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March comes in like... a goat!

March 23rd, 2022

Forget lions and lambs. At Points West Living Heritage House in Vegreville, March 2022 came in like a goat! Triplet baby goats in fact. The three wee kids came to visit on March 1, and captured the hearts of residents and employee care partners alike.

Nigerian Dwarf milking goats

The baby goats, from the homestead of Wellness Supervisor Samantha Giese, were six weeks old at the time of the visit. “They are Nigerian Dwarf milking goats,” Samantha says, “and each weighs just over seven pounds. Once they’re fully grown they’ll weigh 50-75 pounds.”

Horns would be a giveaway

“Each little goat is very friendly and packed with personality,” adds Samantha. “They all enjoy getting into mischief, but they were on their best behavior for the visit, sitting well on everyone’s laps for pets and photos. A few residents thought they might be able to pass one of the kids off as a little dog and keep it in their suite, but we figured the little horns would eventually give them away!”

Soap, sauce, and cheeses

With the milk her goats produce, Samantha makes soap and caramel sauce. PWL Heritage House walking club volunteer, Betty Holmes uses the milk to make a variety of cheeses.

“We love to share our farm life as much as we can,” says Samantha, “and the residents cannot wait for another visit with the kids.”

Samantha points out that this visit is a perfect example of Eden Principle #2: An Elder-centered community commits to creating a Human Habitat where life revolves around close continuing contact with people of all ages and abilities, as well as plants and animals. It is relationships that provide all with a pathway to a life worth living.

Photo: Resident Melitta Zubritsky enjoys cuddle time with a six-week-old Nigerian Dwarf milking goat kid, one of a triplet of baby goats who visited PWL Heritage House at the beginning of March. As she she held the kid on her lap, Melitta said, “This is just what we all needed.”

More photos at Flickr: March comes in like a… goat

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