On the leeward slope of Haleakala, kids play and goats surf at the Surfing Goat Dairy. Well, to be honest, I think the owners are kidding that the goats surf, but, to be fair, I did see their surf boards.
While Andy was busy at the Maui Photo Festival, I decided to go out sightseeing in the upcountry with a stop at the Surfing Goat Dairy high on my list.
The laughs began the moment I pulled into the covered parking spot with signage warning that the space was reserved for snowmobiles – a ridiculous thought considering this sundrenched farmland only receives about 10 inches of rain per year. From there, I found other quirky signs that taught me quite a bit about goats. See the following photo as an example. I had no idea that goats could be so highly trained for security purposes.
After paying the fee ($10/adult and $7/child) for the standard farm tour, I discovered that my fee included goat cheese tasting. Oh, yes please! I’m crazy over goat cheese. I’d order cardboard from any menu as long as it had goat cheese on it. There were yummy savory flavors to try like garlic, but I must say, I enjoyed the sweet lilikoi (passion fruit) flavor the most.
The highlight of the tour was feeding the goats alfalfa. It must have tasted like candy to them as they poked their heads through the fence for a bite.
The tour also included a look at the milking station and some of the pasteurizing equipment. The tour was fairly short at less than 30 minutes.
I definitely enjoyed my visit to the Surfing Goat Dairy. A family of four toured at the same time. Their kids seemed to really enjoy seeing and feeding the goats.
What to know when you go:
– Wear sunscreen and a hat.
– See this link for the address, directions and estimated driving times.
– Tours are offered Monday to Saturday from 10am to 3:30pm and on Sundays from 10am to 1pm. See this link for the schedule and specialty tours.
– For a few more photos from my visit, see this link.
Have you been to the Surfing Goat Dairy?
Sheila Beal
2 comments
I love Surfing Goat Dairy! I’m a Maui transplant living in Honolulu, so for this past Christmas I wanted to get a gift for my friends back home on Maui as well as their kids. The staff at Surfing Goat Dairy was extremely helpful in answering my questions about which tour was most appropriate for my friend’s boys and then were able to mail me a gift certificate that I could present to her. The whole family enjoyed their tour, so it was the perfect gift. I also love their rolling green goat cheese (with chives) and their truffles! Thanks for helping me do my Christmas shopping, Sheila! =)
Hi Malia – I’m so glad to hear that your friends enjoyed their tour! What a cool and tasty gift! 🙂