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For the Love of Goats

For the Love of Goats

Auteur(s): Deborah Niemann
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À propos de cet audio

We are talking about everything goats! Whether you're an owner, a breeder, or just a fan of these wonderful creatures, we've got you covered. Join host and author Deborah Niemann as she interviews experts and goat lovers so we can all learn more about how to improve the health and production of our goats, improve our relationships, and possibly even start a goat business.


Happy anniversary to us! FTLOG is five years old! As we enter our sixth year, you can continue to expect to hear from more goat experts like vet professors and researchers who are on the leading edge of goat research. You’ll also hear from goat owners who have turned their love of goats into a successful business. And this year, you’ll hear more stories about goats and the people who love them.


Learn more on our website, fortheloveofgoats.com


© 2025 For the Love of Goats
Épisodes
  • The Secret to a Successful Farm Volunteer Program
    Jul 9 2025

    Got a question? 🤔

    Head over to -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/farm-volunteer-program/ -- and drop it in the comments—so we can reply!

    Description

    In this episode, Deborah Niemann welcomes Anne Petersen of Rosasharn Farm—one of the longest-standing Nigerian Dwarf breeders in the U.S.—to talk about her farm's long-running and highly successful volunteer program. What began as hosting a foreign exchange student over two decades ago has evolved into a dynamic educational experience that has inspired many former volunteers to start their own farms and even veterinary careers.

    Anne shares how her program organically developed through her involvement in 4-H, homeschooling, and local agricultural organizations. She emphasizes that the key to a successful volunteer program is education, not free labor, and dives into how she models tasks and responsibilities for volunteers of all ages.

    Whether you're thinking of starting a volunteer program or just love hearing about farm-based community building, you’ll find inspiration, insight, and practical advice in this thoughtful and experience-rich conversation.

    What You’ll Learn:

    • How Anne’s volunteer program started and evolved over 40+ years
    • Why education is at the heart of her farm’s volunteer experience
    • The importance of modeling and working with your volunteers
    • Lessons learned from early challenges, including personality mismatches
    • Why understanding a volunteer’s intentions and mindset is critical
    • How former volunteers have launched their own farms and careers
    • Advice for farmers considering starting their own volunteer program

    Resources Mentioned:

    • Rosasharn Farm
    • Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP)
    • 4-H Youth Programs
    • Local Young Farmer Networks


    Thanks for tuning in!

    No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

    🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

    🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

    🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

    Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

    Voir plus Voir moins
    32 min
  • How Beekman 1802 Used GOAT Wisdom to Build a Beloved Brand
    Jun 19 2025

    Got a question? 🤔

    Head over to -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goat-wisdom/ -- and drop it in the comments—so we can reply!

    Description

    What do you get when two city guys buy a goat farm during the Great Recession? A global skincare brand built on goat milk—and timeless wisdom.

    In this inspiring episode, Deborah talks with Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge, the founders of Beekman 1802, about how they went from weekend farmers to building a multi-million-dollar business using lessons learned from goats, neighbors, and small-town living.

    🧼 From making goat cheese and soap
    📚 To releasing their new book G.O.A.T. Wisdom: How to Build a Truly Great Business with Harvard Business Review
    💡 They share actionable insights for homesteaders, small business owners, and anyone dreaming of turning their passion into a meaningful business.

    You’ll hear about:

    • How goats (and a neighbor’s kindness) saved their farm
    • Why they started with goat milk soap and what they learned along the way
    • The importance of not doing everything yourself, and focusing on what you bring to the table
    • The power of treating customers as “neighbors”
    • Lessons in marketing, scaling, and community-building
    • And how to convert everyday wisdom into entrepreneurial success

    Resources Mentioned:

    • G.O.A.T. Wisdom: How to Build a Truly Great Business
      • Buy on Amazon
      • Buy on Bookshop
    • The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers
      • Buy on Amazon
      • Buy on Bookshop

    Connect with the Beekman Boys

    • Beekman 1802 Website
    • Josh & Brent on Instagram
    • Beekman 1802 Boys on Facebook


    Thanks for tuning in!

    No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

    🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

    🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

    🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

    Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

    Voir plus Voir moins
    31 min
  • Call the Vet Now
    Jun 11 2025

    Got a question? 🤔

    Head over to -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/call-the-vet-now/ -- and drop it in the comments—so we can reply!

    Description

    Most goat owners have faced a moment of uncertainty—staring at a sick goat and wondering, “Should I call the vet?” In this solo episode, Deborah Niemann lays out the answer with clarity and urgency.

    While goats are often thought of as hardy animals, they are also prey animals that instinctively hide illness until they’re critically sick. This episode covers the top emergency symptoms that signal you need to stop Googling, skip the Facebook group, and call a veterinarian immediately.

    Drawing from decades of goat-keeping experience and real-life stories (including her own hard lessons), Deborah walks through what serious symptoms look like, what they might mean, and why waiting too long can cost your goat its life. She also explains when supportive care at home can help while you wait for the vet to arrive—and when it can’t.

    What you’ll learn:

    • The most common and overlooked emergency signs in goats
    • Why not eating or drinking is a major red flag, not a minor issue
    • How to identify true bloat (ruminal tympany) versus hay belly
    • The meaning behind a goat screaming, grinding teeth, or lying down and not standing
    • The difference between ruminal and abomasal bloat—and why it matters
    • Signs of neurological distress, including circling, blindness, and seizures
    • Why urinary blockage is a life-threatening emergency in wethers
    • How to tell the difference between pooping and peeing behavior
    • The dangers of bloody or rusty urine, and when it could signal copper toxicity
    • Why Pepto Bismol is not a real treatment for diarrhea in kids
    • What a goat’s fever (or low body temp) may indicate—and what to do
    • Recognizing tetanus symptoms before it’s too late

    Resources Mentioned:

    • Goat Bloat (article)
    • Podcast episodes on:
      • Listeriosis in Goats
      • Goat Polio
      • Urinary Calculi
      • Skin Cancer in Goats: Melanoma
      • Tetanus in Goats

    🐐 🐐 🐐

    To see the most recent episodes, visit ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

    Want to support the content you love?
    Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

    Thanks for tuning in!

    No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

    🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

    🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

    🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

    Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

    Voir plus Voir moins
    32 min

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