Julia Shewchuk, Soapmaking, Cheesemaking Dairy Goat Farmer

Name: Julia Shewchuk

Occupation: Farmer; Goat mother; WWOOF host; Cheesemaker; Soapmaker; Customer relations; Wife; Friend; Teacher; Cuddler; and Planner

Place of Residence: Pinetta, Florida

Background and Personal History: Julia grew up in Germany in a brownstone with a hamster as her only pet. She always loved animals, though, and always played in the dirt. So early on, her mother told her that she would either marry a millionaire or a farmer — she has done better and became a farmer herself.

Julia came to the US in 1984 to study engineering and fell in love with her husband and the country. After moving around the United States with their jobs for many years, Julia and her husband settled in North Florida on a 30-acre homestead to grow some roots and reduce their footprint on Mother Earth. The farm is now 80 acres, runs on solar, is Animal Welfare Approved Certified, houses anywhere from 4 to 10 WWOOFers/interns, and is the home to 58 dairy goats, 16 Black Angus Cattle, 278 laying hens, 3 horses, 3 cats, 4 house dogs, 6 Livestock Guardian Dogs, and 6 ducks.