I was talking the other weekend to a customer at a holiday bazaar where we were selling our soaps about our goats. Numerous people have told me about how they grew up on goat milk because they couldn’t digest cow’s milk or the store formula. I talk about the benefits of drinking goat milk HERE, but that is not what this post is about.
I asked my daughter what I should write the next blog post about, and she said that I should highlight some of the animals. Ya know what? That is a great idea. I want y’all to get to know the animals that we have come to love. I am always encouraging you (our audience/customer) to come out and visit us and see how our animals are raised and get to know us. Actually, I encourage you to do this with all the local farmers that you buy from.
I know it isn’t always feasible to get out to the farm, so I’ll start bring the farm to you! Today, you will meet Sibel. Sibel is a three year old Nubian goat and our best milker. If you have bought soap from us, more than likely it was from milk that she produced.
Most of our animals are named after great leaders, authors, and heroes of the liberty and freedom movement, those that did not/do not compromise their principles and even risked their lives to stand for what is right. Sibel is named after, Sibel Edmonds.
Edmonds was an interpreter for the FBI who was hired shortly after 9/11. “During her work with the bureau, she discovered and reported serious acts of security breaches, cover-ups, and intentional blocking of intelligence that had national security implications. After she reported these acts to FBI management, she was retaliated against and ultimately fired in March 2002. Since that time, court proceedings on her issues have been blocked by the assertion of “State Secrets Privilege”, and the Congress of the United States has been gagged and prevented from any discussion of her case through retroactive re-classification issued by the Department of Justice.”
She was issued a gag order and ultimately became the most classified woman in America. She wrote the book Classified Woman to tell her story. When she could no longer get published in the publishing industry, she also wrote and self-published the fiction work, Lone Gladio, to further tell her story.
I encourage you to check out these books and Edmond’s story.
Back to Sibel, the goat……
Like I said, Sibel is a Nubian dairy goat. Nubians are easily identified for their long, hanging ears (pendulous). This breed has a long history that dates back to the Middle East and North Africa. It was developed in Great Britain during the 19th century and brought to the US by European settlers.
It began as a dual meat and dairy breed, but today it is mostly used for dairy purposes. They produce a lower quantity of milk than some other dairy breeds, but the quality of the milk is second to none. The milk has the highest butterfat content (and average of 5%) of the dairy breeds, which is why the soaps that you use are so creamy and luxurious.
Not only do they produce a fantastic milk that tastes great (most of people cannot distinguish it from cow’s milk), but they adapt well to extreme heat, which makes them perfect for Southeast Texas where temperatures can reach 100+ degrees in the summer.
Nubians come in all sorts of colors and color patterns. They are very social, friendly, and smart. Our goats know our cars and are well aware of what time is feeding time, and make no bones about telling us they are hungry.
Each of our goats all have their own personalities. Sibel loves to be loved on, although she can be shy if she doesn’t know you. Her favorite food is bananas, but she doesn’t get those very much.
Thinking about getting goats or want to learn more about this breed? Visit the American Dairy Goat Association for breed standards, Countryside Daily for Key Breed Facts, and Hobby Farms for how to raise Nubians for milk production.