Sunflower Farm Creamery

Nigerian Dwarf Dairy

[Open to the Public for free visiting Saturdays 11-5 from May 23rd-October 31st 2024.]

Welcome to Sunflower Farm - where all the romance of farm life is still very much a reality. Looking for delicious local cheese made in small daily batches? You have come to the right place. May-October, our feta, chevre, yogurt, caramels, fudge, truffles and cajeta are available in our self serve farm shop. Come check out what is available, then relax a bit and watch the goats grazing in the field.

We smile when folks visiting ask us if all the goats have names. Not only do they all have names, they all have distinct calls we know even from the kitchen, they each have preferences for their favorite treats, and places they most love to be scratched. In the milkroom, each mama has their own approach to our time together: Plum likes to be milked without her head closed in to the head gate. Belle insists that she be milked one side at a time. After Rhubarb is milked, she waits on the milk stand for a few minutes of love before she is ready to hop down and go about her day. And Sweet Pea looks right at our kitchen window and calls us to the barn each morning while we are getting our coffee brewed.

There are lots of hot words in the sustainable food movement. Some mean very different things depending on who is using them and for what purpose, but for us, “local” dairy products are unique because each bite is intimately connected to the way the animals at our farm live. Even a town over, the goats are eating different grass, enjoying a different breeze, their milk is not from Claire and Radish and Cinnamon. We find great joy in sharing our lovely goats with visitors so that when they eat our chèvre or feta or yogurt or caramels, they taste even better because they are remembering a sunny summer day in the field with our herd. Hopefully you can taste the love.

Sunflower Farm Goat Herd

We work hard to keep our herd of 31 goats happy & healthy. In 2011, the whole herd tested negative for common goat diseases including CAE and Brucellosis since then we test at least a third of the herd each year and have always had negative results. They get lots of second cut hay, browse freely in their pasture and around the farm, enjoy grain at milking time, and are given free choice minerals and fresh water at least twice a day. Most importantly, they get lots of love. None of our goats are used for meat. When a goat calls to us from the pasture or barn, we know who it is by their voice. The goats are an extended part of our family. Please come by the farm to meet them anytime!

Nigerian Dwarf Goats

The Nigerian Dwarf is a miniature dairy goat of West African origin. Nigerian Dwarf goats are enjoying a rise in popularity due to their small size, colorful markings and dairy characteristics. Their small stature means they do not require as much space or feed as their larger dairy goat counterparts and their gentle and friendly personalities make them good companion pets. The milk is also higher in butterfat and has a sweeter taste. Nigerians are easy to handle; even for small children. Nigerian Dwarfs are considered rare by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has also approved the Nigerian Dwarf Goat as a livestock dairy goat, which makes them eligible for youth 4H and FFA projects.

The Breed

A healthy Nigerian Dwarf doe can produce a surprising amount of sweet milk for her small size - up to two quarts per day or more. In addition, Nigerian Dwarf milk is higher in butterfat (6-10%) and higher in protein than milk from most dairy goat breeds. Many Nigerian Dwarf owners raise their goats for milk production but others raise them for the pleasure and companionship these little caprines bring to their lives.

--Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association

Naissance Farm Sweet Pea b. 4/10/21 Dam Naissance MoonStruck and sire Echo Hills Mohave’s Leshem. This goat is one of a kind. She demands to be heard and seen and is so so loving. She also produces so much milk that I have to milk her extra even when kids are nursing so she doesn’t get too full. She is an experimental Mini-Nubian.

Naissance Thistle b. 4/5/21 Dam Naissance Missandei and sire Echo Hill’s Mohave’s Leshem. Thistle is a dear, solid goat without any of the drama that many Nubians exude. Gentle and sweet. She is a third generation American Mini-Nubian.

Sunflower Farm Blossom b. 5/19/22 Dam Naissance Sweet Pea and sire From Away Farm P Texas Hold’Em. Blossom has a hilarious voice like her mother and an equally impressive udder even as a first freshener. She is elegant and super long of body and an easy goat to handle. She is an experimental Mini-Nubian.

Naissance Periwinkle b. 4/3/23 Dam Dayspring Dairy Caraway and sire Naissance Leshem’s Moonstone. This one is my heart goat. I just can’t get enough of her long ears and sweet personality. The most expensive goat in our herd, but I think she was worth it. Periwinkle is a Generation 4 American Mini-Nubian.

Naissance Dilly Bean b. 3/30/23 Dam Naissance HarleyQuinn and sire Naissance Dot’s Blue. This is the silliest goat in our herd. So fun and playful! A total sweet heart. And she looks like Yoda.

Sunflower Farm Lupin b. 4/25 Dam Sunflower Farm Rhubarb and sire Blue Tin Farm Galactic Jack. All sweet. I keep a lot of Rhubarb babies because they are easy to milk and love love love people. As a bonus I fell in love instantly with Lupin’s spotty face.

Sunflower Farm Maisy b. 5/1/21 Dam Thornhurst Farm Amelia E. and sire Blue Tin Farm Galactic Jack. This doe is so elegant and has a pretty udder. She is on the shy independent side and likes to come up to people rather than be sought out. Excellent mother and good milker. Wicked smart!

