Community and the “Nexus of Sustainability”

When we arrived at Goat Lady Dairy in Climax, NC we were shocked by the number of cars lining the small country road. People everywhere! Eight hundred something! It was their Fall open house, a major community event where all types of natural meats, produce, mushrooms and hand made pottery were being sold.

At the top of a small hill rested the dairy overlooking a small pond, and a small vegetable garden. Inside people tasted a variety of goat’s milk treats including fresh spreadable chevre, walnut-smoked chevre, yogurt and “goatella.” We couldn’t get to the guy we wanted to talk to, the main man Steve Tate, because he was so popular!

found him in a pen with ten goats and a big audience. With a bright projecting voice and almost tearful nostalgia he described the experience of watching the youngsters in the community grow up around him. At one point Suzy, one of the more “neurotic” goats, gave him a powerful head butt to the rear sending him forward stirring up big laughs all around.

There were volunteers, neighbors, friends, children all connected by the same enthusiasm for real, delicious natural food. “We do this because we feel like it’s our mission in life,” he says. With an intently listening audience he stood their answering questions and educating people on cheesemaking, clarifying the myths about goat cheese, and emphasizing the importance of sustainability.

We were looking for some cheese that was aged and harder so we went up to a guy who looked

like he was somewhat in charge to ask. Bingo! It was actually Steve Tate’s son Nate. He was nice enough to grab some Old Liberty (a raw cow’s milk specialty they make in limited amounts from a neighbors cow’s milk) from his secret stash. For a while we talked with him about the day’s event. “The community has made this a nexus for sustainability and that whole movement.” There was a sense that Goat Lady Dairy was something much bigger than just a place where they make cheese. The level of pride in having created this community is what we really noticed in Nate.

After the whole crowd had left we had a chance to sit on the rocking chairs in front of the Dairy with Steve and his family. He told us about their new invention they call “Goatella,” like Nutella only made with goat cheese. It was totally gone by the time we had arrived (only one hour into the open house) so we asked for the recipe. Here it is: Mix together 5 lbs. fresh chevre, 2.5 cups sugar, 1.5+ cups of cocoa, 2-3 Tbsp vanilla, 1 Tbsp Hazelnut essence. If you stir it too much it will get frothy so stir slowly and gently. There it is—Goatella!