Located in the Northern Sacramento Valley, our farm was purchased as “bare land” in the 1980’s, and consists of sixty Organic acres that provide pasture and hay for the goat herd. Over half of the goats’ diet originates from our own field in the form of their daily grazing and the hay grown here. They also consume Organic alfalfa/grass hay grown by a family member in Oregon who does not use GMO alfalfa seed.
Last year we tilled and planted the field and we expect our first crop of "planted" hay this spring. The goats receive no GMO feeds so are not fed rations which contain corn or soy. Having the ability to grow our own hay will also cut down on the carbon imprint relative to trucking it in.
We can guarantee our customers our cheeses are free of hormones, antibiotics, chemicals, that the goats have a GMO-free diet, and that all North Valley cheeses contain only milk from our own onsite goat herd. All stages of cheese production from the goats grazing in the field to the final wrapping of product for shipment and/or market are done on site.
Deneane milks and manages the goat herd as well as makes cheese on a daily basis following a traditional farmstead model whereby the dairyman is also the cheese maker. Deneane knows her product literally “from the ground up,” which in turn produces exceptional cheeses that are “of the field” and are unique to the soils, grasses and animals of this farm.
Local people are hired on a part time basis when a day off from milking or the cheese room is needed. We also employ local tradesmen for maintenance and repairs. We offer a flexible schedule, pay above minimum wage and provide a pleasant work environment. All rooms in the dairy and creamery are climate controlled, have large windows with garden/field views and are free of rodents and flies. The dairy has a full bathroom/shower, as well as a full kitchen/office for meals and taking a break. The cheese room is equipped with satellite radio
and TV.
We embrace the responsibility to leave as little “imprint” on the land as possible relative to our farming operation. An underground pipeline was installed for our irrigation water to conserve water. Planting trees/vegetation along our creek bank for erosion control has been an ongoing project. Hot water for the dairy/creamery is solar assisted. All waste from the dairy is handled with an environmentally friendly underground septic system as opposed to using an open pit or lagoon, which safeguards our groundwater. Future plans include the expanded use of solar technologies.