Sterling, Mass " A workshop on Small Ruminant Management will be held at Crystal Brook Farm, 192 Tuttle Road in Sterling on Wednesday, June 4th from 10am " 1pm. The workshop will be led by Ann Starbard who owns the farm. Topics to be discussed will include mixing browse with pasture, managing parasites, using trace minerals while pasturing, watering systems and fencing. Crystal Brook Farm is an award winning farmstead that began making cheese in 1998. It now produces about 12,000 lbs. of fresh goat cheese each year from a herd of 70 alpine and Saanen goats. The goats browse using a rotational system and the farm also raises its own hay. Milking is on a seasonal basis, with all animals freshening in early spring and drying off for the winter. The animals receive high quality feed and have free access to green pastures and seasonal browse. This helps to yield fresh milk that is free of antibiotics and synthetic hormones. Ann sells her cheese at farmers markets, through CSAs, and through about 25 wholesale accounts.
This workshop is the second in a series of seven throughout the summer that have been organized by NOFA/Mass, the Natural Resource and Conservation Service and the UMass Extension Service. For more information on this and other workshops in the series contact Winton Pitcoff at 413-634-5728 or winton@nofamass.org. Complete details and directions to the farm can also be found on the NOFA/Mass website www.nofamass.org. They are funded in part by CROPP Cooperative’s Farmers Advocating for Organics (FAFO) Fund and NOFA/Mass Sponsors Stoneyfield Farm and Whole Foods Market. ###