Goats

Changing times - - -

We no longer have goats here at WillowTree Farm. We had to make the tough decision to downsize. However, the good news is that our gentle Oberhasli goats have moved back to the local Gypsy Ridge herd managed by Val who has a wonderful setup for her animals - take a look here! Our girls fitted right in and couldn't wait to join all the others!

December 2014 saw the arrival of our 3 Oberhasli dairy goats.

The goats are registered Oberhasli - the oldest of the Swiss alpine breeds. They originated in the Bernese Oberland and are thought to be a cross between domestic goats and wild Ibex. They are considered a rare breed in Canada with fewer than a hundred in the whole country. They are medium sized (as goats go), friendly, calm and good producers of mild, tasty milk.

Charles giving the girls a treat.

If you are interested in meeting Oberhasli goats or are even thinking of having some yourselves Val Macdonald can help you out! Val is a local breeder of prize-winning Oberhasli goats and our wonderful mentor!!

MEET VAL

Our WillowTree Herd of beautiful Oberhasli goats.

2018	2020 Just 5 girls now

Saanich Fall Fair 2017

Blindia and her kids Dandelion and Dill-Pickle are really good examples of Oberhasli dairy goats and they won several ribbons at the Saanich Fair 2017!! This photo shows Charles with Dandelion who topped off all the honours with Junior Champion and Canadian Goat Society Reserve Grand Champion.

This little family will be moving on to Val Macdonald and her Gypsy Ridge herd where they will help bring more wonderful Oberhasli kids into the world!!

Beautiful markings. Mother and daughter on the top platform, "auntie" lower down

Blindia taking in the spring buttercups in our meadow

Have goats will have fencing!

Goats are surprisingly discerning diners, they browse rather than graze. Luckily they love bramble leaves...

This is Zenaida

Some of the things that we do with the milk from our goats.

Quality milk fresh from the goat! Fresh goats milk is not "goaty" and we use it in place of cows milk.

This is a Camembert style soft goats cheese. It is not pressed and is coated with a layer of edible ash. The penicillum candidum mould grows to cover the ash giving a lovely presentation. This cheese ripens from the outside in.

Here we have goat cheese fresh out of the moulds! With time the rounds will shrink and the benificial surface mould will grow.

Here we have the fourth attempt at the Blue D'Auvergne. Better separation of the curds and lighter pressing allows the Roqueforti to thrive! The cheese is quite strong and creamy.

This is the same cheese as below but my first try. Note that the blue mould has not penetrated the body of the cheese: this is because I did not cook the curds properly and they knitted together too tightly.

This is a blue cheese based on a recipe from the Auvergne region of south central France. Lightly pressed and innoculated with Roqueforti fungus it is matured for about two months

Goat Myth Debunked : Goats will eat anything !

Here is Blindia having a go at the paper label on our cat carrier. Goats mouth objects prior to eating as they don't have fingers to feel them and they are curious. They like to eat paper products, leafy plants and tree bark but are surprisingly selective and will reject certain vegetables or anything that has been nibbled by another goat or dropped on the ground. My jacket sleeves and zipper tags, my shoelaces and bobble hat are all fair game for a chew but not for eating

Breeding

and five months later - - -

Alpine goats are only fertile in the autumn as the harsh environment of the mountains requires them to have their kids during the spring. A further complication is that the does are only in heat for two to three days every three weeks so if you want to breed your does you need to pay close attention!

Here is a photo of Barney the buck a pure bred Oberhasli (Blackberry Spring Barnea). He is two years old and the pride and joy of our mentor Val Macdonald.

It turned out that two of our does became pregnant from this mating and the third went to the buck a month later for a successful Union.
Zothea gave birth to twin females followed a couple of days later by her daughter Blindia who also had lovely twin girls! Here are some photos of the kids over the first month of their lives. Being involved with the birthing process has been an amazing experience and getting to know the kids is great - boy! they grow fast!