| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| stonethistle |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 11:01:10 AM
Hello from the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Our organic grass fed livestock farm and goat dairy is still covered with snow but the sun is bright today on the first day of spring. After milking and feeding the buck kids and putting the horse into the pasture, I took a rest on a hay bale in the kid goat yard. I was overwhelmed by bouncing kid goats, livestock guardian dogs and does searching for their kids in the pile on top of me! A kiss from a goat cures all! 50 degree weather would do the trick too.
Denise
If you can't buy organic AND local, choose local. Support the local farmers who feed you! |
| 19 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| cabingirl |
Posted - Mar 25 2007 : 06:21:24 AM
Hi Denise, it's nice to meet you. I look forward to hearing more about your farm and your goats!
"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
www.lifeinacordwoodcabin.blogspot.com |
| Buttercup |
Posted - Mar 25 2007 : 01:50:12 AM
Thank you for answering my questions! I love learning what others do and have and why and the pros and cons they feel are related to whatever they have...it helps me learn a lot! Thank you so much for sharing!
Hugz!
Talitha
"If we could maintain the wonder of childhood and at the same time grasp the wisdom of age, what wonder,what wisdom,what life would be ours" |
| a rose |
Posted - Mar 24 2007 : 2:19:37 PM
Welcome aboard Denise. You don't live too far away from me. I have a friend who lives in Coxsackie.
Remember me as a rose. |
| Mikki |
Posted - Mar 24 2007 : 09:36:11 AM
Welcome Denise. I have goats also and just love them. Glad your here.
~~Blessings, Mikki Jo
http://burningmeadowsprings.blogspot.com/
http://strawberriesnapronstrings.blogspot.com/ |
| Lizabeth |
Posted - Mar 23 2007 : 12:14:39 PM
Welcome Denise! I had quite the laugh at your comment "my husband tells them apart by their udders" that is hilarious!
http://www.handcraftsbyheather.com |
| owwlady |
Posted - Mar 23 2007 : 11:28:46 AM
Welcome Denise, so glad to have you with us. Your farm sounds wonderful. I had to laugh at the kiss from a goat. It reminded me of the book title "Never Kiss a Goat On The Lips". |
| stonethistle |
Posted - Mar 23 2007 : 09:55:06 AM
It was 57 degrees yesterday and is close to 50 degrees today so the snow is melting fast and the streams are running high and hard.
We don't make cheese. Just organic goat milk and yogurt. The goat milk yogurt should be on shelves of health food stores in three weeks. It has taken us two years to develop the product. Goat milk yogurt is very thin and we wanted it to be spoonable so we had to find an organic thickener. We found an organic tapioca BUT our customers wanted a fair trade organic tapioca. This took months, then no one could tell us, including the company that manufactures the tapioca, how to use it in yogurt. It took us a year working in a college incubator plant at SUNY Morrisville to perfect the product. When we decided on adding organic flavors such as maple and raspberry, a whole new set of consistency problems occurred.
It was frustrating because I make great yogurt at home from raw milk and incubate it in a picnic cooler with bottles of hot water and a towel wrapped around the cultured milk. 8 hours later - great yogurt. Switching to a commercial mode with pasteurized milk was a whole new adventure.
I also make great kefir at home - someday we would like to take that commercial too. One step at a time.
Our goats are Saanens - all white - people ask us how we can tell them apart - all 100 have thier own special face and personality.
My husband tells them apart by their udders.
The guard dogs are Italian Maremmas. They are also all white so they blend in with the goats. The are brought up on our farm as pups living with the sheep and goats in the pastures. They are unfailing and wholly committed to their job as nuturer and guardian. We have not had a coyote, wolf or bear attack since they joined us five years ago.
We also use border collies to move the sheep from pasture to pasture. We graze on over 800 acres throughout our valley, most owned by second home owners who welcome us to use graze their land for free so they get the agricultural exemption and get to see sheep and cattle grazing in their fields when they spend the weekends here. A good arrangement for us both as we have enough access to land so that we can keep the animals on fresh pasture. No worries about parasites - a good thing when a farm is organic.
