University of Minnesota Extension
educators answer all types of questions
from farmers, all over the state.
... including questions about goats.
"To have goats in the first place, you have to
love them, you have to love what you're doing."
Laura Kieser's dual roles as Extension educator
and goat owner give her the unique ability
to help farmers learn more about what
is becoming a popular farm animal.
"A lot of people will have goats to
supply their family with a milk supply
or make cheese or other products..."
Kieser grew up on a farm and says the
goats have become more than just a hobby
"they've helped her re-connect
with her childhood roots.
In addition, they're also giving
her a healthy food option"
"This little goat certainly
knows what's good for it.
And as it turns out, this milk
is pretty good for humans, too."
Kieser says goat milk has less lactose
and smaller particles than cow milk ...
a composition that's easier
for some people to digest.
"When they sell baby formula, if you look at
the package, the particles are very small,
so your body doesn't have to work to digest
those, as much as it would a larger particle.
Cows' milk has larger particles,
goats' milk has a smaller particle."
Health benefits is just one reason why Vincent
Maefsky and his wife got their first goat
in the early 70's...since then,
their Poplar Hill Dairy has grown
to an operation with more than 700 goats.
"The demand for goat cheese
has increased very rapidly...
and people ...have stepped
up and produced the milk."
Maefsky says there were only six
commercial goat farms in the Upper Midwest
when they started their operation
in the mid 70's...
"Now, the demand today is
so great for goat cheese,
that there may be 600 commercial
goat farms in the same area,
that in 1975 there were five or six."
Like Kieser, Maefsky is also closely tied
to the U of M, working with the University
to give tours of his farm to students,
serving on multiple boards ...and taking
advice from educators like Kieser.
"We're very glad to have a
land grant college here..."
Anyone interested should first
do their research ...both Maefsky
and Kieser say goats aren't easy.
But between the health benefits of the
milk, the personality of the animals
and the pride of producing your own food...
"For me, my life wouldn't
be the same without them."
...goats are the way to go.
For the University of Minnesota,
I'm Justin Ware. 
