Dairy Goat Herdshare Program
Have an intolerance to cow's milk? Want fresh, real milk but don't have the space and time to keep your own animals?
We can help!
We have a limited number of herd share leases available!
Contact us today to sign onto the Herdshare Program!
We can help!
We have a limited number of herd share leases available!
Contact us today to sign onto the Herdshare Program!
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Raw Milk Share
Approximately 1 gallon of milk per month, split into weekly or biweekly pickups (i.e. 1 quart picked up per week or 2 quarts picked up biweekly) $12.00 per month Discount! Signing up for 6 shares or more is just $10 per share per month! Container Fees -
This is a one-time fee that covers the cost of the jars for your share: $3.00 per Raw Milk Share Cost comparison: Meyenberg Goat Milk, retailed @ Walmart - $4.28/quart of milk Echolight Herdshare cost breakdown - approx. $3.00/quart of milk Local. Delicious. Healthy. Humane. Affordable. |
Did someone say GOAT CHEESE?
Looking for cheese or other dairy products? Unfortunately, most dairy products are not able to be legally dispensed in Michigan through a herdshare agreement - only milk and cream are legal. Do you know how easy it is to make your very own soft goat cheese?! We have recipes to share and can walk you through it!
Looking for cheese or other dairy products? Unfortunately, most dairy products are not able to be legally dispensed in Michigan through a herdshare agreement - only milk and cream are legal. Do you know how easy it is to make your very own soft goat cheese?! We have recipes to share and can walk you through it!
Echolight Herdshare Program FAQ:
What is a herd share?
- In Michigan, it is illegal to sell raw milk. However, it is not illegal to drink raw milk from animals you own or lease. Not everyone has the time or means to care for a dairy animal. Herd shares are a great solution! You simply lease a "share" (portion) of a dairy animal!
How does it work?
- Every month, you pay a lease, boarding and processing fee on a share of our goat herd. This covers the cost of care, feeding and milking. Then, you pick up what your "share" produced - fresh milk!
When is there milk available?
- Shares are typically available March/April through December.
Never tried goat's milk?
- No problem! Stop by to try some and decide if goat's milk products are right for you! (And for the record, the vast majority of folks think the milk tastes like exactly what it is: just milk!)
Does Echolight provide cheese and other finished dairy products?
- NO. Michigan Department of Agriculture prohibits herdshares for anything other than milk and cream.
What do the goats eat?
- Our feeding program is GMO FREE! Our goats are currently fed a local alfalfa/grass mix hay free-choice, approximately 3 lbs per head per day of our custom GMO-free grain mix, and a bit of grass from their yard along with free choice mineral supplements and free choice baking soda. Our grain contains in order of weight in the mix: whole oats, whole field peas, whole flax seeds, whole black oil sunflower seeds, steam rolled barley, and cane molasses.
Does Echolight use antibiotics or chemicals on the goats?
- Not unless absolutely necessary. We use herbal de-wormers and choose not to vaccinate our adult animals. We don't use synthetic chemical pesticides, instead opting for essential oil blends; and we don't use antibiotics except as a last resort for an ill animal. We even deodorize their barn with natural minerals! If we do need to use an antibiotic or chemical on one of our goats, they are milked separately and it is discarded, following all federally required drug withdrawal times.
We take the approach that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", so we rarely if ever need to use any chemicals in our herd!
How does Echolight handle the milk?
- We use a grade A closed system milking machine to milk the goats. Your milk is never exposed to the parlor air. The goats' udders are cleaned with an approved udder wash before milking, as well as afterward to prevent mastitis. The first stream of milk is drawn by hand into a cup with a fine mesh filter to ensure its quality before milking. Once milking has finished, the milk is strained through a disposable dairy filter into a seamless lidded pail. It is then cooled to 50 degrees or less within 60 minutes by circulating very cold potable water around a seamless pail. The milk is then poured into glass jars and kept at 39 degrees until picked up. All of the equipment that comes into contact with the milk is thoroughly washed immediately post-milking using approved dairy soaps and rinses. We also send individual milk samples out monthly for Somatic Cell Counts (SCCs) to monitor for mastitis, and always keep our SCCs well within commercial dairy standards.
- In Michigan, it is illegal to sell raw milk. However, it is not illegal to drink raw milk from animals you own or lease. Not everyone has the time or means to care for a dairy animal. Herd shares are a great solution! You simply lease a "share" (portion) of a dairy animal!
How does it work?
- Every month, you pay a lease, boarding and processing fee on a share of our goat herd. This covers the cost of care, feeding and milking. Then, you pick up what your "share" produced - fresh milk!
When is there milk available?
- Shares are typically available March/April through December.
Never tried goat's milk?
- No problem! Stop by to try some and decide if goat's milk products are right for you! (And for the record, the vast majority of folks think the milk tastes like exactly what it is: just milk!)
Does Echolight provide cheese and other finished dairy products?
- NO. Michigan Department of Agriculture prohibits herdshares for anything other than milk and cream.
What do the goats eat?
- Our feeding program is GMO FREE! Our goats are currently fed a local alfalfa/grass mix hay free-choice, approximately 3 lbs per head per day of our custom GMO-free grain mix, and a bit of grass from their yard along with free choice mineral supplements and free choice baking soda. Our grain contains in order of weight in the mix: whole oats, whole field peas, whole flax seeds, whole black oil sunflower seeds, steam rolled barley, and cane molasses.
Does Echolight use antibiotics or chemicals on the goats?
- Not unless absolutely necessary. We use herbal de-wormers and choose not to vaccinate our adult animals. We don't use synthetic chemical pesticides, instead opting for essential oil blends; and we don't use antibiotics except as a last resort for an ill animal. We even deodorize their barn with natural minerals! If we do need to use an antibiotic or chemical on one of our goats, they are milked separately and it is discarded, following all federally required drug withdrawal times.
We take the approach that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", so we rarely if ever need to use any chemicals in our herd!
How does Echolight handle the milk?
- We use a grade A closed system milking machine to milk the goats. Your milk is never exposed to the parlor air. The goats' udders are cleaned with an approved udder wash before milking, as well as afterward to prevent mastitis. The first stream of milk is drawn by hand into a cup with a fine mesh filter to ensure its quality before milking. Once milking has finished, the milk is strained through a disposable dairy filter into a seamless lidded pail. It is then cooled to 50 degrees or less within 60 minutes by circulating very cold potable water around a seamless pail. The milk is then poured into glass jars and kept at 39 degrees until picked up. All of the equipment that comes into contact with the milk is thoroughly washed immediately post-milking using approved dairy soaps and rinses. We also send individual milk samples out monthly for Somatic Cell Counts (SCCs) to monitor for mastitis, and always keep our SCCs well within commercial dairy standards.
