Tomales, a tiny blink-and-you’ll-miss-it town, straddles Coastal Highway 1 on the way to the the Pacific Ocean along Marin / Sonoma coast. Back when I was a kid, Walt Diekmann, grandfather of the current manager of the Tomales General Store, would give a free candy bar to any kid who only got As and Bs on their report card. Guess why hoards of kids were running down the hill from school at the end of each report card day?
There are some magical parts of Tomales; including the scrumptious Route One Bakery, making drool-worthy pizzas and Two Silos Mercantile, located above the general store, with consignment antiques and collectibles.
However, if you want to hold a baby goat (officially called a “kid”), then Toluma Farms, home of Tomales Farmstead Creamery, maker of the most delicious array of cheeses made from cow, goat and sheep milk, is the place to go.
Spring is the perfect time when the goats kid, leading to adorable, leaping furballs of cuddliness. Oh my gosh, who doesn’t want to play with a kid?
On the first Sunday of every month, the farm, located on a rural road, one you’d pass unless you have an itch to wander, opens itself up for meeting and hanging with their goats.
David Jablons and Tamara Hicks (husband and wife) are in the medical profession, but made dramatic career-shifting leaps by purchasing and restoring this ranch about 20 years ago. And our stomachs are lucky they did!
Upon arrival, David greets you and then then leads us to the milking parlor. Goats, he tells us, are creatures of habit, arrive to the barn in virtually the same order each time, always seeking out the same milking stall.
Once we move from the milking barn into the loafing (sleeping) barn, we are quickly surrounded. It’s like falling into a pool of stuffed animals. Oh my gosh, these kids … wow!
“Go ahead,” David tells us, “Pick them up!” We don’t need to be asked twice … they are sooo adorable, cute and playful … these kids quickly bring out the kids in us … pure joy and happiness playing with them.
After 30 minutes of this, we wander up the hillside to see the views of the farm and hang out with more goats. The ranch has been working with a local Native American Tribe, along with various nonprofit agencies to plant about 1,000 native plant species and trees. There are lovely views.
And finally, it’s feeding time. For us! Several boards of assorted cheeses and wood-fired bagels (they also own Daily Driver in San Francisco) are laid out amongst a smattering of picnic tables. Everyone gathers, chats and eats. It’s glorious.
To sign up for a tour of Toluma Farms or find Tomales Farmstead Creamery cheeses, and/or to schedule either a private tour or a cheesemaking class with the lead cheesemaker, contact Toluma Farms directly for information. And enjoy!
