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This game really resonates with me, and so does the writeup. I had the fortune to work a high-tech job (in person) and also own a 20 acre farm for a number of

This game really resonates with me, and so does the writeup. I had the fortune to work a high-tech job (in person) and also own a 20 acre farm for a number of years, where we attempted to produce some/most of the food we ate. (That's a really hard thing to do by the way.) Of course we raised goats, for the meat as well as the milk. For those of you who haven't interacted with goats, know this: there is a hilarity about them that is difficult to describe. They have some sort of almost human, child-like curiosity and bravery that was always refreshing. Add to that their willingness/desire to climb on/stand on anything, and honestly, they were just a hoot to have around. They roamed fence free on our property for a time. I'd go out in the morning to ride my motorcycle to work, and there's be a couple of goats standing on my wife's car, just standing there, chewing cud. Or there'd be a goat balanced calmly on my motorcycle. Or a small goat standing on the back of a larger goat. Or a couple of goats dancing joyfully. Or a few goats gloriously playing with a piece of fiberglass. And many of them were really, really friendly to you. My (then toddler) son enjoyed playing with them enormously. Goats are awesome. I do miss having them around. I liked to say that you could add a goat to nearly any somber real-life situation and it would instantly become funny. EDIT: 'add a joke' -> 'add a goat'. Ugh.

ryan-allen 12y ago
Did you end up eating them? I'd find it hard to eat them as I'd end up feeling like they were pets. Do you have any photos of them standing on your car or bike??!!
- Diederich 12y ago
  We did indeed eat some of them, but the meat wasn't as tasty as traditionally farm-raised animals. Ours lived mostly free-range, which is very good for them, but it makes their meat less 'yummy'. The meat most everyone (who eats meat) likes usually comes from animals who don't get very much exercise, and so has a lot less 'density' (not sure how to properly describe it.) We also sold a number of them to Muslim friends and their associates for Eid al-Fitr, and even allowed them to consecrate part of our property to do the sacrifice. Previously they could find no place within hundreds of miles that would allow them to do that. That we were (and are) Christians, who not only allowed them to do this, but even encouraged it, kind of blew their minds. :) I'll see if I can dig up some pics. It's a funny thing how so often you don't end up taking pictures of really neat, but daily things, but wish you did.
  - qt7 12y ago
    It blows my mind how you can enjoy the company of an animal and then not only eat them -- somewhat understandable as we need to eat to stay alive -- but... encouraging their ritual slaughtering? I'm speechless. Not only "ritual" and "slaughtering" are words that should give goosebumps when used together, but even encouraging it, when you don't even believe in that barbaric procedure, it's frankly inhumane.
    - boomlinde 12y ago
      I don't think that the ritual slaughter of islam and conventional slaughter are different enough for the line between barbaric and non-barbaric to coincidentally somehow end up right between them. As for slaughtering an animal that you've enjoyed the company of, I'm not sure how it is any worse than slaughtering an animal you didn't enjoy the company of. The former will give you a more intimate understanding of the impact your eating habits have, if anything.
      - david-given 12y ago
        My grandparents retired in Australia to a shoreside community with a golf course and Women's Circle. They stood it for about six months and then dropped out to become smallholders. My grandmother was utterly sentimental; they always kept a calf, which was always called Bully, which was slaughtered after a year or so. She was quite capable of chomping though a steak while saying 'Bully was such a lovely calf that year'... They did, however, tell stories (possibly true) about another couple of smallholders down the road who could never bear to slaughter their own pigs. So what they'd do was swap. These days we are completely out of touch with where our food comes from.
      - qt7 12y ago
