Erin Dahl had never worked with livestock when she took a job at a local goat dairy. It didn’t take long to feel at home.
“Within minutes, I knew that this was it,” Dahl said.
Today, she and her partner run The Salty Goat in Southern Oregon, raising more than 100 goats and milking 31 each day. They use the milk to make fresh chèvre, feta and a brie-style cheese.
Dahl said caring for the herd is at the center of the work.
“It really does feel like they are the stars of this show,” she said.
That care extends to how the milk moves through the creamery. Dahl said the milking area, cooling tank and pasteurizer are all within 20 feet of one another. She credits fresh milk and careful handling with producing cheese that challenges expectations of a strong goat cheese flavor.
The Salty Goat’s brie-style cheese earned a bronze medal at the World Cheese Awards. Dahl said its sea salt feta also received a third-place award at the American Cheese Society competition.
“It really validates the work,” she said.
The creamery sells its cheeses at regional farmers markets and supplies local restaurants. Its offerings include chevre rolled in harissa.
For Dahl, those connections are another reward.
“It's so exciting to share it ... and have these working relationships with people in the community,” she said.
Erin Dahl, owner, The Salty Goat
