Did you know that goats were first domesticated about 10,000 years ago and were among the first animals brought to North America by Europeans? Did you know that goats were often kept as pets for the royal children at Versailles Palace in France, and that the chariot of the legendary Norse thunder god Thor was pulled through the sky by goats? Or that goat’s milk has more calcium and protein than cow’s milk and is more easily digested? All of this goat trivia and more is found in a 200 square foot museum at the Fairview Farm Goat Dairy in the small town of Dallas, Oregon.
Built to look like a miniature red barn, the small goat museum is packed with interesting information and memorabilia. There’s only one other known goat museum in the WORLD— and that’s in the Australian outback. Next door to the museum is the dairy store, where you can taste naturally homogenized goat milk, yogurt, cheeses, ice cream, dips, and also purchase frozen cuts of goat meat. All Fairview ice creams have intense flavors more akin to gelato than traditional ice cream, so a small amount is very satisfying. If you’re a bean head, make room in your freezer for the coffee flavor! And the drinkable marionberry yogurt is another must!
Owners Terry and Laurie Carlson founded Fairview Farm Goat Dairy in 2009. The store has been open for about three years, but the museum is brand new. Laurie is also a Nutritional Therapist, so there’s probably no question she cannot answer for you regarding the health benefits that goat milk provides. For those with sensitive stomachs, you’ll be happy to know that goat milk contains no A1 casein protein, the irritant most people react to in cow’s milk. Everything is made on site and is preservative and gluten free— the Carlsons don’t even feed wheat or corn or soy to the goats. And if you look around outside, you’ll see that no billy, nanny, or kid is confined to a barn. The animals are free to graze on certified organic pasture whenever they want.
Whether you visit Fairview Farm Goat Dairy primarily for the goat lore or the delicious dairy products, you’ll enjoy meeting the Carlsons and learning about this special animal’s significance in history. After all, Ronald Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, and Picasso were all goat fans, and you may just become one, too!
IF YOU GO:
Fairview Farm Goat Dairy
2340 SW Fairview Ave.
Dallas, Oregon 97338
(503) 623-4744
http://www.fairviewfarmdairy.com
Farm store and museum open Friday through Monday, 10 am – 4 pm. FREE. An outdoor self-serve refrigerator with honor cash box is available all other days and times.
In addition to writing about her travels, Denise Seith is also a treasure hunter and loves a good latté. She and her husband own an online gold prospecting and metal detecting equipment store found at GoldRushTradingPost.com
My dad collected goats of all kinds-ceramic, wood, many antique postcards, beer labels…. He had hundreds of goat related items. He grew up in rural Kansas and started collecting goats after my mother passed away in 1983. I am looking for a home for some of this amazing goat collection. His beer signs and bar ware sold at his auction. I have many other goat collectibles. Let me know if interested!