Roughly 200 water buffalo graze on one family farm in New Jersey, and their milk becomes fresh mozzarella. Yes, that’s the same animal behind the famous mozzarella di bufala of southern Italy.
The couple running the farm once lived in Queens, far from any pasture. They traveled to Campania, Italy, to study traditional buffalo cheesemaking before bringing those skills back to a quiet river valley.
I like how the lineup goes well beyond one famous cheese. The fridge can hold mango yogurt, tangy lassi, labneh, ricotta, paneer, and even buffalo milk ice cream, along with pasture-raised buffalo meat and Italian-style sausages.
I can’t imagine a better reason to point the car toward the hills and away from the highway traffic. Who knew the Garden State was hiding a herd like this, along with a cheese cave and a farm store of its own?
A Herd Of Water Buffalo Lives In The Musconetcong River Valley
Riverine Ranch is a working water buffalo farm in western New Jersey, and the herd numbers around 200 animals. That makes it one of only a handful of water buffalo farms in the entire United States.
The ranch sits in the Musconetcong River Valley, a stretch of rolling farmland that feels a long way from the Turnpike. Water buffalo thrive in wet conditions, so a river valley suits them nicely.
Owners Brian and Courtney Foley raise the animals for both dairy and meat. Their milk becomes mozzarella, yogurt, ricotta, labneh, and a surprising list of other goodies.
So why buffalo instead of cows? The short answer is richness, and we’ll get to the creamy details shortly.
For now, it helps to know the basics. This is a real farm first, with pastures, hay fields, and a small farm store where you can buy straight from the source.
Families who love animals, cheese, or a scenic back-road drive will find plenty to like here. It’s also a fun way to prove to friends that New Jersey has more farmland surprises than most people expect.
From A Queens Apartment To A Buffalo Farm Dream
Brian Foley used to work as an electrician, and Courtney taught school. Neither job exactly screams buffalo rancher, which makes their story even better.
The couple left Flushing, Queens, in 2004 with a simple goal. They wanted to produce their own food and live closer to the land.
That dream eventually led them across the ocean. They studied traditional water buffalo cheesemaking in Campania, Italy, the heartland of buffalo mozzarella.
Back home, they took on a 62-acre farm in 2010. The land itself carries a farming history that reaches back to the late 1800s.
I love that this isn’t a slick corporate operation. It’s two people who learned an old craft from the experts and then brought it to the Garden State.
Brian is also known for being generous with his knowledge about animal husbandry and running a farm business. Several people describe the owners as friendly and welcoming, which fits the whole family-farm spirit.
That second-act energy is easy to root for. It’s proof that a big life change can lead somewhere wonderfully muddy, grassy, and delicious.
The Butterfat Secret Behind That Silky Mozzarella
Higher butterfat is the magic word here. Water buffalo milk carries more fat than cow’s milk, and that richness shows up in the cheese.
The result is mozzarella that can taste hearty, silky, and full of flavor. It’s the reason Italy built a whole cheese tradition around these animals.
Riverine Ranch makes its mozzarella with buffalo milk, the same way it’s done in Campania. That authenticity has drawn interest from Italian restaurants looking for the real deal.
The farm sells its mozzarella immersed in water. That helps the delicate cheese hold onto its quality until it reaches your kitchen.
Taste is personal, of course, and fresh cheese can vary from batch to batch. Still, plenty of buyers come back specifically for the mozzarella and call it delicious.
Try it simply first, maybe sliced with tomatoes and a pinch of salt. A good buffalo mozzarella deserves a moment in the spotlight before it disappears under pizza sauce.
The Foleys even believe water buffalo could help breathe new life into New Jersey’s dairy scene. One creamy ball at a time sounds like a solid plan.
Yogurt, Lassi, And Labneh Steal Plenty Of Attention
Mozzarella gets top billing in the headline, but the yogurt might be the sneaky star. It comes in plain, blueberry, mango, and strawberry flavors.
Buffalo milk makes yogurt thick and rich, and fans describe it as super creamy. Some people even plan their week around picking up a fresh batch.
Then there’s the lassi, a yogurt drink with roots in South Asia. The mango version is a popular pick, and it sounds made for a hot Jersey afternoon.
Labneh shows up too, as a seasonal favorite. This tangy strained yogurt spreads beautifully and can stand in for sour cream on all sorts of dishes.
Kefir rounds out the cultured lineup. It’s another tangy option for anyone who likes their dairy with a little zip.
Buffalo milk can be tough to find in regular grocery chains. That makes this farm especially meaningful for families, including many Indian households, who grew up with buffalo milk and miss its flavor.
Kids may gravitate toward the fruit yogurts. Grown-ups might sneak the mango lassi before anyone notices it’s gone.
Ricotta, Paneer, Ice Cream, And Even More Surprises
Once the buffalo milk starts flowing, the possibilities get wide. Riverine Ranch turns it into far more than mozzarella and yogurt.
Ricotta is on the list, perfect for lasagna or a simple spoonful with honey. Paneer is there too, a firm fresh cheese that shines in Indian cooking.
The farm also makes a buffalo brie. Taleggio has appeared at their market stand, adding a bolder option for serious cheese lovers.
Fresh buffalo milk is available on its own. Some fans happily drink a glass every day.
And yes, there’s buffalo milk ice cream. The farm has partnered with The Bent Spoon, a well-known New Jersey ice cream shop, on creatively flavored scoops.
Pasta made with buffalo milk has shown up over the years as well. Offerings can shift with the season, so it’s smart to ask what’s available before you go.
I like how this lineup feels both Italian and global. One farm in rural New Jersey covers brie, paneer, ricotta, and ice cream, all from the same herd.
