THERE’S NOTHING LIKE THE ORIGINAL
Just a few miles down the road from the creamery, past sprawling vineyards and towering trees, is the original Redwood Hill Farm. Since its founding in 1968, this small family farm has remained unmatched in its commitment to animal care and land stewardship.
In 2005, Redwood Hill Farm became the first Certified Humane® goat dairy in the U.S.
Maternity leave
Milking goats are not required to give birth every year, and this helps ensure a long and healthy life for them. Redwood Hill Farm stops milking goats during the last two months of their pregnancy, allowing for rest and rejuvenation prior to giving birth.
Redwood Hill Farm Founder, Jennifer Bice, still lives at the farm, just a few steps from the milking parlor.
Redwood Hill Farm Founder, Jennifer Bice, still lives at the farm, just a few steps from the milking parlor.
Biodiversity
In addition to its 300 milking goats, the farm is home to an olive orchard, hop yard, fruit orchards, beehives, chicken laying flock, and vegetable gardens. These complimentary production systems balance the farm’s ecosystem and provide benefits like soil health, pollination, weed control, compost, and waste management.
Solar powered
An array of solar panels automatically move throughout the day to follow the arc of the sun. These panels provide 100% of the electricity for the farm and two homes onsite.
Water conservation
A rainwater catchment system consisting of three storage tanks captures up to 100,000 gallons of winter storm water. This provides year-round water for the farm, allowing the irrigation of orchards, gardens, and pastures in the dry summer months.
Drought-tolerant feed
The farm grows a perennial, high-protein shrub called Tagasaste to supplement the goats’ diet. Tagasaste requires very little water to grow and produces more forage on less acreage than traditional goat feed like alfalfa and grass hay – and the goats love it! This shrubby tree is also a nitrogen fixer, so it’s good for the soil as well.
A competitive retirement plan
Goats are raised to live comfortably into old age producing delicious milk. Older goats that no longer give milk are not culled from the herd, but are allowed to “retire” and live out their days relaxing on the farm. Pictured here is Ranita, now retired, who is the matriarch of five generations at Redwood Hill Farm.
MEET OUR GOATS
DID YOU KNOW?
SOME GOAT KIDS ARE BORN WITH “WATTLES”, THE FLESHY, DANGLY THINGS ON THEIR NECK
Wattles are sometimes called “bells” or “skin tags”. They serve no purpose and are believed to be a genetic trait left over from evolution.
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