READY, SET, GOats!

a note from the editor

This is our first official newsletter. One may say that it is full of useless informa-tion, but perhaps for some goat producers it maybe the most important informa-tion for the moment. I believe our association will meet producers’ needs and be a forum to learn, have fun, grow, help us become more sustainable. It will enable us to have the power to join together to acquire the skills and innovative ways to increase profits and have healthier animals.

Please feel free to call or email me with ideas for the newsletter. For each is-sue, we want to highlight our members’ farms, goats, and any persons of inter-est (see Farm Focus section)…we need you to send us a copy of your biogra-phy and/or your farm’s endeavors. My email address is

judylangley@bellsouth.net or you may call me anytime at 864 .430.2265 be-tween 8 am and 6 pm.

In Loving Memory…Jerry Baker Munns

1951-2008

Jerry Munns, owner and manager of Big Sky Farm in Honea Path, South Carolina passed away April 26, 2008. I would like to dedicate this issue of the Upstate Goat Association Newsletter to her. Her devotion to the goat industry and to 4-H youths, has helped producers from all over South Carolina (the southeastern United States, actually). Her love of animal husbandry, along with her "wacky" sense of humor made her a favorite among ag producers. She worked tirelessly for the 4-H youths and was instrumental in starting the Wether Goat Project. She made great strides in agri-tourism and proudly accomplished the goals she set for her farm. Her annual "Farm Day" was becoming a favorite event in the upstate as vendors came from several states to participate. I would have to say her farm day was a great marketing strategy to get the crowds into the "The Barn". The Barn is the antiques business she started by turning her collection of "good junk", an-tiques, and old light farm equipment into sales. “The Barn” sits in the shade of four huge oak trees that reach for the sky, the first thing you see at the first curve of her long drive is a quaint country store in a renovated 200 year old barn….quite im-pressive... Jerry was a good steward of the land and worked diligently for her farm and had reached most of her goals, except her desire to complete and publish her version of "Goats for Dummies". She taught several courses on goat health and goat management at Tri County Tech and her classroom and pictorial lessons from those classes came to life. Her classes were always filled. Even during her declining health Jerry thought about animal advocacy and continued to work on her "Goats for Dummies".

-continued (see Editor’s notes, Pg 2)

Volume 1, Issue 1

April, 2008

FARM DAY

Saturday

May 31, 2008 Our Farm Day plans are well underway. The suc-cess of this project will require the energy from every member, and can be as simple as volun-teering for as little as two hours. If you have not volunteered…yet… for a particular committee, we will help you select one that suits you best. Please be willing to say “YES” when we call.

GOAT NOTES 2

Membership Drive

2

Editor’s Notes 2

Farm Focus 3

Listen Up...News and Announcements.

3

Local Events 4

Inside this issue:

The Upstate Goat Assoc iat ion

of

South Carol ina

Meetings are the last Tuesday of each month!

Taking a drive in the country and enjoying all the beautiful scenes...oh! duh! I live in the country and I love it…reminds one of the wonders mother nature

brings during this time of rebirth.

This spring, in comparison to last year's cold and dry spring, has brought greener and more plentiful

pastures that are grow-ing thick, lush grasses. This is a reminder that while enjoying and see-ing all the new lush greens of spring, we need to be mindful that goats can overeat and bloat if they eat too

much green too fast. Make sure your goats are not starved before you turn them out to a rich lush pasture -be sure to offer them hay prior to a good ‘ol grazing on those beautiful green pas-

tures.

I found my personal copy of the beginning or preface of "Goats for Dummies" from the class taught by Jerry Munns and would like to share it with UGA members. Reprints are available for $25.00. There is a charge because in the past few days a Schol-arship Fund in memory of Jerry has been set up by Clemson University Foundation. This will help two-fold, $20 will be con-tributed to the Scholarship Fund, and $5 will go toward the Upstate Goat Association. The scholarship monies will be used to establish a scholarship for 4-H. Criteria will be established at a later date by a committee made up of a Clemson representa-tive, and a family member. This is an excellent way for those who knew her, and her love of agriculture, to say “THANK

YOU.”

So, there are two ways you can say “THANK YOU”, send $25 plus any additional amount you want to add to the Scholarship Fund ($25 or more from every member would give a good representation from the Upstate Goat people). Make your checks payable to the Upstate Goat Association (designation: Jerry Munn’s Memorial), c/o Judy Langley, 329 Hamby Street, Pelzer,

SC 29669 I will deliver the preface to “Goats for Dummies” at our next meeting or you can pick up your copy at my farm.

OR

Make your check payable to: CLEMSON UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION, PO Box 1889, Clemson, SC 29633 (Be sure to note

the gift is in honor of Mrs. Jerry Munns on the check.)

