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Harley Farms
Categories: Food Specialty Food Cheese Shops Food Specialty Food Fruits & Veggies Cheese Shops, Fruits & Veggies [Edit]
205 N StPescadero, CA 94060
(650) 879-0480
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 5 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
130 reviews for Harley Farms
Review Highlights
"The goats were adorable and very friendly."
(in 97 reviews)
"I had a fantastic time on my tour of the Harley Farms."
(in 63 reviews)
"...cheese rounds decorated with edible flowers and herbs grown..."
(in 13 reviews)
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130 reviews in English
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Review from Sheryl D.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2012
I brought my team here for an offsite team builder day, because face it, we've all done a million wine tours, cooking classes, and amazing race events - we needed something different. Harley Farms was perfect for my team - they are all animal lovers, and everyone likes to eat cheese!
Lucky for me, my fabulous friend Adriana works here and set us up with a tour of the goat farm, where we got to walk amongst the goats as they nuzzled up against us, we got to hold the baby goats, and we also saw where the goats were milked (unfortunately we came too late in the day to actually see it happening). If only I had timed it out right to do a farm dinner, that would have been great as the room is beautiful...just the right amount of rustic classiness - Pottery Barn should be taking notes. The last stop before we headed back was the gift shop where you can sample and buy beautifully packaged cheeses (that taste good too!), as well as bath and body products made from goats milk. All in all, it was a great day trip, and it was one of the more unique and memorable things my team has done together! -
Review from Kenny P.
1/15/2012
I don't get to visit real unique homegrown farms like this all that much, but I was glad to have the experience of visiting this one. My younger sister had recommended that we visit the place while traveling north on HWY 1 with my parents. By the time we arrived, you could tell this place was a popular destination in this part of Pescadero. Plenty of families stopping by to check out the goat cheese shop which includes everything from soaps to apparel. We were able to sample a wide assortment of goat cheese: feta, chevre, and ricotta from what I remember. The quality that goes into making the cheese is easily apparent after tasting... smooth, healthy, with a unique flavor twist on each. Cranberry walnut rounds and dill were some of the common favorites. There were many other flavor variations, and they charge a good amount for the cheese being a specialty small goat farm like this.
The outside of the farm is great, the goats are even better. I haven't seen many goats in my life but these looked like the happiest and healthiest farm goats. They are all very unique looking creatures and are probably treated with the utmost care here. In western culture, we don't usually think much of goats as a protein you might eat. I know that this place does hold a few dinners every season, but do they serve up goat? Personally I have eaten goat meat a number of times. It is delicious if prepared correctly and much more healthy. Naturally lean, much lower in saturated fat and cholesterol. I'm kind of curious what the seasonal dinners are actually like, and if it is worth it. After seeing the goats we ended up leaving this place with a number of cheese logs and rounds after taking pictures around the farm. -
Review from stephanie l.
Laguna Beach, CA
12/20/2011
I'm a bit of a fanatic about this place. I tell pretty much everyone who will be in the area to go. I've been on the tour so many times I could probably get a job working there.
What you need to know. Awesome place for kids or even if you don't have kids it's great. The farm is amazing their philosophy of making cheese is also pretty cool and how they treat the goats is even better. I highly recommend the tour they have them twice a day. After you learn how to make cheese and then get to taste. If you don't have time for the tour go in the cheese shop. You'll get to taste what they make. I always bring a little cooler with me so I can bring plenty home. -
Review from j m.
San Jose, CA
2/7/2012
Perfection!
Walked here from town on a drizzly day (I highly suggest it..it's about a mile and a really nice walk). It's lovely inside....lots of deep, dark wood and the product displays are done SO nicely! Goat cheese (fresh french bread to sample every kind), honey, olive oil....yum!
The gal working that day was a delight as well. When we inquired about their wedding area she pointed us upstairs to the CUTEST *little* (really, it's pretty tiny...a table for about 20ppl) room. Very 'Knights of the Round Table'-ish.
Go there....try the samples, buy some cheese and leave happy. We did. -
Review from joey l.
