Extraordinary Goats: Meetings with Remarkable Goats, Caprine Wonders & Horned Troublemakers

Description

Humans have used the goat as a symbol for thousands of years and have given it a place in myth and legend; in recent times, images of goats are found everywhere from beer labels to heavy metal art. At the same time, the goat also remains a simple farm animal. From ancient myths to pop culture to profiles of domestic breeds, Extraordinary Goats explores the many facets of the goat. Goats are useful for their milk, their fur, and their meat, and they don't need a lot of acreage to be happy-in fact, they're known as the poor man's cow. But that's not why they're fascinating. Goats have personality. They can be friendly, angry, pensive, cranky, or curious; they can be your best friend or a thorn in your side. They can drive you crazy and make you laugh-or cry. Join longtime goat lover, farmer, author, teacher, and cheesemaker Janet Hurst on a light-hearted journey through the goat world, as she introduces the reader to these remarkable animals. Extraordinary Goats is chock full of historical illustrations and modern photos of goats doing what goats do-riding motorcycles, climbing trees, chewing, singing, and being adorably irascible. If you own a goat, or long to, you'll want Extraordinary Goats on your shelf.

JANET HURST (Hermann, MO) is a veteran goatkeeper, soapmaker, and cheesemaker and tends to one of the largest dairy-goat herds in the United States. Hurst studied cheesemaking at the University of Vermont's Institute of Artisan Cheese, at the University of Guelph, and on small farms in Israel. She is the author of Voyageur Press' The Whole Goat Handbook and Homemade Cheese, and her work has appeared in MaryJanesFarm, Mother Earth News, Heirloom, Small Farm Today, and other periodicals.

"It's an easy-to-read, fun, sidebar-filled book about goats in history, mythology, folklore, farms, and religion. Bonus: pictures. Lots of 'em!" - Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune "Whether you seek fascinating minutiae or just some facts, this book delivers." - Florida Times Union