Meet Lyndsay Ludden of The Hoppy Goat Farm in Cornville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lyndsay Ludden.

Lyndsay, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Our farm journey all started when we began really looking at our health and the food we ate. We started reading about where our food comes from and quickly found that the practices used in large scale farming, which is where most of our food came from, did not generate a happy ending for us. Once we dug a little deeper, we realized how disconnected we are with what we eat. We made the decision that it was time for us to start growing and raising our own food.

We sold our house in Phoenix and bought a small piece of property in Cornville, Arizona. Our first farm animals were chickens. We began selling the eggs at our local farmer’s market to offset the cost of feed. We then bought goats, pigs, ducks, and turkeys. We butchered the pigs and birds for our own consumption and used the goats for their milk to make cheese and caramel.

In the meantime, things were getting costly. I must say; it’s not cheap owning a farm. However, I always had this idea in the back of my mind to package and sell this seasoning my dad had created years ago. It isn’t from our farm but we used it to enhance all the food we grew. When I asked him for the recipe he was happy to give it to me and was excited that we were going to sell it.

The first year we sold about 70 jars. It started slow because we were new to farmer’s markets and didn’t have the “following” yet. Believe it or not I was actually really excited that we sold that much!

The next year we expanded to online sales and put the seasoning in a local store in Cornville. To my surprise, we ended up selling over 500 jars that year!

Each year we ended up selling more and more. We now have this amazing following of people that love the seasoning! Many have it as a staple item in their kitchen for everyday cooking. Last year we expanded and created a Taco Seasoning as well. We now sell thousands of jars a year at the farmer’s market, on our website, and through our wholesale accounts.

We also sell amazing goat’s milk soap and produce. The caramel that we make with the goat’s milk is now featured in a seasonal beer created by That Brewery called the Goat Milk Caramel Stout. It has been recognized as a hot item on tap at Fry’s Marketplaces around the valley.

Has it been a smooth road?
We have had struggles along the way. Our biggest struggle is time. Although we have this small business that is doing well, my husband and I both have full-time jobs on top of that. I am a teacher and he works in IT. We invest almost all of our free time into running the farm and our small business.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Hoppy Goat Farm – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Our business is mostly known for our seasonings and goat’s milk soap. These are the items that we sell the most of. However, we are also known for our way of life. I think some are attracted to what we are doing because they see how connected we are to our food. I must say I am most proud of the fact that we jumped into a lifestyle that we were not familiar with, stuck with it, and created a successful business out of it as well. Our passion drives our business and I believe it is what makes us successful. And of course, food brings family, friends and community together; which makes us happy.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What I love about Phoenix is the thriving food industry. There are so many amazing restaurants, farmer’s markets, and local festivals that bring people together for a culinary experience.

What I like least about Phoenix is the overwhelming traffic. I think it’s great that more people are moving to the area but the congestion is partially why we moved to Cornville.

Pricing:

• Dad’s Seasoning $10
• Taco Seasoning $10
• Goat’s Milk Soap $7

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thehoppygoatfarm.com
• Phone: 480-529-6151
• Email: thehoppygoatfarm@gmail.com
• Instagram: @thehoppygoatfarm
• Facebook: facebook.com/thehoppygoatfarm/

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