Nine years ago, the Lischka family started their farming journey with ducks. Kerrieanne Lischka, mother and owner of Honey Down Farm, explains that ducks are relatively simple to take care of – until winter when the water they need to survive freezes. So the family tried out chickens next, at the request of Kerrieanne’s kids. Not long after, at the suggestion of a family friend, Honey Down Farm added goats to their repertoire, which would go on to make up the primary share of the farm. Though they do grow herbs like calendula, lavender, and comfrey, and raise other animals and bees, their primary focus is on Nigerian Dwarf goats, which are known for their butterfat content. “Our goal is really farming first,” Kerrieanne says, “then finding a way to use the milk.”
The family loves to find new ways to share their goats with people. In the spring, Honey Down Farm partners with local businesses and organizations to offer baby goat yoga. This year, they’ve partnered with Blue Luna Yoga & Wellness to offer goat yoga led by a Registered Yoga Teacher, hosted at DNA Hemp Farm in Kewaskum. Kerrieanne explains that they host goat yoga with their kids (their baby goat kids not their actual children) because they’re lighter and smaller than fully-grown goats, which makes for a more comfortable experience when they jump on yogis during practice, and also because it helps socialize the kids with humans. Kerrieanne tells goat yoga participants to smile if they want the goats to come near them; they seem to gravitate toward happier people. In fact, Kerrieanne remarked that she often sees goats avoid people who seem to be in a bad mood or disinterested in them.
In addition to springtime goat yoga, Honey Down Farm enjoys sharing and showing their goats at a variety of events, including a recent goat baby shower in collaboration with the Washington County Humane Society, where visitors could make donations to the humane Society and cuddle with goats. Whether cuddling in person or watching their antics on the live goat cam on Honey Down’s website, Kerrieanne laughs that “You can’t be upset when you watch goats, you just can’t.” In fact, during kidding season (usually March-April) you might even catch a new goat being born on the live cam!
Kerrieanne’s favorite part of farming is getting to do it with her family. Each family member has a different aspect of running the farm that they love, from showing animals at state and county fairs to working markets to just playing with and taking care of the goats at home. Kerrieanne says she and her family find their own personal wellness through farming, explaining that “it forces us to get up every day, even if we’re having a crummy day.” Later, she adds, “It gives you a little bit of a purpose outside of work.” She notices a marked improvement in her mental health after taking care of her animals. “My passion is the farm” she reveals, “it brings so much joy to me to do it.”
Running a small farm and business has given Kerrieanne a new appreciation for farmers and small business owners everywhere, pointing out that both must wear innumerable hats. In her case, as is the case for many farmers she knows, she and her husband both work full-time outside of the farm. When they show up to events or markets with their goats and goat milk products, it’s during what would otherwise be their time off. “That’s what makes small businesses and farmers pretty amazing,” she stresses, “because they are working so hard for their community and for their business.”
Their respect for other small businesses is part of the reason Honey Down Farms takes pride in using as many locally-sourced ingredients in their body care products as possible – over 50% of their ingredients are from right here in Wisconsin. Besides their own goat milk, they also use as much of their own beeswax, honey, and herbs as possible, supplementing from local apiaries and farmers when needed. The goat milk used to make Honey Down’s homemade body products like soaps and lotions is taken only after the baby goats, or kids, are weaned off of bottles and onto solid foods. They choose to bottle-feed the kids milk from their moms, because they find that it helps them bond with people and grow up to be friendlier goats. Honey Down Farm’s goat milk soaps, lotions, lotion bars, and herbal salves are available on their website, as well as at many markets across Southeastern Wisconsin. Watch for them this summer at the West Bend farmers market, the Milwaukee Night Market, and more. Baby goat yoga is taking off for the season, and will be held on Sundays at DNA Hemp Farm in Kewaskum. To keep up to date with other Honey Down events, check out their website and Instagram.
