Being part of the American Boer Goat Association is more than a membership for Sheila and Bobby Anderson. It’s a family tradition and legacy. “Agriculture is a way of life, it is our way of life, and I love every minute of it,” Sheila said. “I am so happy my daughter Danielle Hubin and three of my grandkids Wyatt, Lexus, and Kase Hubin absolutely love raising and showing goats as much as I do.” Her grandkids are even starting to show kids out of their previous show does. “Sometimes I tell them piano lessons would have been cheaper than getting them hooked on goats,” Sheila jokingly said. While her grandkids are following in her footsteps, it was Sheila, who first followed in her grandmother’s footsteps. She grew up in Lawrence, Kan. “I spent the weekends and summers on my grandma’s farm, which is a couple of miles from where I live now,” explained Sheila, who operates Anderson Boer Goat Acres. In addition to raising goats and helping run 100 plus cow/calf pairs, she is an RN. While her husband is a welder, he has farmed his whole life. In fact, it was her father-in-law who gave them their first goat. They started raising goats and joined the ABGA when her daughter Danielle and sons Tyrel and Trevor were kids. After a few years, Sheila had to take a hiatus from the ABGA when the kids got more involved in sports. But she rejoined the ABGA when her oldest grandson Wyatt was 5 years old. “I bought my first registered ABGA dapple buck and fell in love,” she said. “I was hooked!!” When asked what agriculture means to her, Sheila said everything: “Cattle, horses, goats, row crop, and hay. Everything that is involved in farming: late nights, hard work, sweat, and tears.” The icing on the cake for this grandmother who loves her family and agriculture: “I think another grandson Grayson is starting to like the goats!”.

A familiar face recently rejoined USDA’s Indiana Farm Service Agency (FSA). ABGA member Julia Wickard is their new State Executive Director. “Agriculture runs deep in my roots, and I am a proud fourth generation producer on our 176-year-old Hoosier homestead,” Julia said. “It is an honor, duty, and pleasure to live and take care of the land that was founded by my ancestors decades ago.” Julia, who held the same position from 2009 to 2017, sees her role in the public policy arena as a caretaker of the agricultural sector. “I have so much respect for the American farmer who works every day – sunup to sundown – to produce food, feed, fuel, and fiber for Americans and global consumers,” she explained. “During my professional career, I have always gravitated to public service positions.” Before rejoining the Indiana FSA, she served in the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for more than five years. There, she led a team as the Assistant Commissioner and Agricultural Liaison. But Julia said she missed “working 24/7/365” for American agriculture. “As I live on our family farm that was homesteaded in 1846, I am reminded daily and am truly thankful to professionally serve agriculture every day and then to go home to it every night,” she added. “I enjoy agricultural policy, public and government affairs, and advocating for the greatest industry in America.” Her new position allows her to do all of the above. When she’s not in the office, you will find Julia at Wickard Livestock, which is in eastern rural Hancock County about 30 minutes east of Indianapolis in Indiana. There they have registered Boer Goats and raise registered Angus cattle. “The farm prides itself on quality animals that are going to be functional producing females for both the breeding and exhibition industries,” Julia said. “We have learned so much from breeders from across the country, and we are excited to take our operation to the next level.” Wickard Livestock joined the ABGA six years ago, and Julia, her husband Chris, son Jacob and daughter Jordyn are all members. “We knew there were choices for different organizations in the Boer goat industry, but after researching and talking to other ABGA members, we decided ABGA was the organization that worked best for our operation, our son’s herd, and our developing Boer goat operation,” she explained. Their herd consists of fullblood traditional, dapple, and percentage does. Julia said they are focusing on color and quality for their herd, because they know diversity is important. They flushed their first donor doe in 2021 and have been happy with the outcome of this new foundational female’s offspring. “We have learned a lot about the goat health, breeding, and general care over the years,” Julia said. “We feel with the foundation does we have, we are building our herd to satisfy customers from many different parts of the industry and country. Look for consignments from Wickard Livestock in upcoming sales later this year. We look forward to serving your needs in the future.” Julia said her family has found their home for registrations with the ABGA. “We are thankful to so many Indiana and Midwestern breeders for their support and assistance as we have grown our operation,” she explained. “Our farm Wickard Livestock is excited to be a part of the American Boer goat industry and to do our part in moving the Boer goat species forward in our great country.” It's also something Julia and Chris are passing down to their kids. Their daughter showed market lambs, beef cattle, and meat goats during her 4-H career. After graduating from high school in May 2021, Jordyn was elected as a full-time Indiana FFA State Officer. She will complete her term in June 2022. In the fall, she will follow in her parents’ footsteps and attend Purdue University. Jordyn will major in agricultural communications. While their son is utilizing his herd as his Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) for Indiana and National FFA, he plans to attend Purdue as well and major in veterinary science and/or agribusiness management. If Jacob is not at school participating in FFA activities or varsity football, he is most likely in the barn caring for his goats and cattle. “Our son Jacob started his goat herd to add diversity to our livestock operation and is the one I credit for bringing the goat into our farm logo,” Julia said. “Our farm has raised registered Angus cattle since 1946, and Boer goats were a natural addition to our beef cattle operation.” When asked why agriculture is important to her, Julia quoted Thomas Jefferson: "Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness."

