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Hi I'm Leslie

I'm a full-time farmer in Western Wisconsin where I raise meat goats and sheep on pasture using regenerative and rotational grazing practices.

I created this website because
I had so many people reaching out, both locally and beyond, wanting to know more about how I was raising and marketing goats.

I also recognized that it IS so hard to find information in this space. I wanted to share what I've learned along the way and reduce your time searching the depths of the internet.

LEARN MORE

Newborn goat care after birthing

March 22, 2024

Kidding season can be an exciting, yet stressful time on the farm. There’s a lot of uncertainty when newborn goats will arrive and how much you might have to assist the doe in the birthing process.

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Raising Goats

Myotonic [Fainting Goats]: a distinctive and docile breed

March 21, 2024

Fainting goats are most widely known for their unique and distinctive “fainting” trait they display when startled or scared.

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Raising Goats

Boer Goats: The Classic Meat Goat Breed

March 21, 2024

The Boer goat is one of the most recognizable and popular breed of meat goat in the U.S.

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Raising Goats

Spanish Goats: a hardy and well-adapted breed

February 21, 2024

Spanish goats are a popular meat goat breed due to their tolerance of varying climate and parasite resistance.

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Raising Goats

farmer packing a box and putting stickers on it

Favorite farming marketing tools for selling to consumers

February 15, 2024

My favorite ag marketing tools to help sell our meat directly to consumers.

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Marketing Meat Goats

sheep and goats grazing on pasture

Workshop: Managing for resiliency with your goats and sheep

February 12, 2024

By managing for resiliency with all aspects of our farm and life, we are better able to manage the ups and downs that come our way.

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Raising Goats

goat in front of a bale feeder on pasture

Bale feeding with bale grazing [results, sheep + goats]

January 24, 2024

When it comes to winter bale feeding your livestock, there are many different approaches you can take, including bale grazing.

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Grazing Meat Goats

Leslie in front of a tractor

Ask Me Anything Session: Raising, grazing and marketing

January 5, 2024

A special bonus Q&A session for my email subscribers. I talk all things raising, grazing and marketing meat goats.

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Marketing Meat Goats

Shopping cart in grocery isle

New goat meat research findings on consumer behavior

December 11, 2023

A recent university consumer behavior and market research study shows that younger generations are more likely to purchase goat. 

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Marketing Meat Goats

Finding goats for sale: Tips for success + what to avoid

December 8, 2023

Learn about buying decisions, places to avoid, and other tips for finding goats for sale that meet your needs.

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Raising Goats

Kiko Goats: high performance, low maintenance breed

December 5, 2023

Kiko goats are becoming a popular choice to raise due to the breed’s hardiness, fast growth rate and maternal traits.

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Raising Goats

Mary Heffernan and Leslie Svacina

M5 Entrepreneurs feature and opportunities

November 25, 2023

Being an active, lifelong-learner has been a important part of growing my farm business. A valuable resources has been the M5 Entrepreneurs Academy,

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Raising Goats

goats in the winter

Keeping goats warm in the winter [cold weather tips]

November 18, 2023

Keeping your goats warm and ensuring their well-being is a top priority as winter weather sets in for the season.

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Raising Goats

Truck with a goat trailer

Transporting goats home or to market

November 17, 2023

Whether marketing goats or buying new stock to start or add to your herd, you’ll need to make sure you’re prepared for transporting them. 

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Raising Goats

Two boer goats with the text breeding goats

Breeding goats: An overview and how to prepare your herd

November 9, 2023

There’s more to goat breeding season than just putting your does with a buck.

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Raising Goats

Woman standing in the freezer, with text freezer temperature sensors

Freezer temperature sensors offer a sense of security

October 28, 2023

When we first started storing frozen meat on our farm we wanted a way to know quickly if our freezer wasn’t working properly.

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Marketing Meat Goats

Goats grazing with guardian dog and fall leaves

Fall transitions: Summer grazing to winter feeding

October 26, 2023

As fall progresses we are transitioning our herd of goats and sheep from rotational grazing to winter bale grazing. 