Berkeley, CA
12/5/2011
I hate farms. I don't really like cheese or goats. Upon driving down the dust-ridden path that is Pescadero Road and laying my eyes on Haley farms, I'm not gonna lie, cityl-over that I am, I felt completely out of my element. The farmhouse seemed really small to my eye as well. But this was one of the main attractions of middle-o-nowhere Pescadero, and I was with adventuresome, try-all-the-new-things! type of people, so I figured what the hey.
Hip hip hooray for open-minded individuals like my friends!
Once we walked into the cheese shop, I was drenched with such a homely feeling that I couldn't help but relax. Not only that, but the goat cheese was amazing. We spent a good twenty minutes sampling and sampling. Each cheese had a very good aromatic taste and drool-worthy creaminess to boot. Between the three of us, we decided that the cranberry and nut goat cheese was the winner.
The upstairs attic was also very quaint. Sitting at the long table surrounded by goat decor - think goat stained-glass windows and goat-etched big wooden chairs - and listening to soul-soothing country music was most unexpectedly peaceful. -
Review from Cheryl L.
10/15/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I love goats, goat cheese and Harley Farms! This is such a cute, fun, delicious spot and while it's only an hour outside of San Francisco, you feel like you're in a different world. We didn't get a chance to take the tour but the women working in the tasting room made us feel very welcome and we loved going upstairs to see their beautiful dining space, perfect for their farm dinners or a private event.
They have so many things to taste while you're there and the tastings are complimentary. They have so many amazing flavors it's hard to pick a favorite, but we loved both the cheeses, olive oils, honey and berry nectar. In addition to getting a bunch of cheese, we also picked up a box of their homemade goat cheese ravioli and can't wait to try it.
They're the only working dairy in San Mateo County and will ship their cheeses to you, or you can pick them up in a few grocery stores, including Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco. I can't recommend this farm enough and can't wait to go back! -
Review from nita m.
10/24/2011
Harley Farms is a cute little goat dairy farm with a lovely little tasting room where you can sample every one of the delicious cheeses they make. It's a serve-yourself sampling room so you could quite easily make a meal out of a trip there. They make about 10 different kinds of goat cheese (the chive log was our favorite), ricotta, feta, and a couple different fromage blancs (garlic & herb was my favorite).
We were debating on whether to take the $20/person tour before going, decided against it because we didn't want to wake up that early, and I'm glad that we decided against it. The farm is very small so you can basically see everything that is shown on the tour, minus a narrative, on your own. The cheese sampling is open to everyone, regardless of whether you took the tour. We came & sampled cheeses, bought a bunch, grabbed some bread and other snacks from Arcangeli's down the road, and then headed to the beach for a picnic...I highly recommend that day to everyone! -
Review from Yanet K.
San Jose, CA
10/25/2011
Amazing goat cheese farm!
Not only is the private tour a great time to hang out with some loving goats ($20 is a bit steep though), but the cheese is incredible! Definitely worth a visit if you are ever in the Pescadero area. -
Review from Mike G.
Mountain View, CA
9/22/2011
I can't say enough good things about Harley Farms!!
I went there with my girlfriend as a short day trip in the spring. It's not difficult to find, and there's plenty of parking on the road.
The farm itself doesn't look very impressive, but it's everything else that makes it special. You can walk right up to the baby goats in a pen (if there are any at the time) and try to feed/pet them. They're super curious and really fun to be around. The rest of the goats are in a large field towards the back.
The farm itself is very clean. It didn't smell at all, had a cool little garden, and the small store is very clean and open.
Now, the cheese. Oh man, the cheese is good. Really good. I recommend getting a variety of the smaller round ones (definitely try some with the edible flowers!). They're about the size of a hockey puck, and $8 or $9 I think. If you just get a fresh baguette and some deli meats, you've got a GREAT meal or a snack for days.
I think this place is a great day trip or side trip if you're nearby. Absolutely worth supporting an eco/animal friendly place that makes some awesome cheese! -
Review from Ken K.
6/3/2011
After you are done shoving your pie hole with as much baked goodz as possible, aka Garlic Herb Artichoke bread (baked fresh on the premise at Arcangeli/Norm's Market), head over to Harley Farms a short ride away.
