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HOW IT WORKS
We sell fresh raw goat milk directly from our farm located in Mount Vernon. The milk is available to new customers as
retail sales or as a regular customer. A regular customer is someone who has expressed a desire to be placed on the list
of people who want milk on a regular basis. A pick up day will be arranged and then milk will be reserved for the regular
customer who will be expected to pick up milk on that day. All extra milk will be made available as retail on the farm so
that anyone can stop by, see if there is any milk, and buy it. A regular customer is free to buy extra milk from time to
time this way as well. Eggs can be added to your order if you desire.
MORE ABOUT ON FARM SALES OF RAW MILK
If you are on the regular customer list then we will reserve milk for you every week. If however, you fail to pick up
your milk on your given day that milk will be available for general retail. If you don't pick up two times without prior
notification then your name will be dropped from the regular customer list.
As a regular customer we will want your name and phone number as well as e-mail address on record so if there is any new
information we need to contact you about we can. It is also important that you sign in when getting milk so I know exactly
who picked up which batch of milk just in case there is a problem and we need to recall a batch.
This is an honor-based system. The milk is available for pick-up on the farm. Please sign your name, quantity taken,
number of jars returned and amount paid.
JARS
Milk is bottled into clean, sterile, glass mason jars. Jars are to be returned cleaned. If you wish to not bother with
returning jars then please pay 1$ per jar at the time of pick up and note that when you sign in. Jars will be sterilized
on the farm.
RESPONSIBILITY
The customer is willingly drinking raw milk that has not been pasteurized. Benefits versus dangers of raw milk are to
be researched and understood by the customer. The farmer will make available for customer inspection of all goats and milking
operations. Milk handling will adhere to state Grade A standards for producing healthy, clean milk and subject milk to regular
quality control and health tests as well as state inspections.
PRODUCTION LIMITS
Milk is a seasonal product and as such the customer should know that goats are dried off for the last two months of pregnancy
and milk will be available again sporadically shortly after kidding and then fully when the babies are weaned at 8 weeks old.
Thus every year no milk will be available for 12-16 weeks. This will be in winter starting before Christmas. Should the
customer wish year round milk then it is advised that they freeze some in plastic containers (leaving head space) ahead of
time. (Milk thawed in the refrigerator over the course of several days is equally palatable as fresh- do not thaw at room
temperature as this creates curdled milk).
We will try to accommodate everyone but understand at some point the milk runs out, and leading up to that, the quantity
of milk available to regular customers will be adjusted. The amount of milk available at the beginning depends on the goat
kids born (how many doe kids that stay, or bucks that go, how good a producer the dam is). We will work however, to keep
you informed.
MILK QUALITY
Fresh, raw goat milk tastes little different than fresh, raw cow's milk, which has a sweet, wholesome flavor. Should
the customer not be completely satisfied with the quality of their milk they are encouraged to return the milk to the farm
and take a replacement amount. Goats are browsers and as such eat a variety of forage. Sometimes forage partakes a "goaty"
flavor to the milk which is transitory. If not happy try some other quarts. Often the flavor has passed. Be aware, though,
that there is a difference between goaty or off-flavor milk and bad milk. Raw milk does not putrefy like pasteurized milk
but rather, it sours which is not bad. However, if milk tastes just bad (your mouth wants to spit it out) don"t drink
it but return it and let me know. While this has never happened to our milk it is wise to always be on the lookout for bad
food- milk or otherwise.
TRANSPORTATION OF MILK
When picking up your milk be sure that you bring a cooler along to insure that your milk stays cold for the trip home.
If you will be making other stops then bring some ice as well. The quality of your milk depends on how cold it is kept.
After we milk we immediately cool the milk and then pour into quart jars and refrigerate in a cold refrigerator. You may
even wish to chill your milk in the meat compartment of your refrigerator. However, once the milk leaves our farm we are
no longer responsible for it. We are able to discuss any quality problems you're having at home and troubleshoot those issues.
We are a small family farm run by our own family and would love to discuss any improvements or recommendations you may
have for us. Our goal is to share our wonderful abundance with you. Most of all we look forward to building a relationship
with you as you enjoy the milk from our goats.
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