Monkey Hill Farm

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Monkey Hill Farm ADGA Plus performance herd. Raising Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats in Sandy, Oregon.

**editing to add, I just tried calling and discovered that USPS is closed today due to a holiday, which explains why it ...
10/12/2026

**editing to add, I just tried calling and discovered that USPS is closed today due to a holiday, which explains why it won’t be delivered until Tuesday (doesn’t explain why it wasn’t delivered Fri/Sat but 🤷🏻‍♀️). Thanks all for the offers of help and commiserating. It’s just one of those crappy situations.

I’m so sad.

The ADGA amateur cheesemaking competition is tomorrow (Monday). I sent my entry last Wednesday, choosing Priority 2-3 day service for expected delivery on Friday or Saturday - but…. It’s been sitting in the USPS distribution center less than 5 miles from the competition location since Thursday. Now they’ve updated the tracking to say it won’t arrive until Tuesday 😭😭😭

So much work down the drain.

I didn’t enter in 2025 (hiatus from cheesemaking) but took home Best in Show and Reserve BIS in 2023 and 1st and 2nd place in the hard aged cheese category in 2024. I was so hopeful to repeat the good fortune this year. It’s been a rough one and I really needed something positive to happen.

Anyway…at least I can drown my sorrows is cheese 😭

Short cycles 🤬I was starting to think 2027 kidding was going to be very drawn out, but between short cycles and does I t...
10/07/2026

Short cycles 🤬
I was starting to think 2027 kidding was going to be very drawn out, but between short cycles and does I thought were bred coming back into heat, now it’s looking like late February is going to be very, very busy. Nearly all the girls we were planning to breed were bred this week and 🤞🏻they took. Because I do not have it in me to go through this again!
Bred this week (some for the 2nd and 3rd time):
Fern x Nighthawk
Trixie x Gitarzan
Veronica x Gitarzan
Noemi x Gitarzan
Cherry x Shepherd
Gala x Gitarzan (not sure she was standing)
Sommar is planned to pair with Shepherd but she has not come into heat yet. Might use Pepper if her heat is much later.
Friday and Whimsey will be bred later in the season and will be paired with Pepper, who just came back from a breeding lease at a friend’s farm.

That’s it for the 2027 line up at this time, but things change. I’m toying with the idea of breeding Twyla because I’ve decided I want a buck from her (fun fact, I haven’t kept a buck intact since Shep in 2022 because I haven’t wanted to contribute to the buck overpopulation but…. Twyla is getting up there and she’s so very special). So we’ll see…

Hope y’all are enjoying your early autumns. What breedings are you planning that you are super excited about?

*picture of Fern and Nighthawk on their 2nd date

2026 bio security testing in. Due to the rising costs of testing, and the stagnant pricing of selling kids, we will be c...
09/23/2026

2026 bio security testing in.
Due to the rising costs of testing, and the stagnant pricing of selling kids, we will be changing how we do bio security testing for the foreseeable future.
Goats that had a recent bio panel on record will be tested for CAE prior to breeding.
Goats without a panel on record (usually yearlings) will get a panel before they are bred for the first time.
Only does getting bred that year will be tested.
Bucks will be tested yearly.

The bio panel has almost doubled in price since we started testing the herd in 2017, and since we do not participate in goat shows the risk of them picking something up is low (but not zero). Using this new format will allow us to continue to test the goats but not go broke doing it. Thanks for understanding!

Happy Fall, friends! I’m doing well recovering from surgery - mainly just tired all the time - but thought I’d share a q...
09/22/2026

Happy Fall, friends! I’m doing well recovering from surgery - mainly just tired all the time - but thought I’d share a quick update. One thing I did get accomplished last weekend was to get Friday (pictured) entered into the MDGA virtual show (and yes she did need a hoof trim but I can’t bend over right now so it didn’t happen). Also, I rushed a quick milk test in right before surgery since I knew I wouldn’t be up to another for a while - volumes weren’t exciting but we are on month 7 of the lactation and only milking once a day. All FF have met the minimums for their production stars at this point, with the exception of Stella, who was one of the last to kid so is 1 test behind the others. And yes, I know the MUNs are high - volume decrease but feed has not so my bad but honestly…. I don’t care 😂

We also got our disease testing done but I’ll pin those results to the page so they can be found by those that may be interested in them.

I hope you are all doing well! We’ve been having some pretty awesome September weather in the PNW, I know that’s not the case everywhere so hoping you are all surviving!!

It takes a village…I had a fairly major surgery a few days ago and have been pretty well bedridden since. I’m a hyper pr...
09/13/2026

It takes a village…

I had a fairly major surgery a few days ago and have been pretty well bedridden since. I’m a hyper productive person that doesn’t ask for, or accept help easily but this week would have been a hell of a lot more stressful without the support of my “village”. Thank you to my hubby who took the week off of work to care for me and the farm, and my mom and dear friend Rebecca who have been milking the goats each day to make sure everyone stays healthy. Thanks to my friends and family who called, texted, emailed, sent flowers, dropped off food, and showed their love and support in a million ways. I am so fortunate to live this life surrounded by community and support. I’m so grateful.

