Words by Ashley Brown, Photos by Patty Robertson
When Robert and Claudia Ragels were starting a family in Flagstaff, Arizona, they never imagined that two decades later they’d be running a Grade A-certified goat dairy and cheese farm in New Braunfels. Claudia, originally from Germany, and Robert, a U.S. Army veteran, got their first two goats in 1999 for the sake of their children’s health. Their young sons, Robin and Ryan, were getting frequent ear infections, and a doctor suggested they switch from cow milk to goat milk. The ear infections stopped as soon as they made the change.
Goat milk isn’t necessarily a miracle food, but hearing the anecdotes from people over the years who have counted on milk from the Ragels’ goat farm, Goatilicious, it certainly seems worth trying. “Goat milk is easier to digest because it’s naturally homogenized,” explains Claudia. “People who think that they are lactose intolerant often have problems digesting the protein in cow milk and can consume goat milk just fine. Over the years we’ve had numerous people tell us that they are lactose intolerant but that when they tried our milk, they realized they were not.”
One parent was grateful for the way the switch to their milk cured their child’s previously out-of-control eczema. Another appreciative mother told the Ragels of her child who’d been wetting the bed consistently … until she started giving him their milk. One customer had suffered from constipation for years until he transitioned to goat milk. Science suggests that this milk may not only be a good alternative to cow milk, but that it carries health benefits that could warrant adding it to our diets, even if we’re not big milk-drinkers. Among the health issues it could be helpful in alleviating are asthma, allergies and respiratory infections, in addition to digestive problems and eczema.
As the Ragels grew their goat family back in Arizona, they began making cheese and soap from the milk on a small scale. Both having grown up in cities, their knowledge of goats was limited, so they did a lot of reading and sought guidance from mentors. In 2005, they moved to 15 acres in New Braunfels, along with their goats, dogs and cats. Despite their intention to enjoy an early retirement, this property would ultimately become Goatilicious.
As soon as word spread around the Hill Country about the Ragels’ goats, there was an enthusiastic interest in their cheese and milk. At first, the Ragels were selling milk “illegally,” because there were just so many desperate customers. Then, in 2017, they became a Grade A-certified dairy. While they hadn’t exactly planned to build this business, all along the way they’ve pridefully put their hearts and hands into meeting the demand for their high-quality products.
Since becoming certified, Goatilicious has been growing. They’re currently constructing a storefront on the property, so customers will not only be able to visit the farm to purchase cheese, milk and soap, but they’ll also get a window (literally) into the making of the cheese. Robert considers that an important element of local farming — educating people about where their food comes from. I was lucky enough to visit and witness a bit of a day-in-the-life of dairy farming myself.
The herd of milking goats — with their loyal, sweet guard dogs — is just outside the door of the cheese-making room. Robert turned down his rock-n-roll music when I arrived to walk me through the process of making Tommboy and Española, their two hard cheeses. While I wasn’t there for the morning’s milking, I was able to meet the goats who provided the milk, watch Robert work on fitting and turning the cheese into wheels, walk into the refrigerated room where the cheese ages for a few months — developing beneficial mold that instills the cheese with flavor — and, finally, sample the products, which were all delicious. To my delight, I found that the cheese is not what I would call “overly goaty,” which is apparently due to the breed of their goats and what they feed them.
“Over the years we changed the recipes a little, and most of the time the changes were for the better, but we did learn a lot from making cheese that didn’t turn out the way we wanted to. Our cheeses took years to develop to what we really like about them,” says Claudia. There are no additives in these cheeses; they consist of nothing but milk, culture and rennet. The taste is affected by the cultures and the temperature during the aging process. In explaining this to me, Robert takes the opportunity to hammer home the point that there is no such thing as yellow or orange cheese!
They also make spreadable soft cheese, like their mixed herb, and fig and black pepper chevres; cajeta, a luxuriously delectable goat milk caramel; and soaps. They sell the raw milk to order, and it can be picked up by appointment at the farm or at one of the local farmers’ markets they frequent. The milk, sold by the gallon, is only available in late winter and spring; during the fall and winter, the milk is used for making cheese. They sell their cheeses wholesale (and they’re served up at many restaurants in the area) and at the farmers markets in San Antonio, downtown Austin, Dripping Springs and more.
When I remarked that the cheese-making process seems labor-intensive, Robert explains that there’s not a single part of farming that isn’t. But the Ragels take such pride in their product, as well as the goats themselves, that they enjoy all the hard work. Through the years, it’s been tough to find reliable employees, and they’re happy to have a good crew now, as they work on plans to expand.
Among the many challenges they’ve faced in running and building their farm was a contractor who went MIA in the middle of the expansion projects … which is why they’re now building the storefront themselves. During construction of the cheese-making facility, they had to just dump milk for six months. But the Ragels keep forging ahead, and it’s clear how excited they are about the day they’ll be able to welcome customers into their store.
The Ragels are always dreaming up new ideas. They’d been planning on making a cheddar cheese with beer and/or wine, but then the formula shortage struck. People were so desperate for their milk, they sold more than they normally would, meaning less milk for cheese. “We took a fifty percent loss [because the cheese is more profitable] just to make sure people had enough milk for their kids,” says Robert.
I wondered if they ever get sick of cheese — which, of course, would be a great tragedy — and they assure me they don’t. They love to cook with their cheese, make sandwiches with the jalapeño artichoke chevre or just enjoy the hard cheese on a great piece of baguette or with an apple slice.
The farm is home to 95 does that produce milk, 18 bucks and a bunch of junior does — about 150 goats total, all with names. They also breed and sell goats. “We breed for quality, confirmation and high milk production,” says Claudia. The registered Ragels Ziegenhof herd consists of three breeds: Nubians, LaManchas and Nigerians, as well as some mixes. “Even though I don’t show goats, I like to have a goat that is as much show-quality as possible that also gives a lot of milk because I believe if you breed, you might as well better the breed.”
In addition to goats, they raise chickens and ducks and sell their eggs. They have four cows and one bull; they raise the females to sell and bulls for meat. (They don’t believe in eating female cows or goats, because of their value and purpose in life.) And they have donkeys just for fun. The goats produce milk for about 10 years, and after all those years of hard work, they enjoy retirement on the farm or go to other families as pets.
This isn’t just about business for the Ragels. “Being around animals is like free therapy,” says Claudia. “It can be very difficult at times but also very rewarding. In today’s world, animals can be much easier to be around than people at times.” Milking and being with the goats is particularly healing for Robert, who has post-traumatic stress disorder. When he was diagnosed, healthcare professionals specifically told him to work with animals as part of his therapy. “I love working with the goats and making the cheese. It’s all very peaceful,” he says.
Claudia agrees that being around animals all day beats any other kind of work. She explains that growing up, she witnessed male dominance in the workplace, one reason she’s quite happy to be her own boss. “I have too much will to be subservient. Even if we gave up the business, I’d never give up the animals.” Her “colleagues” consist of a few kind people and more than a hundred animals, and her love for and pride in them emanates from her as she introduces me to them all.
For more information, to purchase Goatilicious products or inquire about animals for sale, visit TexasGoatDairy.com.
