Dean and Donna Kitto-Trickey swapped careers as a carpenter and accountant for life on a goat dairy. The pair speak to Caitlyn Morgan about their life changing decision. Pictures: Louise Barker
WHEN Dean Kitto-Trickey suggested to his wife Donna that they open a dairy she was intrigued by the idea.
While she had never lived on a dairy farm before, she did spend much of her childhood riding horses and had dreamed of becoming a vet.
“I liked the idea of what we could do but it has been a big learning curve for us,” she says.
“I have always been a morning person so I love to come out in the morning into the fresh environment and have them all run up to the gate.
“They are just so happy to see us every day.”
Dean, on the other hand, gained experience caring for goats from a young age.
“I grew up milking goats in Robinvale,” he says.
“It was after discovering I was allergic to cows milk that Mum bought us a couple of goats.”
Five years ago, Coomealla Milking Goats became a reality.
“I had been a carpenter for 40 years and was looking for a lifestyle change,” Dean says.
“It was also an opportunity for Donna and I to do something together.”
Coomealla Milking Goats expanded 12 months ago when their friend Marg Peterson was welcomed into the business.
Have you goat milk?
THERE is never a shortage of milk in the Kitto-Trickey household.
With roughly 80 litres of milk collected each day, Dean and Donna often find themselves thinking of new ways to utilise it.
“It’s often used for yogurt, custard, in pancakes and in bread and butter pudding,” Donna says.
“Anything that normally has cows milk in it, we will use goat milk instead.”
While Dean does enjoy it in various forms he says the very best is in a coffee.
“It really does make the best coffee,” he says. “It’s a healthier alternative. Raw milk has really started to take off with more people learning about the health benefits.”
Each day Dean and Donna are up bright and early, ready to milk the goats at 7.30am.
“It can take a few hours if we milk all 30 of them but it actually takes longer to clean up before and after than the actual milking,” Dean says.
The goats are more than happy to make their way into the shed each morning and enjoy a special breakfast of dried sultanas, stock nuts and oats while milking takes place.
Currently the milk collected is only used on the property for the kids or personal use but the pair plan to sell it commercially in the near future.
“We started with 10 goats all milked by hand but as soon as the numbers built up we moved onto a machine,” Dean says.
“Hopefully next year we will be milking 40 goats, which potentially would be enough to go commercial.”
Practice makes perfect
CREATING the perfect cheese was harder than Dean first imagined.
Over the past few years there has been a lot of trial and error.
“My dogs got so fat from all the cheese I had to throw out,” he says.
“It takes a lot to create cheese properly.”
The key to success? Follow the instructions carefully.
“Cheese is very temperamental, you have to do everything right,” he says.
“You must follow your recipes exactly as it says, if you don’t then it won’t work out.
“If you leave it just two minutes longer than it says to it will be completely different to how it was meant to be.”
His many attempts have led to some success, with Dean discovering he can create a delicious ricotta, feta and halloumi.
“I do love the ricotta,” he admits.
“You can have it on everything – often I will have it with bread and jam or even on my cereal.”
The best kept secret
ACCORDING to Dean, Donna and Marg, one of the milk’s greatest uses is for soap.
The soap is so good that Dean won’t wash his hair with anything else.
“It’s just really good for all types of skin conditions,” Marg says.
Dean added, “it’s made the old fashioned way so it’s perfect for anyone with sensitive skin.
“It’s healthier than cow’s milk and there are no allergens.”
It’s been a busy 12 months for Marg, who has taken the reins in the soap making department.
“I am pretty crafty so I fell into it,” she says.
“I love craft and playing around with things and this is just that.”
Marg has created a range of different soaps, including a coffee scrub, citrus soap and lavender soap, and has sold them at the Red Cliffs Market.
“The first market we took a couple of the goats and it was a huge hit,” Marg says.
Marg is currently experimenting with the creation of an oatmeal soap.
The health benefits of Coomealla Milking Goats is expected to expand in the future, with the trio hoping to create skin care products.
“Dean is interested in making a moisturiser and as someone with sensitive skin I think it would be great,” Donna says.
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