Hello Friends, Family and Followers!
Great news! Yesterday was our FIRST day of shooting and it went FANTASTICALLY! Our first stop was Jack and Pinky Hawes of Ripon, CA. Jack and Pinky raised dairy goats on one of the largest and most successful commercial dairies of all time: Laurelwood Acres. We talked with Jack and Pinky about the dairy, their experiences as ADGA judges and their love of dairy goats. Even though it has been 30 years since Laurelwood disbanded, Jack and Pinky’s home is still filled with goat memorabilia. Here are some great pictures from the day, taken by the talented Mr. Julian Broudy.
Jack and Pinky
The Hawes home is covered in family photos ranging over 60 years. Pinky’s style is of course expressed all over the house in her color of choice… pink!
Trevor and I getting some footage of Jack and Pinky. I am obviously pleased!
Pinky in front of a display case of goat figurines and old photos
Jack and Pinky showed us tons of old slides, photos and newspaper clippings from the days of Laurelwood Acres
Jack and Pinky camera-ready!
Trevor and I getting a shot of what used to be Laurelwood Acres, which is now a large suburban housing development
Thank you so much Jack and Pinky for all your hospitality and help on this project!
And finally, here are some beautiful photos of our journey from Los Angeles to Ripon, CA:
Less than an hour outside LA on the 5. Doesn’t this look like a foreign country??
Beautiful California! No wonder so many people want to live here..
More greenery…
Thank you Julian for sharing your pictures with us! More to come tomorrow on Redwood Hill!
Memories are wonderful – thanks for reminding me of Laurelwood acres & Jack & Pinky. I visited the dairy back in the early 80′s and have never forgotten the experience.
I also milked for Jennifer & Steven in the early 90′s – GREAT people!
I spent many years helping out at the National Shows & am looking forward to your movie.
Please tell your Mom that I said HELLO
Gerri Horka (once more living in Northern CA)
Thank you! I am sad that I never made it to Laurelwood (I wasn’t born yet…) but I’ve heard amazing things about it. Stay tuned for more updates!
Gerri – Ahhhh – A voice from the past. It is the 5th of July, 2012 and I decided to find friends that I wrongfully lost touch with over the years.
Great to know that you are alive and well and still into goats. Every time I put my Goat Christmas ornament on the tree I think of you..
I miss Horka and think of him, you, and the family often, as I am sure you do. I hope the clan is well.
Brenda
PS: Nice documentary.
Hi Brenda,
You are indeed a ‘voice from the past’ – let’s continue this conversation outside of this particular venue. My email is still just gerrihorka@aol.com. I’d enjoy getting caught up!
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I wish we could have made the trip to the infamous “Laurelwood Acres” back in the early 70′s. I believe the owners name was Wes Nordfelt. We raised oats in a suburb of Chicago in the late 60′s until 1985 and many of our herd came from LA’s. Old names like LA’s Adventure Boy, and Commando come to mind as well as Yenda and many others. When my father passed away in 1999 we were still paying for ampules from Westward Ho, Adventure Boy Commando and a few others. Great to hear some old stories from the good ole days in goat farming.
Ivan Vackicev