Gothberg Farms

C A E Negative 2013

2013-02-02T15:16:00.000-08:00

We are happy to report our 8th (or is it 9th?) year of negative results for the CAE virus in our goats. We did have the virus here in our initial goats, so breaking it early on was a heartbreaking experience. Every day we are glad we made that decision.

Here is a link describing what the virus is & how if affects goats:
C A E Virus in Goats

We have our veterinarian Dr. Peter Brown come here and draw our results. This is a combined farm visit where we assess any herd health concerns or overall herd management. There are not words to describe how lucky we are to have quality vet care that makes farm calls 24/7/365.
Here is a link to the vet clinic we use:
Chuckanut Valley Veterinary Clinic

Dr. Peter Brown at Gothberg Farms

Here are our CAE results for 2013:

Tube Feeding Sick/Weak Kids or Lambs

2013-01-24T11:10:00.002-08:00

Here is probably the best instruction sheet I have ever seen for feeding sick or weak kids and lambs. This is precisely the technique we have used here for our entire goat career.

Tube Feeding Sick or Weak Newborn Kids or Lambs
Click this link to open the page.

Gothberg Farms Kidding Supplies

More Gothberg Farms Kidding Supplies

You can get these supplies locally at Excel Dairy in Mt. Vernon WA. Bud (the guy you will talk to) has been absolutely GREAT about learning what we need for our small ruminants & has begun stocking our supplies right here. We are really lucky!

1st Annual "Mission Fondue" at Gothberg Farms

2013-01-23T06:52:00.000-08:00

Goat Cheese Fondue-Oh My!

You may know I have been on "Mission Fondue" for a year or so now. Because let's face reality: we have some really great cheeses and are perpetually experimenting around the kitchen with more and more ways to enjoy them. Of course Gothberg Farms cheeses are quite prominent in the choices, but hey, we don't limit ourselves. We love lots of cheeses.

Fondue revival has been on the radar. OK, so I missed the Fondue Era of the 60's and 70'. First of all I was too young to really get it. Secondly, I was born and raised in Texas y'all. I'm pretty sure they did not hear of the Fondue Era. If you can't BBQ it, you probably don't eat it there. Oh what a glorious life it was too.

I digress. Back to today. A small group of us have taken interest in this new Winter Sport (living in the Pacific NW you improvise). We have finally set a date to meet up, share ingredients and favorites, and share some communal fondue pots around the kitchen table.

So we are hereby declaring January 29th as National Fondue Day.

You lucky locals are invited to join us. Must RSVP.

When: January 29th (Tuesday)

Time: 4:00 pm until.......

Where: At the Farm 15203 Sunset Road Bow, WA

Bring: Your favorite fondue makings (we have a few extra pots)

Beverages: Bring one to share if you want to

Contact: Rhonda at 360-202-2436 or rhonda@gothbergfarms.com

Lasagna, Cheese Boards, Cheesecakes........Oh My!

2012-12-03T08:45:00.002-08:00

Holiday Set Up At Compass Wines

It's that special time of year when we meet up with friends & family, share special foods, enjoy the change of the Seasons, & generally stop to reflect on another year completed in our busy lives. Here on the dairy that takes on special meaning. This is when we get to slow down a bit, the goats are all pregnant, no longer milking for the year, growing their babies, & resting up themselves. The work continues, but certainly at a much different pace.

It's no secret we love good food. We love creating really good food. We love sharing really good food.

Back by request we are now taking orders for our 5 Goat Cheese Lasagna, Chevre Cheesecakes, and Custom Cheese Boards!

5 Goat Cheese Lasagna: We select at least 5 of our cheeses for this each year. The red sauce is made on site with great ingredients. The lasagna is assembled here, then frozen for you to take home to bake. We make a variety of sizes, from 2-10 servings. Several of us order more than one so we can have it again later in the year. Good Idea!!! Such a treat here at kidding time.

Chevre Cheesecakes: These have turned out to be quite a popular item for us. We make a Lemon-Chevre, an Orange-Franjelico, and an Orange-Amaretto. Available sizes are tartlets (about 3 inch size) or an 8 inch full size. The 8 inch contains a full pound of chèvre!! With only 1/3 cup of sugar per 8 inch size or the same divided over a dozen tartlets, the main sweetness comes from the cheese. We know from experience & your feedback, these also freeze quite well.

Cheese Boards: Need an interesting and delicious cheese board for an event or just plain enjoyment? We have you covered. Let us know how many people, what you propose to pair it with, & we will help you select the perfect fare! We can go as simple or elaborate as you wish. Let's talk through some ideas.

