Watching Orion in her natural element — always in rhythm with the seasons and their offerings — would remind me of what it was we were doing . And why .
All the weight of my responsibilities – the absorption in my daily affairs – would subside . My axis , tilt . And I ’ d be left with a feeling of renewing and reorienting , a sense of belonging . A blending of the self into the farm as a whole .
Chores , animals , landscape , weather , forage , soil , hunger , love — all were part of the same organism . Not only could I perceive the beauty of its architecture , I could even understand ( if only briefly ) something of the sum of its parts . A perspective shift : Orion ’ s gift . And I ’ d feel uplifted . Calmed .
The loss of our dear companion is overwhelming . Suddenly the queen of our herd , our compass , the centerpiece of our farm and family , is gone . We feel her absence deeply . Our hearts hurt . As our first goat , she tended to us as much ( if not more ) than we tended to her . Something in the foundation has shifted .
And yet her teachings and her legacy will live on . Mother to four surviving does , grandmother to seven ( Eva , Stella , Matilda , Eclipse , Curious George , Scout , and
Fiddle ) and even great grandmother to two , Orion ’ s spirit will continue to flourish and her memory nourish for many years to come . We are grateful to have known her . We celebrate her , and will miss her always .
Part of the mission at Big Picture Farm is to demonstrate careful and compassionate animal husbandry by treating the goats to the highest animal welfare and environmental standards .
Their goat dairy is certified Animal Welfare Approved , whose standards are the most rigorous and progressive animal care requirements in the nation ( as recognized by the World Society for the Protection of Animals ) for two years running now . They rotationally pasture the herd on 88 acres from May through November , using solar-electric fences to move the goats twice every day to ensure fresh , delicious , and diverse forage . They are fed only organic pasture , and supplemented exclusively with GMO-free and organic whole grain , minerals , and alfalfa .
I asked , “ Was all this an easy start ?”
“ Not really ,” they reflected . There were years of 80-hour weeks , every week . But they are proud of the way they treat their goats , and their welfare .
They are also , they say , “ Proud of creating jobs and providing a living wage and access to benefits for our team . We ’ re proud of turning this idea into a reality that allows us to live in Vermont . We have been able put down roots where we wanted to put down roots .”
I couldn ’ t help but ask , “ Could you imagine doing what you do anywhere else ?”
“ No . There is a network of support that exists in Vermont . Whether it ’ s neighborly or foundational or from organizations , Vermont is really great at supporting young farmers and creating community . It ’ s also a landscape that is so beautiful that you ’ re willing to put in all that work to make it happen . This particular hillside is specifically perfectly suited for our animals . The goats are happy . We are happy .”
bigpicturefarm . com
20 VERMONT MAGAZINE