Every year we have a number of goat babies.  Because our land space and feed bill are limited, we sell  babies in the fall.  In December, I found a home for the final five kids.  We also asked the land owner to take Esther and Abby.   We reviewed his space and lodgings and were satisfied with the security.  Victor Rogers wanted to use goats for grazing.  We thought it was the best home possible. Victor's place was in Penbrooke Township and  he owns 20 acres of brush.  

What we did not contemplate was that rural areas have strong predators.  Victor already had five goats and placed our seven in a separate shed and enclosure.   The fence appeared strong;  however there were barrels near the fence.  When large dogs run in packs, they are vicious predators.  Our hearts were broken when Roger reported at the new year a pack jumped the fence and killed Abby and a baby.  They maimed Esther and bit two others.  We know that Esther has always been wary of dogs and definitely put up a fight. Then they entered Victor's other area and killed three of his five.  Esther was bitten on both front legs, and her care was complicated.  Victor has since set security measures in place. 

We arrived home from holiday break on Thursday January 9, with obligations and weather problems.  We picked up the five goats from the breeders at Manitowac Wisconsin on Friday. The timing was to pickup before snow/rain storm that was going to hit the area and we arrived home as the storm begin.  It brought other problems that required attention with a sudden sewer problem flooding the basement during the weekend.

It was not until Monday  January 13 we fetched  Esther from Penbrooke Township.  Her care by Victor Rogers was going to be very difficult and long. She was completely off her feet, stumbling on her knees and of course uncooperative.  We carried all 155 pounds of her to the van and drove home arriving at dark.  I had communicated with Dr. Vigil over the weekend.  He waited for us and was at the house by 5 pm.  He had received help from a local vet hospital for triage materials.  She had been deeply bitten on her back flank, her right front  leg and three times on her left front leg.  Her left shoulder (or in goat anatomy her elbow)  was swollen full of pus.  Dr. Vigil and I worked in the dark to clean her up.   She had wild look when we put her in our van;  however she knew she was home and tried to use her legs to jump out.  

In these two weeks,  her least damaged leg is better. Because she had not previously  received quality care, there was a lot of infection.  We still clean out infection daily.  I am not certain of her quality of life prospects.  She is  a strong goat, and has begun to stand on the least affected leg.  Yet the other leg has three wounds on it.  Her flank bite has healed into a heart shaped scar.  If she can manage the two block trip to the Waller Street Field, she will be okay.  This will be her retirement space.  Sometimes there is no place like home. 

Even the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has an interesting article on raw unpasteurized milk.  Perhaps it might be useful for all our customers with questions.

We were incredibly grateful for the amazing miracles that seemed to appear each day that we are worked on Rick Thomas' Ramp. Eelco Grodjes, from the Netherlands, arrived on October 31.  The next day he created a proportional  cardboard design.  Saturday we reviewed materials at lumber yards and hardware stores in the suburbs.  Eelco evaluated the materials that could be salvaged from the ancient ramp.  Previously we began our GoFundMe campaign on October 19. 

The first week of November,  daily miracles began to happen.  Monday Luke mentioned the boards we moved from Rice Street, and we paid a neighbor $100.00 for this pile of old 2x4 planks.  Eelco and Josh dismantled the back porch and old ramp.  We began to receive funding on Tuesday.  It was amazing every day this week, something happened to provide either materials or funding to pay for the ramp. Tuesday we received free paint from Paulson's Paint Store in Forest Park.  Wednesday McQuire-Western Lumber Company in Chicago gave us a deep discount for deck boards to cover the sloping ramp structure.  The next day another neighbor offered exactly the needed wood 4x4 posts to complete the structure.

The weather continued to mock us with how cold the season could be with snow and frigid temperatures.  Josh, Luke and Eelco developed the four part ramp at the back of the house.  Every day I chatted with Rick and was encouraged by the beginning of smiles on his face.  The ramp finished just before Thanksgiving.  An amazing effort with more than 20 neighbors participating and two businesses. 

Because Luke came, I could write.  Luke took over milking responsibilities for me last August, done seven days a week twice a day.  Recently Luke began cooking for us at night, which allows me to finish my posts for Facebook , and the newsletter.  He is a volunteer from World Wide Opportunity for Organic Farming (WWOOF) Luke is staying with us for these months he establishes himself in the city of Chicago as a chef and actor.  Luke and his brothers worked in poultry urban farming in Rockford.  We benefit from his knowledge and background as he has a place to live in Chicago.  I personally now have breathing room to reflect God's grace to us this summer through amazing people in our lives.

Our farm was full of activities this last year because we benefited from many volunteers, both local and international, short term and long term. Volunteers and workers have allowed us to accomplish  plans that were dreams now reality.  Danielle Rosen set up our pollinator garden, and worked with us to organize our test cover crops.  Sam Ulmstead happily weeded and weeded anything we put her to do, including our tomatoes and test area.  She also entered milk data into our excel files.  Taylor came through for three days and helped with daily chores.  Her background in community gardens was very useful for changes. Stephanie cleaned up my sales invoices for July and enjoyed goat herding.  Ali, a PHD student who helps on Saturdays, had put up fences and taken down fences as well as cleaned the garage (barn) and planted our test crops. Robin our German WWOOFer came for 10 days to clear out our fields mowing areas that in years' past we had no time to clean.  Joshua came and began to work with dreams of 2020 for managing Waller Street land.     We are very grateful for the changes and the burdens lifted as well as dreams organized for 2020.  

