It isn’t reallyĀ the beginning of the new year here at Flip Flop Ranch until the Cotton Patch Geese begin to lay their eggs. Ā They’re a little late this year as we usually get eggs around valentine’s day (great present isn’t it?), but the weather has been a little weird so maybe that’s why. Ā We hatch these eggs and ship the babies all around the country. Ā We’ve never eaten one although it would probably make an awesome omelette. Ā They’re just worth more as babies since they are rare…plus I’m allergic to eggs!
Here’s a glimpse into the cotton patch goose gaggle’s home. That’s my little red wagon from when I was a kid. I love seeing them eat out of it <3
The cotton patch goose has an amazing history. Ā it was used to weed the cotton fields in the south as they will eat weeds and leave the cotton plants alone. Ā However when herbicides came out the farmers thought that was the greatest thing since sliced bread (which had also just recently become a thing) and stopped raising geese.
The cotton patch goose has been on the edge of extinction ever since and was saved by a handful of people such as Tom Walker and Mark See. Ā There’s still only a few hundred of them and very few breeders who raise them.
A lot of people ask me who my favorite animal is on the farm and it’s definitely the geese, especially when they’re babies. Ā They’re so friendly, unlike the more common breeds like chinese and embden geese. Ā They won’t chase you and they may even crawl into your lap and sleep for a while.
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Iām retiring at the end of June and returning to my home in Clinton, Iowa where I own a small cider apple and stone fruit orchard, raise honey bees, and will have a dozen or so chickens for eggs and manure. Iām very interested in adding a couple of Cotton Patch geese to my orchard, both as weeders and as guard geese for my chickens which will free range within the fenced orchards.
Would you be willing to sell me a couple of goslings next spring 2021?
That sounds amazing! I’d be happy to see you some goslings. The only thing is that Southern California has been in a Newcastle disease quarantine for two years and we have no idea when it will be lifted. Nobody can sell or buy birds. I will definitely start going down our waitlist and contacting people as soon as farmers are allowed to sell again! Check out this article about the quarantine