The Creamery and Dairy

Food/product safety as well as animal/human comfort and care are the focus of our operation. Because the size of the dairy herd is small, and we are working with a relatively small amount of product, fewer people are involved at both the milking and animal management ends, as well as handling product in the cheese room.

Cheese Draining in Molds and Cheesecloth Bags in the Cheese Room

The dairy is a “Grade A” dairy which means our milk is sampled monthly by the state and is required to meet or exceed quality parameters. Standard Plate Count, Coliform Count, Somatic Cell Count (indicator of udder health of the goats) and detection of any “inhibitory” substances in our milk are monitored on a monthly basis. In addition to samples run by the state, we collect individual data/samples from each animal monthly to determine milk volume, butterfat/protein levels, as well as her udder health status.

Front of the Creamery/Dairy Building

Creamery/Dairy Patio

Hot water for the facility is assisted with solar technology. We hope to be able to incorporate additional alternative energy options into our farm program in the coming years.

The milking parlor holds twelve goats at a time and they seem to enjoy using the access and exit ramp systems. They are given a small amount of dairy ration while milking. The individual head catch/feeder system allows the goat to look out the top upon finishing her ration, enjoying the site of other herdmates, the person milking, or gazing out the window views of the garden/pastures.

The parlor design enables all animal contact surfaces and milking equipment to be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized following each milking. 

Does Coming in for Milking

Phable on the Access Ramp Entering the Milking Parlor

North Valley Farms Chèvre has earned the Animal Welfare Approved Seal. This is not an easy certification to achieve. The  program requires the animals to be grazed on a small family farm with the family still providing the labor to milk and care for the animals. More information about the program can be found at the Animal Welfare Approved website.

Mark and Deneane Ashcraft
P.O. Box 698
Cottonwood, CA 96022
530-347-7151
dashcraft@northvalleyfarms.com