The first barn

By Fall of 2012, the mobile home was vacated.  Unsure what to do with it and still needing shelter and storage, we decided to make the best of what we had.  We gutted everything out of the trailer including carpet, kitchen cabinets, etc. and put OSB over the holes in the floor.  At least there was electric and running water.  During these months, I did a lot of research and reading, and started working on a business plan for the farm.  With no infrastructure, it made sense to investigate USDA programs and requirements.  I discovered that in order to apply for programs such as fencing, water, etc., the farm must have lifestock.  All I had were 4 ferrel cats.  Goats seemed to be fitting for the farm (hilly and plenty of browse) so I started researching goat breeds and goat care.  We began preparing a small goat shed on the back of the trailer, and put up some some cattle panel as temporary fencing.  Once that was done, it was time to start searching for a goat.  On craig'slist, I found a trio of animals located in Athens, OH that looked promising.  There was a miniature-nubian goat doe (half nigerian dwarf and half Nubian) named Alita, a Dorper ewe (we named Julia), and a Jenny Donkey named Primrose.    Carmen was in school there, so we went to see the animals during one of our trips.  Of course Carmen fell instantly in love, especially with Primrose.  Primrose is a sweet gentle donkey who loves to be petted and brushed.  She also loves treats and is very fat.  If you are standing in her yard, she will get as close as she can to you and lean her body against yours.  Alita is the mischevious (and greedy) one.  She was almost 2 years old and had never had a successful breeding.  I later found a breeder of mini-nubians in Northern OH and took her there for about 2 months hoping to breed her, but this attempt was unsuccessful. 
Julia the dorper was the shy one.  Having her stimulated research about sheep, and the herd that came later.