By Emmy Powell
Communications Specialist
Just outside Houston’s expanding suburbs, a micro goat dairy in Needville is winning customers over one popsicle at a time.
At All We Need Farm, Stacey Roussel has spent the past 11 years building a niche dairy farm centered around handcrafted goat milk popsicles, a product that once puzzled customers who weren’t sure they liked goat milk at all.
Roussel originally trained to become a CPA but quickly realized a desk job wasn’t the right fit.
“I started thinking about what I could do in life that made me happy,” she said.
Rousell started the farm in 2004 with four acres of vegetables, 200 chickens and 10 pigs.
In 2008, Roussel’s daughters asked for goats for Christmas, and before she knew it, those two goats turned into 10, and they had more milk than they knew what to do with.
Finding the right fit
The Houston market was already saturated with traditional goat cheeses, and Roussel wanted to create something different.
She began experimenting with ice cream recipes using the rich, high-butterfat milk from her Nubian and LaMancha goats.
With the help of a friend, who’s a chef, she decided to put the frozen treat on a stick. And from there, the business was born.
At first, convincing customers to try goat milk popsicles wasn’t always easy, Roussel said.
“When we first started, I would say, ‘Would you like to try this popsicle we make on our farm?’ People would say yes. They would taste it and say, ‘It’s delicious.’ And I’d tell them it’s made with goat’s milk,” Roussel said.
They were shocked they loved the treats, but that hesitation faded over time.
“As we’re spending more and more time in the market, there’s no resistance anymore,” she said. “I’m not afraid to lead with the goat because I have confidence in my product.”
That confidence was built through years of trial, growth and adaptation.
Today, the female-owned and operated dairy produces between 500 and 800 popsicles a day, with more than 40 flavors in production.
Goats milk to frozen treats
The popsicles are made with whole milk, cane sugar and real flavors, like fresh strawberries, peaches and more.
“That’s why our customers come back time and time again,” Roussel said. “It’s authentic, real and delicious.”
Chocolate remains the top seller, but more adventurous flavors like avocado, banana pudding and coconut have also built loyal followings.
It takes Roussel about two-and-a-half hours to milk their small herd. The milk is then pasteurized with cane sugar or honey.
The sweetened, pasteurized milk goes into stainless steel totes to then be mixed and placed into molds and assembled with sticks.
Once the popsicles are put together, they are placed in a freezer for five to 30 minutes depending on the weather and temperatures outside.
They are taken out of the molds, packaged, put back in the freezer and are then ready for delivery.
Taking the farm to the city
Roussel delivers and distributes the products herself across the area from La Grange to Nassau Bay and Freeport to Houston.
The business has grown largely through relationships with local shops and loyal customers.
“We focused on mom-and-pop shops because they’re small, and that seemed to work really well with what we were doing,” she said. “Those folks are really loyal to us.”
The popsicles can be found in over 20 stores across the Houston area.
Operating a dairy near one of the largest urban centers in the country comes with challenges. Land is limited, agricultural infrastructure is scarce and engaging consumers about goat milk products takes persistence, Roussel said.
But she takes the opportunity to make the connection between agriculture and nearby urban communities.
Milking what’s next
Roussel has built a business that’s as unique as the products she sells, and she has big plans for her future.
She currently milks 20 goats but hopes to double the size of the dairy to 40 to 50 goats.
She also plans to expand into goat milk caramel this fall.
“The most rewarding part of this is being with all our goats,” she said. “One of the reasons I love this work is it’s challenging and beautiful all at the same time.”
It’s a sweet success story for All We Need Farm and the woman who took a chance on turning goat milk into popsicles.
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