Did you know that 2015 was year of the goat as far as the Chinese zodiac believes? Not only that it began on a date mid-February which was also my birthday! It was a great year. We started our first cheese season soon after and made all kinds of new friends through our retailers and customers. This year was year of the monkey and we had our sweet baby girl in May, just one day before our son's birthday - how rad! Next year will be year of the rooster. I am going to sum up next year in just a few years: we will be terrified with big changes but ultimately enjoy our new property and family lifestyle! I know this to be true because just last week our Farm Service Loan was approved and I also was offered a full time job. A FULL TIME JOB?! What about the cheese you ask? Wellllllll, with baby girl this year we went down to once a day milking and honestly, it worked out beautifully! I could have a semi-normal relationship with my husband and dedicate more hours to the design business. We will continue on that route next year with twice as many milkers - you will have cheese! We're aiming for the end of February!
Our new property is perfect. We have some fence to build and barn designs to come up with as well as build those things but we will take our time. We will move into the home and the dairy will stay where it is until further notice. I will be traveling to a full time job and a part time job (the goats) but I wouldn't have it any other way. We pondered for about two seconds about leaving it behind but it is a part of us now, no matter how much my husband may disagree ;). I experimented with some cheese this off season to add two new hard aged cheeses to our line in 2017. So far things are working, we'll be trying them over the holidays. Gah, I keep forgetting about the holidays. With turkey day tomorrow I'm at a loss because I was not able to help friends process their turkeys for the second year this year. Having babies, keeps you from doing some things you love! All in due time I will be joining them on turkey and chicken processing days!
My new job is my dream job. I will be marketing and developing something that is doing good for the world and I believe in - how lucky am I!? Although a clone or two of myself would be nice right about now. All babysitters and day cares are booked as far as yesterday so I'm stressing just a tad about where my precious babies will go while I work. All of this awesome news happening at once I'm sure someone will come forward. If you have someone in mind, please send them our way! Must need a drivers' license and be responsible. I will also need help with the dairy next year - mostly with dishes and cleaning up. This position could evolve into milking and cheese making. Keep us in mind over the holidays and do enjoy your family this season!
Some marvelous goat milk soap is stocked at Rockbridge Vineyard if you're looking for that special gift! They are hand mixed with no chemicals (except the lye, you can't have soap without lye), hand cut and hand packaged. Some new scents include Blood Orange Cocoa and Peppermint!