We enjoy our goats, even with the continuous work involved.  It is heartening to read about other places that can make use of the goat world. The Chicago Tribune published a lovely story about Goats in the Dune National Park.  Enjoy the read.

Interesting news from WBEZ concerning the recent proposal to limit livestock in Chicago.  Take a listen or a read on these new updates.  A big thankyou to all my customers, neighbors, and goat supporters for your calls and emails to Chicago Alder offices.

Our mission is to glorify God, help restore community and provide healthful foods to our neighbors. We would like to share with our readers about a need of one of our neighbors.  Rick Thomas and his mom Betty have been gracious and helpful neighbors to us for 14 years.  Rick has had injuries which have caused him to be completely confined to a wheelchair.  Since his last injury four years ago, he has not been able to independently leave his own house. We support Rick and Betty with food weekly as they have watched out for us;  yet we hope to do more. He needs a useful ramp to leave the house in order to drive his car. 

An ancient ramp used for another family member 20 years ago still is on the back of the house, which is a danger for him to attempt.  I was chatting with Rick and he noticed our outdoor chicken coop and admired the work on it.  I said I would ask if the man who built the coop could help us.  Amazingly enough our volunteer from last year Eelco Grootjes, a structural engineer, has agreed to return to Chicago to build a new ramp.  He is very good at recycling materials;  however we will still need funds to build the ramp according to standards that allow Rick to use it.

In addition,  Rick's driver's licence needs to be renewed.  He has been driving modified cars since 1982;  but needs as well as to modify his car so he can drive. GlennArt has committed to help him with the necessary paperwork to renew his licence.  Yet he will need funds to install the hand controls. 

If you have interest in community support, please click on the button below.  This is a useful opportunity to help.  Eelco comes the first of November, so any support you may provide will immediately be put to use.

Praise God the property at North Waller Street has been sold to the NeighborSpace Land Trust!  NeighborSpace has support of Openlands, a conservation nonprofit dedicated to the restoration of natural spaces..  Openlands has received funding to plant trees in public spaces including community gardens.  This Saturday October 19,  Neighbor Space and Root Riot will work together to plant over 20 trees.

Saturday the event will start at 9 AM to finish at 1PM.  Interested in planting trees?
Please click on the link below to register and/or obtain the details.  We will meet at the Root Riot Garden at 445 N. Waller.

What do goats have to do with the city of Chicago? Most goats need an acre per animal to grow and live.  Here on the West Side, they live in  limited spaces and graze on house sized lots. Here at GlennArt we have to work harder to keep them clean and well fed, importing their food from outside the city, and providing space for them in our neighborhood.  Currently the city council of Chicago is reviewing ordinances for livestock.  While it seems ironic that livestock exists here, the interruption of seeing animals in the Chicago  gives perspective for nature in a city of cement, as well as fill a need in the urban agriculture community.

True, the care of these animals needs to be careful, clean and courteously done.  We cannot have them smelling because of their poop, or left unattended by their owners, nor existing as loud or offensive to neighbors.  Urban goats can provide a gentle reminder of the natural world that is cut off by city environments, especially for children.  One child in our neighborhood blurted out when seeing our animals, 'They look so peaceful'.  Another neighbor stated that if goats could live on the West Side his family could live in peace here. 

At GlennArt Farm we keep them as a service to the city.  Our focus is to glorify God, restore community and provide healthful food to our neighbors.  We have found that goats have a niche to play in the development of sustainable urban  agriculture.   They produce milk for an alternative food source, their manure gives an immediate use for fertilizer, the goats love to eat down overgrown lots and they are gentle when interacting with people.

A herd in the city may consist of a minimum of two animals.  We manage five does (or female goats).  We breed our goats with breeders to maintain a small herd without the complication of keeping adult males.   Our herd consists of five nannies and their kids (babies).  Every year we have about 8 to 10 babies which are sold at the end of the year.  

With help from Frontera Farmer Foundations, GlennArt created a mini dairy in the city of Chicago.  The State of Illinois created regulations to allow the sale of raw unpasteurized milk from farm homesteads.  After two years of work, we met the regulations standards and obtained the permit.  Our production is tiny compared to large farms;  however we have found a niche market of buyers that benefit from our product. 

Manure is always a complication for keeping animals;  however the soil amendments of goat manure allows it to be applied immediately and safely in gardens.  Community gardens have amend their soil systems from our service to haul bags of manure to their sites. Urban agriculture and floral companies have reaped the benefits of our soil amendments in their products of fruits, vegetables and cut flowers. 

Interacting with goats proves to be fascinating to the public. Providentially, we discovered ecotourism activities like goat yoga and what we call goat 'chill.' People like goats.  These animals are pleasant, smart and funny and have no upper teeth.  They are gentle with children and do not bite.   In order to provide the experience to our neighbors, we offer 'open pasture' moments to feed and 'rub' their fur. 

We take our precautions to keep them healthy to be  munching, provide manure, milk and memories.   It is our hope for Chicago to understand not only the benefits of goats in the city,  but also the mental and physical  health it gives to this city's inhabitants.  For us it is worth the effort to show a beauty in this created world.