Sunflower Farm Shirley b. 7/19/22 Dam Sunflower Farm Maisy, and sire LoneFeather Sleek Elk. Elegant and long like her mama and they have nearly identical personalities. Sweet and smart and independent.

Sunflower Farm Plum b. 4/17/22 Dam Sunflower Farm Rhubarb and sire Blue Tin Galactic Jack. Of all our herd, Plum is the biggest lap goat. She is a lot like her mother Rhubarb, an easy going mama, great to milk and loves loves loves humans.

Sunflower Farm Taylor Hall b. 5/21/21 Dam Sunflower Farm Greta and sire FeatherN Scale Salvadore Brady. If I was going to show goats, I might chose Taylor, she is so so beautiful. She has a peaceful way about her, never causing waves in the herd and makes the nicest kids.

Sunflower Farm Annabelle b. 4/27/22 Dam Sunflower Farm Abigail and sire Blue Tin Galactic Jack. I love this goat. She is mild mannered and elegant. Like her mother Abby, she is super easy going and gentle. Great milk supply!

Rosa has a beautiful udder and makes lots of milk. She is slender in build and great mama and easy going herd member.

Thornhurst Farm Rosa Parks b. MARCH 13, 2017. Dam Heaven’s Acres Beeline and sire Old Mountain Farm Dulcimer. Rosa has a beautiful udder and makes lots of milk. She is slender in build, a great mama and easy going herd member.

Woah does this lady put out the milk! One milking last spring she produced 63.8 oz, about 7.5 cups. That is super solid for a Nigerian Dwarf goat! And she is so easy to milk and sweet on the milk stand.

Thornhurst Farm Amelia E. b. March 13, 2017. Dam Heaven’s Acres Beeline, Sire is Old Mountain Farm Dulcimer. Woah does this lady put out the milk! One milking last spring she produced 63.8 oz, about 7.5 cups. That is super solid for a Nigerian Dwarf goat! And she is so easy to milk and sweet on the milk stand.

Born to Elsie on 5/1/15. She may be the cutest kid ever and not just because she is the baby of the farm. A total lap goat. Had her first kids in July 2016--triplets!

Born to sire Rosasharn AX Whelk and Weedy Tavern Farm Elsie on 5/1/15. She may be the cutest goat ever and is a total lap goat. Had her first kids in July 2016--triplets! She is my favorite goat to milk. Loves lounging with her daughter Honeysuckle.

Radish is Lily's doeling. Suck a pretty goat.

Sunflower Farm Radish was born May 2, 2016 to sire Rosasharn AX Whelk and Rosasharn SP Lilith. Such a pretty goat. Beautiful udder. A little shy. She packs some serious dairy genes.

Abigail is Fern's doeling and is the sweetest goat and a great milker!

Sunflower Farm Abigail b. April 25, 2016 to sire Rosasharn AX Whelk and Sunflower Farm Fern and is the sweetest goat in the herd, a good mama and a great milker!

Born 4/22/18 to Stella and Dulcimer. What a beautiful goat she is and despite being excellent at jumping out of the stall, she is otherwise super friendly and mild mannered. Nice compact udder, easy to milk.

Born 4/22/18 to Sunflower Farm Stella and Old Mountain Farm Dulcimer. What a beautiful goat she is! She is super friendly and mild mannered. Nice compact udder, easy to milk.

Born 5-17-19 to Rosa Parks and Galactic Jack. I just love this doe. Was pretty from day 1 and is so easy to milk.

Sunflower Farm Ripley was born 5-17-19 to Thornhurst Farm Rosa Parks and Blue Tin Farm Galactic Jack. I just love this doe. Was pretty from day 1 and is so easy to milk.

Born 5/8/20 to Rhubarb and Galactic Jack. One of 4 kids. This one is super sassy! And so much flash!! Her mom is my favorite goat to milk, hoping she will be similarly awesome.

Sunflower Farm Honeysuckle Born 5/8/20 to Sunflower Farm Rhubarb and Blue Tin Farm Galactic Jack. One of 4 kids. This one is super sassy! And so much flash!! Her mom is my favorite goat to milk, hoping she will be similarly awesome.

Born 6/7/20 to Fern and Texas Hold ‘Em. She is polled with awesome blue eyes. She has crazy good milking genes…so high hopes on her milk stand performance. Her sister Brooklyn is also on the farm.

Sunflower Farm Claire Born 6/7/20 toSunflower Farm Fern and From Away Farm P Texas Hold ‘Em. She is polled with awesome blue eyes. She has crazy good milking genes…a wonderful dairy goat all around and quickly becoming the herd boss! Her sister Brooklyn is also on the farm.

Born 6/7/20 to Fern and Texas Hold’Em. This goat is pure love. Super easy going and sweet. Can’t wait to see her udder as she comes from great lines and her mama is a powerhouse producer, as was her grandma.

