Herd Share Guide 2024

The consumer purchases a share in a dairy herd, in our case a goat herd. It is illegal in the State of Texas to sell raw milk or even pasteurized milk from a non-Grade A dairy for human consumption. However, it is legal for anyone to drink milk from their own dairy animals.

We understand that not everyone has the time or facilities to keep their own dairy goats, and so our herd share program allows customers to purchase a share of our herd, and thus receive the milk produced by “their” goats. We feed, house, and milk the animals, and you pay us for producing your milk. You do not buy milk from the farmer; rather, you pay the farmer a monthly fee for the service of keeping the animals and the labor for milking.

Herd share programs share the farmer’s liability since the animals belong to the consumers and the consumers are drinking the milk from their own animals.

First, you sign our herd share agreement, then pay your buy-in fee and jar deposit. Each month, you pay your monthly “agistment” fee. You then receive a pre-determined weekly amount of milk based on the type of share purchased.

Owning a share in the Luminaria Acres goat herd ensures a weekly supply of fresh, low-temp pasteurized whole milk for you and your family.

This year, we are in full production and will be milking all 7 of our does. Learn about them here. These goats currently provide us with approximately 25 gallons of milk a week at full production.

Based on our goat’s milk cycle, we calculated our estimated current annual milk production per goat at 112 gallons/year. We determined that one share is the value of a quarter of a goat. This share provides you with ½ gallon of milk per week. Half shares are the value of an eighth of a goat and will entitle you to a quart of milk weekly.

Our goats are seasonal breeders and do not produce milk year-round. This is because like all mammals, a goat must have a baby to produce milk. After birth we do not milk for 4 weeks, which allows the kid to get 100% of their mother’s milk.

At 4 weeks we begin “kid sharing”, when the kids are separated at night. We milk once in the morning, and then mom and kid are reunited during the day. This gives the kids approximately 50% of their mother’s milk.

At 12 weeks, the kids are fully weaned, and we begin milking twice a day. They are in full milk production for 7 months, during which we get a ton of surplus milk.

This lasts until the last three months of their next pregnancies, at which point we begin to dry down the does for one month, and then fully cease milking for two months. This allows their bodies to devote all their energy to their growing fetuses and to prep for a smooth birth.

Shareholders can either get a reduced share of previously frozen milk over the dry period or take several months off.

It depends on how much milk you want!

Each share has a one-time investment of $15.

You are then charged a monthly fee. These ‘agistment fees’ (herd share term) are for refrigerated storage as well as pasturing, caring for, and milking the herd. A full share fee of $48/month entitles you to ½ gallon of milk per week at full production. Half shares are a $24 agistment fee/month. Half shares receive a quart of milk each week.

We offer a discount for people who purchase 3 or more shares. Reach out for more information.

Your share is in perpetuity! We will accept new herd share customers at any time of the year provided we have adequate milk. You are given the option of getting a reduced amount of milk during the dry period or taking several months off.

The herd share contract is for a minimum of three months. After participating in the program for three months, shareholders will be able to continue on a month-to-month basis.

If you choose to cancel, you’ll need to provide a 30-day written notice, and then we will buy back your share/half share at the $15 buy in cost.

Absolutely – we love visitors! We invite anyone considering purchasing our dairy shares to come to the farm and see the goats and our husbandry practices for themselves before committing to the share.

We usually milk our goats at 7:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., but please contact us to let us know if you are coming so that we can make sure we are available when you arrive.

We discard the first stripping of milk from each teat, and milk either by hand or by using a small vacuum pump into clean stainless-steel pails. We strain the milk through a filter to remove hair, hay, and other impurities and then refrigerate the milk. We thoroughly wash the bucket and pump parts after each milking and let them air-dry to avoid picking up bacteria.

Yes, but not traditional pasteurization required for factory farm dairies. Instead, we low-temp pasteurize all of our milk. Why? First, low temperature pasteurization destroys dangerous pathogens, but not the helpful bacteria that our bodies need. Lower temperatures also preserve the fabulous, fresh flavor of milk. Milk that has been low temp pasteurized can also still be made into yogurt and almost all cheeses.

If you are using your share to exclusively make cheee that requires raw milk, please let us know.

Raw milk will last for approximately up to 10 days in a refrigerator, while pasteurized milk typically lasts for 2.5 weeks. Howover, you are the best judge for what to eat!

Because milk production is constant throughout the week, we are able to stagger our herd share customers throughout the week to even out demand.

Each shareholder will select their preferred pick-up day.

Pickups are available on Sundays from 10am - 2pm at the Smithville Farmer’s Market, and Saturdays from 10am - 2pm at the Bastrop Farmer’s Market.

If those days or times do not work for you, on farm pickup is available on Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and must be arranged in advance.

Limited delivery is available to Austin, TX on Tuesday or Thursday for an additional fee.

Drink it! Goat’s milk that has been promptly refrigerated is sweet and creamy. The most common refrain is “this tastes just like milk!” Personally, goats milk lattes are better than cow’s milk, and goat milk smoothies are delicious.

Bake with it. Goat’s milk can be used in any recipe that calls for cow’s milk.

Make cheese or yogurt. Visit our recipes page for family favorites or purchase a ‘culture add-on’ at any time, and we’ll pop a recipe and a cheese/yogurt culture into your next week’s batch.

Make soap. Goat’s milk is incredible for our skin and can be used in place of water in a 1 to 1 ratio. Just make sure your milk starts frozen.

Sign up here! Once you sign, you can pay your set up fees at one of our market booths, or we can invoice you though Square.