Established in 1998, Surfing Goat Dairy has become a staple of Maui vacations and the area of Kula as well. When owners Thomas and Eva Kafsack first purchased the property, they had plans of building a bed and breakfast. Once owning a software company, Thomas was the brains behind the finances of creating their operation. Leaving the world of high school teaching behind, Eva visited dairies in Germany, France and Austria to learn the processes behind the business as well as the methods involved in making a delicious cheese.
The name Surfing Goat Dairy pays homage to not only the island of Maui and the surfer lifestyle it promotes, but also to the Kafsack family’s previous home. Before moving to the islands, Thomas and Eva lived on the island of Sylt, located off the coast of Germany. Sylt is the last stop on the Professional Windsurfer’s Association’s World Windsurfing Tour. Touring the property of Surfing Goat Dairy visitors will see an array of surfboards used as decor and as climbing material for the goats. Eva made a deal years back with local surfers to acquire their retired boards, rather than ending up at the dump or in the wastelands.
Surfing Goat Dairy is Certified Humane by the Humane Farm Animal Care Program, something that becomes obvious when witnessing how well treated and handled these animals are by their owners. With plenty of space to roam and play, and a never ending amount of guests ready to feed. The owners offer an “Adopt A Goat” program, allowing anyone to be part of a special animals life. For $1000, for five years, adopt an adorable goat and receive monthly photos as well as either four cheeses or four tickets every six months. The Surfing Goat Dairy website shows 100 animals ready and available for the adoption, each creature showing off its irresistible face and personality.
When planning to visit Surfing Goat Dairy, be sure to check out their website for tour options and experiences as well as schedule availability and booking. The property offers three different tour options for guests to enjoy; the daily casual tour, an evening chore and milking tour and the grand dairy tour. The daily causal tour runs for about 30 minutes, allowing up to 10 people to meet the goats, see the milking machines, view the dairy operations and feed the goats all while learning a brief history about the farm. The evening chore and milking tour, lasting about an hour and allowing up to 40 people, teaches visitors of not only how and what to feed the animals, but also how to properly milk a goat.
As the tour progresses through the history and daily workings of the farm, guests are given cheese samples to enjoy. And the grand dairy tour, approximately two and a half hours in length and allowing up to 34 people, teaches guests the entire history of the property, as well as showing the daily workings and processes of the care for the farm and the making of the products. Guests are able to not only milk the goats, but also participate in herding the animals from the milk stand to the pasture. At the end of this tour, guests are spoiled by a cheese tasting of the vast variety of cheeses the farm offers made fresh from the milk of their precious goats. All tours are a once in a lifetime opportunity, and an experience that all family members will enjoy!
Walking onto the property of Surfing Goat Dairy, the endless sea of goats is a sight to see! But a visit to the farm goes beyond just the animals, whether taking part in one of the tour options or by visiting the shop! Surfing Goat Dairy is famous for its cheeses, which have won the owners multiple awards. As the only Hawaii located member of the American Cheese Society, Surfing Goat Dairy truly does have an endless array of cheeses made fresh daily on the farm. From 2004-2006, the owners acquired a total of 18 National awards for their cheeses and have been featured in countless news articles and segments, including The Maui News in 2013, 2015 and 2016.
Surfing Goat Dairy products are sold in a very large amount of retail spaces amongst the islands of Hawaii as well as other states, like California and are featured in hotels and restaurants all through Hawaii. Each cheese is presented with a creative name, and made with care so each bite can be savored. Surfing Goat Dairy has a line of cheeses called “Shark Bites’, an exotic super premium line of cheeses made with the most rare and expensive ingredients of any cheeses in the world. The goats of the farm feed on cactus, grass and weeds while in the pastures, giving a unique flavor the their milk that makes these scrumptious cheeses. Along with the cheese, Surfing Goat Dairy also offers a vast array of freshly made truffles and soaps that have been created using the goats milk and other local ingredients. The store on property is also filled with merchandise, from cups and glasses to keychains, toys, books, decor, clothing and accessories. Making it truly impossible to walk away with out purchasing!
Surfing Goat Dairy is a must see while on the island of Maui. What started as an empty plot of land with 40 female goats and two males has become an enterprise that pleases every visitor who has the pleasure of feeding the goats or tasting a freshly made farm cheese. It’s no wonder their cheese Udderly Delicious was served at Barrack Obama’s 2009 inauguration! The farm is home to not only a family of goats and hard working individuals, but also supports locals through internships and apprenticeships, and has become to multiple cats and dogs, even a pot belly pig named Charlie. Making a trip into Kula to visit the property will create memories to last a life time, and most likely lead to becoming a regular visitor of the online store that ships products all through the US! Go Rent A Car Maui has vans, trucks, suv’s and sedans ready to take you for a farm fresh day of connecting with goats and making taste buds come alive at Surfing Goat Dairy!
