The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE — The Clifton Forge Public Library recently welcomed local author Michele Cook to its Pre-school Story Time.
Cook read her book “Goats in Coats: Patsy and Delores Go Exploring.” The story follows the adventures of two goats who want to stay indoors and watch television but their mother sends them outside to play.
Following the story Cook talked with the children about the goats she raises. “Patsy and Delores are the names of my two goats,” she said, pointing to the goats pictured on the back cover of the book.
Cook raises Alpine goats from Switzerland, a variety of dairy goat known for producing superior milk. Each goat produces one to two gallons of milk per day and like all small ruminants, they have four stomach chambers similar to a cow.
“Goats are generally very friendly,” Cook told the children. “Goats are very curious and especially the babies will mouth your clothes and chew on them but they will not swallow. And they do not eat cans,” she added. “Goats prefer weeds and will eat briars because they are high in protein, but azalea and rhododendron are poisonous for them.”
With the day offering a cold, rainy backdrop, Cook continued, “Goats are prone to pneumonia and hate the rain. They won’t come out in the rain, not even to eat.” She added, “I bought coats for my goats so now I have goats in coats.”
Cook said this is where the idea for the story began and her friend Barbara Bennington and several others encouraged her to write a children’s book featuring her “Goats in Coats.”
Cook got into raising goats “because of goat milk soap,” she said. “My husband, David, is a diabetic and has dry skin in the winter. Someone said to try goat milk soap so I did and it worked. This led Cook to look more into the process of making goat’s milk soap and was the beginning of her small herd.
Cook, who has a Class A CDL, previously worked for the railroad as a conductor and on a signal construction gang. She can also drive a big rig, and operate a crane and a back hoe, “which are handy on a farm,” she said. “I can run most any equipment. Our farm is three acres and growing.”
Cook and her husband run Honeysuckle Hollow Farm where they specialize in raising chickens, growing chemical-free produce, and making goat milk soap along with goat milk cheese, and goat milk ice cream. She emphasizes that, other than the necessary lye in the soap, “We use no chemicals and no fragrance oils. We use essential oils for the fragrance.” She sells their products at the Clifton Forge Market, the Covington Market, and other local venues.
Cook is also the author of “Finding Your Equine Soul Mate: A Guide to Buying Your First Horse.” Addition-ally, she blogs about small acreage farming on her website, toesinthedirt.com
Cook brought samples of her goat milk soap for the children to handle and to wash their hands with before having a snack at the program’s conclusion. Fol-lowing story time with the children, Library Assistant Debra Henn led the children in making a goat craft and in singing “Gus the Goat.”
The Library’s Pre-school Story Time is held on the third Wednesday of each month from 11 a.m. to 12 noon.
The library is located at 535 Church Street. For information on library programs, call the Clifton Forge Public Library at 863-2519.
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The Clifton Forge Public Library recently welcomed local author Michele Cook, seated at far right, as a guest reader. Cook read her book “Goats in Coats: Patsy and Delores Go Exploring.” (Photo Courtesy Clifton Forge Public Library)
