Photo of Pam Lunn

The Dancing Goat

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About me:

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**READ OUR FRQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BELOW** ..
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Greetings and thank you for the milk/eggs/kefir/whey/cheese inquiry. You may have been sent to this page because you wrote me an email. I apologize for the lack of a personal note but we get dozens of inquiries weekly and I have found that answering each one individually takes time from tending to the animals. If you have any questions after reading all our frequently asked questions below, feel free to contact me or once you have read the FAQ’s, contact me at pam@rodeorow.com and we can set up a time to pick up your milk. Please note: If you come to pick up dairy products, please bring a cooler.


Our milk and kefir is carried at Nature's Food Patch in Clearwater (Cleveland Avenue and Missouri, near downtown Clearwater) if that is more convenient for your purchase. Milk is slow in December and January but will be flowing again in February with the arrival of our spring babies. We will again service Nutrition Smart in Wesley Chapel at that time as well. Look for chevre, feta and blue cheese this year.



Each year in October you can find us at our markets weekly through the end of May. On Fridays it is Downtown Tampa Market (http://www.tampadowntownmarket.com) from 10-2, Saturdays will bring the Saturday Morning Market in St. Pete (http://www.saturdaymorningmarket.com) and Sundays it is always Sweetwater Organic Farm (http://sweetwater-organic.org). Watch the blogs and I will link you to all the information! Starting in June, we have pick ups for products at the farm on Wednesdays and Sundays (by appointment 12-7) and this will continue through October. Beginning the first of November, we ask that you meet us at market as we will be at a market somewhere in the area at least 4 days a week! We will offer farm pickups again next summer. Please understand that it takes time to renew, refresh and renovate things around a farm and we take this summer season to focus on making our farm more efficient to allow for the market exposure in the winter.
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.. What are the goats fed?..

The goats are fed a combination of sweet grains - oats, corn, barley, black oil sunflower seeds and alfalfa pellets for optimum conditioning. Our goats are competition dairy goats and get the finest care we can give them. Grain is well under 10% of their diet. They are part of our family and loved dearly. The milkers get peanut hay from north Florida (LOCAL!) and the dry goats get grass hay 24/7 (TAMPA BAY AREA). No, they are not grass fed. It is a fallacy that goats can sustain milk production on Florida grass. Unlike cows, goats are not grazers but browsers, thus they eat from 12-18 inches off the ground. The taste of the milk is seriously affected if the goats are eating strange weeds and brush and we want your pets to be happy with the taste of their delicacy. Our goats are in large pens where we actually have to mow the grass that grows in there in mid summer. Our goats receive “wormers” normally twice a year and within 6 hours of giving birth. We use Safeguard as our anthelmentic (wormer) of choice and it does not have a milk withdrawal time. However, when we “deworm” our goats, the milk is withheld by us for a minimum of one week and fed to the cats and chickens.
Do you use soy products, antibiotics or growth hormones?

We avoid soy in all feeds, and never give growth hormones or antibiotics. Antibiotics are used only in life threatening situations which have not responded to alternative methods. An animal in this situation would not be milked so there is no chance of residual antibiotic transference.


Can I drink this milk/kefir (eat the cheese)?

Our milk is sold for pet consumption only. Florida law states that you must be a Grade A Dairy to sell for human consumption and that is a $10,000 process which would be reflected in the price of milk. There are no Grade A Dairies that sell raw milk, goat or cow! Only pasteurized milk is permitted to be sold for human consumption. We have been using the farm fresh raw milk in our household for close to 10 years but cannot sell for you to use in yours. Plain and simple. Please do not ask any questions relating to the milk for human consumption and put me in jeopardy! Our milk is not pasteurized or altered in any way. It is strained immediately after milking and put in an ice water bath to speed the cooling process - we follow the same procedures as the mini-dairies that have been approved out west (Oregon, Washington, etc.). Frozen milk is available upon request for those who wish to pick up less often but keep a continuing supply for their needs. All milk which goes in the freezer is frozen within 48 hours of milking. We have found this prevents separation when thawing the milk. We have maintained TB and Brucellosis Free Certification through regular blood tests until 2006 when the State of Florida relaxed the requirement of testing for competitions due to the fact there has not been a case of either in goats in over 30 years in the State.

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Why sell the milk if it isn’t legal for human consumption?

Many foals are born that need supplemental milk, same with llamas, alpacas, puppies, kittens and even squirrels and rabbits delivered to my door by well-meaning neighborhood children have been raised on goat milk. My children and I traveled to shows and competed with the animals. I hope I have raised wholesome children that understand responsibility and compassion for creatures big and small. It takes a village to raise a child and you will usually find several extra children hanging around the barn as I try to give the livestock experience to any who are interested.
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What do you mean by "competing" with your goats?

