Goat Herdshare Program

***UPDATE*** We are closing down the herdshare program effective 4/1/2022***** Its been a good run... thanks to all who have supported us! :)

Get raw goat's milk straight from the farm

mmmmm.... did you say milk??? Yummy!!!
• What is a herd share program?
• Why participate in a herd share program?
• Why choose A Better Way Farm & Goat Dairy?
• Why choose goat milk over cow milk? Does it have a “goatie“ flavor?
• Is raw milk safe? What are the benefits of raw milk?
• How much does it cost?
• How do I get started and become a herdshare owner?

"What is a herd share program?
In herdshares, people buy shares of a milking animal or herd, and pay the farmer to care for the animals and milk them. As owners, the shareholders are entitled to the milk from their own animals. Shares are sold based on an expected milk volume. For our goat share program, one share entitles the owner to 1/2 gallon of milk per week. Owners can buy the number of shares they need to ensure the milk supply they want. We even offer half shares.

"Why participate in a herdshare program?
Well, other than getting delicious, nutritious, fresh raw goat's milk, you are helping to support small agriculture in your own community. You are promoting the ethical treatment of animals and sustainable, responsible farming and land management. Here at A Better Way ® Farm & Goat Dairy, the animals have large, lush pastures and woodlands to graze. They have enough pasture and woodlands to rotate themselves through so it doesn't deplete any area and actually improves the soil. Here at A Better Way Farm & Goat Dairy, we believe that a happy goat is a healthy goat and happy goats make sweet, yummy milk! With every dollar you spend, you are casting a vote for the type of world you want to live in and for every food dollar you spend, you are placing a vote on the type of food system, land management and animal care you want. Make your votes really count. Keep your food dollars in your local community when possible and help support local agriculture. With big ag subsidies, its impossible for small producers to compete with big ag... it's people like you that can place your vote that you prefer quality and responsibility over the artifically low price that comes from big ag products. Of course another benefit is that you don't get the unnatural processing that industrialized food goes through.
Here you can SEE how and where your milk is produced. You can see for yourself the conditions that the animals are raised in. It just takes one visit to the farm to see for yourself that these are happy animals. I am happy to give any prospective (or existing) shareholder a tour of the facilities, including the milk processing room. You will see that things are kept very sanitary and clean! :)

"Why choose A Better Way Farm & Goat Dairy?
We are a licensed dairy inspected and certified by the state of Virginia. We are held to strict sanitation and quality control standards. The health of our animals is also part of the inspection/certification process. Each animal's blood is pulled, by a vet, and tested for diseases that can be passed to humans through milk. Our raw milk is tested by the state periodically for bacteria and unallowed substances. Where ever you get your milk from, it is important to ask questions about health and testing standards! Our herd is certified Brucellosis free by the state of Viriginia and we retest annually.
Our animals are healthy and happy! They have lots of room to roam and satisfy their curiosity. Quite simply, they live a very good life here on this farm!

Goats enjoying a beautiful day at A Better Way Farm & Goat Dairy

Why choose goat milk over cow milk? Does it have a “goatie“ flavor?
Goat's milk vs. cow's milk. There are many advantages to goat milk! Goat's milk is more nutritious than cows milk, easier to digest, kinder to the Earth (cows are hard on the environment) and its naturally homonogized too! For more detailed information about these reasons and more, click here: http://www.mtcapra.com/benefits-of-goat-milk-vs-cow-milk
So does it have a “goatie“ flavor? No! Goats milk is sweet and delicious! Side by side, it tastes very similar to raw cow's milk, but maybe a touch sweeter and a bit creamier.If you've had goats milk that had an off flavor, that was caused by BACTERIA in the milk. I had one share member start with me that said where they used to get their milk, the milk tasted fine for like a day or two and then got a "goatie flavor"... yeah, thats because there was a high level of bacteria in the milk!!! And after a few days it was really tasting off! Clean milk will taste really good and will have a normal shelf life. The cleaner the milk, the longer it will taste good. Sanitation practices of the producer are of upmost importance!!! The taste of the milk my animals produce is DELICIOUS!

