This page should give you a general introduction and we welcome you to get to
know us as we grow.
Herd name: Fair Skies
Date established: October 8, 2007
Breeds raised: Purebred Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats
We are very serious about
bio-security!
The health of our herd and the preservation and longevity of the
Nigerian Dwarf dairy goat is extremely important to us. Untested adult goats and
sheep, or goats and sheep that have been in contact with untested, suspicious, or
distrusted animals are never allowed on our property. Additionally, we only buy
goats from trusted herds and we always quarantine new arrivals.
Date of last negative blood
tests for CAE & Johne's: March 22, 2007 (2008 testing scheduled with Dr. Theresa Beck at North Star Animal Hospital in Palmer)
All adults tested negative for both CAE & Johne's while still
at SilverAurora. Dr. Teresa Beck at North Star Animal Hospital in Palmer, Alaska
performed the tests on all adults in the SilverAurora herd. SilverAurora tests all
adults annually and they have never had a CAE- or Johne's-positive goat.
No signs ever of CL, Blue Tongue, or Brucellosis, and we are in a
TB-free state. Next tests at Fair Skies, including tests for CL, will be done on all
adults in Summer 2008 with Dr. Theresa Beck at North Star Animal Hospital in Palmer.
Copies of the test results for all goats are available upon
request.
The improvement of
mammary (milk production) genetics is vital to the success of our chosen breed.
We are a member of the Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) program
through Langston University, with authorization to test all lactating does under the
auspices of ADGA and AGS through the end of 2008. We have been testing since
December 8, 2007 and prior to the establishment of our herd, our adult does were on test
at SilverAurora.
DHI Herd #: 96007000
All
of our goats are dual-registered in the American Goat Society and the American Dairy Goat
Association |
AGS Member #: 11047
AGS tattoo: SKYS in goats' right ear |
 |
ADGA Member #: 1509899
ADGA tattoo: SKYS in goats' right ear |
 |
Kiddings to date: Two
Kids produced to date: Five
Show experience:
volunteered as Ring Steward for 2007 ADGA and AGS shows at the
Alaska State Fair in Palmer, Alaska, assisting Judge Lynn Fleming visiting from Pine Bush,
NY
volunteered as Ring Steward for 2007 Alaska Mini Goat Cache shows
and obstacle course at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer, Alaska (Look for Heather to ring steward again at the 2008 NPGA show at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer August 20-22!)
volunteered as Ring Steward for part of 2007 Open Livestock Show
at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer, Alaska
Other affiliations/associations:
member of Alaska
Mini Goat Cache (NOT just for mini goat enthusiasts!)
member of Alaska
Dairy Goat Association
We are part of the Buy Alaska program!
We are Alaska Grown certified!
We are part of Local
Harvest!
We hold license #2007-18688 to conduct business in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Additionally, we are licensed to conduct business in the State of Alaska and you can see our state business license here: Adobe Acrobat Reader or *.jpg.
You can also view our license status with the State of Alaska by clicking
here.
We pet, farm, house, & barn sit! We know you don't want to
needlessly stress out your animals while you're away! Don't board them out, let us pet,
farm, house, and barn sit for you! We are a responsible, professional, drug-free,
alcohol-free, non-smoking, married couple with experience handling pets and livestock
(cats, dogs, fish, turtles, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, horses, goats, ducks,
chickens, turkeys, etc.).
In addition to the basics of watching and securing your property, collecting mail and
newspapers, watering plants, opening and closing window coverings, turning lights on and
off, and tidying up, we can feed and medicate animals, clean litterboxes, collect eggs,
milk goats, handle animals for the veterinarian and farrier, rotate turn-out, blanket
animals, check fences, and more! We are familiar with off-grid power systems and
wood stoves and we're also willing to learn with new animals and tasks. Your animals
will be much more comfortable at home, on their same diets and routines, and you'll know
everything is safe and secure.
Let us give you peace of mind while you're away. We're experienced and have references.
Email us your approximate location, the month of absence (for your protection, please do
not send your exact dates until we connect!), and a summary of your needs. If you
have a budget in mind, please include this in your email. We'll do our best to help!
Need help setting up the perfect area for your new animals? We're
always learning from our peers and we hope we can pass what we learn on to others to
benefit their stock. If you would like to schedule a free site visit for a friendly
chat and some helpful advice, please contact
us. We can offer tips on general lay-out considering drainage, wind, and
weather, shelters (stalls, barns, and lean-tos), turn-out pens (pastures or dry lots),
feed storage, milking parlors, and general animal husbandry. We're also especially
experienced at planning and building fencing (particularly electric horse fencing).
At least we can welcome you to the community and put you in touch with others with common
interests in your locale!