Milking Season

We have just begun our milking season at SkinnyFat Farm. Three of our four pregnant Mama's have kidded and given us 4 doelings and one buckling so far. We (or I should say Eric } milks the girls once every afternoon. The weather is still cool and milking isn't so bad, but as it begins to heat up Eric will change his routine and milk in the mornings instead of the hot afternoon. All the kids have transitioned to cows milk, which give us the opportunity to hand milk, store, and use fresh goat;s milk for our soap! 

Unlike most dairy or goat farms, we only milk once and day and for only seven months out of the year. This gives the goats a break, keeps them healthy, and gives them time off between breeding. Nubian goats can be bred year round, but we only breed once in the Fall. We take pride in the healthy and humane way we care for all of our animals, but especially our Nubians! 

Each dam has their own personality. some are easier to train and milk than others....Violet, our best and most experienced milker is a breeze. With the birth of triplets, Violet is giving us about a gallon of milk each day. Luna, however is a first time freshener and is still learning the routine. The best part of the routine for the girls is their reward. Each mama gets a hand full of "animal crackers." that's right good old fashioned animal crackers as a treat after each milking. The girls love those crackers and so do the pups who wait for an extra masker or two to drop on the ground.