The beautiful girl framed by ferns is Gena. She was actually "on the job" when I took her photo this afternoon. Gena is a livestock guardian dog -- a Maremma, one of several breeds developed in Europe over the centuries for protecting livestock from predators. Gena had spent her life guarding goats and producing puppies for a Maremma breeder in Vermont, and when she became too old (at the age of 7) to have any more litters, we picked her up and brought her to the farm last fall.
We had established a small meat goat herd last year and wanted to have an experienced livestock guardian dog to protect them as they wandered our fields and forests. Ironically, we have more predator pressure here than we did at the ranch in Montana, with coyotes making themselves at home in our woods. (The first summer we were here, Alayne chased a coyote in broad daylight as it darted out of the woods to grab one of chickens -- right in front of her!)
Why meat goats? Well, it's part of our humanely raised pet food initiative. We have some dogs who need "alternative protein" diets, and rather than continue to buy the (very expensive and highly processed) commercial products, we wanted to be able to produce our own, right here on the farm. Here's the herd of Boer goats in one of their paddocks today:
Having meat goats also is a perfect fit for managing the land, because a lot of what we have is woods. Goats are browsers rather than grazers -- they eat a variety of plants, including leaves, blackberry brambles, weeds, ferns, and shrubs, in addition to grass. They actually prefer eating all that "other stuff," which makes them an ideal livestock for much of the habitat on the farm that would otherwise not be productively used. Because of their browsing, goats help keep woodlands opened up, which is healthier for the trees.
You can see how dense the undergrowth is -- and this is goat heaven, with so many different plants to browse:
This is Sage, happily stuffing ferns into her mouth:
In that kind of terrain, you can see how vulnerable they might be to coyotes. Rather than trying to shoot, trap or poison coyotes, the humane and far more effective method is to have a livestock guardian dog on duty. The simple presence of a large dog -- one who has been bred for exactly this kind of work -- deters most predators. So generally what Gena has to do is hang out with the goats and enjoy the scenery.
We take the herd out to their browsing paddock every morning and return them to their pen at night, and Gena never leaves their side.
Alayne took this shot of Gena and me this afternoon, just before we led the herd back to their pen for the evening:
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Longtime blog readers will ask about Margaret and Daisy, our two Nigerian Dwarf goats who really didn't want to be goats but household pets. They were adopted in 2010 by a wonderful couple here in New Hampshire, who were recommended to us by our vet.
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Please Vote for the Farm!
The new Shelter Challenge started Monday, April 9 and ends at midnight on June 17. Grand prize in this round is $5,000, plus $1,000 for weekly winners and $1,000 for state winners. There are also other categories ... please see the Shelter Challenge website for details.
*** We are now LISTED UNDER OUR NEW NAME, ROLLING DOG FARM. State is still NH for New Hampshire. ***
Please remember, you can vote every day ... consider bookmarking the voting page to make it easy.
We just won $1,000 as a weekly winner for Week 4 of the last contest, and thousands more in the previous contests. The Shelter Challenge really does bring in a lot of money for the animals here!
You can vote in the Shelter Challenge here.
Thank you for your votes!
Um, you named your Boer goats? Uh oh. Please post on the experience of taking one of them to the butcher. We are all curious to know how you make it through that!
Posted by: Kelly | June 21, 2012 at 09:48 AM
WE WANT GENA----Oh My---she is GORGEOUS!!!!! Darling pictures of the goats!!!
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | June 13, 2012 at 02:10 AM
I wondered what had happened to Margaret. I'm glad to hear that she found a good home but am just a bit perplexed why you didn't let us know before, considering the size of her fan club.
Posted by: Mary | June 12, 2012 at 09:08 PM
Gena is so beautiful. Her all white color among the green leaves is stunning. She looks like a very regal dog. I know you will get some comments from people not liking the fact you raise the goats for food. But I think you are doing things in a mindful way.
Posted by: Betsy | June 12, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Yet another reason the move from Montana was a good idea. There is no way they would have enough to eat there, and you would spend so much supplementing what the earth offered, it wouldn't be very cost effective. The forest and the dogs are the benefactors of this dedication you have to quality, and humanely raised food.
I so admire your bravery with the challenging task of taking livestock to the butcher. I myself couldn't do it, but I eat meat, and enjoy the buffalo my farrier raises. I consider myself lucky to live were I do have the opportunity to know where my meat comes from, for the most part. Those raised with the complete life cycle are better prepared to be a part of raising their own food, and I'm not talking vegetables.
Thank you for your dedication to the process and educating us along the way.
Posted by: Diane Borden, Chehalis, WA | June 12, 2012 at 10:40 AM
Gena is beautiful! I agree with the others about you giving me some great info in your blog posts.
