The Steenkamps are often accompanied on-farm by their four human kids. Photo: Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life
Situated in a valley below Wellington's Brooklyn wind turbine, Naomi and Frans Steenkamp are busy preparing for the next round of kids.
The couple, along with their four human children, has been supplying Wellington with fresh goat's milk and goat's milk products under The Brooklyn Creamery, since 2021.
"We're probably the only capital city in the world that has a goat farm in an inner-city suburb and that's pretty cool," Naomi says.
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It was always going to be goats, she tells Country Life. The rugged nature of the 40-hectare farm is best suited to them.
Initially though, the family thought they would make cheeses after being inspired by Kaikōura cheesemakers.
They soon realised the people of Wellington wanted the basics instead - a whole goat milk - and the cheese market was already quite well served. It was about "filling in the gaps".
Being naturally A2, goat's milk is more easily digestible. It also does not need to be homogenised as it does not separate and is thus less processed compared to other milks.
The family knows most of the goats by name. Photo: Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life
Wandering the paddock before the late afternoon milking, Country Life is introduced to many of the herd's matriarchs. There's Tawny - one of the Steenkamp's first goats - easily recognisable due to her brown colouring, and the rotund Victoria who Naomi suspects is soon to kid triplets, and of course Nibbles. It comes as no surprise that she is prone to nibbling on mic cords.
Naomi knows them all and greets each by name as if old friends, no easy feat when most of the goats all share the same white colouring of the Swiss Saanen.
"I've got four kids of my own and I feel like I'm a bit of a midwife now to the caprine world, because we take these animals right from their first breaths if you like until their last."
Frans recognises the goats mostly by their udders. He does most of the milking after he finishes at work in the construction industry.
Of the 63 goats on the property, about half are currently in milk and most for the first time. Photo: Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life
Milking once in the afternoon not only suits the busy family's lifestyle, but also means the goats are more comfortable at night without overly full udders and spend the rest of the next day grazing and producing more milk for the next day.
About half the herd of 63 goats are in milk at the moment, producing between 25 to 30 litres a day.
It's the first time the Steenkamps have continued milking over the winter.
"There's a reason why a lot of farmers just [kid] once a year and then retire their animals for a certain period where they're dry just to get them nice and strong before their next lactation season, and we did that for the first two years of being commercial," Naomi explains. "This last season we decided to try something different."
Half the herd was mated early, with the first lot of kids arriving in May. The latter half are expected to kid from now until early next month.
It's time for milking at The Brooklyn Creamery, outside Wellington. Photo: Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life
This means the family is able to supply Wellington with year-round milk. It's also meant more milk for new products.
"That boost will mean we are actually able to, finally, launch some of our new products that we've been trialling at the harbourside market that we do each Sunday," Naomi says. That includes their new range of yoghurts which are soon to be available in-store as well.
"A lot of it when you're a farm-to-fridge type of thing, is we're looking at doing things for our customers but we need the goats too. It really was a case of 'come on goats, let's see what we can do here'."
"We just take what the animal gives us, put it in a bottle and then it's into Wellington sometimes that same day after it's milked," Naomi says. "After it's pasteurised," adds Frans.
The goats are drafted into a 12 bay milking shed, custom tailored for sheep and goats. Photo: Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life
Though not certified, the family farm uses organic and permaculture principles, as they are big believers in "circular systems".
The farm is surrounded by a population of feral goats, a remnant group of Cashmere goats that used to roam the hills before the collapse of the industry in the 1980s.
While these feral goats are considered pests, the Steenkamps' herd is a force for good, with profits from some of their products going to Caprines for Conservation projects like pest and predator control on the farm, as well as planting and fencing.
"It's kaitiakitanga," Naomi says. "It's us and the goats, with their milk, being able to make beautiful products that are good for you, good for the environment and full circle."
The family also operates a rinse and return bottle for re-use scheme.
You can find out more on their website.
