Farma Kamenica — Family Sheep Farm and Cheese Dairy in Šariš

Kamenica is a village in northern Šariš, in the valley of the Kameničanka stream, at about 483 m above sea level. It was first mentioned in 1248, and above it, on a limestone crag, stand the ruins of Kamenica Castle, built in the first half of the 13th century. In 1556 the castle was destroyed by the troops of Šimon Forgáč, and its stone was later taken to build a distillery. Today the ruins are looked after by a civic association, and castle festivities are held here every year.

Below this castle, in the meadows above the village, the family-run Farma Kamenica keeps its flocks. According to the owners, they have been building their place in the Slovak countryside since 2003. The heart of the farm is its sheep: their milk is turned into homemade sheep’s cheese, bryndza and other dairy products using traditional methods, without preservatives or unnecessary additives. The farm grows its own fodder and works its land, stressing an ecological approach and respect for nature. As the owners put it, every animal here has a name, every cheese its story, and every guest a place at the table.

What to taste and buy

• Lump sheep’s cheese — the basis of Slovak salaš production, from which bryndza and steamed cheeses are later made.
• Bryndza — a soft salty cheese without which there are no real bryndzové halušky.
• Steamed cheeses: cheese strings, knots (plain, smoked or flavoured) and a smoked slab.
• Žinčica — a traditional drink made from the whey left over from cheesemaking, sour or sweet; plus sheep’s milk, yoghurt and yoghurt milk.
• Cheese “cakes” — festive one-, two- or three-tier arrangements of cheeses ordered for celebrations.

For reference (2026 price list): sheep’s cheese costs €13 per kilo, bryndza and cheese strings €17 each, knots €16–17, a smoked slab €16, sour žinčica €3.50 per litre, sweet €3, milk €2, and cheese cakes from €30 to €50.

Practical information

Getting there. The farm stands on the edge of the village (Kamenica 1513), about 6 km from Lipany, about 36 km from Prešov and about 90 km from Poprad. A car is the most convenient option.

Hours and orders (as of October 2026). The farm website gives Monday to Friday 11:00–13:00 and Saturday and Sunday 14:00–21:00. The owners advise ordering products in advance by phone, so it is worth calling before the trip to agree on what you will collect. The farm also has a koliba (log restaurant) serving home cooking from its own produce, where family celebrations are held, and the Santana agro-guesthouse with animals, a pond and a garden — a handy option for families who want to spend a few days in the countryside.

Nearby

In Kamenica itself, after shopping, it is worth climbing to the castle ruins on the limestone crag above the village. Every year castle festivities with falconers, swordsmen and folk ensembles are held on its bastion, and the evening before there is the “Night of Castle Ruins”, when fires are lit around the castle and a fire show is staged.

From Kamenica it is not far to the ruins of Šariš Castle above Veľký Šariš and to Ľubovňa Castle in Stará Ľubovňa. The trip combines well with historic Bardejov.

Official website: farmakamenica.sk

Photos: 65c2b562d3.clvaw-cdnwnd.com.