The skills you learn

I've never been handy. I may be called crafty or inventive, but not handy. I can barely manage to right a tripped circuit breaker in my electrical box. However, when you have goats you're forced to figure out at least some elementary carpentry/construction/agricultural skills. They need a pen. They need a feed trough/manger. They need shelter. I guess if you're infinitely wealthy you can purchase all of these things. But what goat farmer is?

My first lesson was building the pen. (The goats happily reside in a fenced  20' x 40' pen.) My second lesson was watching my father build a manger. Here's the manger that my dad and mom built from scrap wood and small bits of purchased wood from the local Lowes.

 

It is exceptionally more efficient than placing hay in a trough and the goats don't have the opportunity to waste much. They have managed to jump in twice, but I suspect as they grow they will lose the ability to accomplish this. The manger also has the advantage that all goats can eat simultaneously and without disturbing the others. No more bullying to get at the best flakes!