Quit Mansplaining Raising Dairy Goats To Me: A Blog

No, I’m not. I’m just tired of well-meaning folks stepping in and telling me how I’m getting everything wrong. Your goals are not my goals. Your vision is not my vision. I’m going to use this space to tell my story, as best I remember it, because why not? But before I get started, I’m going to open with an observation I made about the 2025 Montana State Fair goat show.

This kept playing on repeat in my brain that whole weekend:

“People show mice. They breed mice, they raise mice, and they show mice. They are cutthroat about mice. And. It. Is. Ludicrous.” Mean? Maybe. I just kept thinking it.

I love mice. I have had pet mice my whole life. As a young child, I became obsessed with mice. I own books, published in the 1970s, about showing mice. I belonged to clubs. Got newsletters. Actually put out my own newsletter in my early teens. Got to own, at one point, Siamese mice and Satin mice and black-and-tan “Doberman” mice. But…you can’t tell me…it isn’t a little silly to show them.

A bit more about the mice, i.e., how this love started: My mom bought a Rosy Boa when I was about six years old. She was a live feeder. At some point, she “started hibernating.” (She didn’t. She wasn’t hibernating. But my mom was an optimist.) We had live feeders. They reproduced. And I got pet baby mice. It sparked an affection that has lasted a lifetime. I still get excited about mice.

Anyway, something about watching and listening to everyone at the State Fair made me laugh (and think about mice). I have one of those faces. People tell me things. But they don’t tell me nice things. I heard so much nasty stuff that weekend. I remember high school. And I hated it. I don’t want to relive it at a goat show. Yes, every single one of you was nice to me. And I genuinely like all of you. But there was a lot of shit talk. These are goats, folks. I don’t question anyone’s love or passion for their animals. But we sure aren’t very kind to each other, are we?

In 2024, I took an Experimental baby kid to the State Fair to try to help the Recorded Grades sanction. In 2025, I brought three. (I don’t think they sanctioned in either case.) I was there as a place holder, to help someone get a leg. I didn’t expect to place. But I also didn’t expect a front row seat to the infighting. I suppose it’s just human nature. But I don’t like it.

I will have three Experimentals in 2026, barring incidents and accidents. I love them. I don’t need anyone else to love them, and I’m happy to come back and hold space so maybe the Grades will finally sanction. But I don’t know if I want to go back. I don’t people well. The whole thing made me uncomfortable. No, my whites didn’t fit right. I don’t mind. No, my goats weren’t clipped right. I know better, but I can’t justify new clippers and blades. And no, they didn’t stand right. I did put time in, but in hindsight, not enough. Hey, I’m just there to make you look good, though, lol.

Anyway, I don’t think I’m cut out for the goat show life. And I don’t raise goat show goats. I have goats because I like goats, and I’m going to use this space to share my goat stories.