Small Animal Ag Opportunities for Food, Fiber and Forage - 2/27/03

Our hilly terrain with abundant forage is well suited for small specialty animal agriculture. Today, the farmstead specialty cheese market, including high quality goat and sheep cheese products, is rich with opportunities.  In addition, rare goat and sheep breeds offer hidden niche markets for fiber products.  Also, a new mini-industry is emerging for contract grazing of grasslands, orchards, and vineyards. This workshop covered cashmere goats: fiber and processing, goat cheese making, breeding strategies, specialty sheep breeds for food and fiber, and contract grazing for vegetation control.

Speakers:

Talibah Al-Fariq, Owner of Al-Fariq Farms, cashmere producing goat operation

Jennifer Bice, Owner/Operatior of Redwood Hill Farm, goat milk dairy

Stephanie Larson, Livestock and Range Management Advisor for Sonoma and Marin Counties

Lisa Richardson, use goats and sheep to manage vegetation through controlled grazing