WE provide raw GOAT milk shares to the San Luis Valley AND TAOS area. We also HAVE farm fresh eggs AVAILABLE.
WHY RAW MILK?
Raw milk is a living food full of essential nutrients, enzymes, and probiotics. We raise Mini Nubian goats which are known for their sweet and creamy milk. For more info on the health benefits of raw milk, here are a few places to start: Milk Vitamins & Minerals and Milk as Medicine. For a look at the benefits of raw milk and our co-evolution with dairy animals: Why Humans Drink Milk, and more info on why pasteurization exists: The Real Reasons for Milk Pasteurization.
WHAT IS A DAIRY HERD SHARE PROGRAM?
Colorado state law prohibits the retail sale of unpasteurized milk, but one can legally obtain raw milk by owning a share in a dairy animal or herd. Herd sharing is a system that provides access to farm fresh milk for people who cannot care for an animal themselves. Purchasing a share in the herd entitles you to a percentage of what the herd produces.
HOW IT WORKS:
There is a one time purchase of $30 to buy a share in the herd, due upon completion of boarding contract. Then we will send you an invoice the first of each month for our monthly boarding & service fee. This fee goes toward the feed, maintenance, veterinary care and the milking of the herd. If at anytime you choose to no longer own a share, we buy back the share. We have a limited number of shares starting summer 2023.
Full share (1 gallon of milk each week): $20 weekly service fee
1/2 share (1/2 gallon of milk each week): $10 weekly service fee
1/4 share (1 quart of milk each week): $6 weekly service fee
We will bottle your milk in glass jars and freeze them for you to pick-up from our location. There is a one time $10 glass jar fee, and we ask that you bring back your empty, rinsed-out jars each week.
CHEESE:
We can also provide professional services to supply you with your own cheese- more info coming soon.
HOW TO SIGN UP:
If you are interested in a raw milk herd share, fill out the form below and we will send you more information and our herd share contract:
OUR Herd MANAGEMEnt & DAIRY Practices:
Our dairy is a member of The Raw Milk Association of Colorado which follows Colorado state regulatory guidelines. Our raw milk is tested monthly according to RMAC standards for bacteria counts, specific pathogens and coliforms, and overall udder health.
CARE
All our animals have access to fresh clean water, salt, minerals and gmo-free hay & grain grown without pesticides, herbicides, or commercial fertilizers. All livestock have sheltered barns which are cleaned regularly and bedded with fresh straw in the winter. Wormer is given only on an as-needed basis. No hormones (rSBT) are given. Antibiotics are only used when an animal is sick (very rare), and they are removed from milking. Animals are not returned to the milk supply until testing negative from antibiotics.
MILKING
Our goats are milked once a day and an herbal teat dip is used for cleaning before milking. All milking utensils are washed and sanitized before and after use.
