The Brooklyn Creamery: Goat farm supplies Wellington locals with fresh milk

The Steenkamps of The Brooklyn Creamery are often accompanied on-farm by their four human kids. Photo / RNZ / Country Life / Gianina Schwanecke

By Gianina Schwanecke of RNZ.

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, have 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 said.

It was always going to be goats, she told RNZ’s Country Life. The rugged nature of the 40ha 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 - 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.

Wandering the paddock before the late afternoon milking, RNZ’s Country Life was 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 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 work in the construction industry.

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.

The Steenkamp family know most of the goats by name. Photo / RNZ / Country Life / Gianina Schwanecke

About half the herd of 63 goats are in milk at the moment, producing between 25-30 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 explained.

“This last season, we decided to try something different.”

Of the 63 goats on the property, about half are currently in milk and most for the first time. Photo / RNZ / Country Life / Gianina Schwanecke

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.

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 the new products that we’ve been trialling at the harbourside market that we do each Sunday,” Naomi said.

It's time for milking at The Brooklyn Creamery, outside Wellington. Photo / RNZ / Country Life / Gianina Schwanecke

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 said.

“After it’s pasteurised,” added Frans.

The goats are drafted into a 12-bay milking shed, custom-tailored for sheep and goats. Photo / RNZ / Country Life / Gianina Schwanecke

Though not certified, the family farm used 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 said.

“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.

- RNZ