SWEET LITTLE GOATS - ONLY KIDDING!

After a very stormy night when the wind seemed to rattle every window and door, our plan for today was to go out to a country store near Devizes to buy some compost and farmyard manure, so we set off in brilliant sunshine and in fact, even needed our sunglasses!

However, it was a very disappointing trip as the large country store only had seed potting compost and a few seeds that Mr. HCB wanted, so he still has to buy the other stuff from somewhere - so I guess another trip to a garden centre is on the cards before too much longer.

On the way to Devizes, we saw a sign for the Gourmet Goat Farmer coffee shop, which is just one mile from the Avebury Stone Circle;  we have passed this many times and remarked that we must try it, so on the way back, we decided to go in there.  We were greeted by a lovely lady and ordered two lattes, but weren’t brave enough to try it with goats milk, just in case we didn’t like it!  We did, however, have some flapjack and a salted caramel brownie and it was all delicious.

Another young lady came in later and told she worked with the goats, which we would find further up the yard, for 4 days and then looked after her own sheep for the other 3 days in the week.  Just as we were leaving, several more customers came in, so we paid our bill and went for a wander to see the goats in a large barn a bit further on.  

They were all very sweet and these are Boer goats that originated in South Africa in the early 1900s.  It is considered to be one of the top breeds for meat - so we may go back out there and try some because they did have it on sale in the coffee shop and is 40% lower in saturated fat and higher in protein than chicken - it is also low in cholesterol, whilst high in iron, making it a healthy meat option - we will let you know.  

Apparently, the Boer goat has an easy-going personality and is gentle around people and other animals.  We certainly found them very friendly, and next time, will buy some goat food in the coffee shop so that we can feed them - because they were obviously looking for food.  

Apparently, the little one in the main shot in my collage is only about a week old - watch this space for a new addition to the Silly Saturday Gang!

Advice from a Mountain Goat
“Celebrate your kidding nature;
     when life gets rocky, hang on.
Know when to hoof it;
     show up in unexpected places and
          climb to new heights.”
Anon