Herd Share:
Q. What is a herd share?
A. A herd share is where someone buys a share of a herd, pays the farmer a monthly care fee, and in turn, they receive milk from their own herd.
Q. How much is a herd share?
A. One share is $40. A $15 jar deposit is required to cover your jar in case it needs to be replaced. These are both one time fees due upon signing the contract. Then a monthly care fee of $25.
Q. How do I get my milk?
A. Pick up dates and times will be set according to a schedule. You may pick up in Lamesa, TX or weekly delivery to Lubbock, TX is available.
Q. Do you provide any other products besides milk?
A. Not at this time.
Q. What if I want more than half a gallon a week?
A. You are able to purchase more than one share in the herd. Each share is equal to half a gallon a week.
Q. Do I need to provide my own jars?
A. No, we provide jars.
Q. Will milk be available year round?
A. We usually try to stagger our breedings so we have milk year round. However, with long lactations, extreme weather, missed breedings, etc we can not guarantee to have milk available year round. In the time of low production or dry months, the monthly care fee is still due. However, if you would like to terminate your share during these times, we can let you know when more milk is available and you can repurchase your share. This does run the risk of losing your shares if none are available once milk is available again.
Q. How do I handle my milk?
A. Milk should be kept as cool as possible at all times to keep it fresh longer! When you pick up your milk, please come with a cooler and ice pack of some sort for your trip back home and get it into your fridge as quickly as possible.
Q. How long does the milk last?
A. Milk for drinking typically lasts 7-10 days. However, raw milk is a living food and can be used to make more products or for baking for much longer as long as it is kept at temperatures of 38 degrees or less. You may also freeze your milk for future use I’d you’d like.
Q. If I am unable to collect my milk one week, do I get credit towards next months care fee?
A. No we do not offer credits or refunds.
Q. Do I need to return my jar before my next scheduled pick up time?
A. No, just bring your jar back clean at your next pick up.
A. A herd share is where someone buys a share of a herd, pays the farmer a monthly care fee, and in turn, they receive milk from their own herd.
Q. How much is a herd share?
A. One share is $40. A $15 jar deposit is required to cover your jar in case it needs to be replaced. These are both one time fees due upon signing the contract. Then a monthly care fee of $25.
Q. How do I get my milk?
A. Pick up dates and times will be set according to a schedule. You may pick up in Lamesa, TX or weekly delivery to Lubbock, TX is available.
Q. Do you provide any other products besides milk?
A. Not at this time.
Q. What if I want more than half a gallon a week?
A. You are able to purchase more than one share in the herd. Each share is equal to half a gallon a week.
Q. Do I need to provide my own jars?
A. No, we provide jars.
Q. Will milk be available year round?
A. We usually try to stagger our breedings so we have milk year round. However, with long lactations, extreme weather, missed breedings, etc we can not guarantee to have milk available year round. In the time of low production or dry months, the monthly care fee is still due. However, if you would like to terminate your share during these times, we can let you know when more milk is available and you can repurchase your share. This does run the risk of losing your shares if none are available once milk is available again.
Q. How do I handle my milk?
A. Milk should be kept as cool as possible at all times to keep it fresh longer! When you pick up your milk, please come with a cooler and ice pack of some sort for your trip back home and get it into your fridge as quickly as possible.
Q. How long does the milk last?
A. Milk for drinking typically lasts 7-10 days. However, raw milk is a living food and can be used to make more products or for baking for much longer as long as it is kept at temperatures of 38 degrees or less. You may also freeze your milk for future use I’d you’d like.
Q. If I am unable to collect my milk one week, do I get credit towards next months care fee?
A. No we do not offer credits or refunds.
Q. Do I need to return my jar before my next scheduled pick up time?
A. No, just bring your jar back clean at your next pick up.
Diet:
Q. What is your herd fed?
A. The majority of our girls diet consist of forage like it’s meant to be! Our entire herd is kept on free choice alfalfa and have loose mineral available. The only goats that receive "grain" are our does in milk as a treat on the milk stand. This grain is Purina Dairy Parlor 16%.
