Does any one Commercial dairy goat farm am interested in some info?
Question by : Does any one Commercial dairy goat farm am interested in some info?
I have five first time fresheners that just kidded and now I will have 9 milking next year. I am very interested in going commercial.
Like were you milk 100-200 goats and some one picks up your milk. You have a bulk tank and and everything. Does any work or own one.
I live in MN and now some one who is close with a lawyer in this field of regulations and an inspector
Can you help? Leave your own answer in the comments!
2 Responses to Does any one Commercial dairy goat farm am interested in some info?
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there is an Agriculture section here in Science.. I have sheep myself.. not sure what your question is exactly…
CF_
July 19, 2012 at 4:12 pm
Chances are you will not be able to afford to own/run a dairy. Why? Because it will cost you at least $ 500,000 to jump through the hoops and government regulations, to become a certified Grade A dairy. No, I’m not kidding about the price, either.
What state you are in, makes a huge difference as to how hard, and how expensive it will be for you as well.
The goat dairy farms that do the best stay small, and make high end goat cheese, as well as selling milk.
The one that is just 2 miles from my house has only 20 milking does, and two Gurnsey cows. They actually stopped selling milk, and now only sell cheese, soaps and lotions made with their goat milk.
~Garnet
Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years
Raising meat goats since 1999
3 milking does in my families personal dairy herd.
In Minnesota, there are a quiet a few goat dairies. I suggest you go visit their operations (as many as you can), and talk to the owners, to find out EXACTLY what kind of government hoops they are having to jump through.
Also keep in mind that the price of grain and hay is very likely to continue to skyrocket over the next few years. Double any of your estimated feed bill costs, when you are figuring out if you will be able to make a profit.
# Alexandria: BlissBerry Dairy Goats, Fresh and Frozen raw goat milk from their award winning herd of purebred registered Nubian and LaMancha dairy goats. Disease free and TB tested free herd. Volume pricing available on orders of 10+ gallons. Also sells goat milk soap and lotion. BlissBerry Nubians & LaManchas Simply Bliss Soap Alexandria, MN. Visit their online herd brochure at: http://www.BlissBerry.com. For more information email at milk@blissberry.com
Bemidji: Heather Fadness-Marczak, Bemidji, MN 56601, phone (218) 751-1578. Raw milk and goat cheese from registered Nubian Goats.
# Milaca: McCann Farm, 17442 100th Ave. Milaca MN 56353. They are a family run, grass based farm offering, raw goat milk, goat milk soap, pastured eggs, pastured poultry, grass fed beef and meat goats. For more information please call Brian at 763-229-7294 or e-mail bkmccann@frontiernet.net or visit their web site at http://www.mccanngoatfarm.com.
# Scandia: Poplar Hill Dairy Goat Farm, (651) 433-2684, email: sales@poplarhillfarm.com , web: http://www.poplarhillfarm.com. Fresh goat milk and goat milk cheese. Please call before coming. They also have Alpine, Nubian, Saanen, and Toggenburg dairy goat does and bucks for sale.
Solway: WhipStaff Ranch and Rescue, 6185 Meadowview RD NW, Solway MN 56678. (218) 467-3309, http://www.whipstaff-ranch.com. Raw goats milk for sale direct to the public for human consumption and animal feeding. Customers must provide their own containers. They are a non profit animal rescue/sanctuary and rare breed livestock conservation society.
Southeastern Minnesota: Kara Kahl Farm is located near Houston, MN and complies with the Minnesota Statutes regarding raw milk sales. The farm maintains a purebred herd of registered dairy goats as Kara Kahl Alpines and Legendairy Toggenburgs, so they frequently have does and bucks for sale as well. Fresh, seasonal vegetables may also be available depending on what’s ready in the garden. For more information about this farm, visit their website at: http://www.karakahlfarm.com or email dthompson@acegroup.cc or ekayet@hotmail.com. Phone (507)-894-4745
* Willmar/Kerkhoven area: Prairie’s Edge Farms, Rich & Carol Radtke, 6755 135th Street NW, Kerkhoven, MN, 56252, (320) 220-3235, email: farm@prairiesedgefarms.com , website: http://www.PrairiesEdgeFarms.com. They are located 10 miles west of Willmar. Small family farm doing their best to promote the raw milk/food industry, by selling raw goat’s milk, cheese, soaps and other natural products. They raise their animals as naturally as possible. A pasture-base farm with 40+ acres of Certified Organic pastures. Even the chickens and hogs are pastured… that’s how strongly they believe in what they are doing. They also offer farm raised, pastured beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, quail and eggs. If you have time, let them show you around. They also sell dairy goats, so you can produce your own raw milk should you choose to. The farm is a real working farm so please call before arriving. They want to make sure they have time to talk with you and thank you for supporting the farm. Minnesota law dictates that you must bring your own milk containers.
I tried to post the laws to MN, but Yahoo Q&A will not allow, because of space. Instead, here’s a link: http://www.realmilk.com/milk-laws-3.html
If you don’t develop a brand name, and a loyal following of customers, you will not make it. The only way to do that is via raw milk sales. That’s why I’m giving you that information.
Bohemian_Garnet_Permaculturalist
July 19, 2012 at 4:20 pm