        The only civil reply to my comment above. We may not share the same opinion, but I appreciate your considerate response. My post above probably came out too harsh, that was unintended. > I don't think that the ritual slaughter of islam and conventional slaughter are different enough for the line between barbaric and non-barbaric to coincidentally somehow end up right between them. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/outcry-after-undercover-film-exposes-brutality-of-halal-industry-10019467.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/outcry-after-... > As for slaughtering an animal that you've enjoyed the company of, I'm not sure how it is any worse than slaughtering an animal you didn't enjoy the company of. If you actually believe that which you're saying, you'd have no problem slaughtering your dog.
- Diederich 12y ago
  We're still trying to sell our farm: http://www.realms.org/selling.html http://www.realms.org/selling.html The pics are here: http://www.realms.org/selling/ http://www.realms.org/selling/ None of the goats are on conveyances, and you'll notice the fences and ropes, because this was pretty early on while we were still securing the borders of our property.
  - sebkomianos 12y ago
    It looks like a nice place to live/grow up, why are you selling it - if you don't mind me asking? I am seriously considering living moving to the countryside in a few years and I am gathering all the information/knowledge/experience I can.
    - Diederich 12y ago
      The only (substantive) high-tech employer in that area laid me and a whole bunch of other people off, so we moved to silicon valley in 2009. We really like it out here, though it's insanely expensive, we're getting along well. More importantly, there is a lot more cultural diversity out here in Santa Clara County, California compared to McDonald County, Missouri. We prefer that our son grow in a more diverse environment. Send me an e-mail if you want to chat more about living in the country; to me, it's a very interesting topic. We spent a lot of time exploring various aspects of sustainability.
- DanBC 12y ago
  To milk a goat she needs to have had kids. The female kids can be sold on to other people who want milking goats. The billy kids get sold on for meat. It's pretty tough giving up a few days old goat kid for slaughter. (Two Anglo-Nubians, long dead now).
  - Diederich 12y ago
    Correct, we kept the females for milk. Most of the males were sold.
toupeira 12y ago
> I liked to say that you could add a joke to nearly any somber real-life situation and it would instantly become funny. I know you meant "goat", but you're still speaking the truth :)
- Diederich 12y ago
  That's funny...on a whole variety of levels.
fnordfnordfnord 12y ago
My grandfather's favorite joke about goats: Q. Do you know how to keep goats from jumping the fence? A. Build a little ramp for them so they can walk over.
- Diederich 12y ago
  Ha...that's funny. In truth, the 6-inch (I think?) 'hog fence' we used (you can see it in some of the pictures) was 100% as long as there wasn't anything they could use to get a boost over. Note: they could and did move things...often times to the fence. It was good to get them out of those small enclosures later on, since we had a lot more of them.
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
- mdellabitta 12y ago
  I know a joke similar to that. Q. How do you keep goats from escaping their enclosure? A. Rinse goat meat well, rub lime juice over it (from 1/2 whole lime), place meat in a bowl, then add salt, black pepper, Scotch bonnet, thyme, allspice, curry powder, scallions, onion and garlic. Leave to marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator, longer would be ideal. Heat the oil in a skillet until it is very hot, and saute the meat until golden brown. Then add the marinade, tomatoes and coconut milk, if using, and simmer for approximately 3 more minutes. Add water, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 2 to 3 hours stirring occasionally until meat is tender.
  - Diederich 12y ago
    Mmm...we'll have to try that one!
david-given 12y ago
...incidental apropos link; here is a video of some goats playing with a sheet of metal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58-atNakMWw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58-atNakMWw What the parent said is absolutely true.
- Diederich 12y ago
  Yeah, I love that scene. I wish I'd have thought of doing that in our place.
Galactigon 12y ago
This game resonates with you? It's fun for 2 minutes. Give me a break shill.
hellbanner 12y ago
They're smart, too. The farmers I work with report their goats have broken into the house by lifting a latch and eaten pounds of broccoli.
- hellbanner 12y ago
  And by the way, goat shit makes excellent fertilizer.
- Diederich 12y ago
  Aye...I'll leave unsaid how one of our goats ended up in our attic. She had a much easier time getting around up there than I did while trying to catch her.

