The End of an Era

No, we aren’t talking about the Obamas (though a deep gratitude for their leadership and grace), but the end of another era here at the farm. Perhaps a team nearly as famous, our first herd of goats and the queens of that herd, Ingrid Bergman and Grace Kelly.

Photo by Rose Wall

The chaos of the fall and holidays delayed documentation of this event, but the farmers (including several farmer emeriti) said goodbye to Ingrid (Bergman) and Grace (Kelly) and other lesser known stars of our milking team.

Grace, Ingrid and the rest of the gals will be accepting visitors before the concert!

Grace & Ingrid showing off their pregnancy

The day we brought them to Royal there were culls from other goat dairies and Vermont Chevon, the fall is when farmers make tough decisions about culling. Several of our goats either were difficult to milk or had missed getting pregnant.

grace adn ingrid last days on goat pasture

Grace and Ingrid were still producing delicious milk. However they were more than 10 years old and the stiffness in their gate and toll evident in recent kidding seasons made us commit earlier this year to send them to slaughter so their comfort could be ensured even while still providing for the farm via farmer lunch meat.

Laura and grace last month for the goats

Photo by Rose Wall

These gals were always our joy, dependable every day for leadership in and out from pasture, their milk delicious and copious and most of all for their dignified patience in stardom as they were central to hundreds of lattes on the hoof and photo ops.