Thank you for all your big welcomes.
Denise
If you can't buy organic AND local, choose local. Support the local farmers who feed you! |
| lamamama |
Posted - Mar 23 2007 : 08:55:15 AM
Welcome, Denise!!
Your place sounds so wonderful - and thanks to you & your family for contributing to the health of everyone near you.
I'm hoping to hear more from you about your place, & your life there...............especially since I one day want to raise a few goats. :)
Melanie |
| Buttercup |
Posted - Mar 22 2007 : 8:38:46 PM
Denise,
So glad to have you! Your place sounds great! What kind of goats do you have? And would love to hear more about your dogs as well! I would love to share some snow with you since I dont get any where I am  but I am sure you all are ready for spring! Hoping for a wonderful spring to come your way! I look forward to hearing more and see you 'round!
Hugz!
Talitha
PS went to your website (and a lovely one it is!) and saw a picture with a saanen goat...are all of them saanens?
"If we could maintain the wonder of childhood and at the same time grasp the wisdom of age, what wonder,what wisdom,what life would be ours" |
| beckels |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 6:42:51 PM
Welcome Denise to the farmgirl world!! Their is not many things cutier than a baby goat!!
beckesl |
| Marybeth |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 4:45:37 PM
Welcome Denise. Your farm sounds great and looks wonderfu. I had a nice visit on your site. Looks great. Marybeth
www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
www.day4plus.blogspot.com www.holyhouses-day4plus.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
| Tina Michelle |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 4:26:59 PM
welcome Denise!
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ |
| shelle |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 2:36:36 PM
Welcome Denise!!
http://janzenfamilyjournal.blogspot.com/ |
| stonethistle |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 2:16:12 PM
East Merdith is located west of the Hudson. Stacy - We are about 20 minutes from Maryland New York. My friend who owns goats and sheep - Allison Jones lives in Maryland on Axell Road. My husband and I and three children own and run the farm. Our website is www.stoneandthistlefarm.com
The organic goat dairy is Kortright Creek Creamery. We have a license to sell raw milk and we sell bottled milk. The milk is bottled at Evans Creamery and picked up by our distributor and brought into NYC. Thanks for letting us know that the milk tastes great. The raw milk is even better - it takes on the flavors of the leaves, raspberries, herbs and grasses that the goat forage from the pastures.
Denise
If you can't buy organic AND local, choose local. Support the local farmers who feed you! |
| rosebud74a |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 2:00:22 PM
Welcome Denise!!
Do you own Stonethistle Farms? I have bought organic goat milk at the local organic store, and I don't think there are too many organic goat farms in East Meridith...the milk is great!! Look forward to you contributions. Me are very close too each other..I live in Maryalnd NY. Less than a half hour is close when livinf in a rural areas.
Stacy
http://peapickinheart.blogspot.com/
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt, 'This Is My Story,' 1937
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| Mumof3 |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 1:43:19 PM
Welcome, Denise! Your story made me laugh- I can just picture you being swarmed by kids!! Glad you were able to dig out and find us. ;)
Karin |
| Beemoosie |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 11:20:38 AM
Welcome Denise!
My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. Luke 1:46,47
www.beequilting.blogspot.com
http://beemoosie-picture-diary.blogspot.com/ |
| blueroses |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 11:11:52 AM
Hi Denise,
Sounds great on the farm. Welcome! Which side of the Hudson are you on? I had a friend from Cairo many moons ago. Do you make goat cheese at your dairy?
"You cannot find peace...by avoiding life."
Virginia Woolfe |
| Miss Bee Haven |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 11:06:33 AM
Hi Denise. Your farm sounds beautiful! Welcome to the forum - wish I could send you some of my nearly 70 degree weather today.
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
