Specialty Dairy, Natural Herd Health + More Published by Blue Rock Station LLC ISBN: 978-0-9791611-0-0 Text & Illustrations © 2018 Blue Rock Station LLC Photos by Cat Harrier Graphics by Matt Moore, Air-Loom Contact us at: Blue Rock Station 1190 Virginia Ridge Road Philo, Ohio 43771 USA Telephone: +1 (740) 674- 4300, Email: [email protected] www.bluerockstation.com Printed in the USA Table of Contents INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 1 WOMAN’S STORY –SASHA SIGETIC .……………..……………….…….....................................................…………. 3 SETTING THE COURSE .……..……..……..……..……………..…....................................................…..……..……… 5 GOAT DO’S & DON’TS ........................................................................................................................ 8 BASICS OF HUMANE CARE ................................................................................................................... 12 BASIC PLANNING AND AWARENESS FOR HERD MANAGERS ........................................................................ 13 PLANNING FOR ANIMAL DEATH – OR INJURY AND DISEASE ......................................................................... 14 STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATIONS .......................................................................................................... 15 RECOGNIZING A HEALTHY GOAT ............................................................................................................ 17 SPECIALTY DAIRY FARMING RESOURCES POSTER ...................................................................................... 20 WOMAN’S STORY: LESLIE SCHALLER ...................................................................................................... 21 COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA) ....................................................................................... 21 SELLING RAW MILK ............................................................................................................................ 24 ORGANIC STANDARDS ......................................................................................................................... 26 RAW MILK - THE REAL FACTS .............................................................................................................. 27 LIST OF SPECIALTY DAIRY PRODUCTS ..................................................................................................... 29 I WANT TO MAKE CHEESE POSTER! ...................................................................................................... 34 CHEESE MAKING THE REALLY OLD-FASHIONED WAY ................................................................................ 35 I WANT TO BE LICENSED! .................................................................................................................. 38 PREPARATION OF HIDES FOR TANNING ................................................................................................... 39 WOMAN’S STORY: MICHELLE GORMAN ................................................................................................. 43 CALCULATING COSTS: LEARNING HOW TO SET PRICES ............................................................................... 45 PRICING STRATEGIES ........................................................................................................................... 47 WOMAN’S STORY: ABBE TURNER ......................................................................................................... 51 THE ART OF SIMPLE BRANDING AND MARKETING .................................................................................... 54 CROWDFUNDING ............................................................................................................................... 58 SOCIAL MEDIA .................................................................................................................................. 63 GOAT GUIDE TO LIFE POSTER ............................................................................................................... 72 WOMAN’S STORY: ANNIE WARMKE ...................................................................................................... 73 ANIMAL HEALTH ISSUES ....................................................................................................................... 74 BASIC REQUIREMENTS – MINERALS ....................................................................................................... 77 FIRST AID: THE GREAT EIGHT .............................................................................................................. 83 FIRST AID POSTER .............................................................................................................................. 86 ESTIMATING WEIGHT .......................................................................................................................... 87 HERBAL REMEDIES: WHAT THEY DO ..................................................................................................... 88 PARASITE CONTROL ............................................................................................................................. 91 DEWORMER CHART FOR GOATS POSTER .................................................................................................. 96 HERBAL WORMER RECIPE ..................................................................................................................... 97 PASTURE MANAGEMENT ...................................................................................................................... 101 FENCING FOR GOATS ........................................................................................................................... 105 EXAMPLE OF A SOIL SAMPLE REPORT .................................................................................................... 109 THE MEDICINE CHEST ......................................................................................................................... 110 WOMAN’S STORY: CARIE STARR ........................................................................................................... 113 WOMEN GROW OHIO - WOMEN MENTORING WOMEN ........................................................................... 115 WOMAN’S STORY: CELESTE TAYLOR ....................................................................................................... 117 PODCASTS AND WEBINARS ................................................................................................................... 120 RESOURCES ....................................................................................................................................... 121 CONTRIBUTOR BIOS ............................................................................................................................ 126 ABOUT THE AUTHORS ......................................................................................................................... 131 DEDICATIONS “To Grandma, the original wild woman who paved my way.” - Carie Starr “To Minkster, for giving me the title and so much more.” - Annie Warmke INTRODUCTION Often the business of dairy livestock requires the farmer to be the head of the herd. The herder must provide the animal with the tools they need to support their natural system by making sure that they receive the right mix of food (and vitamins/minerals), clean water and a healthy environment. Challenges exist for many reasons, including lack of access to veterinary care, business knowledge, or where to begin to make a living. Ruminants (cows, sheep, goats) and humans can create a winning combination if the animal has what it needs to live a long healthy productive life. The humans receive in turn food, income, manure to build soil health, and healthy offspring... more importantly, the human soon understands how to work within the animal world, and the world of health regulations and business rules. Goats are amazing creatures. They are the most widely kept animal in the world. The interest in goat herding is growing daily with the increase in the immigrant community and its demand for goat meat, hides and young animals for butcher. Even the bones and manure have uses and present possibilities for revenue. But making a living from goat herding and specialty dairy is much more than just knowing that a certain demand for these products exists. The question this book seeks to answer, is where does one begin in a business that uses ruminant livestock to make a living? Since women tend to be the goat herders and are entering the agriculture field at an increasing rate, it is important to recognize that research demonstrates that women do things differently. The growing trend, according to Dr. Rachel Terman, is that women farmers and homesteaders have low or no debt, work together more, farm on a THE BUSINESS OF GOAT HERDING Page 1 smaller scale overall, and raise more on less land than do “traditional” farmers. This book is for those women. Traditionally women have learned from each other through word of mouth. This book shares some stories of how women got started and how they make a living. Passing on the inner workings of farming has become something that lately seems to be held close to the chest, and topics, such as how-to-make a living, have been kept out of the discussion, according to Becky Rondy of Green Edge Gardens. This book touches briefly