Is raw milk safe? What are the benefits of raw milk?
Of course this is something you should research and decide for yourself, but here are some facts:
Raw milk contains many components that kill pathogens and strengthen the immune system. These include lacto-peroxidase, lacto-ferrin, anti-microbial components of blood (leukocytes, B-macrophages, neutrophils, T-lymphocytes, immunoglobulins and antibodies), special carbohydrates (polysaccharides and oligosaccharides), special fats (medium chain fatty acids, phospholipids and spingolipids), complement enzymes, lysozyme, hormones, growth factors, mucins, fibronectin, glycomacropeptide, beneficial bacteria, bifidus factor and B12-binding protein. These components are largely inactivated by the heat of pasteurization and ultrapasteurization.This five-fold protective system destroys pathogens in the milk, stimulates the Immune system, builds healthy gut wall, prevents absorption of pathogens and toxins in the gut and ensures assimilation of all the nutrients.So powerful is the anti-microbial system in raw milk that when large quantities of pathogens are added to raw milk, their numbers diminish over time and eventually disappear.
Raw milk that has been produced under sanitary and healthy conditions is generally a safe and healthy food. It is important that the animals are healthy and do not have any diseases, many which can be contagious to humans through milk! The animals should be eating food appropriate for them, which for goats is mostly grass, hay or silage, with only a small amount of grain. The milk should be full-fat milk, as the important anti-microbial and health-supporting components are in the fat. The animals should be milked under sanitary conditions and the milk chilled down immediately.
Raw milk contains enzymes and encourages beneficial bacteria that contribute to easy digestion and ensure that all the vitamins and minerals are absorbed. Pasteurization warps and distorts the enzymes and other proteins in milk so that the body thinks they are foreign, and has to mount an immune response. This can make pasteurized milk more difficult to digest. In fact, the market for fluid milk has been declining at 1 percent per year for the past thirty years. Fewer and fewer people can digest processed milk.
For more information on the benefits of raw milk and links to studies about its safety, click here: www.realmilk.com

How much does it cost?
To buy a single share, it costs $50. That is a one time buy in fee. There is also a monthly cost to board and care for the herd and as a shareholder, you pay a share of that cost. The monthly cost per share is $50. One share entitles the owner to 1/2 gallon of milk per week. Owners can buy the number of shares they need to ensure the milk supply they want. We even offer half shares (one quart per week for $30 a month). When considering the price of owning, you have to consider it as more than just the price of milk. You are helping to support small agriculture in your own community. There are many benefits to participating in a herdshare! Click on this link to read more about the reasons: Why participate in a herdshare program?
When comparing the cost of a cow herd share to the cost of a goat herd share, you have to consider that goat's milk costs quite a bit more to produce than cow's milk because cows produce so much more. Goat's milk really is the superior milk but cost is the reason why cow's milk is the nation's top milk. A single cow can produce anywhere between 8-13 gallons of milk per day! WOW! Goats, depending on the breed can produce anywhere between a quart to over a gallon a day for full sized breeds. We are actually very comparable in price to store bought goats milk and our product is absolutely superior. Its not too often that local, small scale farms are able to sell their product at prices that are very similar to grocery store prices (sometimes we are even cheaper!), so understand we are not making a killing off our milk. At all. :) The farm's goal for the herdshare program is that the revenue from herdshares will cover the cost of feeding the goats, which can become quite costly, especially over winter with the rising prices of hay.

How do I get started and become a herdshare owner?
If you are interested in our herdshare program or if you have more questions, please contact us at:

I live on the side of a mountain with 65 goats and 4 dogs. I make 100% of my living from my homestead. My purpose is to "Inspire, Encourage & Empower".
Read more about my story here....

Goat Herdshare Program

Get raw goat's milk straight from the farm

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