Personable goats
story by Nicholas Pfosi
Each morning as the sun rakes the grazing field, Amy Keach milks her dairy goats with the help of her younger son, Andrew. Over the past half decade, the Keach family has expanded their herd to more than 30 animals. Every day, the goats, which Amy often bring to shows and competitions, each produce two gallons of milk.
In the rolling hills outside of Frankfort, the goats graze on a small plot of land along the border of Shelbyville and Franklin County. Amy, who grew up in Los Angeles, says she never foresaw owning goats in her life. Her urban parents paid for horseback-riding lessons when Amy was young and unwittingly fostered a love for the countryside. At the age of 17, Amy moved across the country to Kentucky, exiting her southern California life.
"I like not having my neighbor two feet from me," she says. "Once I moved out of L.A., there was no going back."
After marrying, Amy and her husband, Nathan, a National Guardsman currently serving in Kuwait, consistently raised pigs and chickens. At the end of 2009, however, they decided to be more self-sufficient. The couple, who were raising two teenage sons named Andrew and Matthew, considered dairy cows but wanted something more manageable. They settled on dairy goats and began showing and breeding them. Milking was Amy's favorite part of owning goats.
"They're so honest," she said of her goats. "Their entire life is doing things to please us. They wake up in the morning. They get on the milk stand. They give us their milk. Betty, for instance, unless she gets a hug, won't get off the milk stand. They have great personalities, they really do."
Each morning, Matthew, the older son at 19, goes to work at his job at a metal fabrication plant at 4 a.m., and at 7 a.m. Amy and Andrew go out to milk the herd.
"It's fun," Andrew says. "I get to play with the animals."
Throughout the day, between stretches of gaming on his brother's Xbox, Andrew builds fences, feeds the animals and helps his mother run the family farm.
"[Andrew] busts his butt," Amy says. "He knows where his food comes from and knows this is important."
Although not everyone appreciates animals like Amy's family does, she's not deterred.
"You know, my favorite time is just to go out there and sit and watch them," she says.
Amy and Andrew watch their dairy goats in a field at their family farm in Bagdad, near Frankfort. Amy started raising dairy goats half a decade ago to make her family of four more self-sufficient.
Andrew and Amy drive to pick up hay for their dairy goats. Andrew has a big role in helping run the farm, milking the goats, building fences, and feeding the animals.
Amy and Andrew expand the fencing on their farm. The family has 31 dairy goats they use for milk and cheese.
Andrew and Amy video call Amy's husband, Nathan, who is in the National Guard and is currently serving in Kuwait.
Amy kisses Andrew as they say goodbye to Nathan on a video call.
Rosie, Andrew's chicken, rests on his shoulder in the family's front yard. Andrew enjoys working and playing with the animals daily on the farm.
Amy has a quiet moment with her dairy goats. Her family started raising the goats in 2009, in order to become more self-sufficient.
Andrew plays with his dog Blue after milking his family's goats.
Andrew and Amy share a laugh with their dog Bentley in the living room of their farmhouse.