  Rural Awareness, indeed!)