Since she was Three Weeks Old

Lily has been chewing my fingers since she was three weeks old.

Not biting.

Not gnawing with intent.

Just… thoughtfully testing them. Repeatedly. Every day.

At first, it was adorable. She was tiny. Soft. All knees and curiosity. Her entire worldview could fit in the palm of my hand—which, in hindsight, was a mistake.

I assumed she’d grow out of it.

She did not.

Instead, she grew into it.

Some goats bond with cuddles. Some follow you around like dogs. Lily chose a different path—one involving personal space violations and a lifelong commitment to my hands. I like to think of it as affection. Or a power move. Possibly both.

If you’ve never raised a goat, here’s something they don’t tell you: you don’t train them so much as negotiate a lifelong truce.

Lily decided, very early on, that my fingers were part of the arrangement.

And honestly? I’ve accepted it.

Because farming—real farming, small-scale, muddy-boots, names-not-numbers farming—isn’t about perfection. It’s about relationships. The kind that sneak up on you. The kind that involve chewing.

This is just our normal.

And if you’re wondering whether I’ll ever stop her…

No.

At this point, it would feel rude.

GOAT LORE

Field Notes from Matlock Farms

Goat Lore is an ongoing field study conducted at Matlock Farms.

Findings remain peer-reviewed by goats