Felicity hasn’t accepted her kids. Although they’re just a few hours old, she won’t nurse them.
But that’s perfectly normal — Felicity is a goat.
“Goats don’t always accept their babies,” said Charlie Meister, 70, who owns Felicity and about 60 other goats at Greathouse Farm Equestrian Center.
Meister’s farm, located about 10 miles from UF campus at 11004 SW 67th St., is booming with baby goats, or “kids,” and more are on the way.
About a year ago, Meister put an ad for his goats in the Alligator classifieds.
Meister said he’s gotten calls from both students and faculty as a result of his ad.
Cindy Toth, 57, is one of Meister’s customers and a professor in UF’s College of Public Health and Health Professions.
She already had two adult goats when she fell in love with a another couple of Meister’s kids.
She decided to keep the two brothers as pets. She named them Leo and Vinny, after Leonardo da Vinci and Vincent Van Gogh, respectively.
Toth said she bought the goats primarily to keep as pets but has found that they have other uses, too.
She and her husband are currently trying to get agricultural exemption for their property, meaning that their property taxes will go down as a result of owning the goats.
They also help trim down the grass and weeds on their 10 acres of land.
In the last year, Meister has sold about 20 goats intended for a variety of purposes from producing milk and cheese to being pack animals that assist hikers to being companions for other farm animals.
Meister’s goats, some of which are named Melanie, Tarzan and Ruger, jump up around Meister’s legs like excited puppies, tails wagging as he sets down their lunch — a bucket of milk.
“They all have different personalities, and they all look a little different,” Meister said.
A lot of dedication goes into caring for the goats, and it shows.
His Nubians, a specific breed, are registered show goats and have won numerous blue ribbons.
The price of one goat can fall between $100 to $500 depending on size and pedigree.
Because of Meister’s awards, his goats are more valuable.
Meister started GreatHouse Farms as an equestrian center about 20 years ago with his late wife Jan. He worked for UF at the time, where he spent 30 years doing research in integrated pest management.
Meister now devotes all his time to raising his goats.
Meister said he hasn’t done any advertising other than the classifieds of the Alligator, but he hopes to branch out someday.
For now, Meister is entertaining the idea of producing his own goat cheese.
“I’m more interested in finding good homes for my goats and developing an industry.”
