Ready for my closeup
Our Animals
While some of the animals come and go from the farm, here’s a look at the ones you are likely to see and maybe touch and — ahem — likely smell during a visit to the farm.
Horses:
CHAIA (left) is an Arabian horse. Chaia (pronounced KY-a) is intelligent and sensitive and loves attention. She is very loyal so long as she is treated with respect. LITTLE BIT (right) is a Hackney pony. Little Bit is friendly, brave and always alert. Hackney ponies are adaptable and tough. Back in the day they were kept out all year with very little food and care to develop endurance for the cold and other types of weather.
Donkeys:
Our newest donkey is a girl born April 28, 2024. Minnie weighed about 25 pounds and stood and walked within about an hour.
Micro High-Park calf:
It’s been a year since PUNKIN first appeared on the farm with a bow in her hair and making the notion of a cute cow real. But this micro High-Park calf, born April 8, 2023, is a very different cow today, with horns and heft. A High-Park is a cross between a Scottish Highland (long ginger hair) and a White Park (a British breed, usually with white hair and that is known for its longevity).
Highland cow:
A counterpart to the farm’s micro High-Park is Gordy, a full Highland. He was born June 16, 2023. With their long hair, Highlands are about as tolerant of arctic cold as caribou or reindeer.
Alpacas:
The farm’s alpacas are usually very sweet and timid creatures, and they hum a lot! BUSTER (left) and RUDY were born on the same day — July 28, 2023 — but to different mothers. They weigh about 80 pounds now and will reach about twice that size when fully grown.
Goats:
We have at least a couple dozen young goats on the farm, representing four breeds: Nigerian Dwarf, Nubian Toggenburgs and Boers. Purchase a cup of goat food and watch them get excited to see you!
Angus cattle:
RUBY is a Black Angus cow who gave birth to Opal on May 27. Ruby herself was born April 1, 2021.
Hereford:
DARLA is a Hereford beef cow born in 2022. Herefords are a gentle breed that originated in England. They typically can produce calves until age 15 or so — older than many breeds.
Sheep:
Both of our lambs are girls. A sheep can produce two to 30 pounds of wool each year, and each pound of wool can make up to 10 miles of yarn.
Chickens:
There may be 25 billion chickens in the world, but we still think ours are pretty special. The neck and backbone of a chicken consists of 39 bones — more than a giraffe! Because of that, chickens can turn their head 180 degrees.
Chicks:
Baby chicks can go 72 hours without food or water after they hatch. But they grow fast! From the start of our fall season to the end the change is fun to watch.
Turkeys:
We have two turkeys: a Bronze and a Norfolk Black. Bronze turkeys are believed to be a cross between wild U.S. turkeys and imported British turkeys. Norfolk black turkeys are believed to be the oldest domesticated turkey breed.
Rabbits:
Our Dutch rabbits come from a breed that is known to be very calm. That makes them popular as pets. Dutch rabbits are believed to have originated in Holland and are one of the oldest known breeds.
White pigeon:
White pigeons are often used for ceremonial releases at weddings to symbolize peace and unity. Part of the reason for their popularity is their homing abilities, which doves do not have.
