Lessons from the pen: What a parent (and a goat) can teach a child

"They understand the life cycle a lot better," she said. "Every spring we have kids, and this last spring, for the first time, we had one of them not survive. They had to deal with the reality of life."

The Argyle children work together to make sure their goats get the attention and affection they need to instill a pleasant temperament. Even in the noisy and unfamiliar surroundings of the fair, the youngest goats wander over seeking to be petted by the family and fairgoers who stop by their pen.

The couple agreed that the son most likely to continue the farming tradition is 19-year-old Austin, but that's not their goal. The objective of the family project remains to simply work and learn together.

"Realistically we'll have them until our youngest turns about 19 and then we won't have goats anymore," Shane Argyle said. "We've been delighted with how they interact with the animals, how they take care of them and how they love them. That part has been delightful."

E-mail: mromero@deseretnews.com, Twitter: @McKenzieRomero