Thought I would throw in some dairy goat statistics this evening.
Do you know which state had the largest number of reported dairy goats (at last count)? My first guess would have been California. I was wrong. Many years ago it was Ohio. The correct answer is Wisconsin, at 40,000 head of dairy goats. California follows with 37,000 head. Iowa and Texas followed.
Now, when you look at dairy goat operations, the numbers jumble just a bit. Texas reined in 2007 with a reported 2,100 dairy goat operations. Followed by California, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York and Washington state.
With all of these dairy goat operations, with their capabilities of producing over 2,000 pounds of milk a year, the United States imports 50% of the dairy goat cheese consumed, most of it coming from France. Crazy man? I think so!
I love to make the goat cheese! But when I began researching someone I could co-op with in Ohio, or even from a surrounding state, I ran into a lot of opposition both money-wise and a lack of interest. Ohio is not a good place to own a commercial dairy goat operation. So, that is when I turned to goat milk soap. I believe in turning my love of the goats into something sustainable.
I drink my own goat milk raw, 2 cups a day. I am a healthy person, so far, so good. I believe goat milk is one the healthiest foods on the face of this planet (good for cholesterol, diabetes, allergies, the immune system, and more). I cannot sell my milk, nor can I give it away. Red tape, and I wish to not get myself in trouble.
I hope my future finds me at 80 years old, in a granny dress, milking a dairy goat, sassy and fit! I need to get the fit part right, first! That is my project this week, fitting up!!!
I will soon write an article on goat milk soap, how I still need to educate the public on its benefits, and even that it does exist!
Annies Goat Hill Handcrafted Soaps 
Nice post.
Funny you should mention this; I’ve been tossing that term “fit” around here this evening… telling my kids that we’re all going to start walking. My son wants that “6-pack” on his abs. He helps out in a neighbor’s hay field, tossing those bales on the wagon as if they were pebbles. I quit smoking 11 years or so ago and have just switched addictions from cigarettes to food. Sooo… beginning tomorrow, we walk.
And if I could find someone to sell me some fresh goat milk, I’d buy it! While out searching for a goat not long ago, I tasted Nubian and a Togg’s milk… both were really nice and smooth. I’d never had fresh goat’s milk before and was shocked! It’s so branded into this society that we’re to drink cow’s milk that some can’t get over it coming from a goat (my husband included). We’d have a goat, and may still, if I can work out some wrinkles in the abstract– telling me we can’t have farm animals here (but there’s no record of such a thing at the courthouse). I’m hoping to have this ironed out soon enough!:)
So, the next time you take a sip of ice cold goat’s milk, think of me!
Tasha Tudor drank her goats’ milk, and ate home made cheeses from them, and she just recently died at a very old age. She was active until her death too, milking and tending her goats, painting and writing, gardening, cooking, etc.
Same with sheep as far as production and purchase in the U.S. We import most of our lamb and mutton from New Zealand and Australia, at least the last time I checked. Yet , in America it is hard to make money with sheep. How come? We have the land for it!
Oh well, politics and agribusiness. Fortunately we can still raise them for ourselves and find creative ways to legally sell some of our products. The best advertisement for goat’s milk is to consume it and be healthy. When you’re 90 some young’uns will come round and ask for the secret of your long and healthy life and they will re-discover the benefits of goat’s milk!
Lynnanne, I hope you get that abstract worked out. One goat would be good (or perhaps two so they keep each other company). It would drive me nuts if someone told me I could not have animals. Keep hammering on the issue!
I got on the scales this morning, figured I had put on a few pounds. I laughed at what I found. I am almost back where I started a few months ago, gained in the middle again. That seems to be my middle aged spot, ha. I have a good attitude about the gain, very prepaired. On my table is a calorie counting book, ready for action with my first bite of breakfast this morning!
Kathy, you hit the nail on the head. It does not take many dairy goats for plenty enough milk. Their milk is rich enough, even though healthy, that I will not drink beyond the 1 cup (twice a day). Thankfully, we can raise them as pets without the hassle. So…we cannot sell or give it away, we can still do other things with it.
The sad thing is, we are getting further and further away from what is good for us, from the basics. There is a trend across the US, the world, with the youngsters, to get back to homesteading, and the basics. But these youngsters have it so much more difficult with the laws and rules of the land than those that started out 50-70 years ago. Easier on one hand, with conveniences by their side, but more difficult because of the red tape.
Oh well, a whole ‘nother topic (ha, ha, ha)…
I’m a goat nut and back in “the day” I raised a few, made cheese, yogurt (and it tasted wonderful) and sold what we didn’t use. Having returned to “my roots” – gardening again – I’m longing for a few does to share the joy with my grandchildren – like I did with their mothers….who I raised on goats milk.
Love your blog…glad I found it…
lylah
la maison et le jardin and
http://www.lylahledner.blogspot.com