Most commonly, people ask, “What do you do with goats?” At first, I responded, “goat races.” Then, I realized that they believed me. My standard response is, “grass control.” Usually met with, “ah. Do you milk them?” “One nanny. The buck doesn’t stand for it.”
This response is usually met with a blank stare or an audible groan. Sometimes the conversation turns to soap and cheese.
Over the last decade, I’ve made soap without milk. Now, with the supply of fresh goat milk, I’ve started making small batches of goat milk soap. It’s a project that will last as long as the milk flows. As of last weekend, I’ve successfully made a batch of chevre, goat’s milk cheese, that resembles ricotta, and it was quite easy to make!
How did we get to goat milking?
In the summer of 2015, we relocated four pygmy goats from Daddy’s farm to our newly fenced area. We lost those goats to a pair of wild dogs. After burying the goats, we found a pair of miniature jack donkeys who needed a new home when their owner’s daughter headed off to college. Pete and Ney enjoyed full-run of expanded pasture until February, when Jim announced that he wanted to try more goats.
By the summer of 2016, the tiny herd increased the nine, complete with new breeds, babies and bucks. Our tiny herd is growing, along with our skills for mending fences, wrangling and milking goats.
Raised By A Village 