Take a break from the beach and head to Upcountry Maui to visit Surfing Goat Dairy, a 42-acre working dairy farm on the slopes of Haleakalā. This thriving farm was founded in 1999 by Eva and Thomas Kafsack, a husband-and-wife duo from Germany seeking a change in their lives. The couple was drawn to Maui for its outdoor activities and initially planned to open a bed and breakfast. However, Eva became captivated by the art of gourmet cheese production, a skill she honed at renowned dairies in Europe. They started with a small number of goats whose milk was used for cheese-making, but over the years, their herd grew, and they named their farm Surfing Goat Dairy to celebrate their shared passion for windsurfing.

As Surfing Goat Dairy grew, eventually becoming Maui’s largest commercial dairy, its current owner, Jay Garnett, worked a corporate job in Canada. Also looking for a change in his life, Garnett searched for new opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. “During my last stint in the corporate world, I felt unfulfilled. I worked hard, planned and executed well, but I didn’t feel like I had a passion or appreciation for what I was doing. What attracted me specifically to Surfing Goat Dairy was that the founders did a great job building the dairy, and [with my experience] around consumer packaged goods and consumer experiences, I could grow the agrotourism side of the business.”

Raised on a horse farm in Alberta, Canada, Garnett returned to his childhood roots of farm life in 2023 when he officially took over the reins of the farm after years of due diligence and discussions on how the transition would affect everyone involved, including the goats. His first year on the farm brought some challenges and memorable experiences, including a kidding season that should have lasted six months, condensed into a two-and-a-half-month span, and a few water main breaks on the property. Eventually, things leveled off, and Garnett found his stride with the support of his staff of sixteen.

Today, the farm remains Maui’s largest commercial dairy, deeply rooted in sustainable farming practices and community resilience. Guests to the sprawling farm can taste the award-winning cheeses created on-site and partake in the activities Garnett has expanded to enhance visitor experiences while activating all facets of the farm. The continued success of Surfing Goat Dairy lies heavily in the goats, which number between 200 and 400, depending on the time of year. Garnett notes that he typically has 110 milking moms, 30 to 40 baby goats or yearlings, four bucks and 50 grazing goats. That number will skyrocket with the kidding season when the farm greets about 200 baby goats around April of each year. Guests are invited to the farm to engage with the goats in several interactive experiences designed to cater to guests’ preferences and desires. 

For a unique opportunity to snuggle a baby goat in an experience filled with energy and laughter, the farm offers the Baby Goat Interaction Experience, held twice a day and offered seasonally from mid-December until late spring. This 30-minute experience allows guests aged three and up to take in the antics of the playful baby goats while learning tidbits like why baby goats need social interaction and how they communicate. The session concludes with a fun photo opportunity featuring you and a baby goat, allowing you to take home a memento of the day. 

One of their most popular experiences is the Daily Casual Tour, which presents a little bit of everything the farm offers. Delivered four times a day, this 30-minute tour will take you through the farm to meet the milking moms, baby goats and one of the farm’s bucks. Along the way, you will be introduced to the craft cheese-making process while learning about the farm’s history. The end of the tour culminates with a taste of the freshly made goat cheese and an opportunity to sample the chocolate truffles, also made with the farm’s goat milk.

For a behind-the-scenes glimpse into life on a working dairy farm, they also offer the Evening Chore and Milking Tour, available once a day at 3:00 p.m. Lasting up to an hour, this experience immerses guests in the life of a goat farmer while educating them about the different goat breeds on the farm, explaining how the farm winds down for the day and allowing guests to try their hand at milking a goat. Sampling goat cheese and truffles made from goat milk produced on the farm are highlights of the tour, along with taking home your own “Official Goat Milker” souvenir ribbon.

The Golden Girl Experience stands out as a unique offering, available once a day on Thursdays and Fridays.  Available for adults 18 years and older, this 30-minute experience allows guests to interact with the farm’s beloved senior mamas reaching retirement age. In a slower-paced, tranquil environment, attendees will learn the stories of these charming senior goats, treat the senior mamas to delicious alfalfa snacks, indulge in gentle brushing sessions and perhaps share a sweet snuggle. 

Garnett continues to build around the outstanding array of goat’s milk products created on the premises. “We are trying to grow our food offerings on the farm around the goat products by making banana bread with our chocolate goat truffles and pizza with our goat cheeses. We want to evolve the program to offer some light meals for guests to enjoy.” And, while the dairy building is currently under renovation, Garnett has even bigger plans on the horizon and goals for Surfing Goat Dairy. “Eventually, we want to have different interactive experiences like truffle making and cheese making experiences, to host dinners in our beautiful outdoor space, partner with local growers, purveyors and our neighbors at Ocean Vodka [and] to bring in chefs currently using our cheeses in their restaurants and showcase the island’s food security.”

For Garnett, bringing the community together is a large part of his vision for Surfing Goat Dairy. “Maui has such a strong community … the people, the land. I have been coming to Maui my whole life as a vacationer and have always loved Maui. The farm work is extremely rewarding for me, and I want to do a lot more school and community events. We just had a group of second graders from a South Kīhei school come to the farm to learn about where their food comes from; we partner with the Boys & Girls Club to bring kids to the farm. We want to be a good community partner.”

Surfing Goat Dairy; 3651 Ōma‘opio Road, Kula; (808) 878-2870; surfinggoatdairy.com; open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.