Another drought story this is.
Now, previously, we had a story about the cows getting on the main road, and the trouble it caused. This one..not only did the cows get onto a public street..not the main road..but across this road, into a vegetable garden..and it didnt belong to yours truly. Ouch!
So, lets start at the beginning.
The local butcher/slaughterer had acquired a goat in his travels. It didnt like getting enclosed in a paddock, and proceeded to escape. It ended up on one of our paddocks, joining in with..that infamous mob of cows.
I asked the guy..who didnt want his goat back..kill it if you like..its more trouble than its worth…and so saying washed his hands of it…and any responsibility for it and its antics…
So it liked these cattle..would wander from paddock to paddock, but stuck with these cows.
So, middle of the drought. This goat decided that a neighbours vegy patch was too inviting..so through our boundary fence, onto a street, across the street, through another boundary fence, into a vegy patch. The owner roused it out and raised cain, as you would. Furthering the angst was the fact that these cows..followed it through the fences into the vegy patch. It happened once..we fixed up the fence, and kept an eye on it . Then..it happened again..these longhorn cattle stuck a horn through the fence..barb wire on top, lifted..popped all the straples and such, and were able to walk through..following this dratted goat. This time..no quarter was given. It got shot on the spot, and dragged off home to a meat safe. Cut up the next day, and I duly informed Mum..who wondered how she was going to cook it.
Naow, it gets ..even more interesting!
Rick Patterson, holding a show on ABC radio, had ..a world famous chef on, and invited questions from the listeners.
Mum disappeared, and the next minute, over the radio, came Rick. Now, we have a question from Marion, who wants to know how to cook goat. I was listening with half an ear..shuddup you lot, Mums on the radio! You could hear a pin drop…the chef saying..with goat, its a bit on the sweet side, so put some savoury herbs with it….ah, you wouldnt be pulling my leg would you Marion?..then, unmistakeably our mother..replied..no no,  no no…we happen to have one on hand.
(not a piece or a roast…the whole thing..)
So the guy continued. Mum came back in, rather pleased with herself..I found out how to cook a goat up!…yaas, we all heard!
THEN, the phone started to ring. Marion! I heard you on the ABC, talking to Rick Patterson. Do you really have a whole goat…where did you get it from….and so away it all went. From all over Tasmania came these calls..all the rellies, and friends from everywhere. Mum was kept busy for a fortnight..