Less than an hour south of St. Louis, nestled in the countryside of Ste. Genevieve County, is a magical goat wonderland! Baetje Farms (pronounced like bay-gee) is the home of the cutest goats and tastiest, small-batch artisan goat cheeses around. If you are looking for a fun field trip, and a time away from the city, this is the place to go!
This year has presented so many strange challenges to our annual traditions. Normally we would have spent a day at an orchard, picking apples and pumpkins, enjoying the autumn splendor. However, due to a lot of restrictions at the farm we normally visit, and a bummer of a crop at another, we needed a different place to get our autumn on. Enter, Goatoberfest!!!!
Jeff found out about this new fall event at Baetje Farms through an email blast from the farm. After a little more searching on social media, we decided to hop in the car and go. It was a lovely drive through Southeast Missouri with the fall colors on our way to Bloomsdale, where the farm is located. Upon arrival, I was surrounded by the perfect autumn aesthetic! Trees full of fall color, a pasture full of adorable goats, a quiet stream, a big red barn with a display of pumpkins, and a roaring fire pit… be still my beating heart!
We were welcomed into the farm’s event space, called The Artisan. (It is a beautiful venue for weddings and special events.) There were complimentary samples of their award winning goat cheeses to try. They offer a variety of sweet and savory cheeses that are all incredible. I really loved the Pumpkin Walnut, which is basically dessert! The farmers allow the happy goats to just eat off the land and keep them hormone free, making the cheese taste well loved.
Next, we headed outside to pet and feed the goats. They were so sweet and gentle. It was fun to watch them run around and play. I really enjoyed petting their sweet faces and wished I could give them a hug.
The property itself was lovely to wander. It’s quite peaceful and still. The fall color was just at the end of its peak, making the place quite picturesque. The farm even just finished building a set of tiny homes that can be rented for a weekend stay. They look so cozy and adorable inside. I would LOVE to spend a weekend there, especially since it is just a short drive to the wineries in Ste. Genevive.
After we went back to The Artisan, we enjoyed some wine tasting and ordered a charcuterie board to savor outside by the fire, while a local musician played. It was just perfect. We enjoyed our afternoon so much and look forward to going to visit the farm again.
We were told that Baetje Farms is planning to hold a lot more special events in the future, including New Year’s Parties, Valentine Dinners, and of course more years of Goatoberfest. They will open a tasting room and there are opportunities to tour the farm and creamery. Check out their website, Facebook, and Instagram for more information on upcoming events. And don’t miss trying their incredible cheeses at specialty markets and grocery stores all over the St. Louis area. It is definitely worth the drive to visit the farm!
Forty Fat and Fabulous 