Why goats?

Goats are curious, sweet and funny. They learn quickly and they are very intelligent.

However, it is not possible to tame them completely. They always remain a bit wild and very stubborn. They do what they want. It is not possible to force goats – they have to want it themselves. With a lot of love and with convincing arguments they can be motivated, then they gladly do a lot of things. To win the friendship and trust of such an animal is something special.

Each of our goats is an individual with great character. They have very different voices and ways of dealing with different situations. I call them by their own names – for what the goats responds very well. No day with them is the same and a smile is guaranteed. However, long nerves are also sometimes required. Every day I learn something new from them and the group dynamics among themselves. At the same time, I also learn something about myself. Animals are like mirrors for us humans. With a bad mood or with time pressure nothing goes here.

The connection with animals is something special. Being out and about with animals in the nature and the mighty mountain scenery is something magical and just feels good. On the way you form a team with the animals. It calms you down and makes you forget the world around you. Goats puts a smile on our faces and in our hearts.

The goats hikes freely with us. The big motivation for them is the delicious food they find on the way; herbs, branches and perennials. Because goats are curious animals, they like variety and are open to discover exciting new places. I only lead them on a leash when it is necessary for them and their safety. They can do that, but do not enjoy it. The beauty of hiking with goats is gaining their trust so they want to accompany us freely. Both people and animals enjoy the adventure together in nature.

If you’re still asking, why goats? Why do you go hiking with goats? Here is the answer summarized in a few key words: Joy, adventure, team building, friendship and to experience nature in an unique way. 

Onni

Boss No. 1

Onni is brave and curious. He is interested in everything new. Onni was born at the end of February 2020. He is not the biggest, but he is the boss (at leat most of the time).

Onni prefers making contact by himself for new people, rather than new people making contact for him. He has very strong mind and he cannot be forced to do anything he does not want to. Onni enjoys being scratched between his horns. He loves to drink herbal tea. He very much dislikes pedicure. Onni has a long strong beard and looks pretty with his bright atypical color.

Onni means luck in finnish.

Sulo

Boss No. 2

Black Sulo with his white nose is our giant baby goat. He was born in mid-February 2020 and is huge. He weighs about 100kg and his horns are very massive. Despite his size he is like a teddy bear (most of the time), and not always so brave. During the pedicure he’s like a macaroni and wants to lie on the floor, which doesn’t exactly make our job easier….=) He is Onni’s co-pilot, they are always together. They are inseparable. They eat together, they walk next to each other and also fight (play) fiercely every now and then. 

He, like all the others, enjoys brushing very much. He often has a lot to say and makes funny sounds. His teenage grumbling like voice doesn’t quite fit with his size and appearance. His passion is to eat bushes and leaves, and from higher the better.

Sulo means charming in finnish.

Mama Donata

Mama Donata brings calm and order in the stable with her behavior. She lets herself outside of the play and fight of the boys, and likes to watch, somewhat from a distance, for her own peace.

Mama Donata is the mother of Sulo, Toivo, Into & Tähti. She is also grandmother of Sisu. And was feeding Onni when Onni was baby.

Donata is the only “real goat” from our herd. Until we got her she used to spend her summers up on the mountains with hundred other goats. She does not mind rain, and eats green delicaties as long as she can find something outside.

She was 7 years old when we got her and she started to practise her trekking career. She happily joins for the hikes. However, the delicious food along the way stands on focus for her. She is our most efficient lawnmower.

Toivo

Donatas baby Toivo was born by us at the end of January 2021. He is the first baby goat born at our farm. At that time we had a lot of snow, road was closed and stable was reachable only by foot. Luckily everything went well, and Donata did her part excellently. That year Mama Donata got only one baby.

As there was no other baby goats in the stable, he spent a lot of time playing with us and that’s why he got very attached to us. He is calm, obedient and loves to get attention. He is absolutely adorable and is very kind to everyone. Toivo likes hugging. Toivo is also always ready for new adventures! 

Even though Onni and Sulo were kind for a mini Toivo, we soon realised that he needed same age friend to play with. So we headed again to Avers Valley to get Sisu, who is one month younger. Toivo & Sisu are together a team. 