Cheesecake Tartlets

Lasagnas and cheesecakes will be ready for pick-up Dec. 23. Cheese boards require 3 days advance notice and can be picked up pretty much anytime by appointment. We make a few "extra" lasagnas and freeze them ahead, so check to see if any are available. Orders are already filling fast.

Thank you for your continued support. You make each year worth it to come back and do it all again.

Goats For Sale

2012-11-25T11:18:00.000-08:00

We have more great LaMancha goats here than we are going be able to keep this year. 2 mature does, 3 (with possibility of 6) doelings, 1 buckling, and 2 wethers (not for meat).

Gracee at Appraisal 8/12 (milked out)

Since I'm not smart enough to post a document into this space, email me and I'll send it over to you right away.

Some of the does are already bred, and the ones who aren't are old enough and could be bred here prior to leaving with you.

Yasmin at Appraisal 8/12 (milked out)

Or you can call me at 360-202-2436 if you want more info.

Chèvre & Fennel Tasting

2012-10-12T13:33:00.000-07:00

I LOVE fennel. I find it unique, healthy, interesting, & a great accompaniment to my cooking. I had some ground fennel which I kept smelling. It was enticing. One thought led to another, as frequently happens here. Thoughts trend to generally turn towards cheese for almost everything here too. So then, how would a fennel cheese taste? Our own cheese. Hard cheese? Soft, fresh cheese? Ideas sometimes come faster than others. It was chevre wrapping day, so, Voila! The experiment was underway.

Gothberg Farms Chèvre-Fennel Experimentals

Flavor blends were imagined, and half-chevres were 'innoculated' with the chosen combinations. They were wrapped like the rest of the cheeses and kept overnight for flavor blending. Today Ginny, our new cheesemaker apprentice, and I set about evaluating each one. Such a tough job, but someone has to do it.

Here are our raw notes with our initial evaluations:

Fennel (alone) Earthy, anise, fresh, delicate. Great as a stand-alone. Pair with fresh pears, champagne, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pear Brandy.

Fennel with White Pepper Needed more fennel, maybe in a 2:1 ratio w/ the pepper. Taste definitely finishes "pepper". Nice, on the delicate side, pleasant lingering pepper flavor.

Fennel with Chives Nicely balanced, still lets cheese flavor come through. Chive gives savory notes to sweetness of the fennel. Nice texture. After taste is great, seems like Fall.
*Winner* Would be great with salad, pasta, pizza, baguette, or on a plain bagel.

Fennel with Nettle Just 'ok', especially after chive being so good. Not the best texture. Will not repeat this one.

Fennel with Chive & Parsley Versatile taste but the parsley 'toned down' the chive too much. OK, but not a favorite.

Fennel with Cilantro Earthy, prominent, fennel rounds it out, more of a flavor statement than the chive. Finish lingers nicely, lets cheese come through. Would pair nicely with our Cinco de Mayo Gouda.

Fennel with Garden Herb (which is a blend of parsley, chive, & lovage) Tastes like a Bite of Summer. The heart of Summer. Evokes warm sun rays feeling. Will definitely repeat.

Fennel with Calendula Petals Used freshly dried petals. Would have worked much better if set on chevre overnight to soften a bit. Pleasant, mild, with a slight bitter taste at the end, though not at all unpleasant. Just feels healthy!

Fennel with Chive and Calendula Petals Again, soften petals on cheese first. As tasty as it is beautiful! The fennel almost hides, then subtly says "Fine Finish!". All the flavors come together at the end. *Winner* Would pair nicely with our goats' milk Caerphilly.

Fennel with Cracked Pepper Way better than the White Pepper. Needs smaller mesh cracked pepper so it doesn't over-power. Overall quite good.

So there you have it. A tiny glimpse into how we determine new and wonderful cheese offerings.

ENJOY!!!!!

Cheese Sales at the Farm Starts Oct. 6, 2012

2012-10-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

How can it be that time of year already? Farmers markets are coming to an end in many locations, goats are being bred for next years babies and milk, milk supply changing to Fall consistency. Whew! This was a fast dairy year here at Gothberg Farms.

We will now have the Farm "Stand" open for cheese sales.
Saturdays ONLY from 12:00 noon-4:00 PM.

Please keep in mind we remain a working farm. This is not a public tour of the goats or the farm in general. You will be able to see the goats from the outside fence if they have chosen to be outside, but time does not allow for family tours. We of course happily talk 'goats' anytime!!! So feel free to ask all the questions you want.

Looking forward to seeing you beginning this Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012. We generally keep this going to until just about Christmas. Closed Thanksgiving weekend.

