Finding 2020 has been weird this season. By now we'd usually be covered with dirty laundry and burning horn buds on 20+ babies but this year is different. We don't have yearlings to tame in the parlor or multiple births to write down in the little red book. There wont be multiple kidding pens and sleepless (almost) nights. BUT the milk flow is flowing and flowing more than ever. Realizing the dairy needed to become more sophisticated created a dash to sell our herd within a month or two before their kidding and finding our new dream goats. It was emotional, insane but beautiful at the same time. Not to mention our family was sick with the death flu for two weeks after Christmas and we built close to 1400 ft of fence WHILE sick with the death flu (it was a grand time).
We opted to purchase does from different tribes already pregnant or after they freshened. Some have come home already and by come home I mean traveled in the Toyota Highlander over the rivers and through the woods. Although we are experienced goat owners we didn't know what to expect with genetically correct, drama queens that are show goats. They have since proven to us how hard we have worked for no reason - ha! When starting the dairy and creamery we took 9 months to research EVERYTHING and came to the conclusion that we would dam raise (the kids are primary raised by their mothers), we wouldn't use medications or over processed grains, and we would make the best product possible.
All of that was done and everything worked out great but kidding seasons have been hard with goats not taking their kids and the countless hours treating goats susceptible to barber pole parasites more than others. Or the not so easy keepers that would need 5 lbs of grain a day to survive. Man we learned a lot from those mutt goats. Razzbourne Farms is a full circle farm - from grass to milk to cheese, we manage the entire process. All of our cheese is made from milk from goats that we milk every day March through November. We know where our milk comes from and from what animals; let alone the health of those animals. Our original tribe took care of some of the brush clearing on our new property and we'll be forever grateful for that.
From here we have to figure out what we'll do with our new found freedom after changing some protocols at the dairy and creamery. The cheese cave is still priority as well as soil health. The property we moved to is pretty depleted and needs some TLC. Soon (two weeks) you will be able to find our cheese once more at our usual retailers. We will also be at a Farmers' Market for the first time this season! There will be cheese pop ups happening and private cheese tastings available. You can keep tabs on those events on social media or email us at razzbournefarms@gmail.com for more information.
Happy Cheese Hunting, Stay Tribe!
Emily
An image my children captured of me with my very first doeling out of our new registered LaMancha does.