Another one bites the dust...

I am sad to say that Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy is selling out. They will continue to make delicious goat cheese, however, they will be using a milk supplier vs. their own dairy goat herd.



I know farms that sold does to Haystack. I've heard of other goat dairies going under, but this is a dairy I've been to. Walked through. Learned from. They are only an hour away from me. It hits me much more personally. I was thinking of them while I was online ordering some more cheese making supplies for my feta, cheddar, fromage blanc... all my home made cheeses that I share with my friends and enjoy myself.



When we began learning about dairy goats, we'd go on weekend goat outings. One of our adventures led us to Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy owned by Jim Schott in Niwot, CO. We called Haystack and spoke to the herd manager about wanting to own dairy goats. She was very kind and professional and arranged a tour for us. She gave us a lot of great information about starting our own micro herd.



Haystack has been in business for at least 16 years and were one of the truly unique and interesting local agricultural businesses in Northern Colorado. Thousands have walked through their doors for tours and to buy delicious cheeses.



Dairies are a hard business. Feeding, vet care, housing, milking, breeding and caring for the dairy goats requires a lot of time, specific equipment and money. Haystack is yet another story of a small, local business having to cut back with bad economic times.



I know they will still be making their cheeses.... but somehow selling thier herd of 108 milking does seems like an awful big loss. Less grassroots... less real. People visiting Haystack could see the animals making milk for the delicious cheese they bought. They could SEE where their food was coming from. So many people go to the store never thinking about where their food really comes from. Everything is so sterilized and packaged and merchandised....



Now when people go to Longmont Creamery for a tour - they will see a large stainless steel milk tanker pull up, lots of tubes and holding tanks and equipment in a large sterile building. They'll never see the very beginning of the cheese making process....they won't see the animal whether it is a cow, sheep or goat.



To me, that is a very, very sad thing.