BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — One farmer’s love for goats is changing the farming landscape in Hernando County, becoming the very first goat dairy farm county-wide.

What You Need To Know

  • SJB Abundance Farms has been around for a few years now, but only just recently got into the goat dairy business

  • Operating on a 10-acre plot of land, owner Amanda Schmitt is culturing two types of cheeses: feta and, the main product, ‘chevre’— French for goat cheese
  • Schmitt said they have already started selling their goat cheese at local stores and plans to expand in the near future

SJB Abundance Farms has been around for a few years now, but only just recently got into the goat dairy business.

A lucrative opportunity for this tiny but mighty farm.

On a 10-acre plot of land, it’s all about the goats. Small, large, burly, skinny: they come in all shapes and sizes. Running the show is owner Amanda Schmitt, whose fascination for the creatures goes way back.

“My parents moved into the country when I was 8 and we got goats when I was 9,” she said. “I’ve had goats most of the time since, so I’ve raised goats for more than 30 years.”

Schmitt’s love for the farm animals has extended into her line of work, inspiring her to start her own commercial goat dairy business.

She says it’s the first in Hernando County.

“Just the animals themselves,” Schmitt said. “They’re very entertaining and very companionable animals.”

Schmitt’s farm is home to 30 goats — most dedicated to dairy production. And the output she’s getting is significant.

“Right now, we’re getting about three gallons a day,” said Schmitt. “But, at full production, each one of these gives three quarters of a gallon to a gallon. I mean, if you push them with a lot of feed, these can give well over a gallon.”

The milk is cultured in a basin, where it’s scooped and formed into a curd. It then sits out for 12 hours so it can drain, followed by another 12 hours in the refrigerator.

“So this is what the chevre looks like, a wheel of chevre when it comes out of the cups,” Schmitt said.

There are two types of cheeses, including feta. The main product is “chevre,” French for goat cheese. It is quite a process, but the payoff, Schmitt says, is worth it.

“If everything is going good, my next investment will be another property and do the same thing again and I don’t plan to quit,” she said.

Offering a unique taste in a place not so far away.

Schmitt says they have already started selling their goat cheese at local stores. You can learn more about the farm when you visit their website, or check them out on their Facebook page.