A Tour of Stepladder Ranch & Creamery
In this installment of Beyond the Market, learn about Stepladder Ranch & Creamery and their delicious varieties of goat's milk cheeses.
Located just minutes from scenic Highway 1, nestled in the gorgeous coastal valley of Cambria, California, Stepladder Ranch & Creamery raises a small herd of La Mancha dairy goats to produce the most delicious small-batch cheeses. Meet owners/ranchers Jack and Michelle Rudolph as they take us on a tour of their multifaceted family business during one of their busiest times of the year – kidding season!
Kidding season takes place between March and April, with 2023 seeing the birth of 91 baby goats, or "kids", kicking off the start of spring cheesemaking. Dedication, hard work, and extreme vigilance are necessary to make it through this chaotic time, and why building their small but dynamic team has been the secret ingredient to their success. The staff's cooperation, passion, and care, create the highest quality cheeses, making them proud to put their label on it.
Cheese is not their only product. Stepladder Ranch & Creamery grows more than 200 varieties of citrus and subtropical fruits on their 750 acres, with 40 acres dedicated to Hass avocados. Find them in a farmers' market near you!