For the Love of Goats

From the Winter 2025 Issue

By Renee Sande

Mother/daughter trio's wooly business up north

Mother/daughter trio take on a wooly business

When Red Falcon Ranch eventually landed at 249 Caprine Lane in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, after a long haul from Minnesota five years prior, the Abraham family saw it as a sign.

Their ranch consists primarily of 90-plus Angora goats; Caprine means “related to or resembling goats.” Now Caprine is the name under which they sell their cozy mohair socks, throws, and rugs.

BONNERS FERRY-BASED BUSINESS CAPRINE SELLS MOHAIR PRODUCTS CRAFTED FROM THE WOOL OF THE FAMILY’S ANGORA GOATS. PHOTO BY JIM HOWE

“When we were deciding on a brand name, we kept coming back to Caprine. It was meant to be,” said Angela Abraham, founder of Caprine and co-owner of Red Falcon Ranch with husband Todd. The couple operate the ranch, along with their two grown daughters, Sarah and Rachel.

Known as the diamond fiber, mohair is incredibly soft (not itchy) and strong (one strand is stronger than a similarly sized strand of steel), which means it’s very durable, but also moisture wicking, fire resistant, hypoallergenic, and temperature regulating. It also tends not to attract or hold dirt and doesn’t pill like shorter fibers.

“It’s such a cool fiber, you can literally do everything with it. Some of James Bond’s suits are even made out of it,” said Rachel Abraham, ranch manager and social media persona, among many other titles. “The only thing mohair lacks is memory, so all Caprine socks and throws are a mohair-wool blend; the wool provides the bounce-back.”

One of the largest Angora goat farms in the Pacific Northwest, RFR operates on 100 percent love and respect for their animals and surroundings, which means giving more than they take from their land and looking to scientific data and their own research to ensure their goats are as healthy as possible, so that they produce the finest mohair possible.

AMONASRO CHECKS OUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER. PHOTO BY JIM HOWE

WOOL FROM THE FAMILY GOATS IS SPUN INTO A VARIETY OF PRODUCTS, FROM SOCKS TO THROWS. CAPRINE PHOTO.

It also means naming all 90-plus goats (and their 50 other animals, as well).

“Everyone has a name here. It’s really easy,” said Rachel. “I wish we could swap eyes or minds for a second, because everybody looks completely different to me.”

This probably wouldn’t be the case if the Abraham family raised their goats for meat, but they didn’t want to eat—or let anyone else eat—the animals they raise; they wanted to add to their family. So they chose Angora goats which are raised strictly for their mohair, and which are also one of the friendliest, most docile breeds of goats.

“With their long hair and super chill nature, I like to call them the “stoners of the goat world,” laughed Rachel.

There’s Odin, Lazarus, Gwynnie and her mama, Jo, Lagertha, Anika and her mama, Spring Sun, Godiva, Ken and his sister Barbie, just to name a few; and then there’s Derek—5 month-old miracle-kid-goat-turned-Instagram-star, whose story of being stillborn then brought back to life, to not being able to walk, to now living a completely normal kid goat life, has received an amazing 1.3 million views, over 1,800 comments and 24.2 thou­sand shares in the four months since posting his story.

MOHAIR IS BOTH INCREDIBLY SOFT, AND INCREDIBLY STRONG. PHOTO BY JIM HOWE.

With compelling stories like Derek’s along with Rachel’s so­cial media savvy, as well as Sarah’s photography and marketing and the farm tours that focus on providing a peaceful space for people, the Abrahams are slowly educating (and entertaining) viewers about their very humane, loving approach to raising Angora goats—a market that can unfortunately be very inhu­mane, like many other animal markets.

They even do the twice-a-year shearing right on the ranch— head shearer being one of Rachel’s other titles—in the goat’s own environment, to make the experience as stress-free as possible.

And like everything the Abrahams foster on RFR, these things have a way of eventually—beautifully—coming full circle.

WOOLY CRITTERS ARE UNFAZED BY SNOW. CAPRINE PHOTO.

When Angela heard in 2021 that she was receiving the grant to fund their sock and throw-making venture, it was just days after she’d learned she had breast cancer. Taking care of the goats every day, working on building the business for their socks and throws to be manufactured (in the USA), and weav­ing her 100 percent mohair rugs gave her the drive to survive. Today she is completely cancer free.

SARAH, ANGELA, AND RACHEL RUN ONE OF THE LARGEST ANGORA GOAT FARMS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

“Every day, no matter how sick I was, I got up, took care of my goats, and built Caprine. Giving in and giving up wasn’t an option. I dug in deep into a strength I didn’t know I had and trusted God to lead the way,” she said.

Caprine socks come in light (cable knit), medium, and heavy­weight (Cabin sock) in ankle, crew, and knee-high length (avail­able lengths vary depending on knit weight). The throws come in three natural colorways and all rugs are 100 percent mohair.

Learn more at www.redfalconranch.com or see what’s avail­able to purchase at www.shopcaprine.com

LUTSEN IS A “GENTLE BOY” AND “A FAVORITE OF ALL WHO MEET HIM,” SAID ANGELA. PHOTOS BY JIM HOWE.

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