Buffalo Burgers And Sicilian-Style Sausages Deserve A Spot On The Grill
Lean and high in protein, water buffalo meat is the other half of the farm’s story. Riverine Ranch sells ground meat, steaks, and Sicilian-style sausages.
The sausages come in hot and sweet Italian versions. That’s a natural fit for a summer cookout with peppers and onions.
Ground buffalo makes great burgers, and some buyers call them among the best they’ve tasted. It’s also less greasy than many people expect.
The animals are pasture-raised without growth stimulants or antibiotics. That matters to families who care about where their dinner comes from.
One helpful tip before grilling night. Everything here is water buffalo, so the steaks are buffalo steaks, not beef, even when the cut names sound familiar.
Leaner meat can cook faster than fattier beef. Keep an eye on the grill so those steaks and burgers stay juicy.
A pack of sausages and a container of mozzarella could make a pretty memorable dinner. It’s a full farm-to-table meal from a single New Jersey herd, which is a fun thing to brag about at the table.
A Cool Cheese Cave Where Patience Pays Off
Fifty-four degrees is the magic number underground. That’s the steady temperature inside the farm’s cheese aging cave.
Aged cheeses rest there for a minimum of 60 to 90 days. During that time, they slowly develop deeper flavors, richer textures, and their own personalities.
Fresh mozzarella is all about speed. Aged cheese is the opposite, a slow and careful process where time does much of the work.
Controlled conditions help each wheel mature evenly. The Foleys follow a traditional approach, which ties back to the methods they studied in Italy.
The craftsmanship has earned recognition, too. The farm reportedly took a Silver Award in the soft and semi-soft mixed milk cheese category at the 2025 U.S.
Championship Cheese Contest.
That’s a big deal for a farm working with livestock that’s still uncommon in America. It suggests the cave is doing its job beautifully.
If you usually stick to fresh cheeses, consider grabbing an aged option too. Comparing the two side by side is a tasty little lesson in what patience can do to milk.
Happy Grazers On Preserved Jersey Farmland
Water buffalo happily munch on plants that cattle often skip. That talent makes them a smart match for the wet, grassy landscape of western New Jersey.
The herd grazes across more than 200 acres of preserved farmland in the Musconetcong River Valley. That’s a lot of room to roam for a big, easygoing animal.
Riverine Ranch practices rotational grazing. The buffalo move between pastures, giving each section time to recover and regrow.
Hay grown right on the farm helps feed the herd too. It keeps the whole operation closely tied to its own land.
Manure gets composted and returned to the fields. That enriches the soil, which helps future crops and pastures grow.
I love how neatly the cycle fits together. Animals feed the soil, the soil feeds the grass, and the grass feeds the animals.
For kids, it’s a great real-world lesson in how farms can care for their land. For everyone else, it’s comforting to know your mozzarella started with buffalo grazing on open pasture.
Your Weekday Road Trip Plan For The Farm Store
Mark your calendar for a weekday, because the farm store keeps a weekday schedule. Hours run Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM.
Saturday and Sunday are listed as closed at the farm. That makes this a great summer-break or day-off adventure rather than a weekend errand.
You’ll find Riverine Ranch at 247 Cemetery Hill Rd, Washington, NJ 07882. The drive winds through pretty Warren County countryside.
Remember that this is a working farm, not a theme park. Visits to see the animals have typically been arranged by appointment, so call ahead if meeting the herd is the goal.
Hours can change with the seasons and farm life. A quick check before leaving home can save you a disappointing trip.
Bring a cooler with ice packs for the ride back. Fresh mozzarella, yogurt, and buffalo meat all appreciate staying cold.
The ranch holds a 4.6-star rating on Google, with many folks praising the products and friendly owners. Not bad for a farm most New Jerseyans have never heard of.
Spot Their Stand At A Bustling Greenmarket
Can’t swing a weekday drive to Warren County? The buffalo products might come closer than you think.
Riverine Ranch brings its dairy and meat to several farmers markets in the New York City area. The Union Square Greenmarket is one of the best known stops.
The stand has also appeared at Fulton Stall Market and the 77th/79th Street Greenmarket. Forest Hills Greenmarket in Queens has been on the list too, a nice nod to the Foleys’ roots.
Market schedules can shift with the seasons. Checking the farm’s current lineup before heading out is a smart move.
A market visit is a fun way to meet the farmers face to face. Brian is often described as knowledgeable and happy to chat about buffalo, cheese, and farming.
Shoppers have picked up everything from mango lassi to taleggio and Italian sausages at these stands. An online shop also offers another way to stock up.
Jersey commuters headed into Manhattan might find this especially handy. Grabbing buffalo mozzarella on the way home sure beats another boring grocery run.
Why This Buffalo Farm Earns A Spot On Your Jersey List
Few places in the country let you taste buffalo mozzarella made a short drive from home. Even fewer sit in the rolling hills of New Jersey.
Riverine Ranch packs a lot into one stop. There’s mozzarella, creamy yogurt, mango lassi, labneh, ricotta, paneer, ice cream, and pasture-raised buffalo meat.
Behind it all is a couple who swapped city life for farm chores. They learned their craft in Italy and built something rare right here in the Garden State.
I believe that kind of dedication deserves support. Buying directly from family farms helps keep New Jersey agriculture alive and growing.
It suits food lovers, curious families, and anyone missing the taste of buffalo milk. Plan for a weekday visit or catch the stand at a city greenmarket.
Grab a cooler, call ahead about seeing the herd, and enjoy the scenic drive. The Musconetcong River Valley is lovely in any season.
A tub of buffalo yogurt and a ball of fresh mozzarella make a sweet souvenir. Your fridge will be the most interesting one on the block.
