What is a goat share?
It is partial ownership of a dairy goat. Owning a dairy goat, or portion of a dairy goat, allows you to benefit from what that animal produces. In Michigan you can drink milk from a goat that you own. By owning a share in a goat, you have a fresh supply of your own goats milk to drink and you are allotted a weekly share of fresh, raw (unpasteurized) milk ready for pickup at a designated time. Plus, you are also allotted a share of manure garden compost from your goat.

How does a goat share work?
You, and others along with you, own a goat. You benefit from owning the goat by receiving a portion of the milk the goat produces. As with any animal, goats require care, i.e., feeding, general maintenance and milking. Quaker Hill Farm will board your goat, care for it, milk it, and prepare the milk for you to pickup from the farm. You pay the herdsman for the boarding, care, feeding, and milking of your goat.

How much milk can I expect from one goat share?
One share will provide approximately one gallon of milk for about thirty three weeks.

The average lactation for our goats is around 8 months (April to December). However, a goat may milk for a shorter or longer period of time. We plan to milk our does for at least eight months. This is rough estimate which may vary.

What if I want more milk than one gallon per week?
Purchase a second, third, or fourth share. You can purchase as many goat shares as needed.

How much does it cost?
You first purchase a goat share(s) for $45.00 per share. This is a one-time cost. Now that you own a goat share you need to board your goat. Boarding or husbandry costs are $35.00 per month. This entitles you to approximately 1 gallon of milk per week, however, since production fluctuates this amount may change slightly throughout the season. Remember, you are purchasing a share of ownership of a particular animal and the amount of milk that animal produces can vary.

How do I pay my boarding fee?
To avoid any confusion that you are "buying" raw milk the boarding fee should not be paid at time of milk pick-up. Boarding fees must be paid on the first of each month.

How do I get started?
Thoroughly review the information provided about Goat Shares on this page. Request and review the purchase and boarding contract when you come to the farm. Sign the contract and once payment is received you will be the proud owner of a dairy goat share.

What happens if I can no longer use the goat milk?
If you move, buy your own goat or find yourself no longer using goat milk, you may sell your share to the next person on our waiting list, as that opportunity becomes available. You may not sell your shares to a third party. Please note: it is illegal to sell milk in Michigan if you are not a licensed and inspected dairy. Never sell your excess milk.

As a goat share owner, will I have a share in the kids?
No, the ownership of all kids will remain with Quaker Hill Farm.




Why raw Goat’s milk?
The proteins in goat’s milk are different from cow’s milk protein, making them easier for humans to digest. Goat’s milk is also naturally homogenized. The cream stays suspended in the milk. Raw milk contains many natural enzymes that are destroyed in the pasteurization process that commercial milk undergoes. There are many reasons for wanting to drink raw goat’s milk. The best may be that it tastes good!

Are goat shares legal?
Yes, they are. It is not legal in Michigan to sell raw (unpasteurized) milk to the public. Since you own a share in Quaker Hill Farm's dairy goat herd, you may legally use the milk from your share of the goats in any way you see fit. In following the law, you must purchase a share of the dairy goat herd at Quaker Hill Farm and then pay a monthly boarding fee for your goat share. You will be asked to sign a contract for your goat share at the time of its purchase. You will receive a Bill of Sale for your share and a copy of the written boarding agreement for your goat.

How should I handle my milk after I pick it up?
The milk supplied will be raw - that is, it is not heat-treated or pasteurized. It will be chilled; and you should take care that it remains so until you can get it home and into your refrigerator. If you have some distance to drive or stops to make before you arrive home, it is very important to keep the milk at refrigerator temperature until you return home. When you come to pick up your milk, please bring a jar or jars with your name on the lid(s) for the following week's milk. We prefer to use wide mouth quart or ½ gallon mason jars. It is essential that both jar and lid is scrupulously clean and thoroughly dry. Whenever cleaning containers for milk, start by rinsing away the old milk with water that is lukewarm. (Either hot or cold water can cause a deposit of milk solids to remain on the surface of the container.) Then wash thoroughly with soap and hot water, rinse well, and dry completely before putting on the lid. Dishwashers are fine for cleaning milk jars. You may purchase glass jars the farm for $2.50 each

How long will raw milk keep?
Handled as described above, the milk will easily keep a week with no change at all in quality. We have kept raw milk in the refrigerator for much longer and it was still sweet and good. It is very good practice to date your milk as soon as it is received.

What should I do if the milk smells bad after only a couple of days?
Discard it. Please let us know right away, and we will investigate and replace it. If no one else had a problem - or if you find that only one of your jars was bad, while the others were okay - there was likely a problem with the sanitation of that particular jar.

What should I do with milk that is more than a week old?
As long as the milk still smells and tastes sweet and good to you, it is fine to use it. However, you will be getting milk each week. Therefore, if you find you are consistently having extra milk, try making some milk products, like yogurt, cheese, or soap from it. Some pets will enjoy and benefit from any leftover milk.

Why does a layer of cream form on top of the milk?
Goat milk is naturally homogenized, meaning the fat is suspended in the milk. However, our milk is high in butterfat and some of the cream may rise to the top of the milk. You can skim this off if you want to use the cream. For drinking or cooking with the whole milk, just shake the container well before pouring so that the cream is again dispersed into the milk.

Are there other ways to use raw milk?
As mentioned above, you should keep your milk refrigerated for normal beverage and cooking use. However, if you wish to experiment with the many forms of cultured milk and farm cheeses, it is easy to do so with raw milk. We offer cheese making and kefir making seminars and parties at the farm. Check the Cooking Class Workshop schedule.

Can the milk be frozen?
Yes, but the butterfat from raw milk will separate out as flakes and will not blend in again when thawed. This will lead to a strange texture. It is still healthy and fine to drink, however it may not be as palatable to some peoples' taste. It may be used for cooking purposes, and is fine for making cheeses and soap. We are happy to freeze milk for people who would like to pick up or have their milk delivered that way. We freeze milk in Ziploc-style freezer bags that fit nicely in a cooler or your freezer at home.

Can the milk be pasteurized on the stove top?
You can pasteurize your own milk if you wish. The milk can be heated to 145 degrees and held at that temperature for 30 minutes. Alternatively, the milk can be heated to a higher temperature but for a shorter length of time. However, there are many advantages to using milk raw, both nutritionally and in terms of its versatility. Given the care that Quaker Hill Farm takes for the health of its goats and the hygiene of its milk, we feel you can be confident in using this high quality milk just as it comes from the goat.

Goat milk compares quite favorably to cow milk with dramatically more vitamin A and the B vitamin niacin, a higher amount of calcium, and 20% less cholesterol - all without extra calories! The following chart illustrates some benefits of goat milk.

Constituent	Goat	Cow	Human
Protein (%)	3.0	3.0	1.1
Fat (%)	3.8	3.6	4.0
Calories (per 100 mL)	70	69	68
Cholesterol (mg/100 mL)	12	15	20
Vitamin A (IU/gm fat)	39	21	32
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) (ug/100 gm)	480	400	140
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) (ug/100 gm)	138	162	36
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) (ug/100 gm)	200	100	200
Calcium (mg/100 gm)	130	120	35