Table of Contents
- How does it work ... ?
- How much milk do I get... ?
- What do you feed the goats ... ?
- Do you use any drugs ... ?
- I heard there's a dry period. What is that... ?
- What kind of goats are they ... ?
- Is Raw Milk safe... ?
- How much does a share cost... ?
- What if I don't want to drive up there every week...?
How does it work ... ?
A goat or cow share program is the only option for someone interested in access to raw milk in the state of Colorado. By purchasing an share in a goat herd, the goat owner is then entitled to receive production (milk) from that interest. After a one-time fee to purchase a share, the goat owner then pays a monthly fee to cover boarding, milking and goat care. You will receive a Bill of Sale, a Boarding Agreement, a Herd Health Program and a copy of our Dairy Operating Standards.
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How much milk do I get ... ?
A full share is equal to 1 gallon of milk per week. Half shares will be available.
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What do you feed the goats ... ?
Our goats are fed grass and alfalfa hay along with a grain ration especially designed for dairy goats. Minerals are fed free-choice.
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Do you use any drugs... ?
Sometimes it's necessary to treat a sick animal with antibiotics or other drugs. When this happens and the animal is a milking doe, that animal is hand milked and the milk discarded. We use holistic medicine whenever possible. There are no growth hormones used in our dairy. The animals are treated as organically as possible.
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I heard there's a dry period. What is that... ?
The goats are dried up every winter approximately two months before they kid again in the late winter/early spring. This is a rest period for the pregnant does because the job of producing milk is draining while they are pregnant. We let them rest so that they will be in good condition when they do kid. There is a period of about 60-90 days when there will be no milk being produced. If the animals cooperate, we will stagger breeding so that there is as little dry time as possible. Extra milk that is available when milking starts again will be distributed if requested.
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What kind of goats are they ... ?
Right now most of our herd consists of Nubians. We do have some Alpines and have crossed them last fall to produce a Nubian/Alpine cross. That way we will get the best of both breeds since both have their advantages.
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Is Raw Milk Safe...?
While raw milk is a wonderful whole food full of valuable nutrients, it is vulnerable to contamination and needs to be handled with care. With safety in mind, our milk processing and handling will be accomplished with Grade "A" dairy standards as our guide. Also, care and attention will be given to our herd to make sure their health is our top priority.
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How much does a share cost...?
A share will be a one-time fee of $30 for the 2007 season. The monthly boarding fee will be $40.
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What if I don't want to drive up there every week...?
Frozen milk has worked well for some of our share holders that don't want to drive up every week. If you decide you only want to come up every other week or once a month, then that can be arranged. For example, if you owned one share and wanted to come only once a month, then you would pick up one gallon of fresh milk on your pick up day and 3 gallons frozen. We use one gallon plastic bottles with tamper proof lids to freeze your milk.
Co-ops are another way of not having to pick up every week. If you want to join a co-op then we will post a list in the barn of members looking for shared pick ups and the area they live in. We currently have a Brighton co-op available on Sundays and Wednesdays.