Q. Are your animals Grass-Fed?
A. No, we do not qualify as grass fed based on the qualifications laid out by the Grass-Fed Organic Livestock Program since our does do receive grain on the milk stand.
Q. Is the diet Non GMO?
A. No.
A. The majority of our girls diet consist of forage like it’s meant to be! Our entire herd is kept on free choice alfalfa and have loose mineral available. The only goats that receive "grain" are our does in milk as a treat on the milk stand. This grain is Purina Dairy Parlor 16%.
Q. Are your animals Grass-Fed?
A. No, we do not qualify as grass fed based on the qualifications laid out by the Grass-Fed Organic Livestock Program since our does do receive grain on the milk stand.
Q. Is the diet Non GMO?
A. No.
Herd Management:
Q. How do you ensure your goats don’t carry any diseases or illnesses?
A. Our goats are tested for CAE, CL, and Johnes yearly and sporadically tested for Q. Fever and Brucellosis. You can find copies of those test results under the Herd Testig tab. We spend time with each goat twice a day at minimum! This means twice a day we are assessing them for any behaviors or signs that point towards illness or injury. When each goat is milked, we check each quarter for any hardness, fever, or redness. We also strip each quarter out so we are able to inspect the milk itself before our equipment ever touches them. Goats are also tested with mastitis indicator strips regularly. Any goat that shows any sign of illness or injury is removed from the milking string until they are cleared.
Q. Do you use antibiotics or hormones?
A. We never use hormones. However, we do use antibiotics when necessary to clear an illness. These antibiotics are never present in the milk. Milk from goats being treated is always disposed of until well after the end of the withdrawal period.
A. Our goats are tested for CAE, CL, and Johnes yearly and sporadically tested for Q. Fever and Brucellosis. You can find copies of those test results under the Herd Testig tab. We spend time with each goat twice a day at minimum! This means twice a day we are assessing them for any behaviors or signs that point towards illness or injury. When each goat is milked, we check each quarter for any hardness, fever, or redness. We also strip each quarter out so we are able to inspect the milk itself before our equipment ever touches them. Goats are also tested with mastitis indicator strips regularly. Any goat that shows any sign of illness or injury is removed from the milking string until they are cleared.
Q. Do you use antibiotics or hormones?
A. We never use hormones. However, we do use antibiotics when necessary to clear an illness. These antibiotics are never present in the milk. Milk from goats being treated is always disposed of until well after the end of the withdrawal period.
Milking Procedures:
Q. What procedures do you use while milking?
A. Every goats udder is washed and sanitized with a chlorhexidine solution before milking. Goats are milked by machine so everything from the teat to the tank is clean and sanitized. Milk is filtered as it runs through the lines into the fully enclosed tank. Once the inflations are removed, the teats are dipped into an iodine post dip that provides a disinfectant as well as a barrier that protects against any debris or germs.
Q. What are your milk handling procedures?
A. My milk machine is cleaned and sanitized before and after each milking. Teats, jars, and tank are all also sanitized. This ensures everything the milk touches is sterile and ready for use! Milk is collected via milk machine, filtered with an inline filter, then separated into individual jars, and flash cooled immediately!
A. Every goats udder is washed and sanitized with a chlorhexidine solution before milking. Goats are milked by machine so everything from the teat to the tank is clean and sanitized. Milk is filtered as it runs through the lines into the fully enclosed tank. Once the inflations are removed, the teats are dipped into an iodine post dip that provides a disinfectant as well as a barrier that protects against any debris or germs.
Q. What are your milk handling procedures?
A. My milk machine is cleaned and sanitized before and after each milking. Teats, jars, and tank are all also sanitized. This ensures everything the milk touches is sterile and ready for use! Milk is collected via milk machine, filtered with an inline filter, then separated into individual jars, and flash cooled immediately!