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Jul
6

The Coming of Sprite

sprite1
Photos: Bob Lewis.

Sprite is a fainting goat. Fainting goats have a hereditary genetic disorder called myotonia congenita that causes them to abruptly fall over when they’re startled. (It’s painless, though it can be hilarious.) Supposedly this trait was bred into them so that they could be placed with flocks of sheep as bait–predators would hone in on the frightened–and thus fallen–goats, giving the valuable sheep time to escape. Or so the story goes. Fainting goats are slightly smaller than the standard goat and are classified as meat goats, though they aren’t generally raised for meat because they’re also a threatened breed. Mostly, they’re raised for fun. They’re a novelty breed. And there aren’t very many of them in West Virginia, so the idea is to get Sprite and Pepsi together and start making little bottle caps.

You can see some YouTube videos of fainting goats here and here.

Right now, Sprite is in Tennessee.
sprite3
She’ll be coming here in a few months.
img_4763img_4763
Pepsi can’t wait!

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Posted by Suzanne McMinn on July 6, 2009  

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Bringing Pepsi Home

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Comments

21 Responses
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  1. 7-6
    4:38
    am

    We can’t wait either Suzanne. This could turn into a money making proposition. Sprite and Pepsi mixed together…what do you call that drink?

    Box Call - Reply to this comment Reply
  2. 7-6
    6:18
    am

    That goat is beautiful! I’d never heard of ‘fainting goats’ before Pepsi. LOL What are you going to have next?!!

    Lynda Dunham-Watkins - Reply to this comment Reply
  3. 7-6
    6:38
    am

    They’ll make pretty little cans of soda! Fresca, Dr. Pepper, Nehi Grape, I can see them now. And both of these kids have beautiful markings. :snuggle:

    Nancy in Atlanta - Reply to this comment Reply
  4. 7-6
    6:55
    am

    Sprite is very pretty. Sprite and Pepsi will make pretty little bottle caps.

    Diane - Reply to this comment Reply
  5. 7-6
    6:59
    am

    Isn’t it great that animals can be a useful addition to the farm, and so cute at the same time? Here’s to many little bottle caps in the future. I’ll drink to that.

    WV_Hills - Reply to this comment Reply
  6. 7-6
    7:20
    am

    They are sooo cute!

    Christine - Reply to this comment Reply
  7. 7-6
    7:25
    am

    Hooray! I couldn’t wait til you said you were getting Sprite! Pepsi is going to be so happy! (Not that he isn’t now though)

    Claudia W. - Reply to this comment Reply
  8. 7-6
    8:26
    am

    Let the games begin…they will make cute babies

    Bev - Reply to this comment Reply
  9. 7-6
    8:49
    am

    oh my cuteness!! I can’t wait either! :) The exploits of these two will be legendary!

    Kristi of Million Dream Mom - Reply to this comment Reply
  10. 7-6
    11:46
    am

    Ah bless! They’re gorgeous.

    Winifred - Reply to this comment Reply
  11. 7-6
    1:30
    pm

    They will make really cute bottle caps!

    Estella - Reply to this comment Reply
  12. 7-6
    2:28
    pm

    So… when are you going to get some miniature hereford cattle?

    Tori Lennox - Reply to this comment Reply
  13. 7-6
    4:24
    pm

    Making cute little bottle caps!! LOL!! :shimmy:

    Kacey - Reply to this comment Reply
  14. 7-6
    7:17
    pm

    I was wondering how Pepsi was doing. Sprite is too cute and I can’t wait to see baby goats.

    Shells - Reply to this comment Reply
  15. 7-6
    8:25
    pm

    Little bottle caps!! I imagined baby goats with hats that look like bottle caps on.

    SarahKoski - Reply to this comment Reply
  16. 7-6
    8:56
    pm

    “little bottlecaps” So darn cute. I never would have thought of it. This is just one of many reasons why I love this blog so darn much.

    trish - Reply to this comment Reply
  17. 7-7
    7:25
    am

    Hi there. I live in MD, but have a weekend place near Romney, WV. Sometime during the last couple of months, there was a story in The Hampshire Review (local Hampshire County paper) about a local teenager who raises fainting goats. Their Web site is not very extensive, but I’m sure if you called them and asked them about the boy who raises fainting goats, they’d help you find him.

    ToadMama - Reply to this comment Reply
  18. 7-7
    8:36
    am

    That Pepsi is such a cutie! I’m sure Sprite will be thrilled and will love her new home!

    Sheryl (Runningtrails) - Reply to this comment Reply
  19. 7-7
    1:13
    pm

    We don’t have any “fun” goats, just Nubians (dairy herd), like Lady Bug here:

    That’s a cute fainting goat, though!

    Steve O - Reply to this comment Reply
  20. 7-7
    2:35
    pm

    I want to be one of your animals, LOL. That produce looks pretty yummy. Do you know how much they charge now for a head of lettuce here (Charlotte, NC) in the grocery stores? over a $150 now :hissyfit: . Susie

    queenymom - Reply to this comment Reply
  21. 7-7
    2:36
    pm

    Opps that is $1.50. :wave: Susie

    queenymom - Reply to this comment Reply

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Suzanne McMinn



The Slanted Little House

"It was a cold wintry day when I brought my children to live in rural West Virginia. The farmhouse was one hundred years old, there was already snow on the ground, and the heat was sparse-—as was the insulation. The floors weren’t even, either. My then-twelve-year-old son walked in the door and said, “You’ve brought us to this slanted little house to die." Keep reading our story....



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