Page 2

GOAT NOTES

Editor’s Notes

“Hi-ho, Hi-ho,

The Upstate Goat Association of

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

YOU CAN HELP…The Upstate Goat Association has nearly forty (40) members as of the March meeting. Our goal is to have 100 members by October. We have been fortunate to have a new members join each month, thanks to everyone for getting the word out. Keep telling your goat friends about our organization and invite them to our meetings. The more members we have the better we will be armed when our advertising committee ap-proaches potential vendors.

We are having talks with a nationally recognized ag and feed supplier, in hopes that we get discounts on feed and/or products. Other rewards will follow as our membership grows.

Take an extra newsletter or two and pass it out to prospective producers. If you drive by a farm and

see goats, leave a newsletter for them to see what we are doing for the “goat world”. Tie it to the gate if you have too. GET THE WORD OUT!!!

“Tie it to the gate if you have

too...GET THE WORD OUT!”

Volume 1, Issue 1

In the foothills region of South Caro-lina sits Windy Hill Farm. Nestled on the bank of the Saluda River, this 40 acre farm is the editor’s home and home to: six different breeds of goats, Black Angus cows, a white faced Hereford, four Great Pyrenees guard-ian dogs, one border collie, one spe-cial Labrador Retriever ( the queen of the house), a rescued mutt, a too big a flock of guineas, numerous poultry breeds, Bourbon Red turkeys and,

one “Lucky” feral cat.

We are most proud of our goat herd which consists of: Boer, Spanish, French Alpine, Nubians, Myotonic, and Nupines (Nupine is a new cross between Alpine and Nubians that we are experimenting with.) The breed

has excellent

milking records and the offspring are beautiful). Through years of trials, tribulations, and hard work, we have learned that goats require a vigilant watch for health problems. Our phi-losophy is: the sooner you meet their needs and problems head on, the quicker they heal…the less it cost in time and money. All of our animals have been tested for disease (CL, Brucellosis and CAE); we have a closed herd. We have grown our stock from a few select animals to approximately 180 goats. We primar-ily raise Boer meat goats…but grow a small percent of registered breeding stock for others to purchase.. The other breeds mentioned are raised for enjoyment, milk, and raising bottle

babies.

Our quest is to become sustainable. Our land has been in the family for sixty plus years. It was fertile farm-land in the 1930's and 40's where my uncle grew corn and vegetables; we purchased the property in 1999 and began to bring back its integrity by clearing the overgrown scrub and planting pastures. The fences came next, then the Black Angus. We in-troduced goats into the mix in 2002...partially because we learned that sixty-five percent of the red meat consumed globally is goat meat. You can learn more about our farm and our endeavors at our newly (not com-pletely) constructed website:

www.windyhillfarmonline.com.

EVERYONE wants to improve profits and find economical ways to re-use or recycle. That is what Leroy

Martin, Treasurer and Program Chairman, had in mind when he invited Mark Stevenson from Clemson Uni-

versity Food Processing Department to speak about processing animals. Mark gave us ideas on how to in-

corporate older animals into processing. Mark told us about his department and how it can do custom proc-

essing of animals. Value-added meat products such as smoked (summer) sausage and jerky can increase

profits and sales and create a longer shelf life of products. Feel free to contact Mark at Clemson Univer-

sity Processing at 864 656 5167 or email: jms@clemson.edu. Note: I recently told a sheep producer

(that wanted to process an older sheep “mutton”) about their service and they were very pleased with the

result of what they processed.

FARM FOCUS...On the farm long ago did my fondest memories grow.

Page 3

The Farm Focus section is devoted to a UGA farm member. We want to know about you and your farm!!! This month’s feature is Windy Hill Farm located in Pelzer, SC.

What farm will be focused in our next issue?????? STAY TUNED!!

Listen up…

UPSTATE GOAT ASSOCIATION of SC

Mission Statement: The purpose of this organization is to promote the goat. Be it dairy, meat, pet or otherwise; (a) Fellow-ship, friendship and cooperation among goat owners and breeders; (b) Fostering, stimulating and studying ideas, methods, information and practices which enhance public good will, toward all goats and their products; (c) Improving and develop-ing all the different breeds; (d) Educating people to raise and appreciate the bene-fits of the goat industry.

Meetings are the last Tuesday of each month!

We’re on the web…

COMING SOON!

Spring Means Babies at Split Creek Farm!!

Split Creek Farm Tour

306 Centerville Road

Anderson, SC

Saturday, May 3, 2008

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Split Creek Farm Grade A Goat Dairy is nationally known for its goat herd and the artisan cheeses and other quality goat milk products produced at the farm. The survival of America’s small farms is dependent on educating the public about rural life and the origin of their foods. Come join us for the day to see how one such farm operates.

Tours and demonstrations will be going on throughout the day. Learn about the different breeds of goats, tour the milking parlor, and visit with the farm animals. Photo opportunities available!

SOUNDS LIKE A FUN EVENT!

SEE YOU THERE!

For information and/or directions or to learn more about Split Creek visit their website:

www.splitcreek.com