Phylleri Ball : Raising Goats in the Mountains

Homesteading

Mar 15

Raising Goats in the Mountains

Three Sisters Weaving
Words: Phylleri Ball • Photos: Jennifer Morgan Photography

“Are you Crazy?” “They will never survive!” were the first reactions of my neighbors when I moved into the Double Domes on Aspen Meadows Road six years ago. They didn’t realize that I was known as “The Goat Lady” back East, where I had raised 100 head of sheep and Angora goats. While not as many, we had the same predators where I farmed in Pennsylvania for 17 years. I knew the risks as well as how to co-exist with predators.

My husband and I sold our Steam Valley Fiber Farm and moved across the country with our livestock to Nederland in December 2014 to share land and home with our son & his family. I transitioned from being a Fiber Producer, processing hundreds of pounds of wool and Mohair per year, to raising only my dairy goats. Our small Nubian herd produces enough milk for our household and my cheese making. With the workload of a bigger farm, I only had time to make the simple soft cheeses such as Chevre, Feta and Mozzarella. Since moving to Colorado, I pursued cheese making in earnest. In addition to lots of soft cheese, I have reached a yearly production of 60 – 100 pounds of Hard Cheese. My most successful Goats Milk hard cheeses are Cheddar, Derby, Manchego, Gouda and Dill Harvati.

Raising goats at high elevation does have its challenges. Good fencing and a sturdy shelter are crucial, but predator prevention isn’t complete without a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD). Since 2007, my goats have been protected by Giant white dogs, originating from the sheep raising region of Italy. The Maremma breed is known for its natural instincts to protect their flock or herd. Andromeda, or Andy as she is most commonly called, lives with our goats at all times.

She patrols the pasture in the daytime, accompanying the goats when they go out to graze. Andi sleeps in the locked barn with the goats at night, often with our barn cat, Sage, or a baby goat kid curled up alongside her. Maremmas are working dogs that are dedicated to protecting their livestock. My female Maremmas have been fantastic with mothering baby goat kids, but strangers should not attempt to enter a LGD’s domain. Andi’s presence adjacent to our chicken run has deterred predators from devouring our poultry.

Springtime is kidding season, with most Nubian does birthing twins. I choose to dam raise my goat kids. They get their mother’s milk for 8 weeks until the kids are digesting grain and hay and chewing their cud. Then it is my turn to have the milk. A first time dam may produce a half-gallon of milk per day. A heavy producing mature doe can milk out one gallon or more daily. Spring means milking the does two times per day at 12 hour intervals. If you want cooperative goats on the milk stand, don’t mess up the routine. Accompanied by my cup of chai with honey and goats milk, I prefer quietly milking the goats at 6 a every morning versus the chatter of two legged creatures or reading the news to begin my day.

While the sale of home produced raw milk is restricted, soap is not. I began experimenting with making Goat Milk Soap in 2019 and now I can’t stop. Selling my Goat Milk Soap helps support the feed costs of raising my Nubians. The addition of goat milk to handmade soap increases the humectant and emollient qualities of the soap. My goats are raised on organically grown feed, so likewise, most ingredients in my soap are organic with the addition of essential oils and natural colorants.

Soon, there should be a barn full of bouncing goat kids. When the land begins to green up, I’ll be taking the goats for walks to browse and graze. When summer arrives, you can see our goats grazing in their pasture on Aspen Meadows Road. By fall, the goats and I begin our walks in the woods again. You can message me to arrange a barn tour or you can follow pictures and videos of my herd at Three Sisters Weaving on Facebook.

Phylleri, The Goat Lady of Three Sisters Weaving, Nederland CO