Greek-Style Yogurt From a Small Farmstead

2012-08-30T19:15:00.001-07:00

We love our goats (no secrets in this). We love the beautiful milk they provide so willingly twice a day, every day. We love the 20+ cheeses we produce from this incredible milk. Since we are a very small farm, we have the 'luxury' of being a bit creative. One of the local favorites is our Greek-style yogurt. It is rich, creamy, almost lemony, very slightly tart, and generally evokes what we have come to call the "Swoon Effect" (that roll the eyes, drop your knees, go to another place) kind of response. You know what we mean here.

What does it take to bring this most awesome yogurt to you? Well, quite frankly about 40 woman hours. Add to that 80 turns of goats on the milk stand. 20 goats times 4 milkings. No wonder it tastes so special!

Every deli tub is hand filled

But of course they are individually sanitized first.

Yogurt Day is Always a Happy Day

Voila! It magically appears for you!

Definitely NOT Grocery Store Yogurt.

Come see us at the farmers markets this weekend. We will have this unique, delicious, farmstead treasure for you. We will also have recipe ideas...hint...they involve local fruits.

Special thanks to Ginny for some of the photos!

Farmers Markets Biodiversity

2012-06-23T06:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a very well-written post about a topic I have been espousing for years!!! Yes folks, we are making ourselves sick with the food/sanitizer/antibiotic fanaticism. Too good not to share.
Add A Little Dirt to Our Diet

So go ahead, grow your own food, shop at your local markets, go outside, open a window, pet an animal...... I'm not saying eat unsanitary foods. Just use some common sense. We all know you cannot legislate common sense. Take back our good food practices.

Gothberg Farms Dinner Prep from Home Garden

Gothberg Farms Garden Food
OK, so not grocery store perfect. Still mighty good eating!

Gothberg Farms Career Women
Producing Real Milk and Real Cheese

29 Ways to Love Chèvre

2012-06-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

Gothberg Farms Chèvre with Figs and Honey

Welcome First Day of Summer!!!! And nothing says Summer is here like fresh from the goat farm Chèvre!

Here is a guest blog post from Chez LouLou "28 Reasons to Love Fromage de Chèvre". She lists some excellent ideas and recipes. Have fun with this one!! We just had to add #29 with the Fig and Honey because it is also a favorite here.

We are in full chèvre production mode right now, so find us, and start enjoying our Summer Bounty.

Let us know your favorite ways to enjoy this fabulously versatile cheese. We love hearing from you all.

'Man-Food' Cheese & Meat Board for Father's Day

2012-06-19T06:57:00.000-07:00

The men in this house do love cured meats. They also enjoy cheeses (good thing, eh?). It's no secret that Roy likes stronger cheeses and meats, so I set out to accommodate that preference for Father's Day.

Cheese & Charcuterie for Father's Day 2012

Here is my brief review of the selections: (as viewed left to right)

Fra'Mani meat- Roy's favorite. Nice flavor, very natural tasting.

Salumi Spicy Paprika-always a favorite here. Just a little kick, pairs well with almost anything chosen in this house.

Salumi Mole-Love the spices in this one-mole, cinnamon, very nice flavor combos. Always a favorite here too.

Rogue River Blue-Lovely presentation, favorite of the husband. Too much 'bite' for me. I was not tempted to lick the knife I cut it with. Husband ate every last morsel.

Pecorino Toscano-lovely little sheeps' milk cheese. Sweetly pungent with a nice dry texture. Paired nicely with everything, including the beer.

Mt. Townsend Campfire-Smooth, creamy, nice subtle tang. The smoke flavor is just enough, but not overpowering.

Gothberg Farms Chiva Chipotle (Chipotle Cheddar)-Nice blend of the pepper with the sweetness of the cheese. The smoky pepper flavor is subtle and lingers a bit with each bite.

Gothberg Farms Caprino Romano-A surprising hit on the board. Sweet, subtle flavor but not shy. Our Romano never gets very 'dry' as our rich, creamy milk just likes to stay that way.

Gothberg Farms Woman of LaMancha-This is a favorite across any board. Possibly our 'strongest' cheese-raw milk, aged over a year, with a rind cured with olive oil and Smoked Spanish Paprika. As beautiful to look at as it is to enjoy.

Gothberg Farms 4 Year Gouda-Another husband favorite. Our sweet, creamy gouda with a bit of sharpness. In fact, a bit too sharp for the makers taste, but a favorite of many.

All the above paired quite nicely with Maibock from Boundary Bay Brewery.

The dinner of smoked pork ribs, goat chops, potato salad, and chèvre stuffed jalapeños wrapped in prosciutto then grilled followed.