Assuming you've made reservations well in advance, $20 per person nets you a tour of the grounds, up and person with meet & greet with the goats, followed by a chance to milk em, then watch the goat cheese making process and also visit their garden of edible flowers. Feeling like shopping afterwards? Hit the shop near the entrance. While you are at it, hike upstairs and look at the barn dining room, where advanced reservations and $150 per person for a 5 course multi dinner featuring local seasonal ingredients (and goat dairy I assume) make for an interesting experience.
But if you're out for saving a few bucks, you can still visit the farm and watch from behind the fence. There's a baby goat pen, but people are not allowed inside.
The shop... lots of goat cheese and self help samples. That plus freshly cut up (but cold/room temperature) ciabatta bread cubes. For those who don't like the taste and texture of goat cheese may like their version of the ricotta that's a lot more mild, tasty, and delicious.
Do not miss their local honey offering from La Honda (pricey but at least give it a taste) and the ever so excellent Berry Nectar that will make you hit the bread bin multiple times. Even the olive oils are good, particularly the spicy one that's got a major kick.Listed in: Bay Area Kid Fun
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Review from Vera D.
San Francisco, CA
5/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
What a magical place! I booked a private tour here for my 33rd birthday with 20 close friends at $20 a head and we had such a blast.
Our tour guide was very informative and gave us enough time to take photos and pet the goats. I appreciated that the guide shared with us Harley's colorful history and sustainable farming practices -- the latter being important to me. I admire Dee Harley's integrity for treating her goats very well, making cheese in small batches, and keeping the business local.
As birthday girl, I got to decorate my own Monet cheese wheel and afterwards got to share it with my friends in the garden. I had my doubts about how the tour could possibly take two hours since upon driving up and seeing how "small" the farm was, it seemed unreasonable. However, it definitely took two hours and we all wished it could keep on going.
The honey lavender goat cheese (pricey at $16 but worth it with the right bread) is heavenly and I admit I threw a quarter of the chive goat cheese ($8) into my freshly made mac n' cheese dinner later that week (ironic that the mac n' cheese was $1 a box) and it totally made my day! :)
After our visit, we picnicked at San Gregorio Beach about 5 minutes away. Harley Farms is the perfect daytrip for locals as well as for out-of-town friends and family. -
Review from JAYSON C.
San Jose, CA
8/15/2011
I came here with my family on a warm Sunday afternoon. With that being said there were a few small goats that were in a small fenced area that we were able to pet, but the majority of goats were inside the shed and out of view. If there's a next time, we'll do the tour.
The shop is small and has a generous sample of all their cheeses, olive oils and their delicious berry nectar, which you can try with bread. I must admit, this was the first time I've ever tried goat cheese and I actually liked it. Prices are fair to what you see in the markets and at least here you actually see where you cheese came from and how it's made.
The only thing that bothered me was that one of the workers in the shop gave me and my 5-year old an evil eye when he accidentally dropped a small piece of cheese and bread on the floor, which I quickly picked up and discarded That is the one thing that made me put back the cheeses I was going to buy. -
Review from Berna T.
4/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I didn't realize I was such an animal person until my friend planned a trip to Harley Farms in Pescadero. Every February or so, the female goats on the farm are just about ready to give birth and you can go and visit them. For $20, you can even take a guided tour of the farm, learn the history, meet the goats, and check out the cheese making process. When we got there, the litter of baby goats was only 2 days old, so we couldn't hold them, but when I just checked their website last week, they had well over 100 baby goats born already! Our tour was a little slow, but great. The goats were really sweet and let you pet them and scratch their heads, and I got a bunch of really cute photos of the animals trying to nip at shoelaces or the hems of people's shirts.
The best part is at the end of the tour, you can go into the little shop and buy cheese made from the milk of the goats you just met. The have some of the most amazing chevre I have ever had - I love the chive one - and their Crème Fraiche is really good too. They also have body products and olive oils, all of which are locally made! I can't wait to go back! -
Review from Megan D.
San Francisco, CA
3/23/2011
Baby goats!!! Headbutting each other with their tiny antler nubs! Humping each other playfully! Jumping around! Nibbling on your knuckles with their sharp little molars!!!
We didn't take the tour, as $20/person seemed a little steep. But you can visit and pet and take pictures of a pen full of babies for free if your timing is right!!
Lots of free samples in the store and expensive but delicious cheeses to buy and take home with you.
