The Dream
Mike and Annette's dream to farm started in 2008 as they contemplated what they were going to do in their retirement years. While on a trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama with their extended family they saw a documentary which one of the nieces had written and filmed. The documentary featured a sustainable farm which included a goat dairy.
Over the next few months they did their research and submitted plans to the Health Department and were approved. In early 2009 they purchased their first Nubian goats and were certified by the Health Department as a Grade A Raw dairy.
Almost a decade of selling directly to the consumer
Today Coursey Family Farm in Lubbock, Texas is dedicated to providing fresh raw goat milk, raw goat milk yogurt and goat milk soap from the farm. Texas laws state raw milk can only be sold from the farm. Mike and Annette Coursey raise and care for their goats as organically and naturally as possible. Producing raw milk for human consumption entails taking a lot of care and attention to detail. According to the dairy's website: "the utmost care must be taken in the handling process beginning with healthy, well cared for goats, thorough cleaning of udders and teats before milking and sanitary processes for bottling, cooling and storage of the milk."
"As our does enter the milk parlor they are thoroughly washed before the milking equipment is attached. We wear gloves throughout the process and wash our gloved hands in bleach water before touching each doe. The milk goes directly into a sanitized stainless steel canister. The canister, once full, is then moved into the commercial kitchen where the milk is filtered, bottled and packed in ice. A goat’s body temperature is approximately 102 – 103 degrees so the milk starts out quite warm. Health Department requirements are that the milk be cooled to 40 degrees within 2 hours of milking. We attain that goal in about an hour. The filled milk jugs are then transferred to a commercial cooler for sell."
Their herd is CAE, CL, TB and Brucellosis free. All adult goats are tested annually. Antibiotics are given only when needed and then that animal is removed from production until such time as the antibiotics have cleared their system.
Pre-ordering milk
Mike and Annette remind customers to pre-order their milk because they may not alway have supply. Customers are also reminded to bring an ice chest in which to store the milk during transportation. Raw milk is a living food - to maintain the integrity of the milk and its flavor it must be kept at a cold temperature. The cost is $10 per gallon for the milk and $6 for 16oz. of yogurt.
Click here to see the Texas Health and Human Services list Registered Raw for Retail Dairies- Milk and Dairy or click on the Raw Milk Nation Map for the raw milk laws in the state of Texas. Raw milk distribution is now allowed in 43 out of 50 US states.
Two videos about the farm
A local television station visited the farm in September 2017 just after hurricane Irma and produced two beautiful video clips about the farm and its raw dairy products. Click here for a direct link to clip 1 and clip 2.
