I was raised on a Simmental (cattle) ranch and
farm in eastern Kansas, an only child. Consequently, my horse, chickens, cattle and my pet goat were some of my closest
childhood friends and companions, among many other assorted animals over the years.
Due to the health benefits of goat's milk, we milked
a few dairy goats on our farm for several years. During the milking of these goats, we came to realize what intuitive
and friendly creatures they were. Easy to care for and handle, and safe to be around with a personality that seems to
sense personal sadness and emotional need; this is why we call goats "cheap therapy."
As my husband and I settled on roughly 40 acres in central
Kansas, we searched for a way to best utilize our small acreage while raising our two children as we had been with farming
and livestock.
We purchased five young Boer-cross goats in early 2006 to
start our herd. They were affordable and young enough, we hoped they would become tame as they got used to us.
I highly recommend anyone starting into the goat business start small with relatively inexpensive goats as it is a relatively
painless way to learn--for you and the goats.
Watching the babies jump around their mothers in the sunshine
reminds us of the circle of life and the greatness of the Lord, which is celebrated in our brand that I designed and
have registered with the state of Kansas.
This year our herd has expanded to more than 100 animals, half
of which are commercial Boer-cross does with several percentage does and some quality fullblood Boer does and bucks
as the foundation or our show string/breeding herd.
As I have become involved in the Boer goat industry, I have
learned a lot. I was elected the first director of Region 3 of the American Boer Goat Association in 2007, have attended
numerous education events within the state, have learned to artificially inseminate goats and have travelled within the state
and nation to find quality goats to improve our herd. I look forward to helping further the breed and goat industry
and sharing my knowledge with others as they have shared knowledge with me.
At Lucky Cross Ranch, we breed for structural correctness,
MEAT, fertility, gain and hardiness. I enjoy having a healthy, attractive animal, but would rather admire that
animal from afar instead of needing to see it up close every few weeks for maintenance and doctoring.
I strongly believe we should maintain the phenotype of the
Boers which were initially imported and handpicked for the meatiness and hardiness.
Winning shows is exhilarating, but even more so is the ability
to consistently produce goats gaining a pound a day... thus our mission statement:
"Meating the future with red, white and Boer."
After all...we're not raising show sheep--we're
raising meat goats!