Bottom line: CUTE BABY GOATS AND DELICIOUS CHEESE SAMPLES FOR FREE. -
Review from Mattie C.
5/9/2011
This place is awesome! Pay a visit here, and not only do you have unlimited opportunities to pet the goats, but they also provide generous samples of all their different types of cheeses for free. The cheeses are absolutely delicious, and after sampling them all it is hard to pick a favorite. They had great tomato basil "spread" cheese, as well as garlic and herb "spread" cheese, and they had a really good cheese of brie consistency mixed with cranraisins and nuts. All were stupendous. They provide baskets of bread pieces to sample on.
Apparently, they also have samples of different kind of syrups on the downstairs, which I totally missed but my friends extremely enjoyed. They had gone into the building to sample the syrups while i was busy paying attention to the baby goats.
Everything about this place is cute. Cute farmhouse, cute signs hanging up everywhere, cute goats and cute garden. There was also an adorable and friendly little cat wandering around. The views from the farmhouse are stunning mountain vistas with cows, and just around the corner is the ocean. The cheese is delicious. It is an amazing experience and everyone in the vicinity of Pescadero should get over to that place immediately. -
Review from Andrew K.
San Francisco, CA
10/3/2011
We had a blast on the tour. Samples were divine. Fun to chill with goats. Fun for kids. A+!
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Review from Lily S.
Fremont, CA
3/10/2011
I've been here once before and the process of getting a reservation was a breeze.
However, this time around, their on line reservation system was not working. With a specific date in mind, I voicemailed and emailed my request for that date and also alerted them that their site was not working.
Several days go by to no avail. Their phone hours are 8-12 and yet no one answered when I called during those hours! Seriously? When I finally make a connection and I am told that they are booked almost 2 months out, I'm also essentially told that I'm S.O.L... Do I want to schedule that far out, also on the behalf of my two other very busy friends? Hmmmm... Really, you can't correct your incompetence? Then, puleeze... Its not like I'm buying Rolling Stones tickets here!
Farmer Dee, you have shit customer service! -
Review from Javier J.
11/28/2010
Service? Well, when I went there was no one manning the store front. There was a line of about 3-4 people waiting and waiting for someone to come back so they could pay for the cheese they wanted and get out.
Me on the other hand? I didn't give a hoot that no one was at the register because I was having a blast being very generous to myself with the free samples of all the delicious cheeses and bread/oils they laid out for free sampling. Oh how I was enjoying that without the guilt of a shop keeper looking over my shoulder.
Stopped on by this amazingly cute little goat farm to pick up some much talked about fresh cheese and I have to say it was downright delicious in all fields. Though I already got that first hand knowledge by raiding their cheese samples. But I was left with a situation.. How would I transport this home? F it, I had a cooler.
Yes, this cheese stayed good through the whole trip as it sat in a cold cooler constantly monitored with new ice for a good week. Now I know how the nomads did it.
But in any event, this place is really an amazing stop if you're driving up the coast. It's fresh cheese and nice atmosphere makes for one hell of a nice stop. Both great for kids and adults, you can also get to see how they milk goats.
I can't stress enough how great their cheese is. As well as their infused oils. Their little shop is so welcoming... you know, what with all the free samples and what not.
Yes, I like free samples, so sue me. -
Review from Marti L.
11/4/2010 6 photos
Ever since August, I've been working full-time, going to school part-time. It's been hectic trying to juggle work and school (and play-time), hence the infrequent Yelp reviews and reading. Sorry! It was incredibly awesome that my work planned a little getaway retreat at Harley Farms. The area was serene and simple. And for once, I was glad that my phone had no reception. No need to answer emails. Just a nice relaxing day.
Harley Farms specializes in goat cheese. The milk comes from their goats on the farm and everything is made on site. Before we went on our tour, we went into the cheese shop and sampled all the different cheeses. Goat cheese usually has that distinct and somewhat pungent taste. But not here, you can taste the freshness of the cheese. There were cheese rounds decorated with edible flowers and herbs grown from the garden. There were cheese spreads infused with garlic, chives and pumpkin. There was ricotta that tasted amazing with their chili oil. We sampled endlessly! They were all so delicious!
