Welcome to Walking With Goats, an understandably irregular column covering all the things you would expect from the title: - Guerrilla Grazing (and stories thereof) - Epistemology (from the point of view of someone who finds knowing things difficult)
Just found you on this amazing site called substack. Eager for getting to know you. Goats YEAH!! I have goat milk as my coffee creamer. Best substitute for half and half. Easier on this 75 year old gut. Great links found in just the initial read. Lovely
Thank you for such poetic, thought-provoking writing. I think you're best kind of intellectual: one who has practical, real-world experience as well (not to mention a degree of humility).
I clicked over from a promising comment you left on the 2ndsmartestguyintheworld substack, and plan to read through your other posts.
Please forgive me for taking up space here, but I can find no private messaging option. Help! I found your substack this morning linked from Winter Oak. I liked it and meant to subscribe -- as a non-paying subscriber, which is all I can truly afford. I was shocked when a receipt appeared in my inbox. I have a kind of technological dyslexia, got distracted, and must have inadvertently subscribed to the pre-set 20 pound yearly subscription option instead of selecting the free option -- and there seems to be no pathway to reimbursement in Substack.
With already less than $85 in my bank account, and on the verge of being evicted and made homeless with winter approaching in central Texas, being 20 pounds poorer is actually fairly catastrophic for me. I would be extremely grateful if you could somehow find a way to reimburse me, and I will continue to read yoursubtack with even greater pleasure and appreciation. (If you prefer to respond by email, I can be reached at wayaloha@gmail.com ) Again, sincere apologies for smirching your noble comments section with this truly profane and debasing matter.
The Substack team have confirmed that they'll refund your account and the money should be with you in 4-10 days. Sorry that finding the column was fraught! Hope you enjoy reading.
I'm really sorry - I don't know how this could be the case. I'll try to find a way to set it straight, but it's not a process I've been through before. Substack is usually very receptive - though they take about 24 hours to come back to you. This is their email: support@substack.zendesk.com. Surely they are not able to withdraw funds from your account without your bank details though.
I love my time in the garden - best part of the year - but I think I'm hooked on animals now, despite the pain of having to lose them sometimes. Closed loop is the thing as well - my parsnips came in at 3kg each with the goat manure. Unbeatable stuff. As for eating milk and dairy - because it's the dairy that really causes cruelty in the industrial world I think - maybe one day I'll live like a monk here on kale and potatoes. It's a cold climate. For me though, the first part was understanding what meat and dairy are firsthand, and everything else, the pillow, the coat, the bag. Plus, the trouble with raising goats is, no one wants the boys.
After I raised the sad young calf from the dairy farm for Ag. class, and decided not to eat animals that had feelings like mine, and that was some consideration, and some time, i long wondered where I should/could draw that line. In college I decided to not eat animals that had dreams, which allowed fish and birds...
Later in college, I was at my Grandfather's cattle (registered Angus breeding stock) ranch, when the neighbor came over early Thanksgiving morning to ask us to take care of a fence-injured spike buck for him. I saw that his right hind leg had caught in the wire fence as he jumped it, and was out of the socket. He tried to scramble with his front hooves, but could not stand.
I brought him a bowl of water to drink, looked into his eyes, and he into mine.
He let me stroke his neck gently.
After Thanksgiving dinner (midday) I returned with a small handgun of my dad's.
I had to do my duty.
As I approached, about 30 feet away, our eyes met, and the deer turned his head away from me, completely away from me, and stayed still.
I shot him carefully at the base of his skull, to sever his brainstem and end his life as painlessly as possible. My aim was correct.
He flopped and convulsed in his death throes for some minutes, though.
It was hard to be patient. I shot him once more in the head, which changed nothing.
My grandfather had taught me to hunt, and how to field dress a deer when I was 13. It's not complicated, but should be done right away. I strung the deer up on a tree by his hind legs and began to skin and disembowel him.
The neighbor who had asked us this favor, a commercial pilot who had bought the land from my grandfather, Morgan, drove up in a Ford Bronco and addressed me out the window.
"Behold the mighty hunter", he mocked, then drove off.
I've thought of many replies, but I just held my tongue that day.
Morgan, a "hobby rancher", clearly had a personal-problem.
I had already determined to go through the whole process of knowing, killing and eating another sensitive and feeling being, to understand it. I did this with utmost respect, and to not waste the meat of my young friend. This seems odd, a disconnect, but I was seeking to make full connection and understand what we have all done unknowingly.
Back at the ranch-house I butchered the carcass and striped out the "backstraps", the tenderloins.
I marinated these, then grilled the small steaks that evening.
The flesh was delicate and perfect, and with my first bite and with every following bite, I saw the deer's brown eyes gazing into mine, and felt that connection fully.
I experienced the recall of that revelation again as I wrote this, as always happens.
I quite eating any animals in the spring of 2001, when I began receiving Buddhist teachings, not as a requirement, but I decided that no animal wants me to eat it.
Thank you for this memory, John. There is much to think on here and I value it. I am writing the next column at the moment and will reflect on my own experiences - where they currently leave me. Having these thoughts of yours adds depth to mine.
You've sold me on the goats. I'm going to look into getting a couple. I expect homemade goat's cheese would be fabulous.
That's really kind Christina - thank you. I hope you enjoy the others. Sharing the experiences makes them worthwhile.
That's good news. The more guerrilla grazing the better. Whose commons is it anyway.
