From ‘fun hobby to a fun little business’ at Green Oaks Nubians
Small business uses goat’s milk to make soaps, shampoo bars and lotion
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Jenna Burris has found a way to turn her love of goats into a thriving small business, and it’s something that began when she was a child.
Before they had children, Burris’ parents owned a large goat dairy farm. After that, she says her family always had goats growing up.
Loving them so much, she purchased her own little herd of Nubian goats when she got older. Then, when Burris married, she took the goats with her when she moved to her husband’s dairy farm in Green Oaks, Colchester County.
Nubians, goats with long ears and a Roman nose, are her preferred goat breed.
Burris says she soon realized that Nubian goats produce a lot of milk.
“We don’t consume the goat milk, as we have ample raw milk to drink from our dairy farm, so for a while, I was just milking the goats and dumping the milk,” she says. “This was such a waste.”
Five years ago, Burris started making soap from this excess goat milk. Originally, she made it to give it to family and friends. But, it didn’t take long for people to ask if they could buy it. Everything grew from there.
“It has grown from a fun little hobby into a fun little business,” she says.
Jenna Burris has found a way to turn her love of goats into a thriving small business, Through Green Oaks Nubians. Before they had children, Burris’ parents owned a large goat dairy farm. After that, she says her family always had goats growing up. Loving them so much, she purchased her own little herd of Nubian goats when she got older. Then, when Burris married, she took the goats with her when she moved to her husband’s dairy farm near Truro.
This was the beginning of her business, called Green
Oaks Nubians. Through this, her purpose is to create quality, small-batch, local products composed of familiar ingredients and make good use of the large amounts of goat milk she has access to.
Burris taught herself how to make her products. The journey was a learning experience and a labour of love. But, today, the recipe she uses for her soap is the same recipe she has used since the very beginning.
At first, she started making just regular hand and body soap. After that, she added face soap and shampoo bars, then lotion. She also has some other miscellaneous products in her lineup.
The process starts first with milk from her goats, says Burris. The goats kid in the late winter or early spring, so she usually milks them as they get close to weaning their kids. It’s done through a combination of milking by hand and using a portable milk machine.
The milk is frozen to use throughout the year, as Burris says she only milks the goats for a few months.
“The milk in my products is 100 per cent milk from my goats. I take the frozen milk and add it to an assortment of oils and butters, depending on the product I’m making,” she explains.
Out of all her products, Burris says her most popular one is her goat milk lotion and the regular goat milk soap. She says her customers also love her monthly themed specials.
One of Burris’ challenges with her goats comes with just having animals. That is losing them.
“I care about my goats very much and it is sad if they get sick or die,” she says.
On the flip side, Burris says the most rewarding part is being able to take something she loves so much — her goats — and share them with her customers through social media
and the products they buy. “I have met so many wonderful people through this endeavour and truly appreciate the interest and support I have received,” she says.
As Burris’ business kept growing, she needed more space. She recently built a workshop, which has helped her make more product and better meet demand. Before this, she did everything in her kitchen.
In the future, she plans to continue as she has been with her monthly sales on her website
and selling online through the Truro Farmers’ Market.
“My hope is to secure some wholesale opportunities this year with local businesses,” she says. Her work with Green Oaks Nubians is on the side, or a hobby. In the past, she has used her background in psychology and has worked for child welfare, early intervention, and at a local transition house. These days, she spends her time raising her two young daughters and helps out on the family dairy farm.
This has lead to another challenge with her business — finding enough time to dedicate to it.
“I have two young children, and this business has grown into something that requires quite a bit of my time. I am very, very grateful for that!” she says.
Anyone interested in viewing or ordering Green Oaks Nubian products can visit greenoaksnubians.ca. The website is updated the first day of each month with new products where there are monthly product launches that typically sell out quickly. The website then closes until the next launch.
As the soap takes four to six weeks to cure and be ready to use, the system allows Burris to stay organized and properly showcase the products.
Otherwise, Green Oaks Nubians’ products can be found in the online shop at the Truro Farmers’ Market. She can ship anywhere in Canada or the United States.