Toivo means hope in finnish.

Sisu

Sisu came to us from the beautiful Avers valley. In the beginning it took a little while before tiny bock found his place in the new herd. Onni, Sulo, Toivo and mama Donata were not too kind for him in the beginning. Toivo was jealous for Sisu, for another goat baby to get our attention. 

As his name says, he did not give up and nowadays he is third, sometimes fourth on the hierarchy. He is bravely fighting back for the bigger ones. When the whole heard is around, Sisu is in the hierarchy right after Onni and Sulo. Without the biggest ones, Toivo is then again bullying Sisu. Onni and Sulo let Sisu walk first on the hikes.

Sisu is bit smaller than the other grown up boys, but that makes him very fast and excellent climber and jumper. Sisu’s speciality is his yoga stretches he is doing daily- jumping towards wall and twisting his head 180 degrees behind. 

Sisu likes everyone and is also always ready for new adventures! 

Word Sisu is called the “primal power of the Finns”. But what does it mean concretely? If you go to Wikipedia and enter the word there, you will find terms like “endurance”, “strength” and “perseverance”. Also “intransigence” and the “fighting spirit in seemingly hopeless situations” are mentioned. Sisu is a quality that most Finns consider an important part of their identity. All this matches also for our Sisu.

Into

Into & Tähti, fruits of Mama Donata’s own family planning, were born in March 2022. We were not planning new members for our herd, but Mama Donata decided others, and independently visited a bock during her summer holiday. That gave us two new wonderful, unplanned, herd members.

Into is very kind and very laid back personality. When other boys are messing around, he takes it easy. He is excellent climber. Most of the time he is hanging together with her sister Tähti.

Into means in finnish “lively” and “to be enthusiastic”.

Tähti

Tähti is the other one of Mama Donata’s surprise babies. She is like a mini Donata by her look and character.

Tähti is very kind and likes to be cuddled and likes hugging. However touching her feet and stomach is something she definitely dislikes. Tähti is hanging together with his brother Into. From the big boys, Sulo is her favourite.

As Tähti has spent her whole life with her mom, she is still very dependant & connected on her. Tähti is little shy with new people and with other goats she stays away from games of big boys.

Tähti means in finnish a star. It is not a common female name in Finland, but as she is the only young girl among the wild boys, she has to be a star!

Capra Grigia

Our goats are breed Capra Grigia, gray mountain goats.

In 1997, ProSpecieRara launched the “Capra Grigia” project with the last grey goats from Ticino and the southern valleys of Graubünden, with the aim of saving the grey mountain goat. Prospecierara, a Swiss foundation, ensures the survival of genetic and cultural-historical diversity.
When ProSpecieRara started the project, only a few isolated representatives of the once widespread Calanca, Leventina, Valmaggia and Riviera goats were left. Saving every single one was hopeless due to the few remaining animals, and therefore all the grey goats still alive were grouped together to form the “Capra Grigia”. From the beginning, the Italian name was also used in German-speaking Switzerland – a homage to the home of the proud greys. Nowadays the population of the gray mountain goats is increasing.

The Capra Grigia stands out among the other breeds with its attractive grey coat color. The coat is short, and the bucks and many goats have goat beards. Both genders have strong horns.

Gray mountain goats are multitalented goats.
The Capra Grigia is not a leader in any specific field, but good average in all disciplines, which makes it interesting for all those who want a well-balanced and robust goat. The traditional breed is therefore suitable both as a mother goat with good maternal instincts, as a dairy goat that gives respectable milk without concentrated feed, even after long marches, and as a robust landscape manager in the fight against bush encroachment. And of course, many hobby goat owner’s heart beats faster at the sight of these headstrong, grey beauties. It should be noted that the Capra Grigia belong to the more temperamental of their species and definitely need a spacious and well-structured stable.

For us our Capra Grigia goats are first of all our pets. Trekking partners and as well landscape maintenance masters. Their off-road capability and temperament make them ideal companions up on the mountain.