Goats, Gardens and Berries

This is certainly a time of year when many of us are thinking about our gardens. Vegetable garden, that is. Having raised goats for over fifteen years now if there’s one thing I’ve learned is that goats and gardens do not mix well. That is, of course unless your garden fencing is built like fort Knox. Don’t get me wrong, I love my goats and they are such a blessing but as goats go they always want to eat what’s on the other side of the fence. Sounds like a lot of us doesn’t it? (The grass is always greener…) In fact the Bible very often compares people to sheep and goats with the goats being the less favorable analogy.

Goats absolutely love to eat bushes, especially the fruit kind. In fact many people get goats just for that one thing, to clear out their land of briers and overgrowth. Out in California, for instance, goats are heavily coveted for keeping fire breaks clear during the wildfire season.

However, the fruit that I want to talk to you about is actually one that mixes very well with goats and gardens. I’m talking of course about goat droppings or more commonly known as “goat berries”. When it comes to manure management goats are some of the cleanest animals you can have around. The reason they are called berries is obvious. Goat berries are solid, round, dark pellets about the same size as blueberries. From a healthy goat they are clean, dry and almost odorless and they stay that way for a long time. That property is what makes them one of the best fertilizers for your garden. In fact goat berries are unique from other forms of organic fertilizers in that there is no waiting for the manure to decompose before it can be used.

Most manures have to be dried and decomposed or the decomposition process will generate too much heat and kill the plants. Goat berries, however, dissolve slowly over time and release the nutrients into the soil at a perfect rate. My neighbor Warren calls them nature’s “time-release capsules”. One of the best crops of tomatoes we ever had was one where we mixed peat moss and a handful of goat berries with each plant. There was no smell and tomatoes were busting out everywhere that whole summer.

So besides all the other benefits of owning goats, now you have one more. That being, some of the best, free fertilizer you can get anywhere. Just make sure to close the gate behind you when you leave the garden or all those wonderful vegetables will quickly cycle their way right back into the goat again.

Happy gardening! ;-)

Feeling Bold Today…

I don't usually do this, but things need to change and I believe this is a good start.

Here is a passage from Romans 2:14-16

For when [they], which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

And here is a picture of a goat on the farm: she is a beauty!

And finally, a verse that pertains to raising goats!

The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field. And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens. -Proverbs 27:26,27

Jamaican Goat Curry Recipe from SimplyRecipes.com

This Jamaican Goat Curry from SimplyRecipes.com is a wonderful recipe you can make with goat meat. Full of flavor, the goat is tender and sure to warm you up on a cold day! Try it and let me know.

Visit the link at the end of the post to see the entire recipe.

Jamaican Goat Curry Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6-8 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp allspice (see step 1)
3 pounds goat (can use lamb or beef if you can't find goat)
Salt
2 onions, chopped
1-2 habanero or Scotch bonnet peppers, seeded and chopped
A 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped
1-2 cans coconut milk
1 15-ounce can of tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp dried thyme
3-4 cups water
5 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
METHOD
1 Make the curry powder. If you can find Jamaican curry powder, definitely use it. If not, use regular curry powder and add the allspice to it. You will need at least 6 tablespoons of spices for this stew, and you can kick it up to 8-9 depending on how spicy you like it.
2 Cut the meat into large chunks, maybe 2-3 inches across. If you have bones, you can use them, too. Salt everything well and set aside to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
3 Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Mix in 2 tablespoons of the curry powder and heat until fragrant.
4 Pat the meat dry and brown well in the curried oil. Do this in batches and don’t overcrowd the pot. It will take a while to do this, maybe 30 minutes or so. Set the browned meat aside in a bowl. (When all the meat is browned, if you have bones, add them and brown them, too.)
5 Add the onions and habanero to the pot and sauté, stirring from time to time, until the onions just start to brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle some salt over them as they cook. Add the ginger and garlic, mix well and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
6 Put the meat (and bones, if using) back into the pot, along with any juices left in the bowl. Mix well. Pour in the coconut milk and tomatoes and 5 tablespoons of the curry powder. Stir to combine. If you are using 2 cans of coconut milk, add 3 cups of water. If you’re only using 1 can, add 4 cups of water. Add the thyme. Bring to a simmer and let it cook until the meat is falling-apart tender, which will take at least 2 hours. Longer if you have a mature goat.
7 Once the meat is close to being done – tender but not falling apart yet – Add the potatoes and mix in. The stew is done when the potatoes are. Taste for salt and add some if it needs it.
8 You might need to skim off the layer of fat at the top of the curry before serving. Do this with a large, shallow spoon, skimming into a bowl. Also, be sure to remove any bones before you serve the curry.
The stew is better the day after, or even several days after, the day you make it.
Serve with Jamaican rice and peas, a coconut rice with kidney beans.
Serve 8-12

Jamaican Goat Curry Recipe on SimplyRecipes.com