Forum: Learning with Goats

Date: Thursday, November 10, 2022

Time: 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Fee: $15 (General)

Location: Silverado Vineyards Sensory Theater, Robert Mondavi Institute Sensory Building

Speaker: Ben Rupchis is the Goat Teaching & Research Facility Manager. He has been at UC Davis for three and a half years, and before that worked in the dairy goat industry on private farms and dairies. He is a licensed judge with the American Dairy Goat Association and has traveled extensively across the United States and Mexico in a variety of roles serving the industry. Ben grew up on the east coast and earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia.

Co Speaker: Erika McKenzie-Chapter is the head cheesemaker and herd manager at Pennyroyal Farm, which started cheese production in 2012 with 85 goats. Her family has been in the cow dairy business for generations, but once she started working with goats at the UC Davis Goat Farm, she was hooked. Erika graduated from UC Davis and apprenticed in France before returning to Davis for her master’s degree in Animal Biology.

Co Speaker: Kristy Portillo is the Animal Facilities Coordinator at UC Davis. Her biography is coming soon.

Welcome reception at 5:30 pm

If you are attending in person, please join our welcome reception which will include light refreshments and feature the UC Davis Olive Center and UC Davis Honey and Pollination Center. They will offer tastings for their award-winning olive oil and single-variety honey. Products will be available for purchase and directly support the centers. Cash and check payments only.

Questions? Please contact rmievents@ucdavis.edu, (530) 752-4180.