Kidding around at Split Creek Farm

BY KILEY KELLERMEYER

FROM THE MOMENT YOU ARRIVE at Split Creek Farm, you are surrounded by a symphony of bleating goats. They are the first ambassadors you’ll meet on this working dairy farm in Pendleton, and at least one hopeful resident will reach her bearded face through the fence for a head scratch as you pass by your first pasture. And I don’t care who you are; it’s hard to resist the charms of a goat. With 27 acres of rolling pastures and rustic barns, Split Creek offers a quaint look into farm life and all the sights, sounds and smells it has to offer. Tours are self-guided, so you can traverse the dirt paths between barns and buildings at your leisure, often walking beside a roaming goat, playful dog or curious cat.

Perhaps you want to hurry over to the cabin-like farm store for Split Creek’s award-winning goat-milk feta or stake your claim to some goat-milk fudge. More likely, you’ll want to let your kids wander over to visit Split Creek’s kids, the baby goats prancing gleefully around their pens.

Split Creek Farm is located at 3806 Centerville Road in Anderson. From I-85, take Exit 14 (Hwy. 187). Head north toward Clemson Research Park for 2.7 miles, then turn right onto Centerville Road at the Mobil gas station. Go one-quarter mile on Centerville Road, and the farm is on the left.

HOURS: The farm is open for self-guided tours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The farm store is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

ADMISSION: Free.

DON’T MISS: Split Creek’s annual Spring Means Babies festival takes place April 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Celebrate the arrival of baby goats with local artists, craft vendors, food and music. Admission is $9 for adults and $6 for children 12 and younger.

DETAILS: For more information, call (864) 287-3921 or visit splitcreek.com.

“People usually love interacting with the goats the most during their visit, especially when we have some free-roaming for the day,” says farm co-owner Jessica Bell. “They love to learn that every animal on our farm has a name and a distinct personality. Repeat visitors love that they can get to know the individual animals and often ask to see a specific animal.”

Indeed, during my recent visit, Kara the goat, an old favorite of my daughter, was out wandering with Princess Aurora, who followed me as I wandered across the yard toward the rolling fields at the back of the farm, where I met another Split Creek regular.

“I love that everything is from here. It’s local,” says Alla Shkaradyuk of Anderson, who was visiting the farm with her family. “You see the whole process here.

You can talk to people about it.”

Princess Aurora and the other goats on the farm are important to the dairy production, to be sure, but they are also treasured members of a family helmed by Bell and fellow owner Sandra Coffman, who know the names and personalities of all 250 dairy goats as well as four pigs, four dogs, three cats, and many chickens, roosters and guinea fowl.

“Almost every animal provides a vital role in the ecosystem of the farm,” Bell says, noting that most non-goat animals on the farm are rescue animals given a new purpose at Split Creek.

“Our favorite part about seeing visitors to the farm,” Bell says, “is the wonder and joy we see mirrored on their faces when they realize just how fulfilling and loving goats can be.”

“I can’t begin to describe this gorgeous ring...it is absolutely stunning. The workmanship and style is out of this world. Please order this ring, you won’t be disappointed.”

— J., Stuart, FL