Couple living in Ruskington supports and educates the community with their Walkabout Goats site in Fulbeck
After plans for a quiet retirement in Crete were sadly scuppered, a couple decided on a different course of action — with goats.
Julie and Ifor Davies are the brains behind Walkabout Goats in Fulbeck, which aims to educate the public about their adorable four-legged friends.
Having grown up riding horses, Julie, originally from Weston-Super-Mare, shared her passion with their daughter, Laura, and 25 years ago, the family, living in Ruskington, bought an 11-acre plot in Fulbeck to raise horses.
Five years ago, the couple were planning to sell the land and retire in Crete, but due to health issues, they remained in the country.
Ifor, originally from North Wales, said: “Having had sheep for 15 years, which we still have, having experience of training horses for 20 odd years, we were advised that goats are far easier [than sheep].
“So the two goats appeared and three months down the line, Julie and I went ‘We think we've made a mistake here’, they were absolutely barmy, you couldn’t go near them.
“In month four, something clicked and they realised that this is good fun, and that was the start of the journey.”
From a hobby and passion for animals, Walkabout Goats offers the community pre-booked visits to walk with their goats and offer the chance to learn about the different breeds, including English, Toggenburg, Saanen, and Alpine goats.
Julie, a carer for over 20 years and Ifor, a former trumpet player in the Royal Air Force band, have welcomed community groups to meet their goats, included Rainbow Stars, a disability services and support organisation in Sleaford, several times.
Ifor added: “It is those small moments, especially when you've got children that haven't ever interacted with animals, and then you see their parents in tears of joy and their carers just shaking their heads saying ‘This child's never done this before’.
“It is emotional, and it's a big, powerful thing.”
Walkabout Goats is free to visit, but people wishing to visit must book through their Facebook page, and donations are welcome to help look after the animals.
In the past few months, they have started visiting nursing homes and junior schools across the area to teach people about goats and the differences between a milk goat, the harness goat, and the dual purpose goat.
Ifor added: “The strange thing that we have learned with goats is that they tend to bond with people; they adopted us, we didn’t adopt them.
“We call ourselves goat slaves, and anybody that has goats will understand that, because you do become a slave to them, they’re like a spoiled child and they even go through teenage phases.”
Julie added: “They have characters, they have huge personalities and they are all so different, how can you not love them?”
Some of the goats have taken part in shows and received recognitions such as Best Goat at Wayland Valley’s Wayland Show in Norfolk, and often take part in rural shows such as the Caythorpe Gala and will attend Sleaford Christmas market.
People interested in visiting the small holding in Fulbeck can contact Walkabout Goats through their Facebook page, by calling 07759 862958 or by email at walkaboutgoats@gmail.com.