Goat Song: A Seasonal Life, A Short History of Herding, and the Art of Making Cheese

This book lost me at the chapter on breeding. Written in an exceedingly odd, voyeuristic manner. Skipped around here and there to the end. Author fantasizes, uses unusual allegory, is anthropomorphic, and offers animal husbandry suggestions which are diametrically opposed to those in Veterinary literature (in other words, Just Plain Wrong).I pity the author’s animals and hope that none will take seriously the advice in this book. Run, don’t walk to the nearest Veterinary-authored goat manual!

I signed up for a raw goat milk share, ordered equipment, and began reading blogs and taking notes because I want to make my own chevre. One of the blogs I read mentioned this book and I thought, "why not?"There is something for everyone in this book. It's funny and strangely lyrical and haunting in turns. Perhaps the most remarkable thing is that Brad Kessler forces the reader to see the deep connections between the small farm and ancient, as well as more recent, pastoral poetry. He is well informed and did his research for the scope isn't just American or European, but looks at traditions from Africa and India. This is, in many ways, not just a tour de force of cheese making and dairy goats, but a tracing of the lineage, of song and being, between humans and goats.What startled me, as a cradle Catholic, was Mr Kessler's obvious reverence for Thomas Merton and the local Monks in his area. And the connections between the crafting of cheese and monasticism is something that never dawned on me before. His delicate reverence is sincere and honest. Quite frankly he made me want to read Seven Storey Mountain again. Although Mr Kessler isn't a Catholic, he certainly captures that quiet longing that has always been a part of growing up Catholic for me.For hours after I finished it, I was mulling the history of cheese, the Old Testament, nomads and monasticism, poetry and liturgy, and how all these intersect on the amazing goat.At any rate, this is the perfect read for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Brad Kessler takes you into a year with goats, and we're all better people (and better informed) for having read this!

Goat Song is a worthy companion to any goat keeping manual and is good preparation for anyone new to goats.It is an alternative in that it is a cultural exploration, especially when offering samples of world literature.The author shares details of making the cheese he learned about, especially after his journey to France.Goat Song includes some truths about animal husbandry we don’t want to look at directly.The description of the first breeding will be graphic for some people. I found it interesting how the author wanted to remain and watch the bucks, though it was time to go home. I would have done the same.The book is well-rounded and complete. I appreciate it.

I've read this book countless times, yet each time I learn something new -- and you will too. It's a perfect weekend read, coffee table conversation piece, or even a gift for an outdoorsman friend.Mr. Kessler perfectly blends anecdotes of his goats' daily lives with a history of goat-herding, all with a sacred reverence for the animal that has sustained humanity for centuries.Kessler describes the behavior, nuances, and personalities of his goats so thoroughly that by the end of the story you'll know them better than you know the author himself. You'll want to meet the goats. And you'll be introduced to the alluring mystery that Kessler uncovers by being a goat-herd -- as he learns and anticipates his animals' needs as closely as if they were his friends while enjoying their quiet companionship on walks through his land, he becomes increasingly more in touch with his own inner person.You'll laugh admiring the goats' playful silliness, turn away in disgust at their sexual habits, watch in awe as a mother births her kid, bite your fingernails as coyotes menacingly threaten the herd, and cry through a goat's illness.Yet after you're through, you'll emerge with a newfound respect for the animal, a longing for days long past when goats were more fully integrated into our ancestors' lives, and -- as I said in the title -- will likely want a herd of goats all your own.You'll want to taste fresh goat's milk, gain a palate for the nuances of fresh goat cheese (the flavor changes based on a goat's diet and the season during which the milk was produced), and run to the store to purchase every variety of goat cheese your local market carries.This book is perfect for the gentleman farmer, the weekend gardener longing for a hobby farm, the naturalist, the raw milk advocate, a gourmet foodie, or even just a lover of memoirs.The storytelling is superb (Kessler typically writes fiction), but what makes this book even more difficult to put down is the nuggets of goat-related facts, history, and trivia that he intersperses throughout the book that will both impress and amuse you.I cannot recommend this book enough, and even my lengthy review of what has now become one of my top five books cannot do it justice. Simply do yourself a favor, and order a copy of Brad Kessler's masterpiece today.

This was perhaps the oddest book I've ever read. It's a memoir combining truly gross descriptions of goat mating behavior with poetry about goats, information on the history of goats as related to human culture, making cheese as a devine experience.... Some of it was interesting and some of it was boring - way more than one would ever want to know.

Beautiful book. A keeper. Gave many for Christmas pressies.

This is a gem of a book - honest, funny, engaging,and inspiring. Never knew goats were so interesting - almost want to go and do the same thing.

Wonderful heartfelt read. A very vivid and inspirational story of life with goats.