Bodega and

Yerba Santa Goat Dairy

Lake County

6400 Scotts Valley RoadLakeport, CA 95453

707-263-8131

yerbasanta@juno.com

Market days:

Saturdays and Tuesdays

Products:

Goat cheese

People:

Javier, Daniel, Jaime and Elodie Salmon

Farmland:

20 acres in Lakeport

Farm history:

Javier grew up in Peru working with his father Jaime at their family cheese plant. He moved to the United States in 1982 and his father and brother Daniel followed in 1985. Javier purchased goats in 1984, first grazing them on rented land in Martinez while he lived in Berkeley. In 1986, he acquired Bodega Goat Cheese, which became well-known for fresh Peruvian-style cheeses. Daniel started the Yerba Santa label in 2003 and makes French- and Spanish-style cheeses. The two operations merged in 2005. Elodie joined the farm in 2007.

About:

They use only milk from their own goats for the cheese. The farm’s small herd of 80 Alpine, Swiss Saanen, Nubian, and La Mancha goats graze freely on native and wild grasses and other forage. They are never given antibiotics or hormones. Rotational grazing helps keep the soil healthy.