Herd Share

Herd Share Program

A herd share is a contractual agreement between a farmer and an owner of livestock- the shareholder or member- through which the shareholder is able to obtain raw milk, meat or other profits of the livestock proportionate to the shareholder’s interest in the herd. Golden Valley Farms Herd Share program complies with all the legal requirements of the State of Virginia. We obtain an agistment (contract) and a bill of sale to begin. Buy in or herdshare fees apply per share. The herdshare fees are due at start up and are nonrefundable. The monthly boarding fee is the only recurring fee that we charge.

Our Dairy Herd

Our dairy herd is made of 100% registered and A2 Beta-Casein Guernsey Cows and LaMancha & Nubian Goats. Our Guernsey and goat milk is complete as it comes from nature – we chill it and bottle it for shareholders to pick up at one of several delivery locations we have throughout Virginia.

Cow Milk Herd Share

  • Jersey’s are a popular family cow. Guernsey’s and Jersey’s both provide superior milk, and are far better than the other cow breeds in terms of cream, taste and nutrition. However, given a choice, we prefer the taste of Golden Guernsey milk (even though we hail from generations of Jersey dairy farmers). Guernsey’s have the highest of all breeds for A2-A2 Beta-Casein genes and Omega 3, and are said to have the better overall ‘balance’ of nutrients compared to Jersey’s.

    If you’re switching to us from Jersey milk, you may think our milk is less creamy by the “look” of it. This is because the fat globules of Jersey milk are the largest of any dairy breed, which causes the cream to rise faster and separate more clearly than in Guernsey milk. Both breeds are very similar in butterfat content. If we were to mix some Jersey’s into our herd, all the milk would separate more clearly into skim milk and cream. We prefer the smoother, silkier, more naturally homogenized appearance and taste of our Golden Guernsey milk—this is similar to the reason raw goat milk appears naturally homogenized due to smaller fat globules.

    The Guernsey’s didn’t receive the nickname “golden” just because of their coat. Their high-fat milk is also that beautiful, sun-kissed shade because it’s loaded with natural, orange beta carotene.

  • A2 Beta-Casein Guernsey cows are a result of almost 1000 years of perfection that result in the best milk available!

    *Naturally has only the A2 beta-casein protein that is said in trials to help to aid in digestion.

    *Contains 12% more protein.

    *Has higher concentrations of beta carotene.

    *Contains 15% more Calcium.

    *Naturally occurring Vitamin D and Vitamin A (not artificially fortified!).

    *Is the perfect balance of Omegas.

Goat Milk Herd Share

  • We raise registered Nigerian Dwarf, Nubian, and LaMancha goats because they have the highest butterfat and sweet tasting milk of all goat breeds.

    For the same reason we choose to only milk Guernsey Cows, we focus on quality goat milk over quantity. Our goat milk is as sweet as it can be from mother nature.

    We are picky about our goats as much as we are about our cows. Our goats come from prized bloodlines and were bred for the most outstanding of qualities in their breed.

  • YES, we also keep our goats 100% grain free.

Pick-Up Locations

Tuesday: Ashburn, Falls Church, Great Falls, McLean, Reston, Springfield, Sterling, Vienna

Thursday: Aldie, Broad Run, Centreville, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Goldvein, Gordonsville, Haymarket, Manassas, Nokesville, Palmyra, South Riding

Saturday: Bumpass, Charlottesville, Dillwyn, Henrico, Local On Farm Pickup, Richmond, Scottsville

Common Questions

    1. We offer cow and goat shares.

    2. When other programs say “grassfed” or “pastured,” note that we say “100% grassfed” and “100% pastured.”

    3. Our cows and goats are kept healthy while being 100% grainfree. This is only possible by offering high quality forage, free choice minerals, expansive pasture, and rotational grazing.

    4. Our chickens and eggs are pastured, organic & soy-free, not just “non-GMO pastured” which means their chickens are fed non-organic feed and soy as a cheap, controversial protein source.

    5. The majority of all our animals’ diet is from being out on pasture, which is the only way to ensure real, nutrient dense food.

    6. We test our milk regularly by an independent, state-run lab in VA.

    7. When comparing our program to others, first ask if they are physically located in Virginia, willing to provide their exact farm location, and if they allow members to visit.

  • In Virginia, it is illegal to sell raw cow milk, but it is not illegal to drink fresh milk from the cow that you own!

    It is as simple as purchasing/owning your own cow or a partial ownership in a herd of cows and boarding them at a local farm. The farmer (or Agister) performs a service for you by feeding, caring for, and milking your own or cows/goats. This arrangement is called cow boarding, the legal form for it is an Agistment Agreement.

  • All of our products are organic, non-gmo, and soy free. The farm produces food following Weston Price principles, including rotational grazing, no antibiotics or growth hormones, and farming beyond organic standards. We belong to a limited number of milk producers that do not resort to feeding grain to our cows. We believe in providing them fresh pasture to graze on and chemical free hay during winter.

  • In the last 6-8 weeks of pregnancy, the cow instinctively prepares for her new calf and gives herself a “rest” from lactation. The cows have calves at different times of the year so that we have sufficient milk for our share-members. We do the same for our dairy goats.

  • We welcome our current shareholders to arrange a visit to the farm! In addition, we host an annual Farm Day where shareholders are invited to attend, meet the farmer, visit with the animals, watch demonstrations, sample farm products and enjoy camaraderie with other raw dairy and grass-fed food enthusiasts!