By Sharon Bice

Who brought in those luscious brownies to work today? I can smell them from my desk, All chocolatey, chewy goodness! And chocolate, coupled with February means that Valentines Day is near. Naturally, sweet treats come to mind. But very special doesn’t have to be about sweet. Luscious, savory goat cheese just as is or in a simple recipe that showcases it’s unique flavor, aromas, and texture, can be a very special offering for your favorite someone.

Goat milk yogurt and kefir are also wonderful Valentines Day cake and can be used in nearly any recipe calling for milk, buttermilk, or sour cream. Yogurt or kefir will lend a delicious, tender crumb to your baked goods and delicious, mild tang to cream pies and puddings. And possibly best of all?  You will be able to enjoy a sweet treat with your loved ones that is truly of the “heart”: heart healthy!

Goat milk dairy products are easier on the human digestive system and lower in calories, cholesterol and fat than their bovine counterpart. In addition, they are rich in calcium, protein, vitamin A, vitamin K, phosphorus, niacin and thiamin. Dr. George Haenlein of the University of Delaware points out that the fats found in goat milk products are high in middle chain fatty acids, which are easier for the body to process than those found in cow’s milk. Also, according to research by epidemiologist Serge Renaud, goat cheese does not seem to be implicated as a cause of heart disease. He models his own diet on that of Crete, which has the lowest rate of heart disease in the western world. Their diet is heavy in fruits, vegetables, and grains and they eat goat cheese!

I think this is a perfect time to share a few favorite recipes from our archives that, handmade by you, would be a very special treat for your loved one.

Simple to make and delicious to share: Chevre Dessert

Redwood Hill Farm Chevre is so incredibly versatile. I just love this simple, elegant presentation and it’s fun and easy to put together.

Redwood Hill Farm Chevre molded into a sweet dessert

Chevre Dessert: Take 8 oz. of Redwood Hill Farm Fresh Chevre, blend with two tablespoons of sugar, maple syrup or honey, one teaspoon of honey, and juice of about 1/2 lemon. Blend together with a whisk (or blender). And that’s it! A great, low calorie alternative to cream cheese frosting and use it to fill crepes or blintzes. Or simply serve with slices of fresh fruit…poached pears? Mango? Strawberries! Here I’ve set it in a heart shape cheese mold. Line first with cheese cloth or plastic wrap, press in firmly, chill 20-30 minutes. Unmold onto a pretty dish about 30 minutes before serving and garnish.

Heart-Shaped Blini with Smoked Salmon and Lemon Caper Sour Cream

Blini with Smoked Salmon and Lemon Caper Sour Cream: Something savory for you and your loved one? Ultra-creamy Green Valley Organics Lactose Free Sour Cream that we make at the Redwood Hill Farm Creamery, mixed with capers and zesty lemon, adds the perfect touch to these savory appetizer bites. For ease, make the batter a day ahead, or go a step further and make the blinis a day ahead, refrigerate and reheat on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven until warm. Got some gluten-free guests? Simply substitute your favorite gluten-free all-purpose baking flour blend and one teaspoon xanthan gum for the all-purpose flour. Redwood Hill Farm Goat Milk Kefir in the batter creates the most tender, flavorful blini. Select here for the delicious recipe.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake with Cherry Vanilla Yogurt Sauce

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake: Rich, chocolatey and decidedly decadent, our no-fail sour cream chocolate cake is oh-so-moist and lactose free (thanks to silky Green Valley Organics Sour Cream) and begs for a fork when topped with sweet-n-tangy cherry vanilla yogurt sauce.  Share this very special heart-shaped cake with your very special someone for the perfect way to say “I love you” on Valentine’s Day. Here is the link to recipe for this luscious cake.

And we love YOU, our loyal fans! Thank you for supporting family farms. If you try these recipes, will you please let us know how you like them? If you alter them at all, share your recipe secrets with us and other Bleat Beat readers. I want to wish you a beautiful St. Valentines day…spend it with the special people (and critters) that you love. It’s all about the heart…

Farm Manager "Goat Guy" Scott Bice with one of our sweet Saanen does

By Sharon Bice

Thanksgiving is upon us…

and right on cue are blustery days, intense fall colors, and a sprinkling of rain showers to green up the fields on the farm. Recently on an extraordinarily fine day, I spent the afternoon with Jennifer and we made pie. Jennifer and I share a passion for cooking, along with Scott, David, Shelley and a few other siblings! As a large family growing up together on Redwood Hill Farm, cooking with fresh goat milk and seasonal produce from the garden each year became a natural part of our life. Now, some 45 years later, we all have favorite recipes when it comes to gathering for holiday meals and this pie is very special.

