We never set out to have goats.

Honestly, I didn't think I even liked goats. And I knew I didn't like their milk. (Too  goaty.) A flock of sheep? Of course. Yes to sheep. I had always wanted them. But a herd of goats? Not interested.

And then I met some goats at a friend's farm and it was all over. They charmed my socks off. (And contrary to folklore did not eat them.) Before I knew it we had five goats on the farm. 

Pete just shook his head.

And sometimes we wonder if we're doing too much on this little farm. Should we cut something off the list? Are sheep too much? But that wool! What about goats? But I adore these goats. They win the farm personality contest, hoofs down.

I keep saying goats are like golden retrievers – but with milk. Each of these girls has more personality than all of our sheep combined. They're hilarious, and not as sassy as you've been led to believe. But I was nervous about the milk. What on earth would we do with all that goaty milk? Of course. Soap. We'd make more goat milk soap than ever before. 

And then I tasted it. And oh, my word. Goat milk is good. It's downright delicious. (As it turns out, properly handled it's not goaty in the least. Another goat myth shattered!)

Goats are sweet and a little naughty, affectionate and little dramatic. I like that in a farm animal. (Their brush-clearing skills don't hurt, either.) And now goats are inextricably woven into our lives on the farm. Our day starts with coffee and a trip to the barn. We sit together and milk as we talk and plan our day. Thirty minutes later we're back in the kitchen with more than a quart of fresh, sweet milk to drink, make into cheese, yogurt, and soap. Our day ends with one last trip to the barn to separate the babies from so that there is milk for us in the morning.

And while it's one more project on our longer-than-we'd-like to-do list, it's quickly become my favorite part of the day.