Telling Alaska’s Story: Herd shares for raw goat’s milk grow in popularity

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Recent and native are two phrases many individuals prefer to see on the subject of the meals they eat. However for some, it’s additionally essential within the milk they drink. A minimum of that’s what Suzy and Mike Crosby have discovered on the subject of recent, uncooked goat’s milk.

The Crosby’s personal Cottonwood Creek Farm in Wasilla the place they elevate Alpine Dairy goats, a pleasant, sturdy breed identified for prime quality milk manufacturing. Although the Crosby’s get greater than a dozen gallons of milk a day from “their women,” they aren’t allowed to promote it. Promoting uncooked milk of any form is unlawful in Alaska, because of well being issues that it might grow to be contaminated with dangerous micro organism. However what dairy farmers can do, legally, is promote a share of their herd.

“Now that you just’re a authorized goat proprietor, now you may drink a share of the milk that the herd produces,” defined Suzy Crosby. “And you’ll pay a share of the herd’s bills. So it’s primarily a boarding payment paid on the first of the month for the entire month, and then you definately get your milk each week, no matter quantity you identify is best for you.”

The Crosby’s run a squeaky-clean operation and say they’ve by no means had a well being downside within the 20 years they’ve been providing herd shares. They like unpasteurized milk as a result of it accommodates nutritional vitamins and vitamins that may be killed in the course of the warmth pasteurization course of. Suzy Crosby stated this 12 months, specifically, their milk is extra well-liked than ever.

“That is the 12 months that we can’t sustain. It was any time any individual known as we might often squeeze them in.” Suzy stated. “And now, even at the moment of 12 months, we’ve got extra requests than we are able to fill.”

She believes the pandemic has elevated demand for native Alaskan merchandise.

“It was very eye-opening for individuals,” Suzy stated. “We’re speaking a lot extra about meals safety now than what we used to.”

She goes onto say, “I believe even the method disaster has pushed a whole lot of curiosity, as a result of goat milk is the closest to human milk.”

One other plus, Suzy defined, is a latest change in state legislation. HB 22, which handed the legislature final August, ensures the herd share program is enshrined in state statute. The legislation additionally offers new enterprise alternatives for dairy farmers to supply worth added merchandise with their herd shares, like cheese and ice cream.

Suzy stated she desires individuals to know that goat’s milk and goat’s milk merchandise are protected, nutritious, and scrumptious, additionally that their goats are wholesome and effectively cared for. “Candy milk, spoiled goats,” is the moto on their enterprise card, and the way in which they run their farm.

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