Rural Heritage June/July 2026

harvest times. We transitioned from growing on 1.5 acres in four fields to working on less than half of an acre in one field. This worked for a couple of seasons, but one summer I found myself once again in the doctor’s office peering at an X-ray on his computer monitor. “Usually, I do not see spondylosis of the spine like this in people your age. You have the upper cervical of an 80-year-old. You really shouldn’t lift more than 10 pounds max at any time.” I winced. And after some close questioning, the doctor made it clear that I had to step away from many of my accustomed chores, including milking our herd of Nubian goats. A full-grown Nubian doe or buck can push 150 to 200 pounds. Hoof trimming, Mini kids are large and hearty, often making their entrance as one of a triplet due to the Nigerian genetics.

grabbing the collar of a doe trying to make a break for the open gate or the grain trough on the milking stand … these actions can be disastrous for someone with spinal health issues. The doctor’s advice was to consider swimming and moving to a warmer climate. He mentioned the possibility of injections. After stepping away from the farm for a year, I soon realized those solutions wouldn’t work for me. To put my health first, I had sold my herd of purebred Nubians. We fallowed our garden for a season. Spring came and went without our usual seed starting frenzy under the shop lights in the house. No trees were tapped. Summer came, and, instead of weeding and harvesting, we took a trip up to the North Shore. In autumn, we bought our pumpkins at Mini Nubians are a great way to get kids involved with milking chores.

Rural Heritage

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