Just found you on this amazing site called substack. Eager for getting to know you. Goats YEAH!! I have goat milk as my coffee creamer. Best substitute for half and half. Easier on this 75 year old gut. Great links found in just the initial read. Lovely
Hey thanks Annie! Hope you enjoy the reading. Working on the new piece at the moment - with my goat's milk infused tea!
:)
Thank you for such poetic, thought-provoking writing. I think you're best kind of intellectual: one who has practical, real-world experience as well (not to mention a degree of humility).
I clicked over from a promising comment you left on the 2ndsmartestguyintheworld substack, and plan to read through your other posts.
Please forgive me for taking up space here, but I can find no private messaging option. Help! I found your substack this morning linked from Winter Oak. I liked it and meant to subscribe -- as a non-paying subscriber, which is all I can truly afford. I was shocked when a receipt appeared in my inbox. I have a kind of technological dyslexia, got distracted, and must have inadvertently subscribed to the pre-set 20 pound yearly subscription option instead of selecting the free option -- and there seems to be no pathway to reimbursement in Substack.
With already less than $85 in my bank account, and on the verge of being evicted and made homeless with winter approaching in central Texas, being 20 pounds poorer is actually fairly catastrophic for me. I would be extremely grateful if you could somehow find a way to reimburse me, and I will continue to read yoursubtack with even greater pleasure and appreciation. (If you prefer to respond by email, I can be reached at wayaloha@gmail.com ) Again, sincere apologies for smirching your noble comments section with this truly profane and debasing matter.
Hi Flora,
The Substack team have confirmed that they'll refund your account and the money should be with you in 4-10 days. Sorry that finding the column was fraught! Hope you enjoy reading.
:)
I have emailed the Support team as well. Thanks for reading, Flora.
Hi Flora,
I'm really sorry - I don't know how this could be the case. I'll try to find a way to set it straight, but it's not a process I've been through before. Substack is usually very receptive - though they take about 24 hours to come back to you. This is their email: support@substack.zendesk.com. Surely they are not able to withdraw funds from your account without your bank details though.
Caring for critters is a big responsibility, as you know.
I'm working with plants for now, but am interested in chickens some day.
Goats have a lot of personality.
I raised a calf for Agriculture class (1972-1973) when I was 14-15.
I had to.
I felt resentful, then sorry for the poor calf.
I pretty much quite eating mammals after that.
I love my time in the garden - best part of the year - but I think I'm hooked on animals now, despite the pain of having to lose them sometimes. Closed loop is the thing as well - my parsnips came in at 3kg each with the goat manure. Unbeatable stuff. As for eating milk and dairy - because it's the dairy that really causes cruelty in the industrial world I think - maybe one day I'll live like a monk here on kale and potatoes. It's a cold climate. For me though, the first part was understanding what meat and dairy are firsthand, and everything else, the pillow, the coat, the bag. Plus, the trouble with raising goats is, no one wants the boys.
After I raised the sad young calf from the dairy farm for Ag. class, and decided not to eat animals that had feelings like mine, and that was some consideration, and some time, i long wondered where I should/could draw that line. In college I decided to not eat animals that had dreams, which allowed fish and birds...
Later in college, I was at my Grandfather's cattle (registered Angus breeding stock) ranch, when the neighbor came over early Thanksgiving morning to ask us to take care of a fence-injured spike buck for him. I saw that his right hind leg had caught in the wire fence as he jumped it, and was out of the socket. He tried to scramble with his front hooves, but could not stand.
I brought him a bowl of water to drink, looked into his eyes, and he into mine.
He let me stroke his neck gently.
After Thanksgiving dinner (midday) I returned with a small handgun of my dad's.
I had to do my duty.
As I approached, about 30 feet away, our eyes met, and the deer turned his head away from me, completely away from me, and stayed still.
I shot him carefully at the base of his skull, to sever his brainstem and end his life as painlessly as possible. My aim was correct.
He flopped and convulsed in his death throes for some minutes, though.
It was hard to be patient. I shot him once more in the head, which changed nothing.
My grandfather had taught me to hunt, and how to field dress a deer when I was 13. It's not complicated, but should be done right away. I strung the deer up on a tree by his hind legs and began to skin and disembowel him.
The neighbor who had asked us this favor, a commercial pilot who had bought the land from my grandfather, Morgan, drove up in a Ford Bronco and addressed me out the window.
"Behold the mighty hunter", he mocked, then drove off.
I've thought of many replies, but I just held my tongue that day.
Morgan, a "hobby rancher", clearly had a personal-problem.
I had already determined to go through the whole process of knowing, killing and eating another sensitive and feeling being, to understand it. I did this with utmost respect, and to not waste the meat of my young friend. This seems odd, a disconnect, but I was seeking to make full connection and understand what we have all done unknowingly.
Back at the ranch-house I butchered the carcass and striped out the "backstraps", the tenderloins.
I marinated these, then grilled the small steaks that evening.
The flesh was delicate and perfect, and with my first bite and with every following bite, I saw the deer's brown eyes gazing into mine, and felt that connection fully.
I experienced the recall of that revelation again as I wrote this, as always happens.
I quite eating any animals in the spring of 2001, when I began receiving Buddhist teachings, not as a requirement, but I decided that no animal wants me to eat it.
Thank you for this memory, John. There is much to think on here and I value it. I am writing the next column at the moment and will reflect on my own experiences - where they currently leave me. Having these thoughts of yours adds depth to mine.
I'm 64 and still trying to figure out how to live-right.
:-)
My loudest is Lucy, my beautiful torwen ewe. She has a great deal to say for herself:
https://walkingwithgoats.substack.com/p/sheep-against-satan
Thanks for reading, Sophie!