Mar 5, 2008

Harmony gift shop proves a success by a hairBy Janet Kubat WilletteNews.PostBulletin.com

Harmony — Ada Austin’s Angora Goats and Mohair kind of sticks out — everything is purple. Well, maybe not everything, but close.

The black mailbox sits on a purple support, purple buildings house multi-colored Angora goats and Baby Doll sheep, and purple vases filled with snow mark the entrance to Austin’s gift shop, located just east of Harmony down 331st Street.

Austin began raising goats after quitting her in-town job. She knew nothing about goats, except that they were small enough for her to handle.

“Fourteen years ago I bought a herd of 130 Angoras,” Austin said. “That was my first mistake. I should have bought 10.”

They had a rough start. They filled three trailers with goats to bring to her farm and when they opened the first trailer three were dead. It was too hot in the trailers, Austin said, so they let the goats out.

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