Hugs all around,
ginger & Jacamo
Posted by: ginger | June 12, 2012 at 05:10 AM
You and Gena look like a million bucks - and I miss those 2 sweet little house girls/pets/goats. :)
Posted by: Angela | June 11, 2012 at 10:39 PM
Umm... Luke just told me he wants to come back to the farm to partake in this "Humanely raised pet food initiative"... he thinks it sounds delicious :)
Posted by: Kate & Luke | June 11, 2012 at 10:15 PM
i cannot handle the meat issue ! i love the farm and what you do with the animals except the animals for meat.....I am in a rescue group and to me the word is rescue not kill ! love to you all ....Mickey Boutiette
Posted by: Mickey Boutiette | June 11, 2012 at 08:48 PM
The photos are gorgeous! Gena and Steve make a really handsome couple. :) Like Dee in Ky., I'd hate to make the decision as to "who" makes it to the table. I'm afraid all the animals on your farm would end up pets for me. I love nanny goats....the billy, not so much! Maybe that would be the criterial. Welcome, beautiful Gena!
Posted by: Kathleen Rivard | June 11, 2012 at 01:10 PM
Love how you guys get all the pieces of the farming puzzle to work together, horses, goats, guard dog, food, clearing the forest. Everything is better off, humans, critters, the land.
All creatures die eventually. Some have the purpose of providing food to others. I wouldn't mind living the life of one of your meat goats, protected, loved, and well fed right up until the minute I died a merciful quick death.
Posted by: Debbie Burke | June 11, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Oh Gena is so beautiful!! We had two White Pyrenees that lived next door. She looks alot like them.
Where does she sleep?? Does she ever mingle with any of your other dogs?
I agree with Ann, you teach me so much thru your blog posts.
But Alayne, really? chasing a coyote??
Posted by: Lynn (in Louisiana) | June 11, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Well done, Gena! She is so beautiful. Watching dogs work can be amazing. Gena reminds me of our Great Pyrenees Teddy B. He had been destined for doggy jail when his owners wanted a cuter puppy. He spent 12 years with us, working the perimeters of the orchard to keep the coyotes off "his" turf. When one of the employee's dogs had puppies, Teddy B. set up camp outside her kennel and patrolled their yard all night.
Posted by: Mary H./Washington state | June 11, 2012 at 09:42 AM
What a beautiful dog Gena is. I'm sure she's happy to be "retired." I'm sure she enjoys this and doesn't mind helping at all. And as much as we miss Margaret - I guess that's good news that she and her sister have a nice home. That post you did with her at the table has to be one of the all time best posts! That look on her face was just precious.
Posted by: Barb Ribinski | June 11, 2012 at 09:24 AM
I'm so glad you have an "Italian dog" at RDF! She's a "pastore maremmano" and a gorgeous one at that!:-)
Here in Italy, her name would be spelt "Gina" (as in Gina Lollobrigida:-)).
Please give Gena (and the goats) a big hug for me.
Posted by: Carla Polastro-Nigro | June 11, 2012 at 07:45 AM
A second career for Gena. From breed dog to guard dog. Pefect! Glad you were there when she was retired. Love your goats. A very logical and environmentally good thing to do. My problem would be not wanting to know when one of goats would be chosen for food. So love reading about the farm and animals!
Posted by: Dee in KY | June 11, 2012 at 07:08 AM
I love these photots...how lush and green everything is!
Gena is beautiful! I had never heard of the Maremma breed before, nor the Boer goat breed. One thing I love about reading your blog is that there are many topics you cover that are totally new to me and I really enjoy learning about these things!
Gena obviously takes her job very seriously and it's nice that she can enjoy herself at the same time while hanging out with the goats, who also seem to be very happy to help you keep the land clear! :)
Aside from having them for the meat, do you ever use any of the goats for milk, or would that be a different breed of goat for that purpose?
I'm also glad that Margaret and Daisy have found a wonderful home...I used to enjoy all the funny stories about them.
Posted by: Ann | June 11, 2012 at 01:57 AM
Gena is a beautiful girl! How comforting to know she is looking out for the goats.
Posted by: Leila K. - Western Wash. | June 10, 2012 at 09:53 PM
Gena is a beautiful addition to the farm. What a wonderful way to give her a new purpose in life!Again your thoughtfulness and earth friendliness inspire me. I am also happy to hear Daisy and Margaret got a good home. I do miss the silly Margaret updates tho...
Posted by: Anne in FL | June 10, 2012 at 09:29 PM
I enjoyed seeing more of the creatures which inhabit RDF. Gena's a real beauty; I heard of Maremmas but never saw one till now. I thought those pretty goats were Nubians, but I see they're a breed I've not heard (herd) of, Boers. The photos are pretty. For future photos, I think you should buy Gena a hat to match yours (just kidding).
It's nice to know that Daisy and Margaret got their wish; till now I assumed they became Sunday dinner.
Posted by: Moon Rani | June 10, 2012 at 09:16 PM
Ah, what a wonderful name! :-)
Your fields and woodlands are beautiful - Gena no doubt LOVES her job......
Posted by: Gena | June 10, 2012 at 08:45 PM
She is gorgeous. It looks like she can't wait to get back to her herd of goats.
I appreciate your choice of dog,and meat source for your canine charge. Well done. Well thought out.
Posted by: Ev | June 10, 2012 at 07:40 PM