Raising livestock can sure be an 'adventure

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

Diane Newsom, co-owner of Adventure Farms in Franklin County, checks three of the 200 goats she and husband Wayne raise. The farm was given its name after Wayne told his wife he never knows what kind of adventure he will come home to. -Staff photo by Montgomery

August 29, 2002 -- Out in the country, near the small community of Purley, lives a couple who are living one adventure after another.

Waymon and Diane Newsom, of Adventure Farms, have been involved in agriculture all their lives. Both grew up on a dairy farm, and had many types of farm animals around.

The name 'Adventure Farms' came as a surprise to Diane.

"Waymon travels a lot. One Christmas, he gave me business cards with the name 'Adventure Farms.' I asked him what they meant and he said, 'Diane, I never know what kind of adventure I'm going to come home to. There is something new all the time'."

Adventure Farms does depict the variety of animals on their place.

The latest adventure is raising goats. Four years ago, the Newsoms bought a Spanish buck and three Spanish does. Three months later, they bought their first South African Boer buck and three more Spanish does. Within another month, 22 Boer-cross does were added.

Today over 200 Boer and Boer- Nubian cross goats call Adventure Farms home.

"I really like the Boer goat. When we had the Spanish buck, he was mean. I stayed bruised all the time. But these guys (they currently have four South African Boer bucks), I have no problem at all," Diane said.

"We have all colors," Diane said, "from solids to red-heads to black-heads to paints. The kids really like the paints for showing."

Springtime is a busy time for the couple. "This spring we had over 150 kids born. With Waymon away, it was hard to work them. We decided to keep some does back and bred them for a fall crop," Diane said.

When the kids are born, their navels are "doctored" with an iodine solution.

"We make sure the babies and their mamas bond," Diane added.

Working the kids takes time. The decisions have to be made whether or not the bucks should remain intact or be castrated, whether to dehorn or not, and all must be wormed.

The couple explained that some bucks are kept to sell for breeding purposes and then some become wethers.

Goats are for sale.

"A kid looking for a goat to show can come out and pick a goat, whether it is a buck, whether or doe. If the goat is not old enough to wean, we will hold it until it is. We then call and say the animal is ready," Diane added. "If they get here and find that they like another goat instead, if the second goat is not already promised to someone else, they can swap goats."

"Also, if someone buys a doe and would like to bred to our buck, then we can work something out on that," Waymon included.

Whethers are priced a $100. Does and bucks are priced according to percentages.

The Newsoms can talk about the Boer industry as long as someone is interested.

"We really like talking to people about our goats," Diane said. "If someone is interested in getting into the business, we are more than happy to talk to them. Word-of-mouth is the only advertising we do."

Not only does the couple raise goats, they also raise stocker cattle, horses, ducks and even have a dove, parrot, and a Border Collie pup.

The farm, which has been in Waymon's family for over 100 years, is a way of life. Son Trey, who works for the Dallas Mavericks, finds time to come and enjoy a piece of the adventure. Waymon's sister and brother-in-law have retired on part of the original homeplace.

Even though the couple have jobs away from home, (Waymon works for the American Jersey Cattle Association in the marketing department and Diane is the administrator at Terry Haven Nursing Home) the farm is where the real adventure is, they agreed.