A Visit to Nigerian Meadows Farm

We have been friends online for some time now, sharing a love for Nigerian Dwarf goats, among other things. So it was a treat for me to meet Jordana face to face during a recent visit to her homestead. This picture is from her web site http://www.nigerianmeadows.com/ . You can see that photography is one of her many talents. She buys goats with good blood lines and has established a breeding program to produce quality animals. Currently, she has kids for sale (1 doeling and 5 bucklings) -- buckskins, chamoisee and black/white ones with beautiful markings. She is a member of American Goat Society, American Dairy Goat Association, and Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association. Whew!

The occasion was the birth of 7 kids in 2 days, with another doe due to kid soon. As my kids are not on the ground yet, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to hold those precious babies or hear their high-pitched baaahs. As it happened, we chatted while leaning on the maternity stall fence, keeping watch while Hallie labored.

My first surprise was her 1923 house. Homesteaders seem to gravitate toward old houses -- if she, Deborah and I are typical. Jordana is gifted at salvaging vintage furniture, rescuing discarded and broken items and restoring them to their former beauty. One unusual piece was a high chair that converted into a child's desk on wheels. I've never seen anything like it.

I was amazed at what she accomplishes on about a quarter acre. Chickens free-range in the enclosed back yard which they share with the dog, a guinea pig and play equipment for her two homeschooled boys. Toward the rear of her back yard is the goat shed which has a separate bucks' pen, two doe stalls in addition to the maternity stall, and the necessary storage area. She has fruit trees and raised beds for organic produce. She hopes to eventually add honey bees, but there must be a feral hive nearby as we spotted a bee atop one of the bags of chaffhaye.  And speaking of chaffhaye, she swears by it for improving her goats's health and coats.

Jordana lends a serenity to her homestead that belies the swirl of activity around her from the animals and her boys. Evidence abounds that she is the heart of their home. A visit to her blog shows home baked soups and cookies (all gluten free), hand crafted Christmas ornaments and gifts, and vestiges of home education. Although she is a stay-at-home mom, her influence reaches beyond her quarter-acre as she shares her knowledge and insights online.

From my perspective, the visit was a Sunday afternoon well spent. Visiting is a past time that I have neglected too long. As time and transportation permit, I hope to do more of it in 2011.