See Highland Cows in the Hocking Hills

Matt Pfarr never imagined owning 14 Scottish Highland cattle. But today, he, his wife Renee and his son Teddy run Pfarr Farms Scottish Highlands in Laurelville, offering 1-hour experiences for visitors to brush, bottle feed and take photos with the lovable animals. 

Creating these experiences was not the original intention but one that grew from Matt seriously injuring his shoulder on the job in 2016. 

“After 22 years of law enforcement, I got hurt at work,” he says. “I woke up the next day and I was no longer a police officer. I was no longer a baseball coach. I couldn’t throw a football with my son. My entire world changed.”

About a year later, he brought home his first cow, a way to busy himself while Teddy was at school. Then, in April 2022, he created a Facebook page and began posting photos of his growing herd for friends and family to enjoy. Later that year, one of those friends tagged the page on the Ohio Road Trips group on Facebook and his phone started ringing. 

By March 2023, his operation was up and running, allowing customers to book appointments to see the cows. The animals have also served as the backdrop for special moments, from first birthdays to marriage proposals.  

Upon arrival, visitors meet Killian, Maggie, Freya and Tori, as well as other Scottish Highlands. Visitors are encouraged to pet every animal, visit the gift shop and learn more about the breed. Appointments will open back up around April 2025. 

“I just used the cows as something to give me some therapy,” Pfarr says. “Now, everybody is coming out here, just letting everything melt away and forgetting everything going on in [their] lives — getting to love and brush and pat these big, fuzzy grass puppies.”

For more information, visit pfarrfarmsscottishhighlands.com.

For more Ohio travel inspiration, sign up for our Ohio Magazine newsletters. 

Ohio Magazine is available in a beautifully designed print issue that is published 7 times a year, along with Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter editions of LongWeekends magazine. Subscribe to Ohio Magazine and stay connected to beauty, adventure and fun across our state.