the goat farmer's almanac

For a week every October a nice hotel in a nice American city is overrun by 300 or so dairy goat farmers and a few of the industry's choicest animals. This year's site of the 2007 American Dairy Association Convention was the Marriot in Fort Collins Colorado.

In terms of boosting the local economy, an ADGA gathering is not on par with, say, a Shriner's convention but hotel staffs always seem to get a kick out of having their grand ball room turned into a stable for the Spotlight Sale -- an auction of some of the finest dairy goat kids in the country. My favorite this year was a little buck named South Fork Chalupa Bravo who carries some of the same bloodlines that are in our herd and would have make a super addtion. He went for $2,000. If I could have afforded the 1st class airplane ticket for him back to Maryland, I would have bid him up.

I'm always impressed with the tireless efforts of ADGA people toward improving the dairy goat industry on all levels -- from the educational sessions on veterninary care to the dawn-to-dusk Board and Committee meetings. My first ADGA convention was in Syracuse, New York in 1995 and the one this year was my sixth. Next year's convention is in Sonoma County California, the epicenter of goat dairy-dom. I can hardly wait!