If you missed Spice Island Grill on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, you can still get the Jamaican Curried Goat recipe at www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jamaican-curried-goat-3203837. It sounds delicious!

For Terry Brown, raising goats and being part of the American Boer Goat Association (ABGA), is not only a family tradition, it’s the circle of life. “Crystal and Maddie didn’t own bucks for a long time, only using mine,” said Terry, who owns Capriole Goat Ranch in Touchet, Wash. “My herd is now reduced to just a handful of does.” Her granddaughter Maddie is ABGA Board of Director Maddie Fenton Clemens. Along with her daughter Crystal and Maddie, Terry said they would haul goats all over the Northwest to exhibit goats when Maddie was growing up. “Maddie learned early on to be a top showman like her mother,” Terry said. In fact, she started when she was just a toddler. “Maddie showed her first goat - a pygmy - when she was 2 years old.” And she didn’t slow down. “When Maddie was 5, I had a set of triplet Boers and put one on the bottle,” Terry recalled. “Maddie came over every day to feed her and earned the right to own her. She named her Rosie Goatie.” As a kid, Maddie even made her own breeding decisions, Terry added. “I may not have always agreed with those decisions, but Maddie learned what makes a top animal,” she said. “Her ability to assess a goat passed mine a long time ago.” Even though she’s known for goats, Terry was not raised in agriculture. “The best I could do was raise hamsters in my bedroom and rabbits and pigeons in the backyard,” she explained. But that all changed when she got married. “After I married Jerry, we were able to start with a small acreage, eventually moving to a larger ranch to accommodate the expanding goat herd,” Terry said. Their daughter Crystal and son Levi grew up showing dairy goats and ponies. “Crystal especially excelled with the animals and won the Round Robin 4H showmanship title 9 times.” In 1995, they added Boer goats to the herd, Terry said. “When it came time to move my goats to an American registry, there were 2 or 3 options, but it was clear to me that ABGA was the strongest organization,” Terry recalled. “That first year I registered with ABGA, I was surprised to get a plaque for the most goats registered in one year.” While her son moved on to a different lifestyle, her daughter is still raising and showing Boer goats. “She made sure Maddie had the opportunities to choose her path in life, and that path has never wavered,” Terry said. “Maddie met a young man, who shares her love and dedication to this industry.” Maddie, her husband Trevor, and Crystal operate Dust Devil Ranches with prefixes of DDR and MADI-TRV. “I don’t own bucks anymore but have such a stable to choose from at Dust Devil,” Terry said.

ABGA member Randy Dusek spoke on behalf of the goat industry at the 2022 American Sheep Industry Association Convention in San Diego today.