# Cost of goat milk?



## francismilker

How much do you folks charge for a gallon of goat's milk in your area. I've got more than I can use and have been giving some away. These folks are more than willing to pay but I don't really know what it's worth. It sure would help with the feed bill though to earn a dollar or two!!!


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## steff bugielski

I am a legal raw milk dairy and charge $9 a gallon. i sell well over 100 gallons a month.


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## Alice In TX/MO

Normal in South Texas is $12. I sell to soap makers for $8. In southern Missouri, I sell for $5


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## Rechellef

The only woman I know who sells it here (she can sell it legally, by labling her containers as "Not for Human Consumption") for $7 per gallon. There is one woman who sells "shares" of her Jersey's milk, which apparently is legal here in TN, for $8 per gallon.


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## Goat Servant

steff bugielski said:


> I am a legal raw milk dairy and charge $9 a gallon. i sell well over 100 gallons a month.


Wow is that ever a bargain! A local certified raw dairy charges $16 per gal.


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## madness

I've seen it for $24 a gallon from a local dairy at the grocery. At the farmer's market I think it's $18 a gallon. On craigslist anywhere from $12-$20.


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## RoyalValley

WOW. I believe for shares around here (that's all that's legal) it's about $7-8 for raw goats milk. Perhaps $10 if it's organic and certified.


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## rod&chas

WOW is right...we get $6 per gallon here.


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## madness

Yeah, we've been danged shocked. Kept thinking "how will we ever pay back licensing fees if we get $10 a gallon?" Well, that might be different if we can sell it for $20!!!

I have no idea how well the stuff sells at that price, but it sure seems to be across the board high around here. Austin is an area that LOVES to support the local farmer and unusual stuff so I think we are pretty unique.


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## ozark_jewels

I charge $6.00 per gallon in Southern Missouri.


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## PrettyPaisley

I only sell to friends and charge $8 for a gallon and $6 for half gallon. I sell yogurt for $5 a quart.


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## francismilker

I decided on $8 and have several willing buyers.


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## marytx

Please check out the laws for your state first. What you hear or read on forums may not be the absolute truth.
http://www.realmilk.com/happening.html


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## madness

mary said:


> Please check out the laws for your state first. What you hear or read on forums may not be the absolute truth.
> http://www.realmilk.com/happening.html


And also still check with the proper governing agency. Even though the Texas section on there has an update from Spring of 2011, it's already out of date. HB 75 won't make it to the legislature this year so that website makes it sound like selling at farmers markets in imminent when in fact, it hasn't even been officially brought before them.

We are trying to go through licensing right now. Hmmm, maybe I'll start a thread about the trials and tribulations of that. Right now we are in exciting "wait mode" though. Sigh.


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## houndlover

$5 for a half gallon jar, which includes $1 deposit on the jar/plastic lid. $4 if they bring their own container. I could charge more and folks would pay it.


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## francismilker

mary said:


> Please check out the laws for your state first. What you hear or read on forums may not be the absolute truth.
> http://www.realmilk.com/happening.html


I'm in pretty good shape for where I live. They allow selling up to 100 gallons a month off the farm and do allow advertising. I don't intend to sale near that amount. If so, I'd be milking all the time!


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## Doug Hodges

Is everyone still charging these 2011 prices or have things changed?


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## Alice In TX/MO

Same for me.


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## hiddensprings

I charge $8.00 a gallon on shares with a $25 buy-in and $25.00 deposit on the milk bottles.


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## Doug Hodges

hiddensprings said:


> I charge $8.00 a gallon on shares with a $25 buy-in and $25.00 deposit on the milk bottles.



Huh??


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## Alice In TX/MO

If you buy an ownership share of a goat (in states where raw milk sales are not legal), then you pay per gallon to cover the cost of her feed and upkeep. The poster also charges a deposit for the glass bottles because folks don't bring them back. 

Info about cow/goat shares:
http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/cow-shares.html


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## Doug Hodges

Interesting.


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## madness

We went up from $10 to $12 a gallon for our herd shares. Feed costs went through the roof over the last few years!


