Producer Application Information
Business Name
Night Sky Farm
Number of years in operation: 2
Number of acres presently in farming/growing: 20
Describe your farming, processing practices.
Humanely Raised goats and poultry, I operate a Grade A Goat Dairy and Cheese Room VA Plant # 51-278089 We practice rotational grazing feed high quality all natural grain and locally raised alfalfa hay. We never give hormones and only administer antibiotics if absolutely necessary and then with-hold the milk for the appropriate length of time.
We are located in picturesque central Virginia, part of a rural, agriculturally based community. We are the only goat dairy. Most all of what is used in the making of our farmstead cheese comes from either our farm or from the local area. Through this, we try to keep our money at home where it is needed, supporting the local economy. The goal of this enterprise is to promote a safe and healthy local product, at the same time be good stewards of the farm and it's resources; the land, the animals and our community.
Our cheese room produces a variety of fresh cheese from a feta in sea salt brine to numerous flavors of fromage de chevre, the French term for goat cheese. Night Sky Farm chevre is a creamy, smooth, spreadable goat cheese suitable for any occasion. Organic fresh and dried herbs, as well as nuts and fruit flavor our chevre.
The chevre is frozen and vacuum sealed to extend it's shelf life and to ease the packaging process. Keeping the chevre in an airless environment slows and nearly stops any bacterial growth, with that in mind, our chevre tightly wrapped after opening will stay fresh for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Our feta and pressed cheeses are never frozen. These cheeses are vacuum sealed to extend their shelf lives.
Do you use genetically modified seeds or plants?
No
What is your pest & disease management system?
We do use commercially available worming medications on the dairy herd to maintain a healthy herd of goats. We vaccinate yearly with Covexin 8 and test yearly for Brucellosis as required by state law. Our herd is CAE, CL neg. tested and only neg. tested animals are allowed to come onto the property. We raise Registered Alpine, Saanen, Nubian and La Mancha dairy goats and are members in good standing of ADGA, the American Dairy Goat Association.
The gardens are maintained organically using no commercial pesticides or fertilizers, only diatomaeceous earth and compost. We farm using raised beds so the soil is not compacted around the plants and we use companion planting techniques for pest control and optimal growth.
Herd health and productivity management – Do you use any hormones, antibiotics, and/or steroids?
See above
Are there any animal products in feeds?
No
Describe your soil & nutrient management.
See above
Describe your water usage practices.
We have a well that is tested yearly by the Commonwealth of Virginia and it has always tested clean. We hand water our gardens from the well and with collected rain water. The animals always have fresh well water available to drink.
Conservation/land stewardship practices
We maintain our 13 acre woodlot by selectively cutting only the mature trees for market and thin out the culls for our firewood which is our only source of heat.
Additional information and/or sustainable practices
Where is your operation located?
Only the freshest milk from our own animals goes into the making of Night Sky Farm's cheese. Each lovely doe has a name and a heritage. This is a true "family" and the does are the cornerstone of the farm. We never administer hormones and use antibiotics only if necessary.
All the ingredients used to create our cheese either come from our farm, local farmers or suppliers such as, Frontier Coop, from whom we purchase a variety of herbs. As a rule, organically grown herbs and spices are preferred, but we use some that are conventionally raised due to their cost. Of course, any herbs off the farm are all natural and we do not use commercial fertilizers and/or herbicides and insecticides. Lemon Balm, Basil, Sage and Rosemary are some of the herbs grown here on the farm. Sea salt is an ingredient in all of our cheeses and in any brined or pressed rounds. We do use animal rennet imported from France because the curd produced is of the finest quality. Special orders for vegetable rennet cheeses or no salt chevres are accepted.
Where is your operation located?
Brookneal, VA in Campbell County
Which products are organic?
I am not certified organic, I practice naturally grown and produced farming methods.
What is the name of the certifying agency?
VDACS
________________________________________ Night Sky Farm delivers to these locations: To learn more about Night Sky Farm, please visit: www.nightskyfarmgoatcheese.com
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