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Grazing Meat Goats

Getting to Know Goat Meat in the Kitchen

October 17, 2023

As our business grew and we transitioned to primarily selling goat meat directly to customers, I picked up a lot of fantastic information (and recipes) that helped me understand it so much better.

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Marketing Meat Goats

bowl of goat curry with text help celebrate goat meat with goatober

Celebrate goat meat with Goatober

October 6, 2023

Help celebrate goat meat with Goatober.

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Marketing Meat Goats

Farmer setting up portable fence with text overlay of making paddock fencing easier for grazing

Making paddock fencing set up easier for grazing

September 30, 2023

As fall is creeping in, I’m working to finish up the last of my projects.

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Grazing Meat Goats

Electric fence chargers: How it works, solar option, setup + grounding

September 15, 2023

Choosing the right electric fence charger, selected for your fencing needs, along with the set up is important in making it truly effective.

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Grazing Meat Goats

Wisconsin Leaders of the Land Feature

September 9, 2023

Recently I was profiled by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau as part of their Leaders of the Land series.

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Grazing Meat Goats

farmer setting up net fencing with text all about electric fence netting

All about electric fence netting for goats

September 1, 2023

Electric fence netting is one of several portable fence options to use with goats when grazing on pasture or managing brush.

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Grazing Meat Goats

LGD dog for goats, sheep and chickens

September 1, 2023

Livestock guardian dogs have been employed by farmers and ranchers for centuries as a means to effectively protect livestock from predators.

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On The Farm

goats in a shelter

Goat shelter basics, ideas, plans

August 31, 2023

The type of shelter your goats will require can vary depending on several factors, including the season, your geographic location, management practices, and the size of your herd.

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Raising Goats

Why Word of Mouth Marketing Works

August 26, 2023

In a world dominated by digital marketing, word of mouth marketing might seem old fashioned. But it’s still a super effective way of getting your farm business in front of customers and giving it staying power.

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Marketing Meat Goats

goats grazing in a hayfield

Grazing our hayfield and the surrounding woods

August 22, 2023

We’ve been giving our pastures a break over the last few weeks to let the grasses, legumes and forbes time to recover and to help reduce future parasite issues.

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Grazing Meat Goats

goat drinking out of a water tank

Three options for goat waters

August 9, 2023

Access to water is critical for your goats, but it can be also time consuming to fill waters on a regular basis. This blog covers three options for goat waters that can be used during the summer grazing summer or winter. 1. Rotational grazing water system with a pipeline The above ground black poly pipeline […]

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Grazing Meat Goats

Farmer working with net fencing and title supplies for goats during the grazing season

Supplies for goats during the grazing season

July 29, 2023

Throughout the grazing season I rely heavily on my Gator to not only get around the farm to check goats and sheep, but also to haul the rotational grazing fencing gear and goat supplies I may need. 

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Grazing Meat Goats

goat eating forage chicory with purple flowers

Forage chicory for pastures

July 29, 2023

Forage chicory has numerous benefits as a pasture plant species for small ruminants, including goats and sheep.

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Grazing Meat Goats

using a cardboard shredder machine

Cardboard Shredder Machine

July 22, 2023

A cardboard shredder machine can help solve the issue of having used cardboard boxes, by providing a way to repurpose the cardboard. 

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Marketing Meat Goats

pregnant goat with text how long are goats pregnant

How long are goats pregnant [ gestation calculator]

July 21, 2023

Understanding the goat gestation period is important for successful and healthy pregnancies.

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Raising Goats

What is scrapie in goats?

July 15, 2023

One important facet of making a business out of raising meat goats is ensuring that your operation abides by certain USDA regulations.

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Raising Goats

Goats with electric fence

Gallagher Smart Fence Review

July 15, 2023

The Smart Fence is a great option for portable goats since it is so easy to use.

