Meet the Gamble family from Forage Hill Goats - a family-run farm where a simple idea turned into a full-fledged passion for producing the freshest raw goat’s milk. Keeping things as natural as possible, they’ve built a herd of happy, quirky goats, each with their own personality (and a name to match!). We caught up with Brigitte to chat about their journey, their deep love for these incredible animals, and why sustainability is at the core of everything they do.
Can you tell us a bit about your business? How did you get started?
Our parents have always wanted to be dairy farmers but had never considered goats until our Mum, Jo came up with the idea. At the time I was working in the UK and my parents got themselves some wethers from a dairy. They fell in love with the goats and decided to pursue it seriously. My sister Justine developed a true affinity for the goats and seems to remember even the slightest details about each one, and so things followed a natural progression from there.
How do you make/grow/produce your product? What is your process?
Our milkers are rounded up with the help of our awesome kelpie, Heidi. Our milk travels from goat to vat to bottle and is then frozen immediately. Our milk enters the vat cold and, within 30 minutes, is in the freezer. All milk is filtered, of course, but we do not pasteurise. We feel that all the most amazing things about goat milk are best left untouched.
What do you love about your work?
The goats! They are wonderful animals and terribly underrated if you ask me! They are intelligent, sensitive, emotional, friendly and full of character. Each goat has a personality and quirks, often leading us to name them accordingly! Just to name a few - Dolly, Crazy, Violet, Lil Alpie... They are loving and attentive mothers, and since having my own baby have really noticed how gentle they are with her; they treat her with kindness. It's amazing to watch.
How important is making organic/sustainable products to you?
Wayne (Dad) has always passionately explored alternative farming methods; he loves permaculture, and this is something we are slowly developing here on this farm. My parents moved to this farm just 3 years ago and everything takes time.
We believe that there needs to be a shift back to a simpler time, where local producers support local communities and vice versa. In a world where it's become easy to get what you want, when you want, no matter the season, this can be extremely challenging. Goat milk, like most other produce, has seasonal variability - we don't artificially push our goats into season and find that most people appreciate that we insist on following the natural cycles of our animals. It excites me that a growing number of people are becoming more interested in where the produce comes from.
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Not sure anything could beat a perfectly cooked steak with mushroom sauce and a crisp, fresh salad.
Could you tell us an interesting/quirky fact about yourself?
Although my parents raised their six children on land, we are not generational farmers. We have each done vastly different things before taking on this new chapter. I am an intensive care nurse, Wayne is a building designer who has run his own business my whole life, and Jo is a social worker in child protection. I'd like to think that what we have taken on is courageous.
If you were a fruit or vegetable, which one would you be and why?
A potato - seemingly ordinary but a versatile all-rounder you can't do without. 🥔
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