I have a few does that I just connect with. It didn't take Ariel and I long to build a connection. She is a bit reserved but I am her person. She always comes and greets me when I enter the Mini Nubian pasture. She will quietly walk over and lean on me if I don't immediately pet her. She often times lays her head in my lap.  I will lean my head against her head and just love on her. She is my girl! It has been very apparent to me as I am doing this write up on her. She is always so close I rarely get a good picture of her. lol 

As a Mini Nubian Goat breeder the hardest thing to do is to make cuts. you find as your herd grows you have to occasionally sale some goats. It is sometimes heartbreaking.  I know this was heart breaking for Irinia but it was a blessing for me. I wanted to milk our Mini Nubians but with a fulltime job it was almost impossible to find the time to get started. I also wanted to  add some stellar milk lines.  "All in god's time"!

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I began to casually look for a girl or 2 with great milk lines, udder attachments and who was milk stand trained. If they were in milk that was a plus! I really don't like to buy a single goat. I feel like they do better when you bring home or add more than one to a herd. They come into your herd with a friend and it makes the transition easier for them. 

Somehow I connected with Irinia Skillman who had some girls she was thinking of letting go. She has a beautiful herd, packed with milk and has done a wonderful job with her Mini Nubian lines. Every goat in Ariel's pedigree has a milk star. If you know anything about ADGA milk star's this is impressive. 

After talking with her several times, I agreed to take 2 does in milk and one of their doelings. We would be adding 3 Skillman Mini Nubian's to our herd. I was beyond thrilled! We made the 5 hour trip to Staunton, VA with our truck and trailer to pick up the girls. We got them loaded and another 5 hour trip home. We got them unloaded and in a pen by themselves so they would have some time to adjust and settle in. 

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Once we felt they had adjusted we let them out with the rest of the herd.  They quickly laid eyes on our herd sire, Porter. They were separated by a fence but a fence wasn't going to stop them from dating. The does, Ariel and Cinderella, quickly figured out how to go "Meet" Porter on the other side of the fence. It was love at first MAAAA!

June 2021 Update: We have Skillman's Ariel and Knightwolf's Porter baby goats on the ground. Even our young, small, sneaky Bella doeling decided to date without permission. I am also working on getting our girls dual registered with the MDGA. 

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