Yesterday evening, I had the amazing opportunity to go to The Goat Lady Dairy, a working family farm in Climax, NC. Our good friends, Gibson and Chloe, had the wonderful idea to attend their Dinner at the Dairy, a farm to table dining experience, and invited us to go along.
We arrived at about 5:30 pm and wandered around a bit before the farm tour began.
Don’t you just love old red barns?
We identified kale, rainbow chard, cabbage, and collards in their veggie patch…
…and clucked a bit with the chickens as they had their dinner.
We admired the bright blossoms in the garden…
…and ventured over to get a close-up look at the bee box feeding off those blossoms.
We met a female kid that was having some trouble walking due to being a bit bow-legged. I loved the little noises she made.
We met the teenage goats…
…who were very friendly. They were quite jealous if you gave one attention and would stick their heads through and over the gate to make sure they got in on the petting action.
What fun it must be to name all the kids as they’re born. This teen was named Lotus.
I witnessed quite a lot of head butting in action. They would butt heads for a while then one goat would start scratching her head against the other.
The kid’s play place was my favorite part.
We used the cute backdrop for a photo opportunity.
Kids at play
By the time we reached the full grown adult goats, I was kind of over goat spectating, so we headed inside to take a look at the dining room.
I admired the goat decor. 🙂
This reads,”Goat beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
Then we headed outside for some creamy salmon and dill appetizers on homemade olive oil crackers.
Finally, it was time for the farm tour where Steve Tate, owner of the Goat Lady Dairy, told us all about how they started the farm and how the farm has changed over the years.
We also learned all about the goats: what they’re fed, how they’re bred, their mannerisms and dog-like behavior. Some of them seemed pretty rambunctious, much like a little dog I know and love.
We also walked over to the (free-range and organic) chicken coop and yard to learn all about egg production.
Chloe really enjoyed the eggs. 🙂
After all this talk of goats and chickens, we started calculating how many animals we would need to start our own farm. Chloe and I decided that two goats and eight chickens would be enough to supply us with all the goat cheese and eggs we could ever want. We also decided that we would need a few sheep and an alpaca or two. I also threw in a request for a bison.
The bell was rung and dinner was served.
We started off with a delicious goat cheese plate. Starting at 12:00, going in a clockwise pattern were: herbed spreadable goat cheese, smoky goat cheese, crotin (which is kind of like Brie), and a blue goat. We also had a pepper salsa in the center and the crotin was paired with a bit of pepper jelly.
I liked the crotin best, but I would recommend anyone who does not like blue to try the blue goat. It’s way less overpowering than most blues. All of their goat products are available for sale and you can find out more about pricing and availability by following the directions at the bottom of their products page. I’ve also had one of their cheeses at Halcyon and Chloe has spotted them at Earth Fare as well.
Our second course was a sweet potato, orange, and ginger soup, swirled with goat cream.
Yum, yum, yum! I love the flavors of orange and sweet potato and have even squeezed the juice over my sweet pot before, when nothing else but a little more sweet would do. I must recreate this and soon!
Somehow the salad course eluded my camera, which I’m sure had more to do with the lively conversation, not the wine we were drinking. 😉 We were served a simple salad of veggies from their garden: greens, carrots, and radishes, lightly tossed in a goat milk dressing.
The bread and butter came out right before our entrees. I had a small piece and it was incredibly delicious. White and fluffy with a bit of herbs throughout the bread.
Our entree was a whey-fed pork and beef meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
The meatloaf was stuffed with goat cheese and kale and was served in a light and spicy tomato sauce. The flavor combinations were heavenly. I rarely order meatloaf in restaurants, but this meatloaf was special. I ate every bite of it.
Last, but not least was dessert. A just-right-sized portion of shortcake cookie, mascarpone cheese, and fresh strawberries from a local farm.
Before leaving, we were given a goat cheese truffle which was a very interesting cross between sweet and savory (we ate them on the long ride home). The staff also sold some of their products while we lingered over coffee. I purchased the crotin and some goat yogurt, which I’m very eager to try.
The whole experience of the Goat Lady Dairy was one I’ll never forget. I loved hearing the story of how the farm came to be and how hard the family worked to make it not only successful, but also sustainable. I’m no stranger to the importance of knowing where your food comes from and the benefits of supporting local agriculture, but it’s always nice to hear your own views reaffirmed.
If you live in N.C. or ever find yourself in the area, you really must stop by and tour the farm or even participate in Dinner at the Dairy. It’s a treat for any foodie and an unforgettable experience for those interested in learning more about sustainable local agriculture.
