Yesterday we visited The Ranch at Fossil Creek in Strawberry, AZ. Owners John and Joyce Bittner have a number of llamas and Joyce offers llama hikes, tours and overnight stays in yurts. Several years ago, Joyce took my sister and I on a llama hike on West Clear Creek. We trailered the llamas to the trailhead, packed them and took our hike. Llamas carried our lunches and we had a w
onderful time crisscrossing the streambed high up on the Mogollon Rim in the Coconino National Forest before it drops into the wilderness.
John has had a dream of having a goat dairy for years. He now has a state-of-the art dairy and creamery with about 20 goats. George and I and RV friends Pam and Rob got the grand tour during their open house. One room is for 
milking, with stanchion and goat milking machine. Before licensing, John milked by hand; licensed dairies must use a machine.
Another room contains the pasteurization vat, capacity 60 gallons. The milk had already been pasteurized, rennet added and was now cooling and forming curds. Those were later removed and drained to make cheese. (see below)
We sampled plain cheese and a special holiday cheese — cranberry cheese, plus a delicious appetizer made with french bread, goat cheese and a bruschetta sauce. We also sampled chocolate and peanut butter fudge. 
Next year, John plans to build a cave into the side of the hill in order to make hard goat cheese. Hard cheese takes time to cure at a constant temperature.
After purchasing some of cheese and fudge, we visited the goats and llamas. The goats will have their kids around April and milk production will soar. (A pregnant Nubian pictured.) We saw the yurts that people can rent. It’s a fun getaway and a llama hike and overnight would be a real adventure for grandkids.
A drive up Highway 87 from the Mesa/Phoenix area takes you close to the ranch. Call to see if John or Joyce will be there for a tour of the creamery. (928-476-5178 or fossilcreekllamas@yahoo.com) For a day trip, continue up 87 to where Highway 260 turns west towards Camp Verde. At I-17, head south to Phoenix again.
Photos by George Bruzenak
Comments