We elected to skip the dessert. Naps won out.

The meats and Campfire were from our beloved Slough Foods in Edison.

The Rogue River and Pecorino Toscano were from Metropolitan Market in Seattle.

The bread was of course from the Breadfarm.

And I loved serving on my own handmade board of re-cycled lumber.

Mario Batali Features Our Chèvre!

2012-06-13T07:05:00.002-07:00

Clouds of Goodness
Gothberg Farms Fresh Chèvre

Well known Chef Mario Batali cooked up another fantastic recipe on ABC TV series The Chew. He uses OUR fresh chèvre! We are pretty excited about this. I've been using his recipes for years (I have him installed on my iPhone as an app with great regional Italian cooking recipes & education). Our beloved employee, Debbie literally danced around the farm all day yesterday as he is her All-Time Favorite Iron Chef.

Here is the link to the video and printed recipe. It truly showcases the Pacific Northwest great foods. Very excited to make this one!
Mario Batali & Gothberg Farms Fresh Chèvre

We are further honored to have Bellingham KOMO News give us a shout out and also highlight one of our local Farmers Markets. Thanks Bellingham KOMO!
Bellingham KOMO Mentions Gothberg Farms & Mario Batali

Thank you all for helping make us so proud of what we produce here. The utmost thanks belongs right here though: Our magnificent LaMancha Dairy Goats! Thanks Girls! Extra rose bushes & blackberries for you today.

Working Moms of Gothberg Farms

If you live in NW Washington state, look for us at Seattle-area Metropolitan Markets, Bellingham Farmers Market, Everett Farmers Market, & Anacortes Farmers Market. We are featured quite a few other places so check out our availability map above for a more complete listing. Additions coming soon!

Beautiful Gothberg Farms Chèvre Ready for Markets

And if you are a chef, here is how you receive our chèvre.

Thank you all for your support over our almost 8 years of doing this!!!!

Goat Yogurt Day!!!

2012-05-24T15:04:00.000-07:00

First of the season for our sweet, tangy, delicious Gothberg LaMancha goats' milk Greek style yogurt!! It will be at both markets this Saturday.

Those of you who know it & love it-enough said. Call me if you want quantities saved & brought for you. It freezes really well & that is what several of us do to get through til the next batch is made. I only make it about once a month, and summer season only.

More New Goat Cheeses

2012-05-23T06:32:00.001-07:00

Queso Fresco w/ Dill & Garlic

We are pretty excited about a couple of new cheeses we are bringing to the markets this weekend. It is our traditional Queso Freso-with spunk! Now offering it with Dill & Garlic (which is toasted). This is so summer-tasting! We immediately thought of pairing it with fish and a good beer. Maybe even fish tacos??? You decide and let us know.

Queso Fresco w/ Chives & Parsley

The other is our same Queso Fresco with Chives & Parsley. So summer-y fresh!

Look for both of these at the markets this weekend. We will be in Anacortes (9-2) and Bellingham (10-3), both on Saturday.

Edible Seattle Cookbook Available at Our Farmers Markets!

2012-05-23T06:13:00.001-07:00

We have the extreme pleasure of being included in this beautiful cookbook. Editor Jill Lightner has done it again! It is filled with simple, tasty recipes using local ingredients. The recipes are not so complicated you need a personal chef to make them happen! http://edibleseattle.com/subscribe/edible-seattle-the-cookbook.htm

Beginning this weekend (5-27-12) we will have these beautifully illustrated books available at our farmers markets booths. They make great gifts as they showcase our amazing food connections in the Pacific Northwest.

Help Wanted: Cheesemaker

2012-04-26T17:47:00.001-07:00

We are looking for a part-time, seasonal cheese maker here at Gothberg Farms. Commercial cheesemaking experience helpful but willing to train the right person. In lieu of cheesemaking experience will consider work experience in a commercial kitchen/food background. Baking experience a plus.

Must be able to work alone, able to lift 50 lbs, and able to stand for prolonged periods of time.

Contact Rhonda: 360-202-2436
rhonda@gothbergfarms.com

Seattle Met

2012-04-20T06:27:00.001-07:00

With Extreme Gratitude

2012-04-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

Denise: You have captured me!

I know this is long, but if you want the true story, the entire story behind our farm, watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_XuG8zZkpE&feature=youtu.be

I'd love to hear your responses.
Thank You ever so much Denise.

Goat Cheese Saturday April 14, 2012

2012-04-13T06:31:00.000-07:00

Yay! A Cheese Saturday. We will be at:

Anacortes Farmers Market 9am-2pm Jenna will be your host

Bellingham Farmers Market 10am-3pm Debbie will be your host

FRESH Chèvre, feta crumbles (!), gouda, Woman of LaMancha, our newest Queso Cilantro, Cabra Roja, plus other favorites.

