Address: 195 Boggy Creek Lane, Ararat NC 27007 / (336) 287-6866
Farm Type:
Farmer
About Us / Boggy Creek Farms History:
Raises Animal Welfare Approved goat breeding stock. Please contact via phone or email for purchasing. \n\nThe breed of goats that Debbie and Aaron Dermid raise, while hard to find in the United States, are a New Zealand meat goat well-adapted to the heat and humidity of North Carolina. The Dermids returned to their home state after Aaron left his career as a state trooper in Florida and received a degree in horticulture. After a lot of research, they decided to raise Kiko goat on their 13 acres in the foothills of the northern part of the state for their very low incidence of parasite problems, slow-growing hooves and maternal instinct. Kiko mothers immediately clean their young and care for them attentively, leading to very low mortality rates. In addition, they have a remarkable ability to conserve water in hot environs.\n\nAlthough Debbie and Aaron raise their animals as breeding stock, so they don’t process or sell any meat, they are concerned with where their goats go and how they’ll be treated. When the farm where they bought their goats told them about Animal Welfare Approved, Debbie and Aaron felt confident that the program shared their philosophy of animal husbandry. “We treat them as we want to be treated,” says Aaron. Boggy Creek Farms’ goats are free ranging on large well-managed pastures, “coming and going as they please. If they want to kid under a pine,” he says, “they can do it.” They are proud of letting the animals be who they are.\n\nThe Dermids plan to continue expanding their farm, growing vegetables to share with their children and grandchildren and sell within their community and adding more livestock species. The market for their 100% pure Kiko breeding stock covers the Southeast and customers can buy directly from the farm as far north as they want them by contacting Debbie and Aaron.\n\nAaron says they are enjoying their retirement. As well as riding their motorcycle, hunting and fishing, they “sit out on the pasture in lawn chairs with all the animals almost every night.”