Rain Lake Ranch
My name is Kayla. I grew up in a regular suburban neighborhood with no knowledge about sustainable farming or anything of the sort. I only had horses and dogs! However, after a few years into adulthood, I realized things needed to change. I decided I wanted to work towards producing as much of my own food as possible.
Can you tell us about your business?
I take great pride in the quality of my goat milk! We are licensed for human consumption via the state of Idaho - Permit Number RGM216! I test my girls annually and they are negative for CAE, CL, Johnes, Brucellosis, and Tuberculosis. I hand milk, so there is never any contact with plastic. We feed a non gmo, no soy, no corn, etc. dairy grain along with alfalfa and fruits/veggies for treats. No chemicals for these girls! Our milk is clean and great tasting.
What inspired you to pursue this path?
I will try to make a very long story short. In 2010, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. My disease is VERY severe. I have been on all of the major drugs available for Crohn’s disease and all have failed. At the young age of 21, my doctors stated we were getting to “our last options” (medication wise). I started taking a brand new medication that was not even approved for my disease. After being on it for about a year, I asked my doctor a series of questions about long term effects. His answer to all were, “We don’t know,” because the medication had not been around long enough to know. As such a young person, this was hard to hear. I wanted to live a “normal” life and only saw that getting farther and farther away from me. However, after getting goats, I realized my symptoms were suddenly improving. Long story short, I am now off of all Crohn’s Medications due to the immense impact the goats milk has had on my stomach. I do not think this will work for everyone, but I want to share my girls’ milk with as many people as I can. It has been life changing for me, and I hope it can help others too.
What sets your business apart from others that are similar?
What sets my business apart is the meticulous, holistic care my goats receive. What goes into the goats really impacts the milk they produce, therefore, they eat a very clean diet! Chemical medications are a last resort for me and, when I do have to use them, I do not sell milk out of that doe until a good bit after the milk withdrawal period for that medication is over. I take great pride in what I produce and always want it to meet my high standards!
Can you share any challenges you've faced and how you overcame them? See above about Crohn’s disease.
What benefits do you think sustainable farming and homesteading bring to individuals and communities?
The benefits are incredible. The health benefits are what first comes to mind for me. Storebought food is just awful. The more research you do into what ingredients are actually in there, the worse it gets. The more we all work together to supply our own food, the more we can rely on each other and stop relying on the grocery store.
How do you educate and engage your community in sustainable practices?
Currently, the part I play here is minimal. However, I try to encourage families to support local farms instead of the grocery store and to produce what they are able on their own! Since dairy goats are my speciality, I am always happy to mentor those who are just getting in to dairy goats in order to help them be successful (whether they buy goats/milk from me or not!)
Can you share any exciting projects or developments you're working on that our readers should be on the lookout for?
The main exciting thing is that we are slowly working on expanding our goat herd!
How do you see the future of sustainable farming and homesteading, and what role do you see yourself playing in it?
I foresee sustainable farming growing immensely in popularity among the general population. I hope to continue to provide food products to those who don’t have the time or space to produce it themselves. One day, I would love to expand beyond just dairy goats, but that will be a ways into the future.
What advice would you like to share with our readers?
Know your source! Unfortunately, not all meat, milk, eggs, fruits, veggies, etc. are created equal. You will even find vast differences amongst the raw goat milk community. I think it is important to find someone who shares your values in food production, if you can, when purchasing food products.
Anything else you'd like to share?
We also have ADGA registered kids available for sale each spring! We are all sold out for this year, however, will have plenty available next year. We participate in ADGA performance programs so you will be able to review milk testing and linear appraisal records on each dam.
Where can our readers learn more?
You can email me at rainlakeranch@gmail.com, check out my Facebook page, or hop on our website at https://rainlakeranch.wixsite.com/rain-lake-ranch
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