Ask Jerry Middendorf about his goats, and hell correct a myth, They dont eat tin cans.
They do gobble grass, however, and lots of it.
Four years after Jerry and Judy (nee Elliott) married in 1962 they found a good living by managing and maintaining metropolitan residential properties in Lawrence and then in Wichita.
In 2000, they moved to an idyllic place on Table Rock Lake, a short drive from Branson. But as it is with many, their hometown tugged at the heartstrings and in 2005 they moved to Humboldt, acquiring a small farm half a mile east of town.
Jerry, at 75, is hands-on. When we came here I wanted some animals to occupy his time.
Jerry stumbled onto goats when he and Keith Beeman began helping out John Croisant, who was suffering from cancer, with his goat operation.
An outcome was that Jerry bought four Croisant goats. One, then a yearling, remains in the Middendorf herd at age 14.
With coyotes a persistent threat, Jerry has a Great Pyrenees female to stand guard.
Walking into his barn is a step into his world of goats. The barn is partitioned to keep nannies separated for breeding considerations. Kids, who start eating solid food at two weeks but arent weaned for another two months, are separated part of the day to eat their fill. If adult goats had the option theyd eat until they bloated and died, Jerry said.
Currently bred nannies will have babies in January. A handful of older ones whiling away their days soon will be replaced by kids growing into the role.
Jerrys birthing plan is designed so kids can become 4-H projects, and be ready for late summer county fairs.
His two males are kept apart, except at breeding time. Two are necessary to prevent in-breeding.
The sire of note is a 300-pounder that, in his zeal to join some nannies, once battered down a gates steel cross member. While Jerry musingly calls him Killer, he has a noble pedigree, having been state champion at the Missouri State Fair and reserve champion in Arkansas.
Killer didnt come cheap, but has shown his worth, producing 50 kids each of the last two years. Kids often come in sets of twins, occasionally triplets.
While most of Jerrys young goats go to 4-Hers, a few are marketed at a monthly auction in Yates Center, which caters to the demand for goat meat in large cities.
MOVING BACK to Humboldt was all the Middendorfs hoped for. They are faithful to their hometown, its activities and organizations.
Though having a herd of goats is restrictive, Jerry has a solution. When theyre on the road, Bob Wulf takes over, a favor Jerry returns when Bob and Glenna are out of pocket and need someone to look after their cows and cats and chickens.
