The Farm

 

Thank you for inquiring about Harper Hill Oberhasli. We are located on 10 acres in Western New York State, halfway between Buffalo and Rochester. In our area we enjoy all four seasons. The summers are short but warm and the winters dip below 0°F for days at a stretch. Our excess goat milk is given to hogs which we raise each summer. Two coops house egg laying chickens, and we contribute to the Incubation & Embryology school project through Cornell Cooperative Extension.  We have fruit and vegetable gardens, which provide the animals and us with a variety of healthy, natural foods.

Our homesteading life began over 20 years ago. We attended a county fair and became infatuated with the Oberhasli goat breed. Wallowing in our ‘newbie’ ignorance, we acquired our first goat. Roxanne was an unregistered, wild, horned Oberhasli/Alpine cross. Despite her attitude, we continued to want more goats. Since then, we have had Alpines, Saanens, and grades, but our true love is the Oberhasli. We have a happy, healthy herd, where everyone gets along well. The herd is currently at 20 but doubles that during kidding season.

The milking herd is primarily fed a 16% protein dairy pellet with non-GMO corn, oats, and sunflowers added. Bucks receive the same feed with added ammonium chloride to prevent urinary tract problems. Because of our concern for CAE, all kids are taken at birth and fed heat-treated colostrum and pasteurized milk until weaning.

The girls are housed in a 24×36 barn with access to pasture as they wish. Our management practices divide the girls according to age, feed and health requirements. In cooperation with our local veterinarian, we have developed a preventative health program that includes CAE and Johnes testing at WSU, timely deworming and routine vaccinations for rabies, CD&T and Bo-Se.

 

Harper Hill Farm in 1876