Practices

Carpenter Creek Ranch prioritizes sustainable homesteading, animal welfare, and educational experiences. They operate a raw milk herdshare program, raise registered miniature zebu and lamancha goats, and practice whole-animal utilization. The farm minimizes waste through thoughtful resource management and offers workshops like the Udderly Delicious class, which teaches artisanal dessert-making from raw milk to finished products.

Offerings

The ranch provides a range of experiences and products:

• Udderly Delicious: A hands-on workshop where participants milk cows, craft vanilla extract, and make whipped cream and chocolate mousse. Limited to adults 21+ due to alcohol use in the extract-making process.
• Cuddle Sessions: Regular baby goat and mini cow cuddle events, often hosted at local businesses and community gatherings.
• Farm Products: Raw goat milk, custom-made soap using farm lard and tallow, and seasonal produce from small plots of cane berries, grapes, asparagus, and apple trees.
• Events: Annual pumpkin patch, farm-to-fork workshops, and summer farm camp for children.

Visiting the Farm

Located in Northwest Oregon, the ranch welcomes visitors for events and farm tours. The property, originally part of the L-Bar-T Bison Ranch and a replacement dairy heifer farm, has been family-owned since 2010. Tom and Natalie Epler, along with their three daughters, operate the ranch full-time, blending their passions for animal husbandry, homesteading, and education.

How to Buy

The ranch offers products through their online shop, including vanilla extract kits and farm-made goods. Participation in the raw milk herdshare requires sign-up, and event tickets for Udderly Delicious and other workshops are available on their website. Visitors are encouraged to check social media for updates on seasonal offerings and farm happenings.