My colleague and I (both lactose-intolerant) got carried away with the goat cheese. We were afraid that our stomachs would act up. Fortunately, we were perfectly fine. We learned later during the tour that goat milk also contains lactose. But when the goats are milked, the milk travels through a very hot pipe which helps break down the milk sugar molecules. Therefore, the goat cheese at Harley Farms is lactose friendly!
The tour itself was fun. Our guide first took us to the goats where she gave us extensive history on the farm and the goats. We spent a great deal of time petting and observing the goats. Afterwards, we toured the facility. We went into the kitchen, and made our own cheese. Then we toured the garden and took our cheese to enjoy in their magnificent dining room. I don't want to give too much away because I want you to come here yourself!
Harley Farms was such an awesome place! I had so much fun! But, I was a little disappointed that we didn't get to milk the goats. I think our group was too big for them to fit all of us in the milking room and have us milk the goats. Darn!Listed in: Life Beyond Eating
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Review from cat T.
San Francisco, CA
9/26/2011
Loved the place when I first visited. Full of charm, off the grid from the typical Bay Area foodie delights. Loved it so much, we seriously considered having our wedding there. Disappointed after delayed correspondence and their inability to respond to my simple inquiries, a handful unreturned phone calls and emails was enough for me to cross them off my venue list.
Great cheese, charming environs with a magical hayloft to host dinners, but please put more care in your customer service as you do to your newborn billy goats. -
Review from Raina S.
Harley Farms is a little off the beaten track, but it's well worth the trip. If you're anywhere near Pescadero (and if you love cheese), you MUST stop here!
Dee Harley has converted a former cow dairy into a beautiful -- and green -- goat dairy. Their goats are well cared for, and it shows in the quality of cheeses they produce. Even people who don't usually like goat cheese love this stuff.
If you know you'll be coming here well in advance, you should try to take a tour. You'll learn all about the dairy operations, you'll meet the goats, you'll get to milk a goat, and of course you'll taste the wonderful cheese. February visitors will get to see (and hold!) newborn baby goats. I'm sure I don't have to tell you how incredibly cute they are.
Those who don't do the tour can still try Harley Farms cheeses. There are many different kinds in their retail shop, and I love them all. As others have mentioned, the cheeses will generally keep for six months in your freezer. I wouldn't know, because I can never make them last that long!Listed in: San Mateo County Coastside, ROTD? Me?
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Review from Karina H.
Moraga, CA
11/30/2011
The goat's milk fudge is off-the-hook good! I loved the Monet cheese, too. My sister brought them back after her tour (which she enjoyed very much) and I can't wait to take the family there to try more.
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Review from Kaye S.
Redwood City, CA
8/10/2011
Customer service here is not-existant. I wanted to order a birthday present. The website was inflexible so I called the listed phone number on a weekend. A person answered but said that I would have to call back during the week. I have tried at least 8 calls, left my name and number and never gotten a live person nor a returned call. Is the entire place on auto-pilot? Not a good way to run a business.
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Review from Carnley P.
San Francisco, CA
10/14/2010
Well goodness, Goat Cheese! They have a tasting room! I tasted my way up one side and down the other before deciding on the purdy one with flowers pressed into the top. Not only tasty, but beautiful, too. Now I have to find an excuse to entertain.
I was informed it would keep about a month in the fridge, and up to 6 months in the freezer. Great! But we'll be lucky if it lasts the week in our house. Once it's opened, it'll be gone!
Let it be known that this is a working goat farm, and therefore smells like goats. But the cheese is pure perfection! -
Review from Kara B.
East Bay, CA
12/10/2010
Scrumdiddlyumptious!
Love this place. Go back every time I'm in Pescadero(which is more often than you think).
They've got free samples of goat cheese, ricotta, feta, lotion, and olive oil that go nicely with the soft bread they provide.
Service is always with a smile. Cheese is expensive, but it makes me happy to be supporting a local farm that produces yummy cheese.
*****If you are lucky, when you go out to the farm to view the goats you might get to observe a courting ritual between the creepy billy goat and one of his many innocent harem members. I've viewed it more than once, and I get a kick out of it every time, especially when he sticks out his tongue or when he gets rejected by one female so he quickly moves on to the one standing next to her. The billy goat even put on a show for the guests of a wedding that was going on at the farm. -
Review from Terry T.
