Sunnyfield Farm is a small family-run goat dairy farm located on Lopez Island in Washington State. It showcases the beauty and harmony within the land, as well as among the animals and people who call it home.
The farm has quite a history. The land that it sits on has been farmed since 1898. Harry and Lillian Towell, along with 40 neighbors and friends, hired a Northern Pacific sleeper car and set out from Minnesota to Washington State. The couple homesteaded the land, raising hay, grain, and dairy cattle. The farm changed hands in the 1920s, and then in the 1940s, and then again in the late 1960s. In 1989, Ron and Sheila Metcalf bought it and moved in, along with their daughter Elizabeth, who was twelve at the time. Today, Elizabeth and her husband Andre operate the farm while raising their family in the same home where Elizabeth grew up.
Andre and Elizabeth met on Lopez Island in 2011 while attending an agriculture class and realized that they both shared the same ideals and future goals. They attended WSU classes in 2012 to gain more knowledge about animal husbandry and farming. The most valuable part of the class was the opportunity to visit other farms around Washington and to learn from experienced farmers. It gave them the confidence to move forward with their dream of having a goat dairy and they began to grow into who they are today.
In 2014 the Washington State Department of Agriculture granted Andre and Elizabeth the license to sell raw goat milk, pasteurized cheeses, and aged cheeses, and they have been giving back to the community ever since. They host small farmers’ markets at their farm in the winter season for locals. Customers can buy cheese, meats, veggies, and soaps from local producers and bread from the island’s Barn Owl Bakery.
The goats at Sunnyfield Farm lead a simple life. They have the freedom to roam throughout the 40-acre property without the restrictive barriers typical in modern farms. At Sunnyfield Farm, the goats are corralled by hedgerows and trees. The stables for the goats are the only structured source of fencing and housing for them. The goats graze on the fields and are fed nutrient-rich hemp that is grown on the farm. They also enjoy alfalfa from an organic farm in Washington State.
Cheese from Sunnyfield Farm has long been a staple on the menu at Coho Restaurant. Our values are aligned in that Coho Restaurant strives to showcase sustainably produced, seasonal ingredients from local farms. You’ll find Sunnyfield Farm chevre on our seasonal flatbreads and their feta mixed in our kale and walnut pesto or whipped and spread on a plate as a base for a bright, fresh salad. Their Lopez Hill ashed covered pyramid, which is aged for eight to ten weeks, is our team’s guilty pleasure.
While staying at The Tucker House Inn & Harrison Suites in Friday Harbor, you’ll find Sunnyfield Farm products at the local co-op. Or take a day trip and visit the farm on Lopez Island! Ask your innkeeper for a map and directions to the farm stand. We know you’ll love Sunnyfield Farm just as much as we do!
