Meet Bilbo Part 1

Bilbo Baggins
being played by Martin Freeman

Hey you, Hobbit fans, relax, I know you already think you know him. I am not talking about the great character in everyone's favorite Tolkien book. I am talking about Bilbo, our fun-loving, long-eared, Nubian buck. Now, I know it seems every scary story begins While my husband was away . . . this is the story about how this great, floppy-eared buck found his way to Sanctae Familiae Villa and into our hearts.

Bilbo smiles for his photo shoot with Kolbe.

It was spring. Rob was away in California for work. We already had three mini doe goats that a friend had given to us. We had kept them alive through the winter; surely,  we were ready to find a mate for them. I called around, I looked on Craigslist. There seemed to be no buck to fit the bill. Lord, please give me patience and a buck, I prayed. I then found an ad for a livestock auction. Oh, livestock auctions are bad aren't they . . . they must be. I thought long and hard about this option. Well, I reasoned with myself, somebody had to go there and rescue any needy animal and give it a good home. Why not us?

"Rob, I'm gonna go to an auction to find a male goat. Do you think that's okay?" I spoke cautiously over the phone. "I guess" he replied. "Be careful." Just to boost my own confidence level my reply was "I'm a smart girl you know . . .I'll be okay."

The kids and I piled into our beat-up Suburban and we were off. We were filled with a sense of excitement, adventure and nervousness. What wonders would await us at an auction. I had only been to one auction with Rob, in PA, and it was an Amish one. New England didn't seem to have any safe Amish auctions. Oh, well, here goes . . ."Hey kids isn't this going to be so much fun?!"

We arrive to a dusty parking lot, next to a warehouse/barn looking building. I was wearing one of my many jean skirts, muck boots, Carhartt jacket and lets not forget the bandana. Surely, I looked like a seasoned farmer.  I even had my money separated into different pockets, to look as if I didn't have much (I remember reading that somewhere). I was prepared.

Gigi and baby Bilbo snuggling. 

We walked into the dusty building (well once we actually found the correct door) to quite an amazement. There were chickens and other small animals in crates, Ho Ho's and Little Debbie cakes stacked on tables. Next to all the delectable treats of my youth there were stacks and piles of farm hoes, rakes and man farmer gadgets galore. Lots of old and young men stood and sat around, under a cloud of smoke that seemed to just linger above them.

Amongst the tables, stuff and crates stood a pen with two little floppy-eared kid goats. They screamed MAAAAAA at the top of their little voices. I stood there mouth-dropped, wide-eyed trying to absorb the whole scene. My first thought: I know baby goats I want my mom about now too!

To Be Continued . . . Read Meet Bilbo Part 2 next Friday

Note: For all you goat breeders: I know you should never breed a larger breed male with a smaller female. You will know what actually happened in the continued story. If you have any questions or concerns you can privately contact me.