Ferguson K
Herd Master
My dream.
Jumping the Moon Dairy - the next chapter
- Thread starter babsbag
- Start date
My dream.
- Thread starter
- #102
babsbag
Herd Master
My dream too, but hoping after all these goats freshen I still feel that way. The reality is that there will probably be about 60 kids I have always had good luck with birthing, never lost a doe or a kid, had one abort late, one with kids with iodine deficiency, and a few that delivered multiples with a last kid being a teeny tiny thing, but no serious problems. Have only pulled two kids in 7 years. How long can this luck last? And I do this alone, no help on the goat front from DH.
I have always had good luck with birthing, never lost a doe or a kid, had one abort late, one with kids with iodine deficiency, and a few that delivered multiples with a last kid being a teeny tiny thing, but no serious problems. Have only pulled two kids in 7 years. How long can this luck last? And I do this alone, no help on the goat front from DH.Mini Horses
Herd Master
You may have addressed this before -- I don't remember -- BUT......
Once the dairy is up & running, will you be pastureizing & selling milk, wholesaling it to others who will, making cheese, etc??? Just wondering the disposal available to you.
I'm in VA and we cannot sell raw milk to public. But, there has been no attempt to stop the "herd share" set-ups. We can sell raw milk if "for pet use". Most farms with herd share are not subject to inspection a it is "merely an ownership" situation.
Once the dairy is up & running, will you be pastureizing & selling milk, wholesaling it to others who will, making cheese, etc??? Just wondering the disposal available to you.
I'm in VA and we cannot sell raw milk to public. But, there has been no attempt to stop the "herd share" set-ups. We can sell raw milk if "for pet use". Most farms with herd share are not subject to inspection a it is "merely an ownership" situation.
- Thread starter
- #104
babsbag
Herd Master
I will be pasteurizing milk and selling it direct, also making cheese, yogurt and kiefer. We can sell raw milk from a Grade A dairy but there are some extra steps to take and if anyone claims to get sick from your milk they will shut you down for weeks on end until it is tested and resolved. While I personally drink raw milk from my goats I won't be selling it that way; if something were to go horribly wrong you could literally kill someone and I am not willing to take that chance. You can't see e-Coli or Listeria. I could culture each batch of milk before bottling and selling but just not something I want to do at this time.
Mini Horses
Herd Master
Wow, that's great! Sounds like this will be happening soon for you. I'm sure you will succeed because you want to & are positive about the business.
Yeah, I use my milk raw, also. Do understand the possibility of milk contamination and the supplier liability. Like you (I'm sure) and most others on forum, I feel pretty comfortable with my own individual handling and use.
Thanks. I enjoy your sharing of the building of the business and look forward to the "Grand Opening" !! You go girl!
Yeah, I use my milk raw, also. Do understand the possibility of milk contamination and the supplier liability. Like you (I'm sure) and most others on forum, I feel pretty comfortable with my own individual handling and use.
Thanks. I enjoy your sharing of the building of the business and look forward to the "Grand Opening" !! You go girl!
- Thread starter
- #106
babsbag
Herd Master
I have been going back and forth with the dairy inspector and a code issue. I read things very literally and if it doesn't say I can't then I can. Codes don't tell you everything you can do, they tell you what you can't do and what you must do, the rest is a given. Unfortunately she doesn't see if that way. She thinks the "may" means "you will". My DH reads codes for a living and for the last 14 years I was always reading very technical manuals where you have to read and comprehend and implement things to a "t" . I look for the "." and the "," as they do make a difference. Well, I have pushed this so far the she wants to bring her boss out to see the trailers and discuss this issue. Am I nervous...yes. Am I right...Yes. Will I take it the director of the CA Dept of Food and Ag....Yes. They know not with whom they mess.
My mom is from Missouri. The SHOW ME state.
My mom is from Missouri. The SHOW ME state.
Ferguson K
Herd Master
You'll be fine!
- Thread starter
- #108
babsbag
Herd Master
Thanks for the vote of assurance. It has escalated even more. Man the last thing I wanted was to be on the wrong side of the law but looks like that is my spot for now. What I really need is access to someone that reads code other than my DH. I have asked for an appeal which I am sure will just thrill the inspector to her very core. I just don't have room in this very small milking trailer to do what she is requiring.
norseofcourse
Herd Master
If you think you're right, stick to your guns as far as you feel you can. 'may' means you can, 'shall' means you have to, any time I've read codes. Could there be a chance those two words are defined in the code somewhere?
- Thread starter
- #110
babsbag
Herd Master
I will have to look for definitions; good idea. The code clearly says that a passageway is permissible, it does not say it is required. There is a federal Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) which CA follows to some degree and it clearly says that I can have a connecting door. The inspector has made me adhere to the PMO for other things but on this she wants to just ignore that document. I have asked her which parts of the PMO I must follow and she can't answer, or won't; I suspect the later. I have gone to her boss on this so we will see, it is just frustrating and a waste of time. I told her not to come out for the visit when she informed me that is was going to cost me $108.00 an hour. I told her I did not request a formal visit or site consultation so if she and her boss wanted to visit it was at their expense, not mine. That got her really mad. Isn't that just sweet. 
