Happy Goat owner says he’s not going anywhere

The owner of Happy Goat Farm said any talk of its impending demise are greatly exaggerated.

“I’ve heard some rumors suggesting that I’ve stepped away or abandoned the project,” John Cahalin, the owner of Happy Goat Farm and Happy Goat Social Club, said on social media last week.

“I want to say clearly and respectfully — that is not true. My resolve has never wavered, and my commitment to the mission we’re building here remains as strong as ever,” he said.

Cahalin said over the past year he has split his time between Mariposa and Chicago, but his commitment to Happy Goat has not wavered.

In October 2025, Cahalin closed the Happy Goat Farm to Table diner in what he called “a strategic step forward.”

In his social media post, Cahalin suggested that a prospective buyer may be in the wings looking to reopen the diner, formerly called the Sugar Pine. The building at 5038 Highway 140 is listed for $750,000.

Cahalin told the Mariposa Gazette in October the diner was created to build awareness for the “Happy Goat brand” and steer visitors to the non-profit farm.

Around the time he closed the diner, Cahalin was building out the Happy Goat Social Club at 5025 Highway 140 in the old Mariposa Company Store building, which he hopes will drive business to the Happy Goat Farm.

Cahalin envisions Happy Goat Social as a multi-purpose space selling western wear, offering concierge services and a speakeasy downstairs.

Last weekend the Happy Goat Social hosted a charity poker tournament.

For three years Cahalin has been trying to get a conditional use permit (CUP) to turn Happy Goat Farm, located at 5030 CYA Road, into an event center.

The project would include daily public farm tours, bi-weekly outdoor education, special events and workshops.

According to county planning documents, up to 175 guests are anticipated on a daily basis and up to 300 guests during special events.

“We’ve finally got the solar up and running — electrification is here, our fencing is nearly complete, and CUP compliance is nearing completion,” Cahalin said in his March 30 post on Facebook.

“This has been a long road. Working through the county process and securing our CUP was not easy, but it was important to do it the right way. With that behind us, we’re excited to move into the next phase — welcoming visitors and sharing what we’ve built here,” Cahalin said.