5/14/2011
The tour is interesting, the cheese tasting is free and the handcrafted goat cheeses are excellent. I really enjoyed being able to pet the goats; they like people.
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Review from Alena B.
6/19/2011
FREEKIN' awesome! I have been wanting to go here forever and I am so glad that I stopped by. I will definitely be coming back to take the tour. :) I LOVE LOVE LOVED their sample cheese and quickly learned to love things I didn't even know existed. Everything is wonderful...their products are great...the shopping baskets are the cutest things ever. I LOVE being able to sample things before I buy. There cheeses are so cute and I bought things I didn't think I would even like before I tried them. Great olive oil dressings and skin products. I had to hold myself back!!! YUM!!!
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Review from Erica e.
9/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
Remember how I met and fell in love with Tony the Goat and he was worth the trip alone?
Yes.
So all you really need to know is that there are friendly goats that make you feel like you didn't really go there just for the cheese (but you did) and of course then there is the cheese.
Soooo many flavors- feta, flavored logs, buttons of cheese!!! Load up a basket and see how quickly you can spend more money than you ever have in your life on cheese.
Also, there is a fantastic little market (Country Store) in the little downtown area of Pescadero with some of the most amazing fresh artichoke bread I have ever tasted and some pretty nice picnic tables in the back (if you just so happen to not be able to make it all the way home without eating your freshly purchased cheese), and they will gladly give you a plastic knife and napkins....
Lurve. -
Review from n b.
San Francisco, CA
7/28/2010
I love farms. I think they tug at my deeply rooted Midwestern sensibilities, which include an appreciation for all things earthy and dirty. I also kind of have a thing for beautifully crafted cheese, so this was perfect!
Combine the tour with a visit to the Santa Cruz boardwalk and you've got a fun-filled day for an adolescent girl and her auntie. It was really informative and a beautiful property. Not to mention some pretty entertaining goats!
By the way, did you know all of the flowers on their Monet cheese come from their garden?
If it's available, get the honey lavender goat cheese. It's my new fave, beautifully packaged in brown parchment, twine and a lavender sprig.Listed in: Where to Shop When You Tire of…
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Review from allegra f.
San Francisco, CA
10/9/2010
Goats!!!!! Totally agree with the reviews - the tour to play with the goats is outstanding. These guys really care about their goats and substainable living / farming. We spent a beautiful afternoon learning about the ins and outs of the biz.
And playing with goats.
Can't wait to go back in the spring for the baby goats! Might save my pennies for the farm dinner. So many options! -
Review from Jennifer L.
San Francisco, CA
10/26/2010
A fun tour, delicious cheese (yay for the tasting room!!), and friendly people. I bought $50 worth of cheese and ravioli (alright, and a piece of fudge) after spending $40 for two people to go on a tour. Not a bad racket.
If only I could manage to snag a reso to one of the farm dinners I'd be set, even if it does require me taking a half day off work to make it down in time (why you gotta start so early?!).
The goats are curious, and friendly to the point of pushy. And nibbly. Look out for the lone male during mating season - he's stinky.
The cheese isn't as tart as many other goat cheeses, making it a perfect option to get someone hooked on the stuff. -
Review from Kristina R.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2008
Baby goats!
And awesome, hip-enhancing cheese, made with the milk from said goats. I can't believe I've finally found my goat cheese mecca.
Be sure to cuddle a baby goat while you're here buying six pounds of cheese and home-made ravioli. It lowers your blood pressure to the point of a near-comatose state. They are so friggin' CUTE. -
Review from andy r.
San Francisco, CA
5/18/2008
There's nothing gruff about these goats. Only exquisite cheeses in a pastoral setting. Pet the kids or just watch 'em gambol.
Couple this with berry picking at Phipp's across the road and you've got a perfect summer afternoon. I can't even wait 'til the ollalieberries come on this summer. -
Review from Lily Y.
San Jose, CA
10/29/2010 5 photos
Great day trip for us making the drive to Pescadero and having the tour of the farm. The tour guide was very informative and passionate as she shared stories of how Dee Harley started the farm and grew the business. Adults and children will enjoy hearing the history of the farm, learning about the process of making goat cheese and of course, playing with the goats. The goats are very sociable and used to people - so sweet. At the conclusion of the tour, you get to sample the cheese in the dining room where they host seasonal dinners. The goat cheese is just delicious. I bought my share in the little shop on the way out.