I joined the milking this morning, just to sit and gauge if I could take over by tomorrow. That answer was no (spoken in very clear terms by my body). I’m so sad. I know recovery happens on its own timeline, but I’m impatient and really hate inconveniencing my loved ones. Seriously, Rebecca. Thank you so much.

It was wonderful seeing the goats, though. I needed that ❤️‍🩹

One foot in front of the other.

Saw-whetContinuing on with the LA score breakdowns - next up is Wild in Wild DM Saw-whet. I don’t have many productive d...
08/29/2026

Saw-whet

Continuing on with the LA score breakdowns - next up is Wild in Wild DM Saw-whet. I don’t have many productive does in the herd that weren’t born here at this point, but of that small group, 2 are from our friends at Wild In Wild Farm. Why? Because their main focus has always been, and probably will always be, solid production on once a day milking. Something near and dear to my heart. The ELITE designations came from focus on production rather than any sort of plan to create a dynasty.

In the early days of our DHIA career we were in the same group testing cohort so I got to see their ladies in action while supervising milk tests - one doe that always caught my eye was SG Pholia Farm HB Detour VEEE90. I always loved Deets but she was also famously stingy with doe babies. When WiW offered a grand daughter of Deets (only because they had retained littermate sisters) I jumped at the opportunity to bring her here.
So when I say I was 0% surprised that little Saw-whet is KILLING IT on milk test as a first freshener, it shouldn’t be shocking… but to have the appraiser confirm that she is, in fact, very special was validating and exciting. Saw-whet earned a GVVV87 as a ff, with one of the higher mammary scores of the day - 32, 38, 34, with a 33 in MSL. She obviously has a lot of maturing to do but she’s off to a great start (and super sweet to boot). I’m excited about her future.

PoppetFirst freshener, Monkey Hill Hello Poppet did really well at LA, earning a VVVV87 (max score for a first freshener...
08/19/2026

Poppet

First freshener, Monkey Hill Hello Poppet did really well at LA, earning a VVVV87 (max score for a first freshener is 89). There is a lot to appreciate about this pretty girl - her udder is lovely, although wasn’t that full for LA, she’s got an incredible work ethic, hopping up on the stand every day next to her mama, Twyla. And then of course those wattles 😉 She’s my first freshened Shep daughter and I was not disappointed.

The appraiser appreciated her legs, back, dairyness, and strength. Her mammary scores were 33, 29, 33. She certainly has some more maturing to do (she’s 2) but I’m excited to see how she does on her next kidding in 2028. Her ares of weakness were, again, the damn shoulders although hers were better than most in the herd and her head (narrow).

Poppet is quiet, friendly, and easy on the eyes. And she’s a damn fine milker, too.

ShepherdI’m going to take a break from talking about the does to give a lil shout out to Monkey Hill NG Shepherds Pie, s...
08/16/2026

Shepherd

I’m going to take a break from talking about the does to give a lil shout out to Monkey Hill NG Shepherds Pie, son of Mud Pie, littermate to Bridie Pie. I love this guy, the first time I clipped him was last summer when he was 3 years old and I could not believe what had been hiding under all that hair! What a freaking hunk he is. Well, I’m happy to say the appraiser was also impressed with him and he earned a VVE88! My home bred boy got the highest buck score of the day ❤️

Shep was commended for his incredible depth of body (a 50 in body depth!) and strength (40) but he really loved his head (E). He also scored an E in back. He did say his shoulders are also slightly imbalanced but not too bad (common ND issue), his rear leg angularity could be better. Oh, and we was NOT overheight (I was worried) but we did have to measure him a few times to be certain. He came in right at 23.5 inches.

But also, Shep is a love bug and so easy to handle. I really appreciate that about him. He’s not pushy, always happy to do his job, and he does it well. I used him pretty heavily 2 years ago so he’ll have several other daughters in milk next spring. His only daughter in milk this year (here) is Poppet, who is really incredible. Shep has a few daughters in other herds that are also doing well on milk test and he should earn his +B (already has *B) once this lactation is completed for Poppet.

I’m so proud of this boy! Included are pictures from LA day and the last photo is the one from his first haircut last summer (he was a little heavier and haircut def more grown out at LA this year).

BridieMany know that Bridie is probably my ideal doe. She’s not the friendliest in the herd - she’s friendly enough - bu...
08/14/2026

Bridie

Many know that Bridie is probably my ideal doe. She’s not the friendliest in the herd - she’s friendly enough - but whenever a doe stops me in my tracks in the pasture with her natural beauty, 9 times out of 10 it’s Bridie. She’s gorgeous. Deep bodied, lovely udder. So I will say this is the one score I disagree with but I’m sure it’s because I’m completely barn blind about her. And let’s face it, sometimes the traits you value aren’t the highest on the scorecard - or even on the scorecard at all. This doe has an incredible will to milk and easily did an extended lactation as a first freshener.

the appraiser praised her impressive depth and capacity (46) and really liked her mammary (33, 32, 37). Once again the shoulders haunted us but that was the only A in her scores. She ended up with a GGEE87 - which is still an incredible score, just not what I was expecting. This is why you should go into LA with a completely open mind! But anyway, she’s really lovely and I will continue to be wowed by her every day.

Address

Sandy, OR
97055

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8pm
Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm
Friday 8am - 8pm
Saturday 8am - 8pm
Sunday 8am - 5pm

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