We have “show goats” which are bred for their milking capacity. Goats are judged on confirmation, just like horses and dogs. For a dairy competition, the udder is 35 of 100 points of scoring. The animal must also have a nice level top line, strong legs and body capacity to carry multiple pregnancies, lactations, and possess a symmetrical udder that does not drag the ground which would allow bacteria to enter the teats. A perfect udder would be held tightly under the rear legs, and be seen 1/3 in front of the back legs and 1/3 behind the back legs when looking from the side and full of milk. I am Dairy Goat Youth Superintendent for the Florida State Fair every February and love to have my customers come to visit and see how we do things in competition.

Do you sell your goats for meat?

No, we do not sell our goats for meat. The majority go back as competition goats but a dairy goat does not have the meat on them to make them worth eating. Meat goats have an entirely different structure and put their efforts into developing loin coverage where dairy goats put everything into an udder. I suggest looking for meat goats at www.FMGA.org, the Florida Meat Goat Association website.

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Do you sell your goats at all?

Currently, we do not sell any of our milkers. They are family members. We do sell kids (four legged) in the spring when they are born as we cannot keep all born here. All of our kids will have the best genetics we can obtain. I give a discount to FFA or 4H kids. If you are interested in the purchase of a goat, please inquire. Our goats are not lawn mowers and will not be sold for the purposes of land clearing. Our prices are much higher than the sale barn because of the care we take of them and the genetics behind the animals. We practice CAE prevention and all births are attended. This takes time and effort. You get what you pay for in most circumstances, and with goats that is especially true. The females will continue to be competition goats and the males will be neutered and normally go as horse companions. Price of a kid will depend on when you take it. We will vaccinate all kids before leaving the farm, if old enough. No goat is to be returned to the farm due to bio-security. If I have to keep it and feed it for 4-6 weeks, it will be a substantially higher price than if you take it at a week old and raise it yourself. I do not sell any goats to an inexperienced owner at less than 4 weeks old. I do ask that you do your homework and learn what goat keeping entails before inquiring. There are many good websites available. All kids are bottle fed to encourage social skills. We do not leave any on the dams as we want to maintain perky udders for the show ring.
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What are the chickens fed?

Our chickens are pets first, and are primarily grass feed, a few scratch grains, and hay. No, our feed is not organic or the price of the eggs would be at least triple! We supplement with oyster shell to add additional calcium to their diet as well as veggie cuttings from our (and our friends') kitchen. They were originally the project of our daughter to provide her with spending money but when the numbers grew she received family help to maintain the flock and moved to the milkroom for her family contribution. They are free range and have access to bugs, insects, cow patties and all the good grubbings you would find on a farm. My production chickens are not kept at the house but on a property suitable for spacious roamings. Egg production slows considerably in the summer heat but resumes as the temperatures subside in the late fall. We also must contend with possums, raccoons and other wildlife that may enter our pens and steal eggs and/or chickens. By not being caged, the obstacles of raising chickens becomes an adventure. Please note that during the fall, i.e. August, September and October, the chickens are moulting and suffering like us in the heat. Egg production goes to an all time low at that time. I try to fulfill the orders of the regular customers during that time and then any new customers make purchase what is extra. Please remember, the Dept. of Agriculture in Florida requires that we label our eggs "for pet consumption only" because we do not rinse our eggs in the chemical rinse required in order to sell for human consumption nor do we refrigerate. We use these eggs in our household but cannot engage in conversations regarding human consumption for your household. PLEASE DON'T ASK AND PUT US IN JEOPARDY! We do not want to seem rude but this is our livelihood and we must protect our license.


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Do you wash the eggs?

Our eggs are neither washed nor refrigerated in order to slow the aging process. Occasionally we wipe off mud and pen debris with a damp cloth just because it looks ugly! Because of this you may find “treasures” of mud, bits of hay and the occasional feather in your cartons. Once an egg is refrigerated it must remain refrigerated and the aging process has begun. Washing takes the “bloom” off an egg which is nature’s way of preservation. Due to our “no wash” policy, we ask that everyone wash their eggs before use in their pet's meals. Fresh farm eggs easily last at least two weeks on the shelf and up to a month refrigerated. Empty cartons are gladly accepted of any type! Flats, dozen, 18 pack - styrofoam, cardboard or plastic!

Where are you located?

