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Surfing Goat Dairy struggling in the absence of Maui visitors

Surfing Goat Dairy, located on the slopes of Haleakala Crater in lower Kula, is struggling in the absence of tourism. Its orders to businesses and hotels are down, too.

By Cindy Ellen Russell

Aug. 31, 2023

Hawaii PhotosMaui Wildfires

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Surfing Goat Dairy, located on the slopes of Haleakala Crater in lower Kula, is owned by Thomas and Eva-Maria Kafsack. The dairy is struggling in the absence of tourism and its orders to businesses and hotels are down, too.
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Employee Kala'i Greig stocks up on the goat cheese chocolate truffles in the store on Thursday. The chocolate delicacies are made from fresh goat cheese — instead of butter or cream — which holds flavor better according to owner Thomas Kafsack.
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Owner Thomas Kafsack at his lower Kula dairy which he works and lives on. “We’ve been so very lucky that we have been spared," said Hafsack about the fires.
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Jars of Surfing Goat Dairy cheese are prepared for shipment on Thursday.
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Employees Kala'i Greig and Jacki Shepard prepare the dairy's goat cheese to ship for online orders on Thursday.
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Thomas Kafsack checks on the dairy's goat cheese inventory for online orders on Thursday.
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Employees Jacki Shepard and Kala'i Greig check on the dairy's goat cheese inventory for online orders which they were preparing to ship on Thursday.
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Cheesemaker Amy Downey prepares jars on Thursday.
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A kid climbs a play structure built with windsurfing boards at the dairy on Thursday. The dairy combines the Kafsack family's passion for windsurfing and goat cheese.
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Phillip Salazar with his nephew, Matteo, toured Surfing Goat Dairy on Thursday. The dairy had only five people scheduled for tours that day when usually they have hundreds. Also pictured is Eunice Salazar, right.
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Employee Jacki Shepard, left, leads a tour with Eunice and Phillip Salazar and their nephew, Matteo, on Thursday. The dairy had only five people scheduled for tours that day when usually they have hundreds.
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The empty visitor area for the dairy is on Thursday. The dairy receives about 60,000 visitors a year, according Thomas Kafsack.
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A private road leads to the dairy at 3651 Omaopio Road in Kula.

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