
Once upon a Dreamfarm
I had the opportunity to meet and greet 24 friendly and curious dairy goats at Dreamfarm located in Cross Plains. With beautiful scenery and great hospitality, I had a great time visiting with Diana Murphy and learning about her farm, farmstead cheese and passion for Wisconsin agriculture. Dreamfarm was established in August 2002. Diana and Jim Murphy dreamt about starting a farm and worked to bring this faded farm back to life. Barns were squared up and reinforced, then give

Wisconsin's Dairy Goat Industry Ranks #1
In America’s Dairyland, approximately 44,000 dairy goats call Wisconsin home. This ranks our state at the #1 spot for the number of dairy goats and fluid goat milk production. The goat industry is relatively young in Wisconsin and in the United States, but as demand has steadily increased since the mid-1990s, the number of goats in our state has followed suit. Goat farms can offer a variety of products including cheese, fluid milk, ice cream, butter and soaps. Goat milk quali

Goat Cheese and Tomato Tarts
I had one more sheet of puff pastry to use so I found another great recipe. This is a savory appetizer that uses fresh ingredients and Wisconsin goat cheese. A perfect addition to any meal! Ingredients: 1 sheet frozen puff pastry sheets (thawed) 8 ounces cherry tomatoes 7 ounces Montchevre goat cheese (sliced) 3 tablespoons tarragon leaves (fresh) 3 tablespoons olive oil Directions: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Unroll the puff pastry on a work surface lightly dusted with flour;

Caring for Cows in Cold Weather
Hats, mittens, scarves, toe warmers, and a dose of Vitamin C are just a few things you may have on hand for the upcoming winter. It takes a great deal of effort just to keep ourselves warm and healthy during our Wisconsin winters. Now imagine caring for hundreds of animals in this deep freeze. With the temperatures dropping, Wisconsin dairy farmers are caring for their animals and making sure they are comfortable throughout the next few cold months. Farmers on our state’s nea

Goat Cheese and Honey Puff Pastry
I recently discovered the ease and magic of puff pastries. This simple recipe took hardly any time and was fun to watch in the oven. This is a perfect appetizer that looks just as great as it tastes! Goat Cheese and Honey Puff Pastry 1 package puff pastry 6-8 oz. Montchevre goat cheese 1/4 cup honey 4 springs thyme Follow the package instructions for thawing the puff pastry sheets. Roll out the dough a little to flatten it. Using a 2-inch circle cookie cutter or the rim of a

Caramelized Pear and Goat Cheese Appetizer
Looking for an easy appetizer that takes less than 15 minutes? Look no further than Caramelized Pear and Goat Cheese. Here, the tangy-sweet balance of goat cheese and pear is delicious warm or cooled. Aside from how easy it is to make, my favorite part of making this recipe is the fragrance of the honey and balsamic as it hits the hot dish. Caramelized Pear and Goat Cheese Appetizer 2 firm red pears (Red Anjou, Red Bartlett, or Starkrimson) 2 firm green pears 6 ounces Montche