We have been forced to move many of our animals to a leased facility a few miles from our home. We cannot offer farm tours at either place due to the liability insurance. When we are at the farm, we are working and while we love to show off what we do, it takes time away from our daily work and puts us behind. Come enjoy the day and meet us at these wonderful markets that we attend! During the "off season" for the markets, we will allow farm pickups from noon to 7 by appointment only. The specific address of the pick up will be provided once we have the appointment - this discourages "drop in" visitors. We are within 2 miles of the Oldsmar Flea Market off Race Track Road (nearest intersection Hillsborough/Tampa/Race Track Road).



Please don’t call before 10:30 am or after 9:30 pm in the evening at any time - our jobs have us working late on Friday and Saturday nights often and chores are done a bit later than during the week. We balance our animals around raising two kids and other jobs and 7-10am is the chaotic period of each school/work morning.

Can I see the animals?

I regret but liability insurance will no longer allow us to offer the “nickel tour". Feel free to ask us about our operation if you have any questions.

The only stupid question is the one not asked!

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Are there quantity discounts and do you ship?

We do not ship milk or eggs. We do not have discounts as a goat eats just as much producing the first gallon as they do producing the last gallon. Unless you actually spend a little time watching the work involved which ranges from being a weight lifter with large bales of hay and 50 pound bags of feed to midwife to milk maid to stall cleaner, you will never realize how much work actually goes into tending our animals. We spend a minimum of 6 hours a day for milking and chores and it isn’t unusual to find us working the animals over 12 hours a day on the weekends. And remember, this is 7 days a week, 365 days a year - and we have been doing this for over 6 years (as a hobby)! Taking the time to deal with shipping is something we cannot fit in our schedule.

What is the price of milk/eggs/kefir/cheese?

Prices vary according to the outlets and overhead to be at that outlet. I do several drops around town and the milk is carried in a Health Food Store in Clearwater. All prices are subject to change as we are at the mercy of the feed companies / hay suppliers. Gas prices severely affected the price of feed in 2006 and 2007 causing up to a $4 increase per bag. There has been little relief since that time. Feed has almost doubled in the past six years in price. We also bring in hay from Canada and upper New York State due to the richness of the soils where it is produced and trucking is expensive. And while we try to meet all orders, we are dealing with Mother Nature and sometimes stuff just happens. Please confirm all orders via email the night prior to pickup.

Part or all of your gallons can be ordered frozen. I will freeze milk as long as I have freezer space. While I anticipate always having extra milk, the regular customers will take first priority.

Containers?

We use NEW approved plastic dairy jugs for the milk/kefir/whey. We gladly recycle your empty egg cartons of any kind. Please bring a cooler for your dairy products whether you are picking up at a store, market or the house.


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Who I'd like to meet:

Comments

Post a comment...
  • one hand clapping

    keep up the good work!

    1 year ago
  • Mary Ann Dellaert

    You're so cute with the goats climbing on you. It looked like they where having fun with you.

    2 years ago
  • SolarWind

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    Single Male Searching -
    Believe in love?
    Want children?
    Want a life mate?
    Not religious?
    Care about the environment?
    Care about science?
    Want to share some journeys?
    Then look over my space!


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    2 years ago
  • SolarWind

    Photobucket


    Single Male Searching -
    Believe in love?
    Want children?
    Want a life mate?
    Not religious?
    Care about the environment?
    Care about science?
    Want to share some journeys?
    Then look over my space!


    Photobucket

    2 years ago
  • Lattie Odell

    HI PAM
    THANKS SO MUCH FOR BRINGING ME ON BOARD AS A FRIEND!! I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW YOU AND I DO HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO ENJOY EACH AND EVERY ONE OF MY COMEDIC BLOG POSTINGS!

    *please consider this my personal invitation to SUBSCRIBE to my blog so that you can be updated each and every time I post*

    THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT!
    ~Lattie~

    2 years ago
  • Joni Johnson

    hey pammy how r u !

    3 years ago
  • closed page

    Thank you so much Pam! Please join our comment column with a favorite food memory.

    Best,
    Emily

    3 years ago
  • Joni Johnson

    call me sometime at new number 817-629-8735 have not heard from LList except yo N Elene whats up hope all is well i am tough as nails call me! Hugs
    JJ

    3 years ago
10 of 35More

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Details

  • Status: Married
  • Hometown: Tampa
  • Orientation: Straight
  • Religion: Christian - other
  • Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
  • Children: Proud parent
  • Smoke / Drink: No / No
  • Education: College graduate

Schools

  • West Virginia University

    • Morgantown,WV
    • Graduated: 1977
    • Student status: Alumni
    • Degree: Bachelor's Degree
    • Major: Art
    • Clubs: Feature Twirler 1972/1973 - WVU Marching Band
    • Greek: Delta Delta Delta
    1972 to 1977

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