End of an Era - Maybe?

I made the difficult decision to sell Dixie and her babies this year.

This is probably one of the hardest decisions I've ever made - next to selling Dixie's mom Willow. Willow was our first Nigerian. I loved that doe - I miss that doe - her snippy attitude, her beautiful coat, Dixie looks a lot like her except in color but she even has her attitude! I went back and forth and I finally decided this line wasn't working as well for me as the other lines I have.

I fell in love with Dixie the minute I laid eyes on her impish little face when she was born. I couldn't sell her even though I'd made up my mind to. No, I ended up keeping both my does last year when i'd intended to sell one. Dixie has her mother's lovely udder, wide body, but has more angularity and dairy quality to her than her mother. Dixie surpassed my expectations when she won Jr. Champion at 6 weeks of age over several does much older than her. So, are you asking yourself why I decided to sell my darling Dixie? This year I came to the stark realization that i cannot milk 5 does. Not with all that is going on - Alyssa's cancer, My thyroid deal. Just isn't happening. I thought, for a while that when she kidded triplets that would be the icing on the cake - I should keep Dixie or one of her doelings (trust me - it's INCREDIBLY tempting) I am trying to justify. I still think - I should keep someone. But really I cannot do it right now. I milked the girls and since I will be doing the Lion's share of the milking this year I have to let the doe go who is the hardest for me to milk. As a first freshener - Dixie's teats are too small for me. "leave one of her babies on her and keep her" you say - ummm - 2 extra mouths to feed right now with medical bills looming (as my nephew likes to say "DARK CLOUDS LOOOOOMING!!!!!" said with an ominous voice)?

"Keep one of her babies then" you say. UMMMMM - yeah, that extra money would come in real handy this year to feed the rest of the herd. I already am keeping two babies I did not plan to keep - One for Alyssa and one because I'd really like to see what my next generation is going to be like . And Frankly I'm not even conviced I'll keep her but might have to because of the bad reaction she had to hornburning. So I'm kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. Willow was our first Nigie - the gal who got this love of Nigerians started. She is always going to have a place in my heart, as will miss Dixie - But sometimes you even have to let a good one go because of circumstances beyond your control. Willow is helping a new person start their herd of Nigerians - Dixie's daddy Entei is too, and NOW I guess it's Dixie's turn to do the same thing. It looks like she's sold. I know I'll cry when they come take precious Dixie and her son away but I also know that they will be starting a new herd for someone - I can't think of a better doe to do it than miss Dixie! These folks need a loveable sweet first goat and Dixie will be just that!!!!

Sigh. Thanks for listening.