Blaise and Chicken

The Never Ending to-do List

The minute you begin to pat yourself on your back after noticeable progress it seems there is another big thing to do. My barn has been a work in progress for a solid 6 months. I purchased the lumber last year and made the frame to the doe area. It sat all winter and finally this spring the floor was made and the milk room was added. This weekend the roof was put up on the main area.

As obvious, the barn isn't huge or fancy schmancy. Indeed it will keep the rain off me, allow me room for milking equipment, and keep the goats content (a hard task in itself). The front room is the milking room which will be the main entrance and the back is the loafing area for the hard working does. I expect this facility to efficiently house 4-6 milking does.

I plan to keep a customer fridge in the milk room that all established customers will be able to obtain there milk from. I will also have a small retail shelf of our soaps, maple syrup, and other farm products. The milk room should be open by mid-June.

About the Farm

Mountain Pride Farm is located in the scenic state of Vermont. Just minutes from Canada, New York, and Burlington - our small farm is nestled in the tiny town of Franklin. At Mountain Pride Farm you can find our herd of Oberhasli and Alpine dairy goats munching on the brush, or see our chickens perched on a roost.

There is never a dull moment with the goats, from laying out in the paddock on a Sunday afternoon to chasing a baffled kid across the yard. Each goat is named and treated as a being - simply because they are. I run my farm with this quote in mind

“Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.” ~Thomas A. Edison

My goats usually begin milking in early Spring, and dry off in the Fall. The goats are hand milked twice a day, the milk is quickly chilled, filtered and placed in our customer fridge. We DO NOT use any hormones, chemicals, or ANYTHING to boost production. Each doe gives what they can give, and thats it. I respect and cherish what each doe can contribute to the milk pail and treat them all the same.

This year (2009) we will be opening our farmstand located on the Browns Corner Road in Franklin, Vermont. The stand will include fresh vegetables, homemade pies, jams, pickles, and of course Amy’s Famous Dinner Rolls will be available along with breads and the daily/weekly special. Hopes for a small year round “Localvore” store is projected for the year of 2010, containing only products made/grown locally.