Jennifer heading up Apple Blossom Lane to select a Sugar Pie pumpkin

The farm is beautiful right now. The apples have long been harvested and though “apple blossom time” in the spring is spectacular with the white and blush pink clouds of blossoms covering the 350+ trees in our organic orchard, fall is really my favorite time on the farm. The tomatoes are now finished after the recent rains, along with most of the warm weather produce. The farm’s figs, pears, and apricots have all been harvested as well. But the chard is red, beautiful and resurging in the cool fall weather. The kale is thriving too…dinners have taken on a new taste and texture these past few weeks.

Scott's daughter Nicole in her backyard farm garden. Who let the goat out?

Scott, the Redwood Hill Farm manager has a beautiful garden in the backyard for his growing family. He was planting garlic in a new raised bed on the day I was taking pictures. As I watched him work and admired the beautiful greens and butternut squash ready for harvesting, I asked him about his favorite fall greens to grow and prepare. “The Dinosaur kale has exceptional flavor, and I really prefer it, even over the chard.” In the photo above, Dinosaur kale is the deeply textured leafy greens.

Selecting a beautiful Sugar Pie pumpkin from one of the "free range" vines

Scott composts heavily on the farm (as I do at my Forestville home). Scraps from the kitchen, zucchini that quickly grew out of control, and of course the manure from barn cleaning, all gets heaped into the compost pile to let the earthworms and other insect composters work their magic. Each spring there is finished “black gold” to mine from the piles and use in the gardens, both for planting and mulch for newly sprouted vegetable seedlings. This year’s composted Halloween jack-o-lanterns will emerge next season for yet another delicious crop of Sugar Pie pumpkins.

Of all the kids in our large family, Jennifer was the only one who never left the farm; she couldn’t conceive a life without her precious dairy goats. She has harvested many a pumpkin over countless seasons…

Cleaning the cut pumpkin to bake for puree (and roasted pumpkin seeds)

Back in her beautiful farm kitchen Jennifer launched right into preparations for pie. It’s a bit of work to prepare the pumpkin but oh so worth it…the fresh puree lends a fantastic dense texture and full, fresh, pumpkin flavor to this pie. I learned something new from my big sister on this day: She soaks her cleaned pumpkin seeds in sea salt water for 15-20 minutes before roasting them. It imparts a lightly salted crunch to the finished seeds…

The Sugar Pie pumpkin is ready for roasting. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, roast for approximately 40 minutes or until fork tender. While the sweet aroma of baking pumpkin warms the kitchen, prepare your pastry.

Do you have a drawer like this? All your "gadgets" in one place!

The gadget drawer! I couldn’t resist getting a picture while Jennifer began gathering utensils needed to assemble her pie.

Skilled hands preparing the whole wheat pastry

The base of any pie is a delicious crust. Jennifer likes to use an all-butter recipe that includes organic, whole wheat pastry flour. After making your crust, shape into a disk, wrap and chill. For ease of handling while rolling out, try using a marble slab to keep your pie dough cool and work quickly!

Delicious alternative to evaporated milk: Redwood Hill Farm Plain Got Milk Kefir

Jennifer’s recipe was adapted from Camille Glenn’s classic cookbook “The Heritage of Southern Cooking”, given to her by friend and fellow goat person, Judy Schad. I love this cookbook! After borrowing it from Jennifer countless times, I had to get my own copy. Fresh organic eggs from the farm hens are essential for this classic pie, your finest brandy, and of course the delicious ingredient that makes this pie very special, goat milk kefir.

Cooking Tip: for any of your favorite recipes that call for milk, try substituting yogurt or kefir, it works beautifully in cooking, especially in cakes and breads lending a tender, moist crumb.