I want to come back during the Spring when the babies are born! -
Review from Diane L.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2009 5 photos
If you love goat cheese, this is just the place for you. Not only do you get to sample unlimited amounts of chèvre, you even get to play with the goats that produced the milk that's pasteurized and eventually turned into the cheese you're sampling at that very moment!
Informative and hands-on tours are offered ($20 for adults and $10 for children between age 5 and 10), but if you're strictly there to just sample/buy cheese and play with goats, you can skip the tour. The nice people at Harley Farms will still let you in the goat pen. The night before we visited the farm, 40 kids were born, and I got to play with the newborns *squeeeeaaaal*!
While I'm not the biggest fan of goat cheese, I was impressed by their dill chèvre log, garlic goat cheese spread, and tomato basil torte. The goat cheese tortes that are adorned with edible flower petals are works of art in of in themselves too.
This is the perfect family destination -- very adult and kid-friendly. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area. -
Review from Laura R.
Los Gatos, CA
4/3/2011
I was on the coast on a hike near Pescadero when my hiking buddy mentioned we had to go taste goat cheese on a goat farm. I was a bit skeptical about goat cheese tasting on a farm, because it seemed strange to be eating cheese right there on the farm near the goats.
To my surprise, the visit was amazing. First of all, the cheese tasting area is in the goat shop away from the goat farm. When we arrived, we started in the goat shop tasting rounds and logs of herbs, dried fruit, and plain chevre. They offer four styles of goat milk cheese that include feta, fromage blanc, and ricotta. However, the main star is the chevre. The chevre is extremely delicate and creamy of all California chevre I have ever tasted. Goat cheese can often have a very strong "game-like" flavor. This cheese has a mild tangy flavor and is made with special care and special processes. After buying a few rounds and logs, we made our way out back to the farm where we discovered a small area where the most adorable kids (baby goats) were kept. We spent some time taking pictures of the goat farm and the adorable kids. What a splendid visit!
They offer farm tours, dining on the farm events, and the obviously the amazing cheese tasting room for free. I know you won't leave without buying at least a few rounds or logs of this chevre. Delicious! I'm going back this week to buy more cheese for my trip next weekend to visit my family. They will love this cheese and I know you will too! -
Review from Peg S.
9/2/2008 6 photos
Sweet, affectionate goats who like to rub up against you (free butt massages!) and be your BFF.
Free range eggs.
Funky and cool hay loft with Three Fingered Bill's furniture.
Teddy the dog.
Lovely garden of colorful and edible! flowers.
Lorenzo and Dali llamas.
Fresh and delicious goat cheese - ricotta, feta, fromage blanc, Monet & Van Goat wheels, cranberry/apricot rounds, dill/pepper/chive logs, etc. Plenty to sample in their goat cheese shop!
Sorry to goat #52 for letting 20 strangers take their turns with you.
Definitely recommend the $20 tour (you haven't really lived until you've milked a goat). -
Review from Daddy O.
Long Beach, CA
3/31/2008 4 photos
Goat milk?
No, seriously. Goat milk. and cheese. and soap. and and and...
Harley Farms is simply wonderful. A group of about 10 friends stopped by after a camping outing this weekend at Butano State park. While we missed the official tour, we caught a glimpse of the following:
A huge field of (nearly 400) pregnant goats.
Llamas
Milking Stalls
Kids (no, not children, but goat-babies)
Some of the goats were so pregnant it looked like they might just start popping out goat babies at any moment. The cheese samples were all fresh and delicious, and Dee, the owner of the farm was in the shop explaining the cheeses and what makes spring cheese different. (FYI it has to do with higher fat content from pregnant goats AND tangy fresh spring grass instead of hay/alfalfa). My favorite cheeses were the chive goat cheese and the goat's milk ricotta. Absolutely divine.
Next time I'm coming back for the tour! -
Review from Julie K.
6/28/2009
A friend and I had been wanting to take a tour of this goat farm and dairy ever since I read about it here on Yelp. And with the temperatures in the valley soaring into the 90s, we figured this weekend was a good time to plan some time on the coast.
