** Below is a portion of an article written about our goats.
"Dogs are known as man’s best friend—but how about goats? Owner of the Simple Farm Lylah Ledner is convinced that goats are the perfect confidante when raised right.
“We live in a livestock zone, so obtaining this property meant it was only right to include goats," she says. "They are so amazing and sometimes get a bad reputation. All of our goats are hand-raised with constant interactions. They holler in the morning to communicate with us, and they want us to know if something isn’t right. Crow’s Dairy in Buckeye has been our mentor, helping me learn through the trials and tribulations since the beginning, and that has been key to learning their personalities and helping them feel safe and cared for."
Lylah's first herd of goats came from Black Mesa Ranch, and now they breed each fall. Simple Farm breeds to get goat’s milk, which is used on the farm in various ways.
“We make our own caramels with goat’s milk. There was a confectionary shop in France, and we’d go every other day to eat their caramels while on vacation there. They were soft, buttery and creamy, and it sparked an interest,” she says.
The Simple Farm caramels went on to become a finalist in the top 5 percent of 1,500 food producers at the Good Food Award contest. Lylah also uses goat milk in the farm’s skincare line.
“The goat’s milk makes our soaps more ph-balanced to your skin. Goat’s milk has vitamins A, C, D and E and is naturally moisturizing.”
Lylah participates in the birthing process of new goats every step of the way, without a vet. She ultrasounds them to know how things are progressing, and she and her team are always there when the goats give birth in case there are complications. She believes in the constant human connection when raising goats.
“We need to understand goats are livestock, not a dog or cat, but they are very relational, and they are pets to us," she says. "Hazel is our queen. She lets us know if the gate is closed and the family isn’t together. They have a beautiful symbiotic relationship with our dog, Winny, which is so wonderful to see. With the right support, a goat owner can be successful. The fellowship of goat owners is phenomenal—people who have dairy goats help and support each other like I have never experienced."