Today we’d like to introduce you to Paige Lane.
Hi Paige, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My husband, Tommy, and myself bought our small piece of property in May of 2021. To my husband, owning land and living in the countryside is the quintessential American Dream. As time went on, and we married, country living soon became a staple desire that had me often daydreaming about our future.
I became acquainted with dwarf goats on a road trip several years back. Upon spending time with them, I became obsessed. I quickly became plagued by goat fever. I knew then and there that raising goats had to be a part of my journey. I didn’t realize then how fleeting the time between this first encounter and actual goat ownership would be.
We brought home our first few baby goats in July of 2021. I found deep solace in spending time with our outdoor animals. Early morning farm chores became something that I looked forward to every day. As a young woman who grew up in a variety of cities, owning a small hobby farm was not what I thought I would fall in love with. I quickly learned that when you own a farm, of any size or magnitude, you will never be without a long list of projects that need to be completed! These everyday projects and chores went from tedious to gratifying, as I developed new skill sets. It all comes down to one thing: I learned how to find peace and pleasure out of the smallest of tasks.
On our tiny farm, we raise Pygmy and Nigerian Dwarf goats. These pint-sized goats are amongst some of the most fun and rewarding animals to raise. When choosing an animal type, I knew that companionship was important to me. I wanted to have animals that had sweet dispositions and would want to spend time with us. We definitely made the right decision. It certainly helps that our goats love to play. If you didn’t know before, goat shenanigans are a real thing! They are curious, lively, and will often seek you out for some snuggles.
We have fallen in love with raising livestock, spending time with our sweet goats, and watching their antics every day! We hope to share the love of farm life with all of you!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As many experienced farm owners will tell you, raising livestock comes with a flood of both good and bad days. Although we are new to the hobby farm lifestyle, we have already had our share of both. Most days are amazing. There’s nothing quite like sitting in the sun, watching your goats browse in their pasture, or having your lap-goat jump up and lay on you for an afternoon nap. But like with anything else, these wonderful moments can be fleeting.
We have had a number of days where we have felt overwhelmed, frustrated, and downright exhausted, there were a few when I just wasn’t sure that I was cut out for hobby farming at all.
Although we have 7 mini goats, I have raised 2 as bottle babies (meaning they have lived as very spoiled house goats). If you ask anyone that knows me well, they would tell you that our 9-month-old Pygmy, Gideon, is my favorite. He was the first goat that I ever brought home. He was a week old and had almost passed from dehydration at another farm. When we took him in, we nursed him back to health. He became our first glimpse at what it takes to successfully raise a baby goat. Just before Christmas of 2021, we took a much-needed break to vacation in Montana. What we could not have predicted was that Gideon would get sick and come close to passing. The feeling of dread, fear, and uncertainty tormented us. We flew home on Christmas. We are blessed with wonderful neighbors and friends who cared for him until we could arrive home the next day. There were countless injections and several long nights. Those string of days were difficult but served to remind us that we have loving people in our lives who were willing to give up their holiday plans to help save our baby goat. These are good deeds that I will not soon forget.
As you know, we’re big fans of Lane Country Acres. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Our tiny herd has brought me so much joy each day that I had an overwhelming desire to share this bliss with our community.
In January of 2022, we launched our “goat-a-grams!” Think of this service in the same way you would a flower delivery. You place an order for yourself or someone special, select a date/time, and we bring one of our sweet mini-goats to your recipient for a 30-minute playdate! During this timeframe, you can hold/snuggle with them, pet and feed them, and just watch them as they explore their surroundings!
In Spring of 2022, we will be introducing our newest farm experience; the “goat social”, this will be a ticketed event on our tiny farm in Ridgeville, SC. It will be a 1-hr timeframe. Our 7 mini-goats, Great Pyrenees puppy, and very sweet goose will spend time with you as you enjoy time on our property. We will have music, a charcuterie board, and it’ll be BYOB! Come sit and relax while the animals vie for your attention!
What matters most to you?
What matters most to us as tiny farm business owners is sharing the pure joy one feels when of spending time with mini goats! Before starting our “Farm experiences,” we spent so much time elated by their silly, warm dispositions. We wanted to come up with a way to share our adoring goats with others so that they could feel the same way that we do on the farm every day! We take pleasure in educating our community about the world of mini goats all while they spend time receiving goat kisses.
Pricing:
- $80/30-minute goatagram (1 mini goat)
- $130/30-minute goatagram (2 mini goats)
- $23/ticket “Goat Social” events
Contact Info:
- Email: paige.laneh@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paigejlane/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lanetinyfarm
- Other: https://linktr.ee/paigejlane
Image Credits
Danniell Gillette
