Goat/Chevon:
Goat meat or Chevon is the most widely eaten meat in the world. Ours is exclusively browse and grass fed. Goats are unique in that their favorite food is woody plants, called “browse”. They will walk right by lush green grass and chow down on berry bushes or poison oak instead. These woody plants are loaded with minerals thus creating a really healthy meat. Our goats provide several important services on the ranch in addition to producing meat. Our water source for irrigation is native creeks and irrigation canals that are loaded with blackberries, thus the seeds sprout and the bushes can make caring for the orchards difficult, provide hiding places for predators, and choke out grass pastures and waterways. Luckily, berry bushes are one of the goats favorite foods. Our goats are moved strategically about the ranch during the summer munching away on, and removing, berry brush. During the winter they are hard at work reducing the fuel loads in our brush and woodlands. This keeps our homes and ranch much safer in the event of a fire. Our goats kid in the spring and kids stay with their moms until harvest in November. In addition we have a live sale of young goats in November of each year to meet the needs of those who prefer a live animal or need breeding stock. The pastures, brush land and orchards used by our goats receive no chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. In fact, the goats are part of the reason that we do not need these chemicals! They are part of an integrated system of natural orchard care. Our goats and ranch are predator friendly, using guardian dogs to protect the flock from predators. “Frank”, “Tyler”,“Beeker” are the Akbash cross guardian dogs that protect the goats and live with the goat herd. They have formed a relationship with our ranch predators so the predators leave the goats alone. Goats are provided with shelter during birthing and storms and enjoy the shade of the orchards during the hot summer months. No chemical wormers or fly controls are used and no hormones are given. A system of rotational grazing is used to keep the goats free of parasites. Our goats are offered supplements of organically certified minerals to keep them healthy. Regular tissue testing is done at harvest to insure the animals mineral profiles are balanced. Whole goats are available by preorder in the fall. It is best to order by September to be sure of getting an animal. Cuts of goat are available at the ranch and local farmer’s markets from time of harvest in November until we run out which is usually by late spring.
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