Rabbits and Goats and Alpacas, Oh my!

One of the best things about the Living Gift Market is the live animals. Many of us live lives separated from anything more exciting than a pet cat or dog by a long drive out to the country. The market brings the animals to you, and helps us all to remember the intimate connection between human beings and other mammals.
Cartoons have been the only education some of us have had on the habits of farm animals, and not surprisingly a lot of those assumptions are wrong. Our many 4H and other volunteers have been quick to correct misconceptions about such animals as goats. "They don’t really eat everything the way people think they do," Jean Kuhlman was quick to say when I interviewed her about bringing goats to the market. She pointed out that goats are very versatile and fun to raise. In many countries children care for goats because they are so loving and gentle.
Lucky for us the seemingly exotic alpaca is being raised by the Binkowski family who started working with sheep, but after learning how to shear alpacas became increasingly involved in both shearing and raising alpacas. When I asked Nancy why she thought the alpacas are such a hit each year at the market, she said, "I think the one thing that makes them a hit at the LGM's is that they are friendly and people can touch them and feel how soft they are, people love to have their pictures taken with them, which we love to have them do. Sometimes you might even get one of them to kiss you. " Alpaca fleece is very soft, warm and lightweight. Not only are alpacas great for the people of Peru, American alpaca farmers are working to educate Americans about the many benefits of Alpaca fleece.
Rabbits are another favorite, and who can resist their long ears, soft fur and wriggly noses, but a gift of rabbits to a family with little land and few resources should never be underestimated. Families with Heifer rabbits are raising them on the back porch — or even in the kitchen. So long as they are warm and dry, rabbits thrive, and they love to eat leftover vegetables. In turn, families get nitrogen-rich manure to use on gardens or to sell as fertilizer. And since rabbits have up to 40 offspring a year, they provide families with steady sources of protein and income.

Goat Booth Welcomes Change for Kids Challenge Participants

Jean Kuhlman, a market veteran and Judy Hyunh's sister, heads up our goat booth. Her granddaughter, Ali Chipman, has a good 4H goat that she brings to the market, and her grandmother prepares the booth. When I asked Jean what she liked best about goats, she said it was their versatility. Goats are easy to raise and fun.
Although they appear tough and gruff, goats are actually so gentle that it's usually the family's children who regularly care for them. In this way, goats really do become "nannies;" teaching their young caregivers all kinds of skills while building their self-esteem.
More and more children around the world are getting their protein from goat's milk. That's because goats thrive in extreme climates where other livestock can't, and eat grasses and leaves that cause other animals to turn up their noses (or snouts)! And if it's a Heifer goat, one struggling family can receive up to a gallon of milk from it every single day. That's more than enough milk not only to drink, but to use to make cheese, butter or yogurt, plus to sell whatever's left and buy much-needed clothes, school supplies and medicine.
We're sure that Jean and Ali will be busy this year as the children who have been saving up change for the Change for Kids Challenge drop by to see this year's star animal--the goat.
The goat booth is sponsored by Grand River Physical Therapy this year.

Grand River Physical Therapy sponsors the Goat Booth

We would like to thank Gail Braun of Grand River Physical Therapy for agreeing to sponsor our Goat Booth. Physical Therapists specialize in relieving stress and promoting success in overcoming obstacles. By sponsoring the Goat Booth they will be doing both for families in need.
Grand River Physical Therapists offers a comprehensive list of services in a beautiful and well-stocked facility.

Thank you, GRPTS for helping us get our goat!

You Really Got Our Goat, Trophies

We are excited to announce that the organization and the individual who bring in the most change for our Change for Kids Challenge will receive our fabulous--"You Really Got Our Goat!" Trophy.
The five inch trophy with gold-colored goat on a black and marble-grain base is sure to add a special something to any mantle.
Of course, anyone who helps change a child's future is a winner in our book. We hope you'll do your part to make sure that we really do "Get Our Goat!"

Change for Kids Challenge

A goat can make a huge difference in the life of a child in a developing country. Any doubt about that can be dispelled by the story of Beatrice Biira, retold in the best-selling, children's book Beatrice's Goat. When Mugisa (their goat) arrived, the family had been struggling just to survive, but after Mugisa they had enough money to send Beatrice to school. Beatrice is now a student at a college in the U.S., and the subject of a recent special on 60 Minutes.
We'd like to challenge West Michigan's children to save enough change to purchase a goat, so that another girl or boy can benefit in the same way Beatrice has. Local churches and schools can get involved by requesting Ark banks and calendars that will help the children save their change. Children will then bring their banks to the Living Gift Market, and we'll keep track to see which organization brought in the most change to make the biggest difference.
To get your organization in on the act, contact us through our email address--heiferhappening@gmail.com