I did not grow up on a farm. My father was a town boy. My mother was raised in the country, left at her first opportunity, and never looked back. I have fond memories of visiting my grandmother and her big flock of laying hens; of watching an uncle milk his cows; of briefly, while my parents built a new house, living in a rented country house with pigs across the road and a goat next door that surprised and delighted me one noon by poking its head through the kitchen window hoping to snatch a bite of my sandwich. These and similar events made me determined to someday have farm animals of my own.
And so when I came of age I started out with chickens, soon followed by ducks and geese and other poultry. Then came rabbits. Then I had to have goats. In the decades that followed I have, at one time or another, raised nearly every species of farm animal. At first I did it just for fun. Before long I realized I had ready access to eggs, milk, and meat that were fresher and better tasting than anything available at the store. I have been grateful for these resources during the several economic crises that have occurred over the years, and especially today in the face of growing concern about the safety of industrially produced food.
I didn’t have any background in farming or raising livestock, and by the time I was ready to seek their advice no farmers were left in my family. I gleaned most of my start-up information from books, and the rest I learned simply by rolling up my sleeves and jumping into what has become a life-long and ongoing learning experience. My point is that you need not have grown up on a farm to raise farm animals. This book is offered as your first step toward enjoying the rewarding experience of keeping livestock of your own and to assure you—you can do it!
Gail Damerow