2019 Farmer All-Star: Second Bloom Farm
Second Bloom makes goats milk soap, lotion bars, and body care products, and is home to anywhere between 40-60 Nigerian Dwarf goats. “They’re the little guys. They stand at about 28 inches at the shoulders,” explains Austin Wood. Austin and his parents started Second Bloom in 1992. In addition to all the goat products, Second Bloom also runs a still to make essential oils of various herbs grown by local farmers in northern New Mexico. “We [also] do some wild harvesting of pinon and juniper resins, and whatever we can get our hands on.”
The 4.5 acre farm is located in White Rock and they also have a larger, 40-acre ranch in El Rito. The whole operation comes together with family members who handle production and four to six employees who help around the farm. Second Bloom has been at the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market for about 10 years.
“My favorite thing about the Market is the community aspect. [Together] we’re striving to create a sustainable local economy, with food being the emphasis. I think it’s important for people to shop local and support local agriculture, primarily because it helps the community in keeping jobs and keeping a social network,” said Austin.
The future looks bright for Second Bloom. Ever heard of a Goat Milk Latte? “I plan to expand our business, probably within the next 10 years. We want to start a commercial dairy, which will require some infrastructure being built, such as specific buildings and pipelines to deal with milk. We want to create a goat milk latte café. They’re excellent. It’s the best latte in the world,” explained Austin.
The goats never take a day off, and neither do those at Second Bloom. “In the morning I start feeding and doing animal maintenance. I make sure that everybody is okay, their hooves are trimmed, everybody’s cleaned up, pens are clean.”
Austin’s advice for new farmers is sage advice for everyone: “Ask for help. Experience is the best way to get anything done, and one of the most important things you can do is to talk to people that have been doing it before you.”
Photos and video by Gabriella Marks Photography