12/30/2023
After an abundance of thought and consideration, we have decided to suspend the
operation of 7 Trees Dairy Goats LLC as of December 31, 2023
Many of you know that Marva was raised on a dairy farm, and some of that original land is where the goat farm is currently located. She always knew she would like to get back into farming someday, but not with dairy cows. While looking through Country Folks Magazine, a herd of goats and equipment was for sale. So back in 2008 Marva and I drove to Livingston Manor NY to look at a herd of 15 milking goats, and a large Buck named Monster. She was interested in purchasing the dairy and cheese making equipment without the goats since we both had full time jobs and no barn available for animals. The deal was all or nothing, so in June of 2008, we were the proud owners of a herd of goats, an entire dairies worth of equipment, materials and some supplies. Families basements, garages, storage sheds, garage ceiling rafters, and any other place we could find became storage areas, and Dr Bob Toole let us use two end stalls at his barn on Nelson Road , across from the current Troyers Country store, to house the goats.
We contracted with Finger Lakes Construction to build the facility we have now to to Marva’s specifications, and the internal rooms were built by family. By November 2008 the goats were moved to their new barn, and more work continued on fencing and the internal rooms. Full time jobs were worked while building up our own herd of goats and making a determination if the business would be a viable venture, and a fulltime commitment was required of one of us. Fast forward, goat kids were born, goats needed to be milked and there was no use for all of the milk that was produced. Someone had to leave their job and start a dairy, or ?????.
With much encouragement for NYS Division of Agriculture and Markets employees Becca Durant and Bob Harrington, Marva was encouraged to proceed. She left Metro Mattress and worked to perfect cheese recepies and to get the proper equipment to get certified by NY State Ag and Markets as a certified goat dairy and milk processor. We were licensed in 2014, went on our last vacation, a cruise thru the islands of Maine, and started selling at the Cazenovia Farmers Market in the fall of 2014. We had a tremendous amount of support from family members and friends to get to this point. Without all of them it would have never been possible. There are so many we should recognize for their contributions that we would need an entire separate letter to address them all. **
We did Farmers Markets over the years in Chittenango, Oneida, Rome, Hamilton, Clinton, Fayetteville and Cazenovia. Events a Great Swamp Conservancy Spring and Fall Migrations. Pop up markets at Adams Acres Organic Apple Farm, Nature Thyme in Syracuse, Cobblestone Valley U-Pick strawberry farm, Nelson Farms, Taste of Madison County at Lorenzo and the Taste of Cazenovia at Willow Bank Yacht Club and Cazenovia Country Club. We participated in CCE Madison County Open Farm Day and eventually did 4 markets a week and sold from our farm and Henrys Farm Stand in Chittenango.
I retired from my “real job”, and did three markets a week while Marva covered the fourth. Last year we reduced to two markets a week and lessened the herd. Even though we are a seasonal producer from May thru October, farming with animals is a 365 day a year commitment. After 15 years of ownership and 9 year of markets and other events, its time for us to do something new. We have welcomed 1000’s of people to our farm, have met many vendors and customers over the years, and have made countless friends and acquaintances. We have so many loyal customers that have supported us, and have met new customers at every event and market. Some of you we know by name and have follower your stories and families over the years.
The end will be bitter sweet. We want to spend time at the family camp on Lake Champlain, visit friends that have moved away, and maybe go on another cruise.
We will miss all the people we have met and interacted with along the way.
THANK YOU ALL for enriching our lives as we hope we made yours a little bit brighter!
Susan & Marva
**Pat and Anna Hogan, Bob and Marion Barbero, Sonny, Uncle Paul, Ron Proctor, Linda Smith, Skip, Marlene, Howard Ryan, April, Megan and Eric, Kole, Aunt Ruth, Debi, Susie, Sandy, Lucinda, LeeAnn,Myrna, Abbie, Grace, Audrey, Andrew, Mark, Shelby, Aunt 9Gert, Dawn, Michelle, Sharon, Cindy, Richard, Jack and Linda, Julie and Craig, Shad and Missy, and all the other sister and brother in laws, nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews who supported from far and wide!
