Our Herd & Our Kind Farming Practices

Meet our girls! Our dairy herd is comprised of Anglo Nubian and a few Anglo Nubian/Nigerian Dwarf crosses. We currently have 4 bucks, 4 wethers, and 30 does. Besides being ridiculously adorable, we chose them for their milk properties, a rich butterfat content which creates a creamy bar of soap. Our bucks are chosen for their friendly nature and their genetics. Did you know that milking genes are passed onto kids through their father? The boys spend their days relaxing and eating until it is their time to work in January-February and again in September. The does kid just before winter, when rich grassy feed is plentiful. The does have a huge barn and kidding stalls for safety, warmth and comfort. We rotate breeding the does yearly to ensure each doe is able to dry off and have her time just being a goat. Does are retired when they are 8 years old or if they have a difficult pregnancy. Then they serve the herd as matriarchs, supporting kid rearing and keeping a balanced herd.

Our Herd & Our Kind Farming Practices

Meet our girls — the heart of The Kindness Croft. Our dairy herd is made up of Anglo Nubians and a handful of Anglo Nubian/Nigerian Dwarf crosses, chosen not just because they’re impossibly charming, but because their milk has a naturally rich butterfat content that creates the creamiest, most nourishing bars of soap.

Our herd currently includes 4 bucks, 4 wethers, and around 30 does. The bucks are selected for their gentle temperaments and strong genetics — after all, milking traits are passed down through the father’s line. For most of the year, the boys enjoy a leisurely life of grazing and relaxing until breeding season arrives in January–February and again in September.

The does kid just before winter, when the pastures are lush and full of nutrition. They have access to a spacious barn with dedicated kidding stalls designed for warmth, safety, and comfort. We rotate breeding so each doe has a full year to rest, dry off, and simply enjoy being a goat. When a doe reaches eight years of age, or if she experiences a difficult pregnancy, she retires from breeding and steps into her new role as a cherished matriarch — guiding youngsters, helping maintain herd harmony, and living out her days with the herd she knows and loves.

Our Commitment to Kind Farming

People often ask whether dairy farming is cruel. For our herd, the answer is no — because we farm differently. We follow what we call Kind Farming Practices, a gentle, attentive approach built on respect, patience, and genuine care.

When a doe goes into labour, she is moved into a soft‑bedded kidding stall with her own food and water. She is never left alone. We stay with her — day or night — offering quiet company or hands‑on help if she asks for it. After birth, each kid is checked, their umbilical cord clipped and treated, and we help Mum get everyone warm, dry, and settled. We then give them 48 hours of uninterrupted bonding, so the kids imprint securely on their mother.

Only when Mum and babies are thriving do we begin milk‑sharing. Our does naturally produce more milk than their kids require, and we only ever use the surplus. If a first‑time mum struggles to produce enough, we supplement her kids with milk from other does — never the other way around.

During the day, kids stay with their mums in the herd, learning goat behaviour, confidence, and social skills. They are also bottle‑fed to ensure each one receives the exact nutrition they need, especially important for twins and triplets. At night, the kids sleep safely in their little play groups, warm and secure in their own stall. Mums are milked in the morning, kids are fed, and the rest of the day is spent exploring, playing, and growing together as a herd.

This rhythm — gentle, respectful, and deeply connected — is the foundation of everything we make. Our soaps begin with happy, healthy goats living the life every goat deserves.