WesMar Goat Farm

CLICHE WARNING; Good things come, yes, in small packages. When traveling on the road, we find these small packages, sightsee-ers joy, best kept secrets, you've got the idea. The latest find is a small "artisan" goat farm in the heart of Moreauville, Louisiana,  In the campground office (of a very large Casino/hotel/spa/ complex, I picked up a flyer directing us to the farm. And what was better, it happened to be their farm  market day.

From the sound of the information card, we expected a large, commercial operation. After all they promised 2 hour tours of the farm and facilities with advanced reservations, except on Thursday, Market Day. We drove from Marksville southerly a few miles to the farm. Crossing a bridge over the Bayou we immediately faced the farm, a rustic, un-manicured entrance, the driveway a mix of dirt, rocks and gravel, some spanish moss overhead and an unpolished-style charm of the old south. No fancy, over the top commercial facility here but a warm southern welcome with coffee, fresh pecans, generous samples of the Goat Feta, and the Brie that Marguerite Constantine (The Mar in WesMar) is developing. We were invited to sit under the rustic shelter to join their friends and some customers having coffee and treats. One gentleman was holding a 2 day old goat. As cute as could be, of course.

West (the Wes in WesMar) was busy helping a mom and her children with a stalled motorcycle, asking us to enjoy ourselves until he was free so we could taste the cheeses. That would be the farm market part. We chatted for a while, learned about some of the processing techniques in making the cheeses and goat milk as well as a variety of flavored soaps and chocolate covered truffles. 

We resisted the delicious truffles but purchased two containers of the garlic and herb Chevre -- kept frozen until ready to use, a container of Goat Feta and a quart of the Goat Milk. It is all delicious and we were restricted solely by the space in our RV's refrigerator. We chatted some more and grabbed some more PR fliers to take back to the RV park office for others to find. We said our goodbyes and Marguerite stopped us on the way to the car and handed us a full, round 4" wheel of her new Brie. She asked us to "taste-test" it and to email feedback to her. How delightful to be part of the response team. We will indeed follow up with our opinions and are so delighted to have met the Constantines. They are hardworking and devoted to their work.

The towns of Marksville and Moreauville, LA are another fascinating story.  Marksville survives mostly on the back of the huge Native American Casino run by the Tunica Biloxi Tribe and was the first land based Casino in Louisiana.  Casinos are not our usual haunt, we don't gamble and the smoking is overwhelming. However, Casinos are famous for having wonderful RV camp sites at very reasonable prices (such as $8 to $10 a night for full hookups).

Moreauville, the location of the goat farm is rustic looking, featuring many old buildings still standing in various stages of disrepair and is a low key, small  Louisiana town about 63 miles from Baton Rouge. The population is currently 927 and all that we met were Southern friendly. We know life is tough there, with upwards of 9% unemployment, and falling below the National poverty level.  There are 4 old bridges and an average traffic pattern of 2,830 vehicles per day, (oh the wonders of the Internet). 

Travel is so full of unexpected delights, just keep the eyes open and the mind flexible. Thanks for reading my ramblings this far. It is now time to take out Marguerite's Goat Brie and fulfill our part of the bargain to taste test the cheese and provide feedback. Bon appetite. 

Ann Carol Goldberg