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The history of our Goat’s Milk Soaps
We have been producing our beautiful Goat’s Milk Soap products since 2005 and the popularity of our products continues to grow, year after year. While our soap making methods set us apart, it is goat milk production methods that really make Mountain Goat Soap unique. We breed the goats, feed the goats, hand milk the goats, and hand make the soap. For that we stand alone in our region.
So, what makes our products so good? The goats, obviously.
Getting to know the goats of Mountain Goat Soap
I was recently asked about the history of our Goat’s Milk Soap. My oh my, where to start!? I decided to start at the beginning, with the goats. After all, if you ask ‘which came first, the goat or the soap, the answer is of course the goat.
You’ve got to love a good doe
Female goats, or ‘does’ are often more affectionate than their male relatives. It never ceases to amaze us how special and different each goat is. They all have such special personalities. Some of them are sweet, and some of them are quirky, and we just love them.
It started with Bubbles
Almost 20 years ago a beautiful girl named Bubbles came into my life. Bubbles was my first “real” milker. A breeder from Mudgee area allowed me to purchase her and her half-sister.
Such a beautiful girl, her temperament was terrific for our family. She was quiet and calm, easy to milk, and behaved herself with garden fences! Yes, I say ‘was’ because sadly she died many years ago. I will share some of her kid’s history later.
Bubbles taught us lots about milking goats as compared to rangeland goats. She was just a good old girl who is well missed, even now.
So much for family resemblance
Raggamuffin, Bubbles’ half sister, was a lovable handful. She jumped any fence that she liked and would run away at any strange noise. How can I begin with what she taught us!? Top of the list would have to be patience.
As far as her milking history, the first kidding didn’t result in very much milk. There was good udder attachment and teat placement though so we could see potential there. The second kidding produced in excess of 3 litres a day, which was an improvement. On her third kidding Raggamuffin really blossomed! By this time, she was still highly strung but as long as we kept her busy with a consistent routine, she was perfect. Thankfully she also stopped jumping fences.
All goats are not created equal
My Black Midnight was special. I cried my heart out when I lost her. Age catches up to us all I suppose. She had personality plus. I’ve never seen a goat hate the rain with so much gusto. With just a sprinkle of drops she would run flying for shelter. One day when she was with the buck it started to rain. She plowed directly into him in her mad dash for the shed and he was bowled completely over. He was very hesitant to approach her later.
There have been many does along the way, all with their own unique personalities and abilities. We are always amused by their antics and grateful for their generosity. Our girls have supplied us with milk for many years, across many generations.
A word about the men
Our first miniature buck, many years ago, took his job very seriously and was a great success. Wow! Have we learnt a lot since then.
Bucks are male goats and as they mature, they start to develop their own signature perfume to smell “beautiful” for the ladies! One thing is for sure… they are not cuddly pets. Bucks can be a bit gruff with the exception of Jupiter, one of our great sires. He was quite easy to handle – a total gentleman.
We like to do things differently here at Mountain Goat Soap
“You hand milk your goats? Really?”
Yes! Really. The benefits of producing soap from goat’s milk obtained by hand are immense. Our goats are happy, stress free, and free to roam around the surrounding hills. The resulting milk is super rich and creamy. Any soap made with that milk not only feels beautiful on your skin, it also nourishes it. It’s fantastic for sensitive skin.
“You hand make all of your soaps? Honestly?”
Yes! All Mountain Goat Soap products are handmade using the Cold Pressed soap making method. This gives us total control of all of the ingredients and allows us to use locally sourced oils.
It’s true. Our distinctive luxe soaps are made with exceptional care and only the very best ingredients. Your skin deserves nothing less. We proudly offer our beautiful, premium handmade goat milk soap for sale at markets across New South Wales. You can also find Mountain Goat Soap at a number of local stores.
Join us! We would love to meet you. Find us at the Wauchope farmers market regularly.