Gleeful Goats Story

From a Few Curious Goats to Handmade Skincare

A baby goat (kid) with brown and white fur standing on hay, licking or sniffing a white structure, with a black and white adult goat in the background.

What started with just a couple of goats has grown into a small business built on craftsmanship, creativity and a genuine love for making beautiful products.

Like many good stories, Gleeful Goats began with a simple conversation. My daughter convinced me that we should get a couple of goats, so Macy and Spice became the first members of our little herd. Before long, Goaty joined us when a friend moved away, and our goat family slowly began to grow.

When our first kids arrived, so did an abundance of fresh goat milk. The girls produced far more milk than we could ever use ourselves, so I started looking for ways to make the most of this wonderful ingredient.

A display of Gleeful Goats range of handmade goat milk soaps in various colors and scents, arranged on wooden shelves at markets with labels indicating flavors such as honey, French pear, cranberry crush, black raspberry, and forbidden.

After plenty of research, I decided to try making goat milk soap.

It didn't take long before I was completely hooked.

Soap making quickly became more than just a hobby. As someone who's always busy, I discovered the process was incredibly calming. Measuring, mixing, pouring and creating each batch gave me the chance to slow down, focus on the present and enjoy making something by hand.

Over time, I refined my recipes using fresh goat milk from our own herd, carefully selected oils and butters, and a range of beautiful mineral-rich clays. Every batch taught me something new, and every bar reflected the care that goes into making it.

Today, every Gleeful Goats product is still handcrafted in small batches. Because each batch is individually made and poured, no two soaps are ever exactly the same. Their colours, patterns and even their weight vary slightly, making every bar beautifully unique.

As the herd grew and we continued producing more milk than we could use, the range naturally expanded. Alongside our signature soaps, you'll now find handmade shampoo bars, nourishing goat milk lotions and other products created with the same care and attention to detail.

Belinda from Gleeful Goats stands in her barnyard, surrounded by baby goats. The barn features corrugated metal walls and wooden beams, with hay on the ground and a blue water container nearby.
Belinda from Gleeful Goats stands in her barnyard, surrounded by baby goats. The barn features corrugated metal walls and wooden beams, with hay on the ground and a blue water container nearby.

While the products have grown, our philosophy hasn't changed.

We believe in making beautiful everyday skincare using fresh goat milk from our own pampered herd, thoughtfully chosen ingredients and traditional small-batch methods.

Every product begins here on our little farm, and we're delighted to share it with you.

Belinda Wakeling, Soap Maker.

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Meet the Herd

Behind every Gleeful Goats product is a herd full of personality.

A young goat with a white face and dark brown and white body resting on green grass with small yellow flowers.

Herd Master


Cow:
a fixed male who has taken on the role of babysitter.

A close-up of a white goat with curved horns, white fur, and a beard, standing on green grass.

Herd Queen


Macy
(Retired)
The matriarch who rules the roost

Our Retired Ladies

Our original girls have earned a well-deserved retirement. Macy, our much-loved herd queen, along with Spicy and Rosy, continue to enjoy life on the farm where it all began.

Close-up of a white and brown goat with curved horns grazing on green grass in a field on a sunny day with a hill and trees in the background.

Retired Girl


Spicy
Our wild and adventurous Ibex

A black and brown adult goat with prominent curved horns standing in a barn next to a kid goat with a lighter, mottled coat. The barn has corrugated metal walls, a wooden platform, straw bedding, and a metal frame with a blue plastic water tank in the background.

Retired Girl


Rosy
Always first in line for treats

The Milking Team

Our goat milk currently comes from our hardworking girls:
Lace (Spicy's daughter), Honey and Daisy.

A young goat with white and brown fur and large ears standing in a barn with wooden walls and straw on the ground.

Milking Team


Honey:
Our mellow yellow chilled out sweetheart

A goat and a young calf in a blue feeding trough outside on a farm.

Milking Team


Daisy:
Miss Rowdy. Always something to say with a cheeky attitude

Young goat peering through a wooden fence in a barnyard with hay on the ground.

Milking Team


Lace:
Our sweet girl who needs to be centre of attention

The Next Generation

The future of Gleeful Goats is already growing, with Opal, Garnet, Sapphire and the wonderfully mischievous Pearl waiting in the wings.

Two young goats with tan and white fur, one in the foreground and the other in the background, on a grassy area near a wooden fence, a black trash bin, and a metal water container.

Up Coming Girl


Sapphire:
Our resident snuggle bunny ready for hugs

A white goat with blue eyes stands on a stack of tires in a grassy area, with a black goat partially visible in the background.

Up Coming Girl


Pearl:
(the naughty one)
Our cheeky girl who loves mischief

A small white goat standing outdoors on green grass near a black tire with a pink rim. The goat has blue eyes and light brown patches on its body.

Up Coming Girl


Opal:
Miss Independence who just does her own thing

Close-up of a black goat with its head tilted downward and tongue slightly sticking out, standing on a green grassy field with some trees and farm structures in the background under a cloudy sky.
Close-up of a black goat with its head tilted downward and tongue slightly sticking out, standing on a green grassy field with some trees and farm structures in the background under a cloudy sky.

Up Coming Girl


Garnet:
The tranquil one who chills out, but with personality

New Kid on the Block

A small brown and black goat standing on its hind legs, resting its front hooves on a person’s knee, outdoors with a corrugated metal fence in the background.

The New Boy


Rum:
Our new arrival, starting to find his place in the herd

Baby of the Herd

A black and white goat standing on green grass near a weathered wooden fence.

Our Newest Edition


Fern:
Our youngest and littlest baby

Whether they're supplying fresh milk, entertaining visitors or simply enjoying life in the paddock, each goat is an important part of the Gleeful Goats story.

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