Fun Fact Friday week four, goats are herd animals and like a crowd

May 26, 2023

Goats are fascinating animals. They are social animals that have evolved a social hierarchy as a matter of survival. If goats are allowed to run together, the “Top Buck” tops the pecking order and is responsible for herd protection. He is last man out, always on alert and will always flank the herd when foraging. Next in the pecking order is the doe that is the “Flock Queen”. She will lead the herd to the best foraging grounds.

If the Flock Queen comes across a poisonous plant, she will sniff it carefully taking in the scent, snort and make objectionable sounds. Each member of the herd will mimic her and get the scent. Finally, the Top Buck will also smell and then stomp on the offensive plant fiercely.

With this kind of social structure that reinforces health and wellness of the herd, it is easy to understand that a goat without a herd is an unhealthy situation.

For more information, tips and stories for your farm and homestead, subscribe here and get Small Farm Canada delivered straight to your door!

Source : Small Farm Canada

Video: EP 73 Diversity is Resiliency – Stories of Regeneration Part 6

During the growing season of 2023 as summer turned into fall, the Rural Routes to Climate Solutions podcast and Regeneration Canada were on the final leg of the Stories of Regeneration tour. After covering most of the Prairies and most of central and eastern Canada in the summer, our months-long journey came to an end in Canada’s two most western provinces around harvest time.

This next phase of our journey brought us to Cawston, British Columbia, acclaimed as the Organic Farming Capital of Canada. At Snowy Mountain Farms, managed by Aaron Goddard and his family, you will find a 12-acre farm that boasts over 70 varieties of fruits such as cherries, apricots, peaches, plums, pears, apples, and quince. Aaron employs regenerative agriculture practices to cultivate and sustain living soils, which are essential for producing fruit that is not only delicious but also rich in nutrients.