Harley Farms: Goat Cheese Producing Farm in Pescadero

If you are anything like me, then new experiences are a must. I got a chance to try glass blowing while on this trip, and then the next day, I got to visit a working goat cheese farm. Both were very different and incredibly fun. If you want to visit this farm and hold baby goats (if you are there at the right time), then be sure to read on for the full details.

Details

• Public tours at 11 AM and 1 PM on Saturday and Sunday, you can book it by emailing them
• Cost: Up to date cost and tour information here
• Location: 205 North St, Pescadero, CA 94060
• Information from my visit in 2016

History

The farm started in 1910 and was a cow dairy for the first half of the century. It was sold in the 1940s and became a rental for about 30 years while falling into disrepair. Dee Harley came to visit from England, and when the property came up for sale, she bought it. Her friend sold her a few goats to test out whether she liked farming; she quickly realized how great it was and has been producing cheese ever since.

Getting There

The farm is located about 7 minutes off Pacific Coast Highway in the town of Pescadero. You just take the main road past the small downtown, and you will see the farm on your left.

I got there in time for the 11 AM tour on a Saturday morning, and even though it was raining, it was still a full group.

We got started with the baby goats, and our tour guide was Connie, who was fantastic! Side note: If you want to see the baby goats, the best opportunities are the end of Feb through the beginning of April. Obviously, this can change, but that is the general period. Also, be sure to note that these tours fill fast when the baby goats are around but that you can see them in the pens even if you aren’t on a tour.

The tour first took us up into the beautiful second-story room where they hold events like farm to table dinners and where we learned about the history.

From there, we went into the goat area along “Food Alley.” This area was a lot of fun as the goats kept wanting to greet you.

From here, we entered the actual goat pens and were able to hold some of the baby goats. They were only a few weeks old, and they were so cute.

The goats kept walking up to me and trying to take bites out of my clothes, which I found pretty hysterical. They are funny creatures, and it was cool to be up close, interacting with them.

Also, they have llamas in the pens with the goats as well. The llamas act as protectors for the goats from coyotes and other things that would hurt them.

From there, we learned about how they are milked and how the milk gets funneled to the cheese producing area. I thought it was interesting that they only use milk from their goats as it lets them control what they eat and, in turn, what the cheese will taste like.

We moved on to the cheese producing area where we just looked in the window. They make four types of cheese here, which include: chevre, fromage blanc, feta, and ricotta.

After that, the tour headed back up to the main room, and we were able to sample some of the most popular cheese. You can also go down into the shop to sample more after you are done, including my favorite the lavender honey and even a chocolate truffle made of goat cheese (don’t knock it till you try it). I am not a goat cheese fan myself, but after trying all of the cheese here, I was converted; they were so good.

This is a very informative tour with a lot of great information about how goat cheese is made. Add to that the fact that you get to interact with the goats and the babies, and you have an easy recommendation for a fun weekend adventure. Let me know if you have been in the comments, and please suggest other fun adventures like this as well!