Why Meat Goats? (Part 1)

It's exciting to be writing our first post! The dream of farming has been decades in the making. Literally! Neither my husband nor I grew up on farms. Yet, we were blessed to have many experiences on others' farms. I, Megan, grew up riding and showing horses, working every waking hour on horse farms when I wasn't in school, teaching riding lessons, working horses, etc. My husband Jon's paternal grandmother came from a farm in Northern Michigan. He rode horses and helped out on the family farm whenever he visited.

I went on to get a Bachelor's Degree in Animal Science with an Equine emphasis. I was privileged to study many aspects of farming in addition to horses, including crops, bovine, swine, small ruminants, and agricultural economics. Livestock nutrition fascinated me the most. Jon received a degree in Business Management.

Fast forward to 2020, we have been married for 15 years and have five children, ages 10, 9, 6, 4, and 2. We own one horse and our kids compete in Rodeo. We live on 11 acres in Spring Arbor, Michigan.

We have always greatly appreciated and admired farmers. They are the backbone of society, for without them, we do not eat. They are some of the hardest working, salt of the earth, people you'll ever meet. Their word is their bond; they show great discipline; they are genuine and live with integrity. More often than not, they fear the Lord and depend on Him through the seasons of the year and the seasons of life. They possess characteristics that are so lacking in our culture these days. When deciding how we wanted to raise our kids and live our life, we were led by God to strongly consider farming. We are honored to be joining the ranks of American farmers.

Why goats, you ask? Stay tuned and I will answer that question. I will explain why we have chosen to raise meat goats. I am eager to share with you how we have built this farm from scratch, the mistakes and failures we have made, as well as the successes and victories we have achieved. My hope is that you will be entertained as well as learn from us should you choose to take a similar path. I also greatly appreciate advice and suggestions, as well as collaborating as challenges arise. Thank you for joining us on this journey of farming!