After a brief lunch at Duarte's, we headed down the road a little ways to Harley Farms. As soon as we opened the car doors we knew we were in the right place. If you've ever smelled goat poop, you know what I'm talking about.
And so began a fun and informative 2-hour tour of this facility. Our guide, Janet, explained that the farm is completely sustainable, with a variety of symbiotic relationships amongst the land, the goats, and the people that tend the goats. We saw and were able to touch goats ranging from babies to adolescents to adults, plus a few sheep, a couple coops-full of chickens, and a trio of llamas, including the ever-watchful Bart.
The goats were adorable and very friendly. They loved having their ears and horn buds scratched, and they sometimes even massaged our legs with their heads as we stood and listened to Janet explain how the farm is operated. After meeting the various herds, we were taken into the milking parlor and shown how to milk goats by hand. From here, we walked through the kitchen garden to the dairy and saw how the goats' milk is pasteurized then made into cheese. The trademark cheese made here is the Monet, which is a round of chevre with herbes de provence in the middle and colorful edible flower petals on the outside.
After seeing Janet make a Monet, we were led upstairs to the barn loft to taste the cheese. This space is really beautiful, with a table handmade from a single slab of wood, which is surrounded by a dozen hand-crafted wood chairs. After seeing the candle-lit chandeliers and comfortable seating options, I can imagine how this would be a wonderful place to rent out for a special event--or to indulge in some of the locally-sourced (within 30 miles) 5-course meals held here periodically.
We ended our tour in the cheese-tasting room, where we sampled almost a dozen different types, including ricotta and feta, which are only sold here. The other varieties, such as the Monet, the sun-dried tomato and pesto torta, the cranberry-walnut, and the apricot-pistachio are sold in some local markets.
In all, it was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. The weather was perfect, with a nice breeze helping to keep us cool in the hot sun. Harley Farms is a great place to bring children (well-behaved children, that is) to teach them to respect animals and the land.
So, kudos to Dee Harley and Tim Duarte (yes, the Tim who runs Duarte's Tavern http://www.yelp.com/bi...) for proving that green living is good living indeed. -
Review from Jennifer d.
Fremont, CA
7/1/2010
I had a fantastic time on my tour of the Harley Farms. I love goats, and you get to be up-close and personal with them here! Our tour guide was so personable and knowledgeable, and she was really helpful in advising my husband and I on how to handle getting around with the baby's stroller. (Sometimes we had to take him out and carry him -- if you have a baby carrier, it's probably easier just to wear the baby.)
At this time of year, they have some young females who are in a separate pasture from the mature nanny goats. The young ones are behind a wire fence when you meet them -- they're very exuberant and outgoing -- but you get to go out amidst the mature females, who are a little calmer. They're so friendly and affectionate. If you pet them, they'll follow you and nuzzle you for more pats and skritches. They also tend to get your clothes in their mouths, so don't wear anything you care too much about. (Also, wear sturdy shoes -- this is a farm, and there's poop on the ground. One girl on our tour wore flip-flops. Not smart.)
There's also a retired stud billy goat named Cadbury who holds court in the mature female pen. He's a distinguished old gentleman with a long beard. They estimate that he's nearly thirty years old.
I've learned a few things about goats -- like how their feed pellets and the grasses they eat contribute to the quality and flavor of their milk. (Being near the ocean, they get a quantity of sea salt, which settles on the grass, adding to the depth of flavor in their milk.) I was happy to learn, too, that while the farm does not keep the male baby goats, they do not sell them as livestock for food. Instead, they sell them to businesses that use goats to clear brush to prepare for fire season. In the dairy, I learned that the farm uses vegetable rennet, so their cheese is vegetarian.
Speaking of the cheese, it is delicious. I ate a bit too much of it in the store, where you can sample everything. I bought a wheel of their "Monet" cheese, which is chevre mixed with herb de Provence and topped with edible flowers, which was my favorite of those that I sampled, as well as some ricotta and cranberry-topped chevre. There's lotions and face creams made with goat's milk as well. I bought some lotion and used it on some eczema that was acting up on my neck and it soothed it very well.
This is a great place, a small, sustainable farm that I was happy to support!
