WHERE IT ALL STARTED

A 'Rich' History

When Larry and Clara Hedrich met in 1977, they talked about what they could do for their future children. They felt the best gift they could give them was to teach them how to work. Thus, they purchased a 22-acre farm just outside of Chilton, WI. The farm came with two peacocks, a flock of chickens, and two goats. 

Larry and Clara's interest in goats took off in the 1980s. Larry and Clara worked full-time off the farm; Clara taught high school agriculture, and Larry was an area Superintendent for an industrial construction company. Not to mention, they were raising five children. Though they couldn't fully invest themselves in raising goats, they took a family vacation every year to a different state to learn about the goat industry across the country.

In 2012, Larry and Clara took all of the knowledge they had accumulated and broke ground on LaClare Family Creamery. In 2018, their passion continued as Calanna Specialty Meats, a state-of-the-art kid goat-raising facility, was established on their original homestead. 

Goat Kid Care

“The products our family creates are made for families. We work hard to give the best care possible to the animals so we can provide the highest-quality products in the industry. We care about the products and the people that use them.”

We implement the same values in the cheese industry in our meat products. Our focus is giving the kid goats the best possible care in a healthy, stress-free environment. Outside pens are used in good weather. Kids are started on milk replacers through automatic feeders and have feed available 24/7. Pellets are introduced at about two weeks of age, and weaning takes place at 7-8 weeks of age. All kids are monitored daily, and herd data is recorded, making all information available for all animals in the facility.

Calanna Specialty Meats History

1977

Larry and Clara meet and purchase a 22-acre farm with two goats in Chilton, Wisconsin, in 1978.

Education

GOAT MEAT FACTS

Goat meat has excellent flavor and is very healthy. It is low in fat, cholesterol, calories, and saturated fat.

Goat meat is over 50 percent lower in fat than American beef and about 40 percent lower in saturated fat than chicken – even chicken cooked with the skin off.

No hormones are used in the growing process.

Approximately 75% of the World’s Population eats goat meat, and it is the world’s most popular meat.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Cooking goat meat can be a challenge due to its low-fat content. Goat meat should be cooked low and slow to prevent it from drying out and becoming tough. The best ways to cook goat meat are roasting and braising. Roasting can be done in the oven, in a smoker, or on the grill. Braising involves cooking with liquid, such as water, wine, or milk. Marinating will also help retain moisture and tenderness.

The animals selected for our meat have been humanely raised in a state-of-the-art facility on a balanced ration of food, plenty of fresh water, and access to the outdoors. The animals are processed in a state-inspected facility when sold in Wisconsin and a Federally-inspected facility when sold to other states.

Goat meat is safe indefinitely if kept continuously frozen. For the best quality and to prevent freezer burn, only keep meat frozen for up to four months.

Goat meat and other goat products are available at a variety of specialty markets. Visit our Where to Buy page to see the nearest location.

Learn more about our goat meat products.

Learn more about our goat meat products.

Learn more about our goat meat products.