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Four Favorite Experiences for Animal Lovers

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It’s spring, and that means it is time to enjoy the outdoors and unique agritourism experiences.

Alpacas

Green Meadows Alpaca Ranch in Holden, Missouri, is a local ranch, Airbnb and agritourism attraction we have come to love. Melissa and Jason Ashley operate the ranch, along with their kids, and they welcome guests to stay overnight or come for an afternoon “Paca Picnic.”

The scenic farm is home to 33 Suri and Huacaya alpacas. Suris are known for their twisted strings and locks, and Huacayas are fluffy and soft. Both are beautiful, and each alpaca has its own unique personality. The farm is also home to two llamas, one llama/alpaca cross, goats, sheep, turkey, guineas, chickens, ducks, cats and dogs.

Overnight guests stay in luxurious bedrooms, or they may opt to bring a tent and camp outside. Guests get to feed the animals a few times during their stay, spray down the alpacas to cool them off if it’s hot, and pet and hold them. Guests learn about the different types of alpacas and other animals, their fleeces, their care and their individual stories and personalities.

If you’d like to make a day trip rather than an overnight, consider a Paca Picnic, where two to 10 guests get to feed the alpacas and bring their own picnic to enjoy on the farm.

Goats

For an unforgettable day trip, visit Providence Hill Farm in Atchison, Kansas. Christy Harris, the owner and creative mind behind the business, loves sharing unique goat experiences with visitors to the farm. On our family’s visit, we held baby goats, petted the goats, tried her freshly made goat cheese and, best of all, went hiking with goats!

Providence Hill Goat Farm is home to many breeds, including Nigerian dwarf goats, mini sable goats, LaMancha (Spanish) goats and Nubian cross, all an assortment of dairy breeds. Harris, a native of Alaska who now calls Kansas home, is passionate about all things natural, and her love of learning, creating, animals and nature led her to goat farming and making products from their milk, including cheese, soap and candles. Harris offers tours, classes and outings for all ages, occasions and group sizes. Her favorite thing is to create a program specifically with your group in mind.

Harris offers a variety of goat programs, including meet-and-greets, yoga, baby goat play, animal-assisted therapy and goat university—great for future goat shepherds.

People often think of goats living on farms with lots of grass, but they love living in the woods. Harris’s goats browse to eat, meaning they will eat leaves, twigs and brush on her property—in addition to the alfalfa, grain, grass and hay that she feeds them. The goats graze in the forest so much that they've created paths for visitors to experience the Enchanted Goat Forest.

Hiking with goats was our favorite experience on the farm. We hiked with the goats as they trailed behind, experiencing their home, discovering special spots (including the bow tie tree) and watching as they ate from branches.

Everything produced at Providence Hill is done consciously, seeking the best methods for the environment, the animals and humans. Harris takes pride in knowing that she is “connected to the antiquity of humanity” doing what people have done for thousands of years in the same ways.

Providence Hill Farm is a hidden Atchison gem that offers truly unforgettable experiences that let visitors learn that life truly is better with goats.

Cows

Shatto Milk Company has become Kansas City’s dairy, known for specialty milk celebrating holidays and local sports. On a tour of the farm, visitors have the chance to explore a working dairy farm and milk bottling company that offers tours to groups of any size.

The Shatto family has farmed their land in Osborne, Missouri, for more than 120 years—70 of those as a dairy farm, with the milk bottling company opening in 2003. One thing that sets Shatto apart is that their cows are not treated with growth hormones. And, of course, kids love another Shatto trademark … the unique flavors of delicious milk.

On an hour-and-a-half tour of the farm, you get to experience the entire process from start to finish. Children delight in petting calves, milking cows and meeting the famously happy herd. Watch through a window as milk is processed and bottled, and end your tour by sampling delightful flavors! Root beer, strawberry, orange creme, banana and traditional whole or chocolate milk are a few of the cold, creamy flavors. Shatto opened a brand new cheese-making facility last year, and visitors now can watch the cheese-making process firsthand!

Sheep

Green Dirt Farm in Weston is open for tours on select dates. This working sheep farm on the bluffs of the Missouri River Valley offers an educational tour unlike any other. Guests learn why grass is the best food for the 150 ewes on the farm, how important healthy soil is to the environment, and what makes the cheese so good. Visitors also learn about pasture rotation while watching the dairy sheep graze on the hills. Guests experience a guided tour of the pastures (hilly, grassy and dirty … dress for the occasion), meet the sheep and learn all about the dairy farm.

The highlights of the tour, though, are the final steps: watching as the sheep are milked in the milking parlor, peeking into the cheese kitchen and a tasting of three cheeses in the retail shop. On the hour-long tour, guides use the opportunity to educate and entertain guests who learn about the environmentally friendly and healthy practices that make Green Dirt Farm cheeses so special. Reservations are required, and admission is charged.

Farm Tour Tips:

Kristina Light writes about fun family experiences on KCParent.com all year long.

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