After combining puree, spices, and kefir, blend well and pour into partially baked crust

Jennifer combined her ingredients and used a handy gadget that I need for my kitchen, (holiday hint to brothers and sisters reading this) a hand-held immersion blender. In no time she had creamy, smooth puree ready to pour. All that’s left is baking, cooling and enjoying! We also make Green Valley Organics Lactose Free kefir, yogurt and sour cream in our solar-powered, organic creamery located just a few miles from the farm. For an easy to digest alternative to whipped cream this  year, try this: a decadent dollop of Green Valley Organics Lactose Free Sour Cream, lightly whipped with a bit of maple syrup and vanilla. Luscious!

Select here to get the recipe: Brandied Pumpkin Pie.

We’d love to send you a few coupons to purchase Redwood Hill Farm Goat Milk Kefir, Yogurt, and Green Valley Organics Lactose Free Sour Cream! Select this link, www.RedwoodHill.com, and fill out the form with your address using BLEAT BEAT in the promo code box.

The olive grove on the farm will be harvested this Sunday

Once again our family will be gathering on the farm for a homegrown, Thanksgiving dinner. Dad is coming up from Arizona to celebrate with us and inspect the newest addition to the farm he helped plant two years ago, the olive grove. We’ve got our first olive harvest scheduled for Sunday. Similar to our day on the farm spent apple juicing last August, the harvest will be a family affair…a chance for all of us to be together again on the farm that nurtured us as children and continues to do so today.

All of our goats are special, but every once in a while, a certain individual will come along and grab everyone’s attention. From the experienced goat breeder visiting the farm who exclaims “WOW!!” when they see her gliding around the barn, to the third grade student that very same goat befriends by coming up and rubbing her gently on their back, as if saying, “Love me”.  Meet Rima, the American Dairy Goat Association’s (ADGA) 2012 National Champion and Best Udder Alpine.

Rima lounging in the barn

Rima combines the strength and sweetness that her maternal family line(See the Bleat Beat blog-”Six Generations” by Zimba) is known for and the style her sire, Shining Moon X-Rated, is gaining a reputation for. X-Rated sired four age class winners at the 2012 National Show and was named Premier Alpine Sire of Show!

Rima- Alpine Junior National Champion in 2009

2012 was not Rima’s first time at an ADGA National Show. In 2009, Rima went to the National Show in Sacramento as a junior yearling. She won her age class and was then named the Junior National Champion for the Alpine breed. It was evident that we had a special one here. That fall, we repeated the breeding of her mother, Raindrop, to X-Rated. In the Spring of 2010, Rima’s full sister, Redwood Hills Drop of Rain was born. Rain was awarded first place two year old at the 2012 ADGA National Show.

In 2010, Rima once again won her age class at the National Show.

In 2010, Rima and about twenty five herd mates made the long trip to Louisville KY for the ADGA National Show. Rima freshened with a beautiful mammary system and earned the first place ribbon in her age class at Nationals once again! Former Redwood Hill employee and alpine breeder Ben Rupchis handled her in the show ring that year. I recently asked Ben his thoughts about working with Rima, and he responded: “Rima is joie de vivre in caprine form. She was a charmer the moment she freshened as a yearling. Her infectious optimism and cheerfulness–always expecting and appreciating extra attention and goodies–brightened chores on even the rainiest of spring mornings. In the parlor, after milking she would turn on the stanchion in hopes of a hug and scratch on the withers after being milked. She is always among the first to inquisitively wander over to see what treats you may have brought her either in the barn at home or at the show.”

Rima-The 2012 National Champion and Best Udder Alpine

We did not attend the 2011 National Show, as Massachusetts is a bit too far for us to travel. This year, ADGA held the National Show in Loveland Colorado and we began our trip out there on July 4th. This year was different, as we traveled in a “goat caravan” with four trailers of goats and multiple California herds. One thing was the same as our last trip, Rima was attending and looking great. She won her age group once again, this time as a three year old. When all of the age class winners came in for the selection of Senior Champion, the air was thick with tension and the field deep with competition. Rima, as usual, carried a look of confidence and a carriage of grace in that final lineup. We were overwhelmed with joy as she was then named Senior Champion and then ADGA’s 2012 National Champion and Best Udder Alpine.

Rima's 2012 kids- Resilience and Resonate, very proud of their Mama !

