Got goat milk? Bluegrass has cheese, too
“We have kind of labeled ourselves ‘dairy goat pioneers,’” says Todd Harp. “There are several people across the state who are watching Susan and me to see how it goes.”
Harp operates Foxhide Farm in Bourbon County and last week, he made the first official shipment of goat’s milk in Kentucky, according to state inspectors.
It went to Susan Miller, who operates Bleugrass Chevre farm in Clark County.
Bleugrass Chevre also produces goat milk, plus several kinds of goat cheese that are sold at the Lexington Farmers Market on Saturdays.
The shipment was a big deal for Harp and his 5-year-old goat business.
He has gradually developed a herd of 55 goats, including 20 “does” that produce about 23 gallons of milk a day.
Now he has a market for the milk and Miller has a source of milk to meet the growing demand for her cheese, Harp said.
Foxhide and Bleugrass Chevre are the only licensed goat milk producers in Kentucky, but many other goat farmers are interested.
Kentucky is either 3rd or 5th among the states in goat population, depending on which source you consult, said Harp, a 34-year-old state government employee and a part-time goat farmer.
State farmers need more marketable products to make up for the loss of burley tobacco and other crops.
“Here we have a good product and we have got to get it on the market,” he added. “We’ll see how big it gets.”
July 12, 2008 at 10:15 am
Goat farmers in many states are also interested in how your venture goes. What with the terrible economy that the stupid Geo Bush administration has burdened us with, many small farmers are looking for alternative ways to generate extra extra revenue.