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Grazing Meat Goats

Birdsfoot Trefoil for pasture productivity and livestock health

July 7, 2023

While often overlooked as a pasture legume, Birdsfoot Trefoil is an excellent option to consider given it’s forage quality, long stand life, and antiparasitic traits.

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Grazing Meat Goats

goats and sheep grazing in a field, with the text rotational grazing

Rotational grazing: A practical guide

June 17, 2023

When done correctly, rotational grazing offers many benefits to your livestock, soil quality, and pasture productivity.

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Grazing Meat Goats

how to test an electric fence

How to test an electric fence: A troubleshooting guide

June 9, 2023

Learn how to test an electric fence and troubleshoot grounding and conductivity issues when your electric fence is not working.

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Grazing Meat Goats

calculating goats per acre for your farm text over goats in a pasture

Determining how many goats per acre for your pastures

June 3, 2023

When getting started with raising goats, one of the most common questions that comes up is how many goats per acre can I raise?

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Grazing Meat Goats

The Case for Email Marketing

May 31, 2023

Email marketing: It’s a term that strikes fear in the hearts of so many farmers and ranchers I’ve met. With a million things to do each day, taking the time to sit down and craft and send out an email can feel like an understandably daunting task.

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Marketing Meat Goats

Featured on the For the Love of Goats Podcast

May 16, 2023

Recently I was featured on the For the Love of Goats Podcast, where I talked about about marketing goat meat farming and online sales.

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Marketing Meat Goats

farmer setting up a smart fence with the text 3 portable goat fencing options

Three portable goat fencing options

May 9, 2023

Portable goat fencing paired with electric is an effective solution to keep goats in and it’s a lower-cost option.

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Grazing Meat Goats

goats standing in a green pasture with the text goat terminology

Goat Terminology

May 8, 2023

Learn about goat terminology, including the scientific name for goats, as well as the terms for goats related to gender and age.

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Raising Goats

Goat fencing requirements and options

May 2, 2023

Having the right goat fence is one of the most important things when it comes to raising goats.

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Grazing Meat Goats

Two goat primals on table with text overlay stating recommended goat butchery reference book

Recommended goat butchery reference book

April 22, 2023

One of my top reference books for goat cuts, processing, and butchery is the book Butchering by Adam Danforth.

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Marketing Meat Goats

goat pen design ideas over architecture drawing

Goat pen ideas and design

April 21, 2023

Goat pens are an important component of housing your goats. While pens keep your goats contained, the right design provides many benefits.

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Raising Goats

Goats with two kids and text that says how to use and set up kidding pens

How to set up goat kidding pens

April 14, 2023

Learn more about how to set up and use goat kidding pens.

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Raising Goats

The Top 5 Meat Goat Breeds

April 13, 2023

There are many factors to consider when choosing a meat goat breed so you can make the right decision for your future herd and farm.

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Raising Goats

Knowing Your Ideal Customer for your Farm

March 24, 2023

Knowing your ideal customers, and how they differ from your current customers, is an essential part of developing your farm business.

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Marketing Meat Goats

Featured on the Farmside Chat Podcast

March 24, 2023

This week I was featured on the American Farm Bureau Farmside Chat Podcast, where I talked about about goat meat farming and conservation practices.

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Grazing Meat Goats

How to use a soil map for your pastures

March 19, 2023

The USDA Web Soil Survey is a powerful tool that can be used to map out your pasture’s soil type in great detail.

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Grazing Meat Goats

Legal disclaimer: All information provided is based on personal experience and is provided for educational and information use only. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless our website, company and owner for any direct or indirect loss or conduct incurred as a result of your use of our website and any related communications. This applies to, but is not limited to, business operational information and consulting, as well as farm and goat management practices.Any animal health information provided on this website is based on personal experience or information provided by others whose treatments and practices have been discussed with a veterinarian. In all situations, it is the responsibility of the livestock owner to consult with a veterinarian before using any animal health practices shared on this website or by this company and its owner. See the full legal disclaimer here.