If that wasn’t exciting enough, we were thrilled as we heard Rima’s 2012 born son,Redwood Hills Snapple Resonate, was just accepted into this years Spotlight Sale in Boise, Idaho! The Spotlight Sale is a live auction held annually at the ADGA National Convention and is the culmination of a week full of everything goat. Only a few nominations are accepted into this prestigious sale and we are very proud of this boy and his potential as a herdsire! Redwood Hill Farm Herd Manager Trinity Smith had this to say about our newest National Champion: “Rima is the quintessential dairy goat. Full of personality. Any person is drawn to the sparkle in her eye, and her radiating curiosity. She puts milk in the bucket better than most, and reigns as one of the barn queens. Now with multiple National Show wins, she is quite sure she should monopolize all human attention that is offered. Simply put she combines the work and play of life as well as any other goat out there!” Rima has given us at Redwood Hill Farm so many special moments in such a small amount of time. Her family line is known for outstanding longevity, so hopefully this is just the first few chapters in an outstanding novel!

Spring and Summer are very busy seasons here at Redwood Hill Farm. In that time, we go from kidding season to goat show season, with just about every weekend filled with some kind of event. This year it seemed busier than ever with a multitude of events. Sadly, neither the goats or I had time for writing The Bleat Beat!  Fear not loyal readers, The Bleat Beat is back! We are going to review some of the moments that made the first half of 2012 a memorable one, starting out with the 4th annual Goat Fest held at the ferry plaza in San Francisco.

Kids having a good breakfast before their big day in the city!

         It was a beautiful Spring morning in the city.

The ferry plaza market made a great venue for all things goat!

There were chef demonstrations using our chevre, as well as tastings of the delicious goat milk products.

Making a New Friend

Every year the big attraction are the baby goats.  A line of people waiting to see them ran down the pier twenty deep for most of the day.  We brought seven kids along with us, so while a few played with the city folk, the others napped comfortably in a straw lined kennel. Goats are very social animals who love interaction with people. The highlight for me at the goat fest is to see a child’s face light up when playing and interacting with our four legged friends.

Kids of all ages Love the baby goats

Jennifer gave a talk on the benefits of goat milk and educated the public on our caprine friends. There was a Q&A session as the public tasted the chef’s delicious goat milk product creations. It’s amazing to think of all the wonderful products we can produce from goat milk!

Jennifer with a captive audience

There was a lot of media covering the 4th annual Goat Fest.  We were featured on the television shows “California Bountiful” and “Fresh From the Farmers Market”. Henry Tannenbaum from KRON4 News did a live broadcast featuring the baby goats and our products. It was a great day in the city, but before we knew it, it was time to pack up and head back to the farm where we were getting ready for our big annual open house farm tours.

Hi Everyone, Welcome to MY blog!

Hi Everyone, my name is Zimba! I’m one of over 300 dairy goats living here at Redwood Hill Farm, the first goat dairy in the nation to be labeled with the Certified Humane designation. You might have seen me on postcards or even on a truck and trailer that delivers our natural, delicious, dairy goat products to health food stores everywhere. Well, now I’m so famous they even want me to write a blog! Actually, Farm Manager Scott Bice and others on the farm will be contributing to the blog as well, but we all know that I’m the one capacious in writing creativity! I’m excited to fill you in on happenings at Redwood Hill Farm from the goat’s perspective.

Zimba and all of our products rolling to a health food store near you.

We had an extra special delivery recently. One of my herdmates- Rihanna, gave birth to a beautiful doeling named Rayne. Her Great, Great, Great Grandmother was so proud! That’s right, this little “Rayne drop” that hit the farm makes a family tree of six generations alive and kicking here on the farm.

Regal Ranita at age 15

Companeros Ranita is the matriarch of this gregarious and enduring family. At fifteen years old, she is the last goat still here on the farm that Steven Schack, Jennifer’s late husband, planned the breeding of. We goats on average live to about 10-13 years old. I’m nine now and starting to feel my years, and to think glorious Ranita has six years on me! It’s pretty amazing to sit back and ruminate on all the times and changes Ranita has seen during her years at Redwood Hill. Ranita has long since been retired from milking and now spends her days contentedly shuffling about the barn, eating hay, and finding sunny spots in the pasture to warm her bones.

