Name: Kayla Roussell
Parents: Jeff and Renee Roussell
School: Ozark High School
FFA Advisors: Heath Wright and Travis Phipps
What do you do on your family farm?
Fifteen-year-old Kayla is the caretaker of a small flock of chickens, several rabbits, a French Alpine dairy goat named Silky and a Jersey Bull calf named Peanut. Kayla markets her milk among her friends and neighbors and she can often be found taking Silky and Peanut for walks around the farm. Kayla’s family also raises Boer goats and hunting beagles in Ozark, Mo.
What is the most challenging part of keeping a dairy goat?
“Waking up early in the morning, usually in the dark, to milk her and keeping the other goats out of the barn while I milk.”
What advice do you have for young people interested in owning a dairy goat?
“You have to be really dedicated to do it and it’s a lot of fun, but it’s hard work and you have to be responsible.”
What are your other hobbies?
“Hunting and fishing with my dad, pottery, bead work and experimenting in the kitchen.”
Story and Photo by Klaire Bruce