Supposed to be decent weather, tulips are beginning to bloom, oh yes, the season is changing.

Love our Happy Customers!

Cheese & Beer "In the News"!

2012-04-12T19:31:00.000-07:00

We love to pair really great cheeses with really great beers. Lucky us, we have both right here in our own part of the world! Here is a great article in Seattle Met magazine featuring some awesome choices. How fortunate they chose our Woman of LaMancha! It is a personal favorite, and a true Northwest original cheese-only from Gothberg Farms. It is indeed a hearty yet versatile cheese. Full of flavor, pleasantly sharp, aged one year (or more). The beautiful & delicious rind is rubbed with olive oil and smoked Spanish paprika. Pairs very well with beers & cured meats. Also melts well on grilled cheese or quesadillas.

http://www.seattlemet.com/eat-and-drink/articles/artisan-cheese-and-local-beer-pairings-april-2012/

Gothberg Farms Woman of LaMancha

Thanks Sheri & Seattle Met for including us.

Cheers.

Now Hiring

2012-03-17T08:12:00.000-07:00

We are looking for a Cheesemaker and also for a goat milker. These are generally separate positions, but there is a possibility of combining them.

The work is part-time & seasonal. Must be available weekends. Must be able to lift 50 lbs (milk cans & feed sacks).

Experience is great, but we are willing to train the right person.

Call Rhonda for more information at 360-202-2436.
You can also email interest to: Rhonda@gothbergfarms.com

Farm Stand Open Mar. 17, 2012

2012-03-17T06:24:00.000-07:00

We will be Open Today from 10am-2pm.

This will be our last one for quite a while, I suspect. Kidding will begin, and then...Farmers Markets will start back. Bellingham starts April 7th.

So come on out (in this lovely rainy WA weather). Fresh Chèvre!! Plus a nice assortment of hard cheeses.

Thanks Everyone!

For the Love of Cheese Boards

2012-03-02T11:54:00.000-08:00

I love old, seasoned cutting boards. To me, they tell a story all their own. Stories of meals prepared, foods shared, times gone by. I have a pretty nice collection of them now and will do a post on them some day.

The Starting Lumber

For today, I want to show you what I made myself!! We have a unique little shop in Edison called the Lucky Dumpster that always has something to surprise me. A couple of weeks ago I discovered they had old, used lumber. Now that gets a girls' attention like no other!! I've been looking for some 'just right' pieces for a while now. So, I found some pieces to try to work with. This is old rough sawn lumber, nails to pull, and the rough bark edge still intact.

I wagged home my choices. My Husband scratched his head but said little. He ran some pieces through the planer for me. I chose the perfect one. Husband then ran the router around the edges for me. Me and power tools have a story-for another time. He kept wanting to cut it perfectly square, but NOOOO, not what I want!

One day while sitting in the cold barn aisle watching over an imminent doe to give birth, I sanded it to my desired level, and then rubbed in a finish of food grade mineral oil and beeswax.

So, now, tonight as friends come over to share a bit of post-kidding marathon bubbly and some really great goat cheese (I have connections on this one) I will get to serve our food to our friends from the board I made.

Both Sides Equally Nice

Now, for my board to begin its' journey of stories.........

No Farm Stand March 3, 2012

2012-03-02T08:53:00.000-08:00

The Farm Stand will NOT be open this week. I'm making cheese and surely cannot do both.

Hope to see you all at the Anacortes Winter Market on March 10th, 2012.

As always, you can contact me directly if you have an "urgent" need of cheese.

Kidding Starts at the Goat Dairy

2012-02-13T14:31:00.000-08:00

Need This for Attitude Adjustments

Clean Pens/Sanitized Walls

Quasar Welcomes Cassiopeia

The calendar says February 13, 2012. But the sky, the temperature, the pace of life all say Spring is coming. While we are enjoying the warmest kidding season ever, there is still a lot of work to do. Just the behind the scenes prep work takes weeks. We have been fixing, sanding, repairing, painting, installing, revamping....oh..and then the usual clean up, spiff up, sanitize, and get ready for long days and sleepless nights. It has become somewhat predictable now at about 10 years into it (neophytes still). An air of eager anticipation seems to take over us and onward we go.

Eliza-due 2/20/2012

Labor & Delivery Supplies & Clean Towels Galore

Grain Feeders Clean & Ready

The older I get, the more important this becomes.

SHADOW!!!!!! Brief moment of SUN!

Remembering to Enjoy the Life