Reina hanging out in the barn

Ranita’s daughter Reina is twelve now, also retired from milking, and is best known for her flowing locks of hair that cascade down from her topline. Reina and I are good friends. A few years older than I, she helped “show me the ropes” when I entered the milking barn as a first time milker. Reina gave birth to Raindrop who is now five. Raindrop is sired by Tempo Aquila Freelance, one of the most famous bucks (and quite the gentleman) in recent Alpine dairy goat history.

Rima being shown at the California State Fair

Raindrop’s first kidding (giving birth) produced Rima in the fall of 2008. Rima was quite the looker from the start and as a junior dry yearling in 2009, was named Junior National Champion at the ADGA (American Dairy Goat Association) National Show in Sacramento California. The elders of this “R named line” of goats could not be more proud! Known for their longevity, strength, and work ethic; now they had a top beauty queen residing in the family as well. When Rima kidded for the first time and had Rihanna, she came into milk with a beautiful mammary system and went on to be named first place in her class at the 2010 ADGA National Show in Louisville, Kentucky. Yes, she’s quite a filly!

Rayne just a few days old

And now a promising Rihanna (who sports the same locks as Reina) has given birth to Rayne. That makes six generations of this strong family here at Redwood Hill Farm. It’s a real tribute to the care owner Jennifer Bice, Herd Manager Trinity Smith, and all of the workers provide for us. Well cared for goats make great tasting milk that can be transformed into delicious cheese, yogurt, and keifer. Rayne may not grow up and remember much of Ranita, but we will tell her stories of the matriarch and let her know of the qualities she passed on. In life; coworkers, friends, and family come and sadly sometimes go. This “R-line” of goats is an example of Endurance, Strength, and Quality and it’s nice to come in the barn and know they will be around. Hmmmm, it’s probably not surprising Redwood Hill Farm starts with an R as well. ~Zimba~

Life is like spring weather in Sonoma County. You never know what you’re gonna get.

Yearling friends cozy inside on a rainy day

I’m sure a lot of places can make that statement for their spring time weather, but after spending much of my youth in the temperate climate of Kauai, I’m often amazed at the dynamic spring weather shifts we have here in the North Bay area.

A Santa Rosa plum in bloom at Redwood Hill Farm

We had a very mild and dry winter this year leading into beautiful, warm February days.  The temperatures were hitting the 70’s, apricot and plum trees were blooming and spring had sprung.  Our egg layers were upping production and the goats were enjoying playing in the pasture and browsing on fresh spring vegetation.  “Not so fast” said Old Man Winter and winter rain storms finally arrived. My hopes for summer tree ripened apricots were falling faster than the blossoms that were being blown from the branches of their trees. Since that first February storm, the weather report has been a roller coaster ride that has just dipped into a five day stretch of rain.

Some of our rural Sonoma county roads that lead to the farm are flooded, but we are up on a hill and the goats are cozy and dry in their straw bedded barns. Goats are like cats, they do not do rain!

Scott's doe, Mango, wishing for a sunnier day

They have ample room in their open air barns, but sometimes I can see them looking out into the rainy pasture and it reminds me of a bored child looking out a window on a rainy day, wanting to go out and play.  I can almost hear our yearling goats singing, “Rain, Rain, go away…”

And soon it will.  Although the rain and mud make work out on the farm tougher, I won’t complain much, as it is needed.  We need to replenish our wells before the inevitable dry summer, that is drawing near.  Our organic apple orchard is dry farmed(no irrigation), so more rain now equals juicer Gravenstein  apples in August. Today I can’t get the rainy day blues, because when I went in the orchard to look at the fruit trees, I saw some baby apricots(yeah, some were pollinated!) growing and I know of the summer delights that will be here before we know it.

Newborn Nubians in cuddle mode

Tango saying, "It's Time!"

Kidding season is now in full swing on the farm.  Ours kids are frolicking around the pens enjoying the glorious Sonoma county spring weather. I love this time of year, as it gets me back more into the barns, tending to the births. Instead of rushing off to some meeting or errand, I spend a lot of more time just “being” with the herd. Often, it is here when I find myself reflecting on all the wonderful times spent with these special four legged friends.

