French Alpine Goats

One of the wonderful benefits of being a small producer is getting to choose a heritage breed animal or a rare heirloom vegetable and not having to worry about the "general public" wanting run of the mill products. Because of this, we weren't pressured into getting a cow in order to delve into dairy products. Instead, we could go with our family's much loved ruminant, the goat! After much research and even more time spent looking for good stock, we settled on a herd of French Alpine Goats.

Goats are one of the oldest domesticated animals, with archeological evidence that they have been tended by humans for 10,000 years. Goats quickly found their way to the New World as well. A 1630 census of Jamestown lists goats as their most valuable asset. It was during this time that Swiss breeds were brought to the US. So they are true pilgrims! It wasn't until the 1920s that the first official "French Alpines" were imported to the US and these form the core of the gene pool that was mixed with the existing Swiss breeds and has now created the pure bred herds we see today.

More people worldwide consume goat milk than the milk from any other animal. The milk is different from cow's milk but in subtle ways. Goat milk lacks beta carotene which means it is perfectly white. For instance, butter has the typical yellow color from beta carotene found in cow's milk - goat milk butter is pure white. Additionally, goat milk is naturally homogenized. This means that very little, if any, cream will rise to the top of the milk. The fat stays in solution. And probably the most pronounced difference is the presence of capric, caprylic and caproic acid. These acids are what gives "goaty" products their flavor. If handled delicately and properly, goat milk does not have any different flavor, but once it has been heated, stirred and aged into cheeses, the acids break up and the product acquires that flavor that people either love or hate!

We are quite happy with our ever-expanding herd of Alpines. They provide endless entertainment and wonderful dairy products. They truly are a precious asset to the farm!

Maxie takes a look around after being let out of the barn in the morning before anyone else steps outside. Herd Queen is a rough job you know!