Mike CHS
Herd Master
I was wondering about the herd size also.
Jumping the Moon Dairy - the next chapter
- Thread starter babsbag
- Start date
Green Acres Farm
True BYH Addict
Do you have a website?My goal is no more than 30 goats and I own 41 right now and 6 of those are bucks.I have 3 that will never leave and never be milked again. So that leaves me 32 goats to squeeze 25 gallons of milk out of and 10 of those are 2016 babies so that leaves 22 for that 25 gallons. Now while that is entirely possible I am not holding my breath and I just can't legally keep more goats; I am already over the limit. The majority of my herd is 2012 and younger but I do have a few old girls. The problem is that a first freshener just can't replace a 5 year old when it comes to volume so I need to keep all the replacement does for a year or maybe two before their truly earn their place in the dairy string. A lot of juggling and I need more land.
- Thread starter
- #263
babsbag
Herd Master
We have 5 acres and our county zoning is 3 goats per 1/2 acre. No one has ever looked or asked but I don't want to give them a reason to. I am willing to push it during kidding season but the rest of the year I need to try and stay at 30. Also, the more I own, the more I feed. $$$
My goal is 25 gallons of milk per day, but I would be happy with 20. I have some nice goats but none of them have ever been pushed in production so we will see what they can do long term. I also hope to milk once a day as I have a life...even if that "life" is marketing my products.
I own primarily Aplines. I have 10 LaManchas and one Togg. I also have mini Alpines and now Nigi bucks to make the mini Alpines.
It will be two years before I really know what the minis can do so they are a work in progress.
I have thought of trying to find people that would like to raise and milk my first fresheners for the first year but it would have to be just the right place and the right people. But it would give them milk and get them off of my land.
My goal is 25 gallons of milk per day, but I would be happy with 20. I have some nice goats but none of them have ever been pushed in production so we will see what they can do long term. I also hope to milk once a day as I have a life...even if that "life" is marketing my products.
I own primarily Aplines. I have 10 LaManchas and one Togg. I also have mini Alpines and now Nigi bucks to make the mini Alpines.
It will be two years before I really know what the minis can do so they are a work in progress. I have thought of trying to find people that would like to raise and milk my first fresheners for the first year but it would have to be just the right place and the right people. But it would give them milk and get them off of my land.
- Thread starter
- #264
babsbag
Herd Master
I have one in the works, meaning I have bought the domain name. I also have a facebook page but I don't put any updates on it. I'm horrible about that stuff.
NH homesteader
Herd Master
Very cool. I'll be interested to hear about the mini alpines as mine are so young I haven't seen what they can do yet!
My town doesn't know or care how many goats I have. Or if I have goats at all. We are lucky.
My town doesn't know or care how many goats I have. Or if I have goats at all. We are lucky.
- Thread starter
- #266
babsbag
Herd Master
welcome to CA 
I am in the country, zoned limited AG, but they limit how many animals I can own. I will never understand this when living in the country, city limits...maybe. When I did live in the city I was allowed the typical house pets and chickens. I didn't own any chickens at the time but I was allowed three dogs, three cats, three birds...basically 3 of any species. Including fish. WHAT ????
They did change that one. I had 8 cats, 3 dogs, 6 birds, 4 rats, 1 turtle, and many many fish. I don't follow rules very well. The cats, birds, and rats all lived inside so if I wanted more than three that was my business, not theirs. I hate stupid laws. Last I looked I was paying the mortgage and taxes, not the gov't.
I am in the country, zoned limited AG, but they limit how many animals I can own. I will never understand this when living in the country, city limits...maybe. When I did live in the city I was allowed the typical house pets and chickens. I didn't own any chickens at the time but I was allowed three dogs, three cats, three birds...basically 3 of any species. Including fish. WHAT ???? They did change that one. I had 8 cats, 3 dogs, 6 birds, 4 rats, 1 turtle, and many many fish. I don't follow rules very well. The cats, birds, and rats all lived inside so if I wanted more than three that was my business, not theirs. I hate stupid laws. Last I looked I was paying the mortgage and taxes, not the gov't.
Mike CHS
Herd Master
You know if you have too many bucks you can probably get SBC to take some off your hands. She never has too many.
NH homesteader
Herd Master
OK that's bizarre! Although perhaps your pet fish are disrupting the neighborhood. In that case...
OneFineAcre
Herd Master
Unrelated but @babsbag
We had our club meeting Sun and our guest speakers were from the Goat Lady Dairy
Didn't you visit them ?
They are actually in the process of selling out the operation
Happy story two of their long time employees are buying the operation
Learned the whole history
@Goat Whisperer
They donated the club a semen tank
We are going to make sure it holds nitrogen and are going to have a silent auction online for it
We had our club meeting Sun and our guest speakers were from the Goat Lady Dairy
Didn't you visit them ?
They are actually in the process of selling out the operation
Happy story two of their long time employees are buying the operation
Learned the whole history
@Goat Whisperer
They donated the club a semen tank
We are going to make sure it holds nitrogen and are going to have a silent auction online for it
- Thread starter
- #270
babsbag
Herd Master
I did visit them. They were really not doing much dairy goat wise anymore, they were getting their milk trucked in and focusing on the cheese. Beautiful facility though and that is neat that they sold to workers.
Buffalo Creek Dairy was really the one that convinced me that I can do this. Also Pholia Farms in OR...they are kinda my role models. Celebrity was too big for me, and Ripshin was no longer making cheese but she was very helpful showing me her facility and the plans that her son drew for them. I gleaned bits and pieces from all of the dairies I visited that week. Also went to one in VA but for the life of me can't remember the name. They were no longer making cheese either and their codes were a little more lax than NC or CA.
Buffalo Creek Dairy was really the one that convinced me that I can do this. Also Pholia Farms in OR...they are kinda my role models. Celebrity was too big for me, and Ripshin was no longer making cheese but she was very helpful showing me her facility and the plans that her son drew for them. I gleaned bits and pieces from all of the dairies I visited that week. Also went to one in VA but for the life of me can't remember the name. They were no longer making cheese either and their codes were a little more lax than NC or CA.
