Dairy Goats: From Milking to Cheese and Everything in Between

Spend the day with a herd of French Alpine Dairy Goats. No, we’re not kidding. To begin, we’ll go out for a walk. As the goats browse the delicious leaves of trees and shrubs, you’ll start to discern their unique personalities. You’ll have ample time to stroll the grounds and get to know fellow participants, too! We will discuss the ins and outs of hand-milking, and participants will have an opportunity to observe the process. This part of the session will last approximately 1.5 hours; it is an unhurried, relaxing time to get to know one-another and the goats. From there, we will move to the farmhouse to learn the process of cheese-making. We will start with the simplest and most tasty of goat cheeses. The 48 hour process will be set up in stages, so that participants can experience it all from start to finish. We will also have our hand at fresh goat mozzarella and ice-cream. The day will end with a shared meal from “farm to table,” highlighting our delights from the day.

Itinerary:

Morning: We’ll start the day by gathering at J2 Farms for some brief introductions before heading out for a walk around the grounds with a herd of French Alpine Dairy Goats. As we walk, we’ll observe the goats and their grazing behaviors before getting into the basics of hand-milking. Students will observe the process, before moving onto the farmhouse where you’ll learn the process of cheese making!

Break for Lunch

Afternoon: In the barn, students will continue to observe and experience each stage of a 48 hour process of making delicious goat cheese. Other goat-milk processes will be explored, including mozzarella and ice-cream before wrapping up and preparing a meal. Gathered around the table, students will have the opportunity to connect in closing reflection while enjoying delicious results from the day’s working and learning.

What you get from the class:

A lesson on the basics of hand-milking dairy goats

An in-depth look at the process of making goat cheese

Experience making a variety of goat milk products

A delicious meal incorporating ingredients from the farm

A day spent with a herd of French Alpine dairy goats