Cylon Rolling Acres is a farm on a 140-acre parcel near Deer Park, WI which is only about an hour west of the Twin Cities owned by Leslie Svacina and her husband, Scott. Cylon Rolling Acres raises goats on pasture for meat consumption; this is my first goat farm so I was excited to see it. Their name comes from the name of the township the farm is located in. If you are a Battlestar Galactica fan, the farm was not named after this fictional race of robots.
Background
Both Leslie and her husband grew up surrounded by the agriculture industry, pursued higher education in the industry, and started their careers in agriculture; it seems the next step would be to pursue a dream of owning a farm. Scott still works in the agriculture industry while Leslie tends to the farm’s day-to-day operations. They have two young children also being raised on the farm.
They purchased the 140-acre retired dairy farm in 2011, taking a couple of years to prepare the farm, and then took the leap of purchasing their first herd of goats a few years later. Currently, the farm has about 30 to 40 breeding animals. The goats are rotated regularly throughout the pastures munching on fresh food throughout the day. With pasture rotation, Leslie evaluates how often the goats should be moved according to what the pastures look like.
You may be wondering why they chose goats. There aren’t many meat goat farmers in this area; Leslie noted that most retail goat meat found in the United States comes from Australia. That is a long way to travel! As our cultures become more diverse so do the food needs and options. The Twin Cities area has changed culturally, and Leslie saw the growing demand for goat meat here so set out to fulfill that void. Families are now able to purchase goat meat locally for their family celebrations, and it is also great for the entire community including savvy foodies or those who want local sustainable food sources.
Goats were among the first animals to be domesticated by humans. There are now over 200 breeds that provide meat, milk, or textile fiber. An estimated 70% of the world’s population consumes goat meat as a part of their regular diet. Goat meat provides another red meat option. It is great as an environmentally friendly and sustainable option for red meat. Goats are quite adaptable to environments, prefer foraging among brush, bark, and weeds (they can be great for clearing land). Some areas are using goats to clear land of invasive species which is so much better than harmful chemicals. Another positive for goat meat is the USDA prohibits the use of growth hormones in goats. Goat meat is an excellent alternative protein source; you can check out the nutritional profile here.
There are a couple of classifications of goat meat:
- Cabrito is the meat from a goat less than 3 months old.
- Chevon is the meat from a goat between 6 and 9 months old. At Cylon Rolling Acres most goats are harvested around 9 months of age.
Goat meat is prominent in the food cultures of the Middle East, South Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Goat meat is a lean meat; therefore, slow cooking with low, moist heat such as in stews or braises is best. With some cuts and proper preparation, grilling or roasting can also be used to prepare the meat also. For us, we tried goat chops using a recipe provided by Leslie, Rosemary Garlic Goat Chops. It was our first-time eating goat meat, it was good. Variety in our diet is so important so it will be another meat added to our options.
Challenges and Rewards
The greatest challenge is the process of building the herd and the patience that it takes. Part of this challenge has come from choosing the best options for their farm when it comes to breeding the animals to produce quality meat in a climate that is so diverse in temperatures, the Wisconsin winters can be cold. With everything in life, challenges bring rewards; and for Leslie it has been the direct market relationships that have been developed. This is the beauty of buying local: you know the farmer and the farmer knows you, it is an important relationship that develops community and trust.
Now that you know a bit more about goat meat and Cylon Rolling Acres, you might be wondering how to experience goat meat from Cylon in our area? If you would like to try the meat, you can check out Farm Table Restaurant and Jewlltown Roastery as Cylon’s goat meat is seasonally featured or for purchase to see what is available. If you are ready to purchase directly, Cylon does have a Farm Store to place orders online and you can check out here. Currently, stock is limited but I encourage you to subscribe to the Friends and Family List to stay up to date with what is available, cooking tips, recipes, and happenings at the farm. I want to thank Leslie for the farm tour to meet her, the goats, and their dogs. Leslie is a wealth of information about these goats and she lights up when she has the opportunity to share about her passion.
Would you consider trying goat meat? If you have had goat meat, what is your favorite recipe?
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Heather
Sources:
http://simplegoodandtasty.com/2011/04/06/goat-the-worlds-favorite-meat
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