A Goat (takeout) Thanksgiving

True confessions - one year I served Chinese takeout to my family for Thanksgiving. Not even fresh, but bought-the-day-before, microwaved and dished out on Styrofoam plates. It was a bad year. We had all been sick with a voracious respiratory illness, my kids (toddlers) were grumpy and had just given up afternoon naps, and there was a mound of dirty laundry in the basement bigger than my dining room table. The turkey never made it out of the freezer.

So the question remains - what is more important for a holiday - the family togetherness, or the food? Or a combination, showing our dedication to those we love by the hours of meal preparation?

the food! the food! the food! Yes, goats, I hear you. And since the sun is finally shining after several dreary days of rain, my to-do list somehow includes gathering all of Emerson and Elliot's favorite treats.

First, stop at church to pick up a bucket of orange peels our youth pastor had the kids save from snack-time at a recent after-school event. Most Sundays I find a few smaller bags in my mailbox as well, gifts from friends who know how the goats love dried citrus rinds.  I thought of sponsoring a "Bring Your Compost to Church" day...

Next, make a trip to the local park to gather locust pods from around the playground area - the goal is to collect (with the help of a wonderful friend) at least 6-8 full garbage bags to last us through the winter. For the promise of "Pods!" my goats will do almost anything.

Last, hike to the field behind our house and glean stalks of soybeans. Yes, this is the same field where last year I narrowly escaped being run over by a huge combine tractor, warned away just in time by my panicked goats. Don't let the monster crush her, Ellie! She's our main food source! We discovered on Thanksgiving Day that the goats absolutely love soybeans, now conveniently available as gleanings from the recently-harvested field.

                                                         Happy Holidays, goatboys!