At White Egret Farm, agriculture is a hands-on experience. Lee Dexter, the
farm’s owner, feels it is important that everyone, and especially children, see
where their food supply comes from. At the goat dairy seven miles east of
Austin on FM969 (Webberville Road) the farm animals are all hand-fed and enjoy
the attention of visitors.
The first to greet you is the friendly farm dog. Dexter or farm manager Troy
Davis are usually close by to give you a human welcome. This is a working farm,
so visitors are taken around as
everyone does their chores.
White Egret Farm has a herd of over 130 goats. The majority of the herd is a
white Saanen dairy goats, a breed that originated in Switzerland. They also
have a few nubian goats that originated in North
Africa and are
distinguished by their Roman noses and floppy ears.
This is the only grade-A raw goat milk producer in the Austin area and
possibly in the state, Dexter says. Their milk conforms to the same health
standards as cow milk sold at grocery stores without the use of pasteurization.
Milking occurs daily at 8am and 4pm. The best time to visit is in the
afternoon before milking. The four pigs love to have visitors spray them with a
garden hose. Pigs don’t have sweat glands, so they wallow in the mud to keep
cool, Dexter tells her young audience. They are a part of the farm’s recycling
program by eating the waste from the cheese-making operation.
Like any good farm, White Egret Farm has an old mare who doesn’t seem to have
an opinion about anything. There also is a black cow who enjoys a good rub
behind her ears. Out in the pasture are eight more beef steers. The only animal
on the farm who doesn’t seem to enjoy visitors is the white guard donkey named
Iota. “As in `I don’t care one iota,’ ” Dexter said.
The farm also raises a flock of turkeys destined for the holiday tables.
Despite being rather intimidating, turkeys are actually very affectionate
creatures, Dexter said.
Trained as a biologist, Dexter and her husband moved the farm to the Austin
area five years ago from Illinois. “It’s the biology teacher in me that makes
me want to show people where their food comes from,” she says. Last year the
farm hosted over 8,000 school children.
After all the work of visiting the farm, of course there are samples of cold
goat milk to quench your thirst. They specialize in unprocessed goat milk, goat
cheeses, and all-natural meats. The farm is also working to develop
drought-resistant, warm-season grasses as an alternative to hay as feed for the
farm animals.
White Egret Farms products are available at the farm or the farmers’ markets
at Whole Foods and on Burnet Road. The farm is at
15704 Webberville, east
of Austin. Call 276-7408 for more information.
Coming up this weekend…
Wurstfest in New Braunfels is the premier salute to sausage-making in Texas,
Nov. 1-10. 800/221-4369.
Arts Festival in Round Top is a good reason to discover the quaint village 90
miles east of Austin, Nov. 2-3, 409/249-3308.
Coming up…
Heritage Syrup Festival in Henderson celebrates the East Texas tradition of
ribbon cane syrup-making, Nov. 9. 903/657-4303.
Blue Mountain Vineyard in Ft. Davis won the bronze medal for their 1995 Chenin
Blanc in their first try in the 1996 Lone Star State Wine Competition. Watch
for their recently released 1995 Cabernet, available only in West Texas (see
“Day Trips” No. 282). 915/426-3763.
Day Trips, Vol.1, a book of the first 100 day trips from this
column, updated and expanded, is available for $6.95, plus $3.05 for shipping
and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, 1712 E. Riverside Dr., Box 156, Austin, TX
78741.
286th in a Series. Collect Them All.
This article appears in November 1 • 1996 and November 1 • 1996 (Cover).
