Our Story
About RiverHouse Dairy
From two baby goats to a multi-species dairy — built from scratch in Lewis County, Washington.
Hi, I'm Christine.
I'm a dairy farmer, a Lewis County Farm Bureau board member, and the developer behind GoatSteward. I bought this farm in 2020 with no farming background — I came from the gaming industry. Everything I know, I learned by doing it, getting it wrong, and doing it again.
How It Started
Two Baby Goats and a Desire for Fresh Milk
In spring of 2022 we brought home Relequen and Gwendolyn — two Nigerian Dwarf kids. They were adorable, but they weren't producing milk. We wanted milk that year. So we went right back and bought their mother, Jewel. And while we were there, we picked up Liza (a beauty queen), Eleanor with her baby boys Sonic and Boom, and her runt daughter Smidgen.
In July I bought a baby buckling named Popcorn. He was supposed to be our future herd sire. What I didn't plan for was Popcorn breeding Liza through the fence at four months old.
On January 1, 2023, our first farm-born kid arrived. We named her Dagny. Daughter of Liza and Popcorn. Nobody said farming was predictable.
Growth
Adding Sheep, Cattle, and Purpose
Summer 2023 — Sheep. I was looking for a milk breed with high butterfat. I ran into Icelandic sheep and fell in love with the heritage breed — incredible fleece, rich milk, and real hardiness for Pacific Northwest weather. The flock began.
2024 — Jersey Cows & Zebu. My niece has low-functioning autism and can't tolerate conventional cow milk. But A2/A2 genetics changed that. We added Jersey cows and Zebu cattle for heavy cream — the kind that makes our ice cream, yogurt, and cheese genuinely creamier. Cow milk separates the cream naturally; goat and sheep milk is homogenized. Together, they make incredible dairy products.
2025 — Lacaune Genetics. I drove 1,157 miles to South Dakota to bring home four Lacaune-influenced ewes. Lacaune are the breed behind Roquefort cheese in France — some of the richest dairy sheep genetics in the world. We're building a Lacaune breeding program in the Pacific Northwest, and in spring 2026, we have 10 pure Lacaune semen straws arriving from two different rams.
A Jersey cow with her newborn calf. We added cattle for A2/A2 heavy cream — the missing piece for our dairy products.
Community
Finding My People Through Farm Bureau
I've lived in Lewis County for 20 years. I was born in Washington state, but way up north. When we started farming, I had no network. No one to call when I needed hay. No one to ask about feed costs. I was figuring everything out alone, and it was expensive.
In 2024 I joined the Lewis County Farm Bureau out of pure frustration. It changed everything. I met a fellow farmer who runs a pumpkin patch — I brought baby goats, and we sold 11. They got a petting zoo; I moved goats. A large dairy farmer added 300 lbs of seed to his bulk order for me. I found connections for seed, feed, and hay that I never would have found on my own.
In November 2025, I attended the annual state Farm Bureau meeting for the full policy review. I became a Lewis County Farm Bureau board member that same month. In January 2026, I hosted the first Farmers Networking event at D9 Market in Ethel — and the reception was incredible.
The Farm Bureau isn't just a membership. It's the community I wished I'd had from the beginning.
Technology
Software Built by a Steward, for Stewards
I built GoatSteward because nothing existed for goat farmers. The herd management tools out there were built for cattle operations — wrong breeds, wrong terminology, wrong workflows. So I built my own. 536 functions. Health tracking, FAMACHA scoring, milk records, breeding management. Built on the same Next.js and Supabase stack as this website.
I built GoodOfTheOrder after joining the Farm Bureau board. The monthly meetings needed better minute management, and I needed a project that solved a real problem. Robert's Rules meeting management — agenda tracking, parliamentary procedure, meeting minutes.
I came from the gaming industry. I'm not a trained developer. I learned to code by building the tools my farm needed. The tagline is real: Family Farm. Premium Dairy. Thoughtful Technology.
The Road Ahead
Where We're Going
We consume our own milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream every day. The next step is sharing that with our community.
Pure Lacaune Genetics
10 pure Lacaune semen straws arriving — 5 each from two different rams. Building a foundation breeding program for dairy sheep in the Pacific Northwest.
Licensed Organic Micro Dairy
Working toward becoming a licensed organic micro dairy with raw milk, artisan cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and value-added body care products.
Farm Goods Store
An online store at riverhousedairy.com/shop — dairy products, body care, breeding stock, coloring books, and merchandise.
Agrotourism
Farm visits, educational workshops, and agrotourism experiences. We're building toward it — but we're honest about where we are.
80+
Animals
8
Breeds
1,157
Miles for Lacaune
536
GoatSteward Functions
Want to Connect?
Whether you're a fellow farmer, a Farm Bureau member, or just curious about dairy goats — I'd love to hear from you.