Welcome to GraniteAcres Ranch

We were scheduled to do Linear Appraisal for the 3rd year in a row, however the craziness that is 2020 put a stop to that.  We are hopeful it will happen in 2021.  Also, for 2021 we are going to make a 2nd attempt at doing milk test.  Everyone I've talked to has said that you get much better results if your does freshen earlier in the year, so they aren't hitting their peak as it gets hot and production naturally goes down.  I am not up to having all of my does freshen in January or February, and milking 20+ in the freezing cold, however.  So, my plan is to freshen 5-6 does in February, and the remainder in April/May.  All, of course, will be on test, however the February does will be the ones I focus on keeping on test, and the others will be dried up after Linear Appraisal and shows are done.  This is the only way I can come up with that is feasible for me with my work/kids/home/goat/life schedule.

In 2018 we participated in Linear Appraisal for the 2nd time, and milk test for the first time.  We learned a lot, and though we didn't have as many of our girls get milk stars as I had hoped, I know that it was in large part on me, and not them.  Still, we had 3 does receive their Superior Genetics awards in 2018, and once we send in our dry sheets for milk test we will have 2 that earned stars.  In 2019 we attended the ADGA National Show in Redmond, OR, so decided not to participate in milk test this year.  We did do Linear Appraisal again, and are thrilled with having 2 of our home bred girls get VEEE90 scores!


About me:
I first got goats when I was in junior high, and fell in love with them, though I only had them for a few years.  When my husband and I moved to a place with property at first I got a horse, since I've had those most of my life.  But I realized I wasn't a "horse girl" anymore;  I was a "crazy goat lady".  So, the horse left, and in the spring of 2009 I got my first Nigerian Dwarf goat.  I started with a couple of unregistered does, and things snowballed from there. 

There have been ups and downs.  For a few years there I had the goats, but between having my daughter in 2015, and just life in general, I wasn't able to be as heavily involved as I wanted to be.  We've been doing 4-H with the goats for years, and showing open class as well.  I'm trying to attend at least one sanctioned goat show each year in addition to our local county fair.  

If people ask me now how many goats I have, I don't have an exact number.  It changes constantly.  My son has a couple that are his, as does one of my younger sisters.  And my daughter has demanded her own as well.  My husband doesn't have a lot to do with the goats, but he supports my love of them.  It's a family affair.

Member of ADGA since 2012

Proverbs 27:27

And thou shalt have goats milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for maintenance for thy maidens.