

3G Family Farm

Herd Share Program

What Is A Goat/Herd Share?

 In the state of California (as with many other states in the U.S.) it is illegal to sell raw milk. However, if a person owns his own dairy goat, naturally no one can stop him from drinking her milk. Thus, the California Revised Statues 25-5-.5-117 were passed to legalize the distribution of raw milk through the goat/herd share programs.

The way that goat-share or herd-share (if more than one goat is being milked) programs work is that a consumer first purchases a share in a milk goat or dairy herd. The farmer and consumer enter into a contract whereby the consumer pays a fee to become part "owner" of a goat (or a herd of goats) while the farmer keeps the goat on his property, providing feed, shelter, care and the labor of milking her. Consumers do not buy milk from their goat(s). Instead, they pay a "boarding fee" to compensate the farmer for the expense and labor of keeping the goat(s). The consumer is then entitled to partake in the consumption of the raw milk that comes from their goat(s).


Our Herd Share Program

To buy a share of our dairy goats, the consumer (or "shareholder") pays a one-time initial fee of $10 per share. With each share you receive one gallon of milk per week and continue to pay a $10 per week boarding fee. If you want more than one gallon of milk per week you can buy more shares. For instance, if a shareholder wanted to partake in 2 gallons of milk per week, he/she would pay an initial fee of $20 ($10 per share) and a weekly boarding fee of $20 ($10 per share).

We also make soft and hard cheeses along with yogurt and Kefir, theses are available also with an additional milk share purchase.  If a shareholder wanted 1 gallon of milk and a half a pound of cheese per week, he/she would pay the initial $20 for two shares and then $20 per week. Details on which cheeses are available will need to be agreed upon between both parties.

We, the "Farmer", also provide all of the glass bottles and lids for your milk. The initial share cost of $10 per share helps cover the costs of the bottles and lids.  We ask that all containers be returned sterilized when you pick up your next supply.

Weekly boarding fees are billed once per month, due on the first day of your scheduled milk pick-up for that month. The amount of weeks you pay for depends on the amount of times your scheduled pick-up day falls in that month. For example if your pick-up day is Wednesday and there are five Wednesdays one month, you would pay $50 for that month's boarding fee per share ($10 per week for 5 weeks).

If you wish to terminate your contract and stop getting milk from us for any reason, you could do so with advanced notice and you would then simply return our bottles and stop paying the boarding fee.

**Please refer to the link above to review our entire Herd Share Agreement with all of its terms and conditions.

All shareholders must come to our farm to pick up their milk each week on a scheduled pick-up day. We have a fridge outside in our garage in which we place all of our shareholders' milk for pick-up on their scheduled days. You are free to come by on that day at whatever time is most convenient for you, whether we are home or not.

* Delivery may be possible if agreed upon before hand by both parties.

Please keep in mind when you come that we have children and animals often playing outside, so please take care when you are driving in. You are welcome to visit with the goats in the goat area however we do ask that you have us accompany you into their pen if you would like to go in.

If you are interested in our goat share program for access to fresh, raw milk each week, please contact us and we will be happy to answer any additional questions you may have.



Jon and Lisa Illg

Contact information:
Lisa Illg
3G Family Farm
Kelseyville, Ca  95451