Complete: 09/29/2012
Is that cute, or is that cute?
Photo courtesy of Michelle Chen
Photo courtesy of Michelle Chen
I had the privilege to go to Maui during the last weekend of September
as part of my job, where I take a group of students for a two-day excursion to a neighbor island. The purpose of these annual trips to a different island in our archipelago, is to expose our students to local
career opportunities in agriculture through hands-on experiences.
I was fortunate enough to be able to complete two items off my bucket list. (People have asked if I put things on my bucket list that I know I will be able to complete just so I can check them off and the answer is "no." If I'm going to Maui anyway and can fit these bucket list items on the itinerary, why not? That's called being efficient and working smart. But I digress.)
On the morning of September 29, our group made our way to the Surfing Goat Dairy, located in Kula. This goat farm is owned and operated by a couple in Germany who fell in love with Maui and moved here to retire. The man of the couple loved his cheese, so he and his wife decided to start this goat farm despite lacking any background in cheese-making. They did pretty well for themselves though, producing all kinds of world-renown, award-winning cheeses. They offer a grand dairy tour every Saturday, in which you learn about the entire process of cheese-making from raising the goats, feeding, milking, herding, to finally turning the milk into cheese.
I was pretty excited to get to milk the goat. The goat's udder felt surprisingly warm to my inexperienced hands (I guess it makes sense logically when I think about it, but still wasn't expected). "Clamp and squeeze" we were instructed, and though I felt it would be painful for the goat, she stayed calm. Got a few squirts out, "milk an animal" complete.
I was fortunate enough to be able to complete two items off my bucket list. (People have asked if I put things on my bucket list that I know I will be able to complete just so I can check them off and the answer is "no." If I'm going to Maui anyway and can fit these bucket list items on the itinerary, why not? That's called being efficient and working smart. But I digress.)
Group picture at entrance of farm
On the morning of September 29, our group made our way to the Surfing Goat Dairy, located in Kula. This goat farm is owned and operated by a couple in Germany who fell in love with Maui and moved here to retire. The man of the couple loved his cheese, so he and his wife decided to start this goat farm despite lacking any background in cheese-making. They did pretty well for themselves though, producing all kinds of world-renown, award-winning cheeses. They offer a grand dairy tour every Saturday, in which you learn about the entire process of cheese-making from raising the goats, feeding, milking, herding, to finally turning the milk into cheese.
Photo Courtesy of Michelle Chen
I was pretty excited to get to milk the goat. The goat's udder felt surprisingly warm to my inexperienced hands (I guess it makes sense logically when I think about it, but still wasn't expected). "Clamp and squeeze" we were instructed, and though I felt it would be painful for the goat, she stayed calm. Got a few squirts out, "milk an animal" complete.
Milking it
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