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+--- Thread: Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area in Oregon (/showthread.php?tid=509)
Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area in Oregon - Taffy - 08-11-2014
My husband Gene, Bourbon, Banjo, Preacher (our dog) and I spent a couple of days at Emigrant Springs. We camped in the horse camp area and had the place to ourselves. Bourbon was at the Rendy but this was Banjo's first trip. We hiked the trails (some are single track and some are wider), picked some huckleberries and thimble berries and just relaxed in camp. It's our R&R time before the next hay cutting.
Since goats like to be “up” and the picnic table was higher than anything else at camp guess where they boys wanted to be. Plus there were all sorts of things on the picnic table to check out and taste. Out came the squirt bottle! Bourbon and Banjo learned quickly that getting up on the picnic table wasn’t acceptable. I’ve attached a picture of Banjo before he learned his lesson.
Bourbon was bottle fed so is extremely friendly. Banjo was dam raised and not played with at all so is not tame. He is curious though and watches what Bourbon does closely. When we first got to camp he was still really wild. I left a long lead on him and let him run loose with Bourbon. He stuck close to Bourbon at first and then started to venture out on his own a little more. He still wanted Bourbon in sight. By the time we came home he had actually stuck his nose out and smelled me a couple times while I was petting Bourbon. He also came within a foot of me on his own and wasn’t as skittish when Gene or I moved near him. He still doesn’t want to be touched but that will come with time.
The goats followed me everywhere I went – even to the outhouse! I came out of the outhouse one morning and there were the 2 park rangers. They had stopped and were trying to get a closer look at the goats. I led Bourbon over to them and we talked for awhile about the goats. They didn't even ask why my goats didn't have ears!
On our first hike we ran into some black angus. I got a picture of Banjo in a frozen alert position trying to figure out what they were. Then he and Bourbon began running toward the cows! I called Bourbon back and Banjo followed him. I don’t know what they were thinking! Neither of them had seen cows before but they were running toward them calling!
During parts of the hikes Gene would walk in front and I’d walk in back with the goats between us rather than Gene being in back. Every time I’d stop to take a picture of the goats they’d stop and look at me like they were asking why I was stopping. That didn’t work very well for getting candid photos of them!
It was a good first trip with the boys. We all had an enjoyable time.
RE: Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area in Oregon - nebs - 08-11-2014
What a fun hike in a great area. I bet Banjo tames right up with that kind of quality time. Cool pics, thanks for sharing!
RE: Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area in Oregon - deschutes dawn - 08-11-2014
Was somebody invited to the BBQ? Maybe he was hoping goat wasn't on the menu! Fun pics!
RE: Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area in Oregon - Nanno - 08-11-2014
That's great! Those are a couple of good-looking boys you've got there. I'll bet Banjo will be in your pocket before you know it!
RE: Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area in Oregon - Charlie Horse - 08-12-2014
Great pics. Taking a 'wild' youngster seems like it could lead to some frustrating moments. Glad it worked out.
I just have one question, though...
Why don't those goats have ears?
RE: Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area in Oregon - Taffy - 08-12-2014
(08-12-2014, 07:12 AM)Charlie Horse Wrote: I just have one question, though...
Why don't those goats have ears?
We ate them! I can't believe you don't know about harvesting goat ears! You know how some goat breeds have upright ears? Well as those ears grow they end up dropping down and getting quite long like a Nubian or Boer ear. That's when you harvest the ears and eat them. That's why La Mancha have no ears. Their ears have been harvested. There's nothing tastier than a breaded and deep fried goat ear!
RE: Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area in Oregon - Dave-Trinity-Farms - 08-13-2014
mmmm one of my favorites! Though I like mine with a dusting of sugar and Cinnamon
RE: Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area in Oregon - Taffy - 08-13-2014
Ooooo! I'd never thought of cinnamon sugar! I'll have to try it next time!