The other day, one of our top Alpine show goats named Tango was kidding (giving birth). I sat there with her and began to think of how special this family of Alpine dairy goats is.I remember traveling to Spokane Washington in 2005, where Tango’s grandmother, Jambalaya, was named the Alpine National Champion at the American Dairy Goat Association’s National Show.

Jennifer and Jambalya enjoying a winning moment

What a special day that was for Jennifer and the whole Redwood Hill Farm team! Jambalaya has always been one of my favorites and not because of all her success in the show ring (she was also the 2007 National Champion), but because of her sweet, easy going disposition.  When she was in milk, she would NOT get off the milking platform until she was allowed a chance to rub her head on you. And she was good too! You could turn around and get a really good back massage and let her work out the knots. Jambalaya is retired from milking now, but she is still good for a rub if you visit out in the pasture or in the barn.

Tango is starting to bear down and push now. As I’m kneeling in front of her, I feel a push myself from behind. It’s Tango’s mother, Jitterbug, almost knocking me over!  Yes, Jitterbug is like her own mother, Jambalaya, loves to give out massages.

Tango starting to bear down

Anyone who spends enough time in our main barn will get a leg massage from her for sure. Yes, personality as well as physical attributes come down in the goats’ family lines. At least Jitterbug doesn’t demand it in the milking parlor!  The milking parlor is where Jitterbug does some her best work though.  Her last lactation put her on top of the alpine breed leader list for milk production for the whole country, Wow!

Tango proceeds to birth a lovely doe kid who is a cou blanc color pattern just like her. Second, she has a handsome buck kid.

Tango's first doe kid getting ready for her "first dance"

Her boy will eventually make his home in Canada, hopefully throwing the traits his wonderful family is known for.Then Tango has a third kid, a beautiful doe kid as black as midnight on a moonless night. I’m excited for Tango and her upcoming show season.  She is one of our best and has already won her age class at a National Show. Now she is in her prime and will be milking well, having triplets. My thoughts transition from the past to the future now as I look at the newborn kids and I think, what great experiences will these new friends bring? Well first off they need a good “dancing” name. Feel free to email me any of your ideas.

The Tango Triplets having some fun!

It’s a warm, spring-like February evening in the barn as I await the first kids of the new year. A full moon is rising over Mt. Saint Helena, and the sounds of the milking herd browsing and ruminating fills the air.  Hope Springs Eternal on the farm, and we are excited about the arrival of the adorable new kids, as well as their fresh-into-milk mothers, who will be our show goats for the new year and provide us with delicious milk to make our cheese and cultured products.

Eclair, getting ready to be among the first to give birth this year

Yes, we know spring is coming with the first kids born of the year that usually coincide with the first daffodil and apricot blooms. Soon the first asparagus spears will be poking out from the warming earth and the Gravenstein apple blooms will start to the fill the orchard. We are excited about another first we will have at Redwood Hill Farm this spring, the blog you are reading now – The Bleat Beat. Our blog will provide a window into the daily life at Redwood Hill Farm.

The First Daffodils of the year

Of course, we will spend a good amount of time covering our first love – our dairy goat herd. We are proud to have been the first dairy goat farm to be Certified Humane^® and we know that the time and effort that we commit to the herd and its health and happiness is what makes the difference in the milk production and quality. We hope to help educate the public on these smart, affectionate animals that give us this wonderful milk we use to create healthful, nutritious products. Redwood Hill Farm is more than just a purveyor of goat milk products, and we will spend time blogging on all aspects of life on a family farm, including our organic fruit orchard and vegetables gardens, and our commitment to sustainability and being good stewards to the land.

There is a lot of excitement for 2012 here on the farm. From our venture into beekeeping to our road trip to the American Dairy Goat Association’s National Show in Colorado this July, we invite you to come along for the ride. Bloggers will include David “Cultured Aloha” Bice, Trinity ”The Goat Whisperer” Smith, Jennifer ”The Big Cheese” Bice, Zimba “The Herd Queen” – one of our Alpine Dairy Goats and, yours truly, Scott ”The Goat Guy” Bice.

Sunrise looking out from our dairy

Éclair, one our La Mancha’s, is starting to push now…..and the first baby of 2012 is born…eyes wide open taking in the new world.  And it’s time for me to get back to work. We welcome you to The Bleat Beat and hope you will visit us regularly for news fresh from the farm.