Author Archives: ecologica1

Finding your vocation

Posted on 8 August 2018 by ecologica1

Review and reflection is key to how we farm at Holy Goat. We review, reflect and then make well considered change. From the small (how best to sweep the dairy) to the large (implementing a new milking line, or installing … Continue reading →

Posted in Holy Goat News, Holy Goat News, In the Cheeseroom, IN the Dairy, In the Paddock | Tagged employment, joy, milking, staff, vocation, work | Leave a comment

Nothing Scrappy about these Remnants (apart from the Phascogale nest)

Posted on 13 June 2018 by ecologica1

remnant noun 1 they cleared up the remnants of the picnic: remains, remainder, leftovers, leavings, residue, rest; stub, butt, end, tail end; dregs, lees; technical residuum. 2 remnants of cloth: scrap, piece, bit, fragment, shred, offcut, oddment. We try to … Continue reading →

Posted in autumn, Holy Goat News, Holy Goat News, In the Paddock, winter | Tagged brush tailed phascogale, ecology, habitat, nest boxes, remnant | Leave a comment

A must read cheese … plus meet the makers

Posted on 7 March 2018 by ecologica1

We’ll be at the upcoming launch of “Reinventing Farmhouse Cheese”, a book by British cheese stalwarts Bronwyn and Francis Percival which focusses on the lost (well, certainly not lost from a Holy Goat perspective!) art of farmhouse cheesemaking; once de … Continue reading →

Posted in Holy Goat News, Holy Goat News, In the Cheeseroom, marketing | Tagged artisan cheesemaking, ASCA, cheese, cultures, Holy Goat, microbiology | Leave a comment

Obsalim training: motivated farmers + small on-farm change = big returns

Posted on 6 November 2017 by ecologica1

Dr Bruno Giboudeau has just completed his Victorian workshops (the last one was at our farm) and he headed back to France yesterday, having brought the Obsalim techniques and learning to over 50 keen participants over the past fortnight. Though … Continue reading →

Posted in Feeding/Feed, Holy Goat News, In the Cheeseroom, IN the Dairy, In the Paddock, spring | Tagged casein, Dr Bruno Gibidou, feed efficiency, Obsalim, observation, workshops | Leave a comment

Stop, Look and Listen. Ruminate.

Posted on 28 September 2017 by ecologica1

Obsalim. If you follow our blog, and us, you will know we are big fans of this method of animal husbandry and its French instigator Dr Bruno Giboudeau. We have been fortunate to have Bruno visit the farm several times … Continue reading →

Posted in Holy Goat News, Holy Goat News, In the Paddock, spring | Tagged dairy health, Holy Goat, NASAA, Obsalim, workshops | Leave a comment

Nothing backward about these producers

Posted on 20 September 2017 by ecologica1

The only thing backward about the winners of the delicious. Produce Awards is the video that highlights their produce as it travels from the plate, back to the land, or sea, or dairy, or … You can take a look … Continue reading →

Posted in Holy Goat News, In the Cheeseroom, IN the Dairy, In the Paddock, marketing, spring | Tagged cow/goat cheese, delicious produce awards, holy goat cheese, Mannes dairy, nectar, semi hard cheese, shorthorn cows | Leave a comment

Holy Goat Dynasty

Posted on 30 August 2017 by ecologica1

We’ve just had another successful kidding. Kidding is always a stressful time, but this season was so much easier for us all, thanks to our repurposed shed and refined management systems. The new shed has a concrete floor – its … Continue reading →

Posted in Holy Goat News, IN the Dairy, In the Paddock, spring, winter | Tagged animal husbandry, dairy goat, genetics, Holy Goat, kidding, kids, lineage, management, nursery, shed | Leave a comment

Up on the new line

Posted on 12 July 2017 by ecologica1

It’s been 15 months since we upgraded our dairy and it’s made a big difference for everyone. We have gone from 12 goats up on the line and eight milking cups, to 12 cups with 24 goats up. More space for everyone and a better feeding system – more ergonomic … Continue reading →

Posted in Feeding/Feed, Holy Goat News, Holy Goat News, IN the Dairy, spring | Tagged dairy herd, goat dairy, line-up, milking, milking goats, new dairy | Leave a comment

A four-eyed focus on Obsalim

Posted on 27 October 2016 by ecologica1

We’ve written about Bruno Giboudeau’s, visit and our training and learning with Obsalim in an earlier post and page. Since July, our two interns Maider Haicaguerre, from France, and Eva Zanettini, from Italy, have been undertaking a focussed project using Obsalim … Continue reading →

Posted in Feeding/Feed, Holy Goat News, Holy Goat News, IN the Dairy, In the Paddock, spring | Tagged interns, internship, Obsalim, pH, rumen, rumen function, rumination | Leave a comment

Delicious! Holy Goat wins again

Posted on 16 September 2016 by ecologica1

The 2016 delicious. Produce Awards were held this week at the Pier One Sydney Harbour Hotel. We couldn’t make it to the affair, attended each year by the who’s who of small, sustainable production, and those who support, sell and cook … Continue reading →