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Believe it or not, chickens are not the only farm animals turning up-legally-in cities. Goats are now legal (with some limitations) in Seattle, San Diego, San Francisco, Pasadena, St. Louis, Oakland, Portland, Cleveland, Fort Worth, Berkeley, and St. Paul.

But do goats belong in a city? Strangely enough, goats can actually make nice neighbors, so long as their owners have a good fence. But, as a new generation rediscovers agriculture, they are also finding out that raising goats, particularly if you wish to raise them for milk, takes work.

Rachel Hiner and her husband, Andrew Clarke, have had goats for about two years, ever since San Diego changed its rules to allow them. The city allows homeowners to keep two miniature goats, no more, no less-and no bigger. Full-sized goats are still verboten. Males must be neutered, and all goats must have their horns removed, a procedure usually done a few weeks after birth.

Following these rules, Hiner and Clarke got a pair of female goats together with their neighbors, a married couple named Emily and Nick, planning to share the costs, the work and the milk. “The idea of making my own goat cheese sounded magical,” recalls Hiner. And she has made her own cheese. But it also required more work and money than she could have imagined.

They chose Nigerian dwarf goats, the breed of miniature goats most known for milk production. Because the goats are small, they produce a few quarts a day, which is less than larger dairy breeds like Nubian or Alpine. (Another option would be selecting a goat that is a cross between a Nigerian dwarf and a standard-sized dairy breed.)

It was easy to find goats for sale online. The two couples chose two females, an older one they hoped was pregnant (she had been exposed to a buck) and one who was too young to breed. They were named Flora and Fauna, respectively, and together, they cost about $300. Goats who were confirmed pregnant were available too, but they cost more.

As pets, the goats were wonderful. Quieter than dogs, they love being touched and petted by humans, and they can eat fibrous plant material that humans can’t. They will gladly eat out of your hands, although they’ll just as gladly eat your clothes.