Whitley Farm Tour features Rockhold farmer who raises goats for meat

You’re not likely to hear any catchy ad slogans like “Goat … it’s what’s for dinner!” or “Goat: the other white meat” on television anytime soon, but one Whitley County farmer is banking that the worldwide popularity of the animal as a food source will be profitable.
A Rockhold goat farm was the host site for the 2005 Whitley County Farm Tour Thursday and the animal was a key topic of discussion.
Barry and Virginia Arnett, who own Sharpe’s Farm, a fifth-generation land grant family farm that dates back to 1822, said they were more than happy to host the yearly gathering of local farmers and agriculture enthusiasts and use it as an opportunity to discuss the option goats offer to farmers displaced by loss of tobacco price supports.
“Over half of the goats consumed in the U.S. are still imported,” Barry Arnett said. “We’ve got plenty of room to produce more goats. The prices are pretty good and you can really start small. It’s an ideal kind of thing for our vegetation and our situation.”
Over 80 percent of the world’s population consumes goat meat. Arnett said goat is popular with ever-growing ethnic populations in this country. He raises about 50 goats and said he started about two and a half years ago as a hobby after retiring from his corporate career.
“I believe in a business plan and making money,” Arnett said. “I can’t get rich, but I can make a little extra money doing this.”
University of Kentucky County Agriculture Extension Agent Phil Meeks said raising goats is a good choice for southeastern Kentucky farmers because the animal has a diet particularly suited to the foliage in the area and can exist on hillsides.
“A lot of people here don’t have huge pastures or things like that,” Meeks said. “It’s a little more versatile than other livestock.”
Arnett admits there is a stigma among many in the U.S. regarding goat meat. He said its taste and texture lies somewhere between beef and deer. Samples of goat were given to those that attended the farm tour. Over 200 toured the farm and barn during the day-long event.
“I ran into a lady the other day who said she wouldn’t eat goat meat because she raised goats when she was young and she considers them pets,” Arnett said.
“Goat meat is extremely healthy. It’s got less fat than chicken. It’s just a very healthy thing. I think as more people get interested in healthy ways to eat, more of them will try it and look at it as any option.”
He added that as ethnic populations rise in this country, demand for goat meat would expand as well.
“It’s not too bad,” Meeks said of the meat. “It’s pretty similar to beef. I think the stigma is starting to go away a bit. Goat meat is getting into the mainstream market.”
Meeks pointed to some gourmet restaurants beginning to serve it, and said it was featured at the Kentucky Derby two years ago.
Farm tour participants also got to see seminars on beekeeping, a new animal identification system that will be mandated by the federal Food and Drug Administration, week management, vegetable production, and other topics.