Sunflower Farm Brooklyn Born 6/7/20 to Sunflower Farm Fern and From Away Farm P Texas Hold’Em. This goat is pure love. Super easy going and sweet. She comes from great lines and her mama is a powerhouse producer, as was her grandma. Her udder is beautiful and she is easy to milk.

Fern’s doeling Belle (Delancey at birth) Born 5/1/2017 This all black beauty is a take charge kind of doe. We began breeding her in 2019.

Sunflower Farm Fern’s doeling Belle Born 5/1/2017. Sire Old Mountain Farm Dulcimer. This all black beauty is a take charge kind of doe. We began breeding her in 2019. Fiesty!

Nora’s doeling Charlotte (Marina at birth) born 4/14/17. So sweet and attentive. Petite just like her mama. We began breeding her in 2019.

Nora’s doeling Charlotte born 4/14/17. Sire Old Mountain Farm Dulcimer. So sweet and attentive. Petite just like her mama. We began breeding her in 2019.

Born 4/10/17 So lucky to have both of Abigail’s doelings. Cinnamon and Ginger look very similar if you don’t know them!

Born 4/10/17 So lucky to have both of Abigail’s doelings. Cinnamon and Ginger look very similar if you don’t know them! They make loads of milk. Their sire is Old Mountain Farm Dulcimer.

Khaleesi was born on Sunflower Farm to GoGo on 5/9/14

Khaleesi was born on Sunflower Farm to GoGo on 5/9/14. One of our only goats with wattles. An amazing mother.

Below are our Retired Herd Members & WETHERS. They are loved and valued members of our herd.

Holden is a sweet neutered male goat. All love.

Born to Sonnet 5/3/2012 at Sunflower Farm * shy, beautiful confirmation and udder * blue eyes and polled

Born to Tiny Angels Bambi’s Sonnet and sire Tragos Trip Farm Diableau on 5/3/2012 * shy, beautiful confirmation and udder * blue eyes and polled

Poppy is Fern's twin sister and Lily's kid, both of them are top herd members. Poppy has not been able to be bred for some reason. She is overweight and loses her coat a month too early every year and has to wear a jacket. But boy is she a sweet pet…

Poppy is Fern's twin sister and Lily's kid, both of them were top herd members. Poppy has never been able to be bred for some reason. But boy is she a sweet pet. :) Just goes to show you even with the very best genetic mix, you never quite know what you will get!

Born to Bonnie 5/24/2012 at Sunflower Farm * Lots of personality • Easy to milk

Born to Bonnie 5/24/2012 at Sunflower Farm * Lots of personality • Easy to milk

Born 4/3/12 to Sonnet on Sunflower Farm * Tremendous udder and blue eyes * a great goat all around

Sunflower Farm Stella Born 4/3/12. Dam Tiny Angels Bambi’s Sonnet and sire Tragos Trip Farm Diableau * Tremendous udder and blue eyes * a great goat all around, the best mama, has been known to adopt other mothers kids!

The only down side of owning goats for almost 2 decades is that some get old and leave us. Although the goats below died, they are still very much in our thoughts and will always be part of the herd. It is so hard to lose a goat. But we feel so fortunate to know them so well over their long happy lives!

Don Pedro was the first goat we ever brought home. He is way more dog than goat. He is pretty big for a Nigerian Dwarf goat and has a big personality as well. He loved Bonnie very much as since we lost her is a bit of a loner...except when it comes …

Don Pedro was the first goat we ever brought home. He is way more dog than goat. He is pretty big for a Nigerian Dwarf goat and has a big personality as well. He loved Bonnie very much as since we lost her is a bit of a loner...except when it comes to the attention of people. He is a free range goat and meets people as they arrive at their car door. He follows use round and naps next to us to watch whatever project we are working on. This is the end of goat that gets your hooked on goats!! We don’t have favorites…but if we did…

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Bonnie was the first goat we ever bought with Don Pedro. They were best friends. Sadly in April 2016, she was the first goat in our herd to die. We will really miss her so much and are forever thankful for all she taught us about love, life and loss…

Bonnie was the first goat we ever bought with Don Pedro. They were best friends. Sadly in April 2016, she was the first goat in our herd to die. We will really miss her so much and are forever thankful for all she taught us about love, life and loss. Her kids Junie B. Jones and Matilda are still at the farm and will continue to create Bonnie grandchildren who will every year no doubt make us think of her and smile.

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Chianti • Born 9/1/2006 • Herd Name Old Mountain Farm • Sweet shy, one of our oldest goats.

Chianti • Born 9/1/2006 • Herd Name Old Mountain Farm • Sweet shy, one of our oldest goats.

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Fern was born to Lily at Sunflower Farm on 4/16/13 *Her mom is our best producer and Fern is second best and easier to milk*

Fern was born to Lily at Sunflower Farm on 4/16/13 *Her mom is our best producer and Fern is second best and easier to milk*

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The Igbo of Nigeria tell their children, if lost in the wilderness follow a goat, she always knows the way back home. I’ve been following these goats back home each day, but where they led me surprises me still.
— Brad Kessler Author of Goat Song