ryan-allen 12y ago

Did you end up eating them? I'd find it hard to eat them as I'd end up feeling like they were pets. Do you have any photos of them standing on your car or bike??!!

Diederich 12y ago
We did indeed eat some of them, but the meat wasn't as tasty as traditionally farm-raised animals. Ours lived mostly free-range, which is very good for them, but it makes their meat less 'yummy'. The meat most everyone (who eats meat) likes usually comes from animals who don't get very much exercise, and so has a lot less 'density' (not sure how to properly describe it.) We also sold a number of them to Muslim friends and their associates for Eid al-Fitr, and even allowed them to consecrate part of our property to do the sacrifice. Previously they could find no place within hundreds of miles that would allow them to do that. That we were (and are) Christians, who not only allowed them to do this, but even encouraged it, kind of blew their minds. :) I'll see if I can dig up some pics. It's a funny thing how so often you don't end up taking pictures of really neat, but daily things, but wish you did.
- qt7 12y ago
  It blows my mind how you can enjoy the company of an animal and then not only eat them -- somewhat understandable as we need to eat to stay alive -- but... encouraging their ritual slaughtering? I'm speechless. Not only "ritual" and "slaughtering" are words that should give goosebumps when used together, but even encouraging it, when you don't even believe in that barbaric procedure, it's frankly inhumane.
  - boomlinde 12y ago
    I don't think that the ritual slaughter of islam and conventional slaughter are different enough for the line between barbaric and non-barbaric to coincidentally somehow end up right between them. As for slaughtering an animal that you've enjoyed the company of, I'm not sure how it is any worse than slaughtering an animal you didn't enjoy the company of. The former will give you a more intimate understanding of the impact your eating habits have, if anything.
    - david-given 12y ago
      My grandparents retired in Australia to a shoreside community with a golf course and Women's Circle. They stood it for about six months and then dropped out to become smallholders. My grandmother was utterly sentimental; they always kept a calf, which was always called Bully, which was slaughtered after a year or so. She was quite capable of chomping though a steak while saying 'Bully was such a lovely calf that year'... They did, however, tell stories (possibly true) about another couple of smallholders down the road who could never bear to slaughter their own pigs. So what they'd do was swap. These days we are completely out of touch with where our food comes from.
    - qt7 12y ago
      The only civil reply to my comment above. We may not share the same opinion, but I appreciate your considerate response. My post above probably came out too harsh, that was unintended. > I don't think that the ritual slaughter of islam and conventional slaughter are different enough for the line between barbaric and non-barbaric to coincidentally somehow end up right between them. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/outcry-after-undercover-film-exposes-brutality-of-halal-industry-10019467.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/outcry-after-... > As for slaughtering an animal that you've enjoyed the company of, I'm not sure how it is any worse than slaughtering an animal you didn't enjoy the company of. If you actually believe that which you're saying, you'd have no problem slaughtering your dog.
Diederich 12y ago
We're still trying to sell our farm: http://www.realms.org/selling.html http://www.realms.org/selling.html The pics are here: http://www.realms.org/selling/ http://www.realms.org/selling/ None of the goats are on conveyances, and you'll notice the fences and ropes, because this was pretty early on while we were still securing the borders of our property.
- sebkomianos 12y ago
  It looks like a nice place to live/grow up, why are you selling it - if you don't mind me asking? I am seriously considering living moving to the countryside in a few years and I am gathering all the information/knowledge/experience I can.
  - Diederich 12y ago
    The only (substantive) high-tech employer in that area laid me and a whole bunch of other people off, so we moved to silicon valley in 2009. We really like it out here, though it's insanely expensive, we're getting along well. More importantly, there is a lot more cultural diversity out here in Santa Clara County, California compared to McDonald County, Missouri. We prefer that our son grow in a more diverse environment. Send me an e-mail if you want to chat more about living in the country; to me, it's a very interesting topic. We spent a lot of time exploring various aspects of sustainability.
DanBC 12y ago
To milk a goat she needs to have had kids. The female kids can be sold on to other people who want milking goats. The billy kids get sold on for meat. It's pretty tough giving up a few days old goat kid for slaughter. (Two Anglo-Nubians, long dead now).
- Diederich 12y ago
  Correct, we kept the females for milk. Most of the males were sold.

toupeira 12y ago

> I liked to say that you could add a joke to nearly any somber real-life situation and it would instantly become funny. I know you meant "goat", but you're still speaking the truth :)

Diederich 12y ago
That's funny...on a whole variety of levels.

fnordfnordfnord 12y ago

My grandfather's favorite joke about goats: Q. Do you know how to keep goats from jumping the fence? A. Build a little ramp for them so they can walk over.

Diederich 12y ago
Ha...that's funny. In truth, the 6-inch (I think?) 'hog fence' we used (you can see it in some of the pictures) was 100% as long as there wasn't anything they could use to get a boost over. Note: they could and did move things...often times to the fence. It was good to get them out of those small enclosures later on, since we had a lot more of them.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
mdellabitta 12y ago
I know a joke similar to that. Q. How do you keep goats from escaping their enclosure? A. Rinse goat meat well, rub lime juice over it (from 1/2 whole lime), place meat in a bowl, then add salt, black pepper, Scotch bonnet, thyme, allspice, curry powder, scallions, onion and garlic. Leave to marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator, longer would be ideal. Heat the oil in a skillet until it is very hot, and saute the meat until golden brown. Then add the marinade, tomatoes and coconut milk, if using, and simmer for approximately 3 more minutes. Add water, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 2 to 3 hours stirring occasionally until meat is tender.
- Diederich 12y ago
  Mmm...we'll have to try that one!

david-given 12y ago

...incidental apropos link; here is a video of some goats playing with a sheet of metal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58-atNakMWw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58-atNakMWw What the parent said is absolutely true.

Diederich 12y ago
Yeah, I love that scene. I wish I'd have thought of doing that in our place.

Galactigon 12y ago

This game resonates with you? It's fun for 2 minutes. Give me a break shill.

hellbanner 12y ago

They're smart, too. The farmers I work with report their goats have broken into the house by lifting a latch and eaten pounds of broccoli.

hellbanner 12y ago
And by the way, goat shit makes excellent fertilizer.
Diederich 12y ago
Aye...I'll leave unsaid how one of our goats ended up in our attic. She had a much easier time getting around up there than I did while trying to catch her.