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Our
History
D&AK Farm is owned and operated by my husband Eric, his
daughter Adalina, and me (Dawna). We currently live on about 18 acres in Dalton
Ohio. That is on the Wayne county/Stark county border. We have registered
Saanens, Nubians, and Lamanchas. In 2009 we are milking 24 does. We had a fun 58
live births this year. This is the most either of us has ever had in one season.
On our farm we have a Dog (Dixie), several barn cats (anyone need a cat we have
one or five for you), numerous snakes and lizards that we also breed and raise,
a pair of parakeets, and a newly added addition of a mini rex bunny (Addy is
starting 4-H next year). We used to have a couple horses, in fact I have had
horses since I was 12 but we had to sell them to make more room for are forever
growing goat herd. So this is what's up now, but in the next little bit I will
explain to you how we got here.
Eric did
not grow up on a farm but he did grow up in the country. He grew up on the
outskirts of East Sparta, Ohio. Where he learned a love for animals and nature
even though he did not have many of his own. When he was 17 he moved on to a 10
acre plot on the back waters of Atwood Lake in Dellroy . There for a few years
he raised some sheep and goats. Addy was born on November 8, 2000. When
she was about 3 1/2 years old he decided to get some goats for her.
Starting out with some auction barn kids. He will tell you himself, he learned
the hard way to never buy auction barn goats. After his trouble with that he
then bought a few Nubians from the Lynnhaven herd and a couple Lamanchas from
the Heavenly Hopes herd. Then for the most part everything has been smooth
sailing.
I grew up
on a 99 acre farm in Smithville Ohio. My animals and 4-H were practically my
life. I took many projects in 4-H (ducks, geese, chickens, pheasants, turkeys,
rabbits, pigs, steers, sheep, goats, small animals, cooking, photography, Ohio
birds, etc.). One year I decided I wanted to take something that my siblings had
not taken to the fair. This was a hard feat as they too had taken many projects.
Randy Keener (Appleblossom Farm) worked for my dad and he had dairy goats. So
when I was 11(I believe) I took my first goat project (something new in my
family). I started with 2 dairy wethers a Saanen and a Toggenburg (Jumper Jack
and Jumper John). I loved the project and the goats personalities. So the
following year I bought a Saanen doe ( my beloved Trixie) from Randy. The goat
bug stuck, and I bought a kid from Trixie. So from Trixie and her daughter Kathy
grew my Saanen herd. I have never bought another doe only brought in new blood
through bucks. My first breedings were to bucks from the Yorks and then I bought
my own buck from Wendy Hercheck -King Farm. This is how I plan to continue my
breeding program. Then in 2003 I decided to get out of goats. I once was told I
will be an old lady and still be showing goats. That year I was proving them
wrong. I was done, still loved the goats but tired.
A few years
went by and now we open the new chapter of my life. It is October 1st 2005 and a
friend and I decide to go to the Coshocton County Fair. We were going for
the rodeo that evening but had both shown goats there prior so decided to go in
the morning and watch the goat show. That is where Eric, Addy, and I first met.
I ended up helping him show some goats. One thing led to another and we ended up
getting married July 22, 2006. We tossed around the idea of having goats
in the wedding. Maybe me being pulled in with a goat and cart. Eventually though
we decided to go with horses instead. We didn't know anyone with a really good
goat and cart.
Eric had
Nubians and a few of Addy's favorite, Lamanchas. I told him there was no way I
was doing goats unless we could also have my favorite breed, the best kind :-)
Saanens. So many thanks go out to my mother. She had kept some of my does, even
though I had told her to get rid of them many times before. She knew once you
catch the goat bug you can't leave it go for long. So again thank you thank you
mom for keeping my goats. She had not bred them much so they are a little behind
on their lactations but at least she kept them. I also used to show goats a lot
with the Hartzler's (Heart's Farm). They also had gotten out of goats. So I
tracked down some of their old goats and we bought some of "my Nubians" ;-) .
That is where Fantasy, Valentine, and Force came from. When we decided to
combine herds, (mine was previously AM Beery Farm) we kept my logo. Then decided
to keep his herd name. D&AK when started stood for Daddy and Addy Kohr. We have
since decided it could also stand for Daddy and all Kohr's.
Well that
is pretty much our life story up until now. So if you see us at a show feel free
to come over and say hi and talk goats. After all you know us now. If you are
interested in any animals give us a call or email us. You never know what may be
available depending on our mood that day. Thanks for your time and interest.
Happy goating!
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