“I’m a Farm Dog!” I imagine my 13 year old Blue Heeler proudly asserting, as he struts his couch-surfing self around his private, 5-acre fenced-in campsite.

Our Harvest Host for the night, Julia Shewchuk of Serenity Acres Farm, has thoughtfully designated one of their pastures the “dog site” where our canine can safely romp off-leash. The farm’s six Great Pyrenese working dogs seem curious about Charlie, who is exploiting his untouchable status by peeing every five feet along the fence line.

The real stars of the farm, however, are the goats. They’re why everyone is here and the operation pretty much revolves around them. Julia says that her husband Dwayne’s lactose intolerance was responsible for the first goat purchase—and that they more or less stumbled forward from there. The first goat made more goats, which led to more milk than the family could use so they taught themselves to make cheese. And yogurt. Then all-natural, nontoxic soap and skincare products which they sold at markets. Then Whole Foods called…

She makes it sound easy, but Julia’s tenacity is palpable and visible everywhere on the farm, which appears to run like a well-oiled goat-centric machine. Each goat has a name, a personality, and a relationship with the interns who care for them. The dairy goats are milked early each morning and spend the rest of their day playing (when they’re not charming farm visitors). Those that are too old to produce or breed will enjoy their remaining days doing goat things and being doted upon.

We’re told that, in a few weeks, goat babies will be available for non-stop snuggles. We could be back.

Stay: Located in rural Pinetta, Florida, Serenity Acres offers farm tours, internships, goat yoga, goat dairy products, and a goat soap and skincare line—available from their website or at Whole Foods Markets. Harvest Hosts members can request an overnight at the farm. Learn more at serenitygoats.com.