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## Tango

I have priced my future milk at $10 gallon and if I can put away a pint of colostrum it is priced at $6.00/ pint. Will it sell? I'm not going to sweat it; it would bring more money if I took that milk and raised a bottle calf. A few years ago, I priced my milk to sell according to the local market which was dreadfully low and not worth my time but I thought that I had to compete and priced it accordingly. I am older and wiser now and don't feel like I have to compete. I know what it takes to produce what I offer. I know how I want to be able to treat my stock.

These are subjective decisions. When I crunch numbers in order to make a living at what I love, there is a bottom line I can ignore only at my own peril. So I am creative and use barter also but mainly I wish that homesteaders could come together regionally and set fair prices that dignify our livelihood and quality of life. I just shake my head when I see an road sign charging walmart prices for a dozen fresh eggs from a free range flock. I charge twice as much, fortunately my mother is my best customer.


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## CarolynRenee

I charge $8.00 a gallon & they have to provide their own container. Is it worth it for me? Probably not. But until we start needing the extra milk for hard cheese making or if we're going to fatten up a hog, I'll sell it to "good" customers.


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## Doug Hodges

I bought 300 lbs of Dairy Parlor 16 today. The girls loved it. Let's hope they do well on it. I haven't decided what I'm going to charge yet. But I currently have more than I can drink before it goes bad and getting a lot more each day. I also have 20 dozen eggs. I need to price stuff and start selling it. 

On a side note. Bought 300 lbs of Noble Goat grower 16 as well.


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## Frosted Mini's

Doug, better get marketing or else get some pigs or calves!


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## Alice In TX/MO

Cheese.

ChevreBrieMozzarellaManchegoGoudaCheddarParmeseanCottageGeitostHalloumiYogurtFetaBasket..... the list goes on.


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## Lazydaisy67

I live in one of the "illegal" states and it really makes me :flame:! I'm so terrified of the repercussions that I don't dare sell anything to anybody even though they're calling me and begging me to. It's also the reason why I sell off almost all of my babies in the spring. It doesn't make any sense to continue to try to get milk from animals that I can't sell and can't use up for my own family. 
For those who do take the risk, I've heard people are willing to pay $12 a gallon, but I haven't talked to anybody personally who would pay that much. Most people I know turn their nose up to goat milk in general and "raw" products across the board.


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## wintrrwolf

This would be my competition if I was selling my milk.
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/grd/4249369413.html


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## Lazydaisy67

Dang! $14 a gallon....that would pay for the feed.


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## aart

wintrrwolf said:


> This would be my competition if I was selling my milk.
> http://stlouis.craigslist.org/grd/4249369413.html


 That ad is very misleading with $2 in the title and the real prices below from $14/gal for fresh to $8/gal for 'animal quality'.


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## Mike CHS

wintrrwolf said:


> This would be my competition if I was selling my milk.
> http://stlouis.craigslist.org/grd/4249369413.html


$14.00 a gallon for consumption doesn't sound cheap to me.


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## Suzyq2u

$8 is pretty much the norm here still. Not much change.


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## Mrs. Weasly

Interesting thread. I am considering applying for a raw milk permit here in NYS, and currently looking at pricing. Saw yesterday in the local food co-op a 1/2 gallon of pasteurized goat milk at $9.09. Not sure whether raw would command more.


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## rickpaul

Here in central Louisiana Goat milk is $18 gal. It is delicious an FULL of cream..


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## Doug Hodges

rickpaul said:


> Here in central Louisiana Goat milk is $18 gal. It is delicious an FULL of cream..



Say what!!!!!!


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## Doug Hodges

Frosted Mini's said:


> Doug, better get marketing or else get some pigs or calves!



My eggs are selling like hot cakes. I'm getting 36 per dozen for my Blue Laced Red Wyandotte hatching eggs. 18 for the GLW's. $60 for the Royal Palm and African geese eggs per dozen. It pays for all the feed for the farm. It took a year to get what I needed. 

I'm still not selling goat milk. I'm pasteurizing and feeding to the babies. I need to test again. I'm pretty sure of all the girls I have left. They all came from good places. I would love to not have to pasteurize.


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## crazy4equines

I have seen on a craigslist ad for northern Illinois for raw milk at $6 a quart, I don't sell mine, but may in the future.


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