Our Herd
Our beloved goats produce every drop of milk we use. We know our herd by their names, not by a number. When its time for them to retire, they live out their lives with the herd they’ve always known, and the caretakers who have always loved them. Visit the farm to meet the goats!
What kind of goats do you have?
Dairy goats!
Oh, you meant more specifcally? We keep Alpines, Saanens, Mini Nubians and a few crossbreeds. We’ve been developing our herd since 1987 and select our stock carefully for milk quality, milk quantity, health, temperament and conformation.
Jollity Farm Jonquil is a grade Alpine and was born at Jollity in 2011. She now lives in our retirement area at the entrance to the farm
Alpines make up the bulk of the herd and the bulk of the milk we produce. This breed originated in the French Alps. They are intelligent, curious, hardy and beautiful. In our herd we appreciate their pugnacious personalities. Look for their upright ears, like a deer.
Folks sometimes ask if we are Certified Humane. We don’t feel the need to pay thousands of dollars a year to have someone say that we treat our animals with love and respect. You are welcome to stop by the farm and witness for yourself.
Jollity Farm Peony
Saanens are elegant beauties. The Ron-Tom herd helped form the foundation of the Jollity herd. This breed produces a large quantity of milk that tends to have a lower fat content. We really love their calming presence in our herd.
Mini Nubians are the product of a breeding between a Registered Nubian doe and a Registered Nigerian Dwarf buck. Our Miniature Nubians are registered with The Miniature Goat Registry (TMGR). They are the Goldilocks goat: not too big, not too little, but juuuust right, with the bonus of producing extra-creamy milk. Look for their droopy ears, like a lop-eared rabbit.
Herd History
Charley has kept Alpines and Saanens since 1985. MaryLisa started her herd of Mini Nubians in 2006. The two herds officially became one herd in 2017.
As the new combined Jollity Farm Goat Dairy grew, so did the herd. Lines have been carefully crossed through the generations to improve milk quality, milk quantity, temperament, health and conformation.
(Coincidentally, each generation has been cuter than the last. Which is a purely objective, non-biased observation. 😉)
We do it all for Udders
Depending on the season and number of does in milk, our herd produces between 15 and 30 gallons of milk each day on once a day milking. We are extremely proud of the rich and creamy quality of our milk. This comes from our careful herd selection, the love and care showered on the goats, and the meticulous methods we use to process the milk.
On larger farms, milk is often agitated, piped, pumped and transported in trucks before it is processed into the products you receive. This is perfectly safe, but impacts the flavor. Our cheese is made with fresh milk, and you can taste the difference! Learn more about our process here.
Come meet the goats
Our herd is very friendly! Visitors are welcome. Stop by to give out some treats and pick up farm fresh cheese, soap, or lotion. Our “Tiny Store” is open from 9:00am - 5:00pm every day and is stocked with our farmstead products (and cups of feed to give the goats).
Whenever we can, we love to talk with our guests and share what we know about farmsteading, goat rearing, cheese crafting, and more. We are a working farm and are not always able to stop what we’re doing to chat. But never fear — even if we humans are not available, the goats would love to meet you.
Contact us to schedule a farm tour and get your questions answered. We frequently host special events such as bottle feedings and cheese tastings. Follow us on Eventbrite, Facebook, or Instagram, or join our email list to stay up to date.
