Carly began the Bellhurst Dairy Goat herd at 7 years old as a 4-H/FFA project with her first registered dairy goats purchased from a friend and mentor. The herd grew over time as she successfully showed first at a local and eventually state and national level as a member of the American Dairy Goat Association. With the help of family and friends she was able to keep a small number of animals when she moved to Ithaca to study at Cornell University, where she met Aaron as an undergrad.

Aaron grew up in Cuba, also a 4-H and FFA member exhibiting annually at the Allegany County Fair. While never showing goats, his love of animals led him to exhibit all kinds of projects ranging from market hogs to dairy cows.

When the herd first moved from Connecticut to Western New York in 2012 the barn, which formerly held dairy cows, did not have running water or electricity. The pastures had once grazed sheep but had been largely left to their own succession. With tremendous support from family and friends, we began restoring the buildings and land in ways that supported the welfare of our livestock and stewardship of the environment.