Goat Rancher had humble beginnings
By Terry Hankins Goat Rancher Editor
Goat Rancher began as a tabloid and the first issue was only 24 pages. Once I got my copies from a local printer, I would hand-label and stamp the magazines in my dining room.
From a few hundred subscribers in 1996, the magazine steadily
grew to nearly 7,000 subscribers. But there was a lot of work and strug- gle in between. In the early days, my monthly deadline was — shall I say — flexible. There wasn’t a lot of money being generated by the magazine yet. In fact, it was costing more than it was making. So to make ends meet, as soon as one issue went to press, I hit the road. I bought a truck and trailer — which I named the Goat Rancher Express — that I drove to goat events and goat farms from Texas to Florida to New York. I custom hauled goats, sold and deliv- ered equipment for several manufacturers and even did some order buying — and steadily signed up subscribers and advertisers. I’d get back home in time to write up my articles, process my
film at the local Wal-Mart and put out another issue. Over time, as the magazine grew, I was able to phase out these sidelines. By year two of the publication, when the first renewals began coming in, I was able to see a little profit on the balance sheet — not a living yet, but we were on our way. n
My nephew Doug Karpike accompanied me on this trip to a Texas goat show in 1997, helping me sell Sydell goat equipment.
The Goat Rancher Express, as it was called, at the Mills County Commission Co. goat sale in Goldth- waite, Texas, in 1998. I made extra money by selling ads on the side of the trailer.
Discussing Kiko goats with Brinson and Joanne Tay- lor at their ranch in Valdosta, Ga., in 1999. I bought my first two purebred Kiko does from the Taylors.
Custom hauling — delivering Oklahoma goats to Pennsylvania in 1999.
Photographing Kaptein in 1998 at Norman and Kathy Kohl’s N&K Ranch in Eldorado, Texas, for a Goat Rancher ad.
May 2026 | Goat Rancher 5
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