Goats               

Notes on Goats:  While all of our goats are used for educational purposes, goats are normally production animals.  Boers are raised as a source of meat, while Alpines are raised for milk and cheese. Nubians are used for either meat or dairy, but more often for dairy.  And Pygmies?  Well, they're just cute and are generally kept as pets!

Nutmeg and Sassafras

Hi! We’re the twins of 2006! Our mom, Ginger, decided to bring us into the world in the middle of the afternoon at Shearfest ’06 – with more than a hundred people watching!
Nutmeg is not the least bit camera shy, but Sassafras (the older twin) was the first to stand up and the first of us to talk. Our favorite things to do are climbing on our mom and playing together.

Beau, Snickerdoodle, and Sally

We’re TRIPLETS! Goats normally give birth to two babies at a time, but sometimes the moms have three. We were born to Cinnamon, but WE had the good sense to wait until after Shearfest – not like those showoff twins, Nutmeg and Sassafras! For those of you who keep a birthday card list, our birthday is on April 5, 2006.

I’m Beau, the oldest, and the only GHF boy born in 2006. I have long, floppy ears like my dad Roger, and my ears are still creased from being folded up in that overcrowded womb. I’m a lot like my older brother, Commodore – I’m curious and sweet, and I love attention!

My name is Sally – I may be last, but I’m certainly not the least! I’m the last of Cinnamon’s triplets, and I came our backwards like Snickerdoodle. Good thing Farmer Dave was around to help us! I was much smaller than my siblings, weighing only 7 lbs. I spent the first two days of my life sleeping under the heat lamp. I’m still much smaller than Beau and Snickerdoodle, but I’m healthy and happy, and I love being the “little sister”. I like being with my mom Cinnamon the most, but I also enjoy being with my new friend Copper, who happens to be smaller than I am!

Sadly, Snickerdoodle, along with Commodore, passed away in the spring of 2007.  Draught conditions gave rise to a parasite that, despite the best of care from the Farm staff and our veterinary partners, they were not able to overcome.

Cinnamon & Ginger

We are adult Boer goat does and the mothers of Commodore, Little Foot, and Sarah. We came to Gorman Heritage Farm in May of 2004 from another farm in Ohio. We are half sisters, meaning we have different mothers but the same father, a handsome ram named Hack’s Mojave. You might have noticed that we like to stick together.

If you look closely, you can tell us apart. Ginger is a little shyer and more hesitant to greet visitors. She also is the one with the more mottled coloring. Cinnamon has solid brown markings on her head, and spots down her spine just like her son Commodore.

If you were a camper last summer you got to milk Cinnamon. We are hoping to be Moms again in the spring of 2006, so we’ll get to know all the campers again.

Copper

I am the “baby” of the barnyard here. I love to be loved. I have been known to doze off when being held by a human friend, and I’d love it if you would scratch my head when visiting.  Like my best friend Lucy, I came to GHF in May of 2005 when I was just a few months old. If my belly didn’t already give it away, my favorite thing to do is eat! I am not getting any taller, but I’m still growing: even though my legs aren’t getting any longer, I seem to keep getting wider.

Hercules Jr.

I am a 2 year old dwarf Nubian goat wether. I am named after the infamous Hercules Sr. who was a great Nubian goat who used to live here.

My caretakers insist on sticking me with all the little kid goats because I am not very tall. This used to bug me but then I realized that I am the big, older brother in the kid pen now, and I get anything I want. Before I lived with the kids, I got to hang out with Sienna and Nibbles. I missed Sienna, until I bonded my new best friend, Lucy, who loves to play and cuddle with me.

Lucy  

Even though my name is Lucy I am a wether, which is means I am a boy goat. I was born in Kentucky in the spring of 2005 and came to GHF with my best friend Copper when I was just a few months old. My nickname is “Houdini” because I can magically escape any pasture I am put in. To tell the truth, I am not really magical, but I am really good at finding little spaces to squeeze though when no one is looking. I will stay small because I am a pygmy goat and our breed is known for our small stature and huge hearts.

Ruth & Delilah

We are both young Alpine goat does that moved to Gorman Heritage Farm in the spring of 2005. We were both bottle fed where we were born, so we are super friendly. We hope to be moms in the spring of 2007, we will share our sweet, creamy milk with you.

If you look closely, you can easily tell us apart. Delilah is more black and white, and Ruth has more brown in her coat (I was named after the “Baby Ruth” candy bar—with chocolate, nougat, and caramel).

Our favorite game is “queen of the picnic table.” Ruth usually wins but then Delilah is allowed back onto the table so we take a nap together. We both love to snack on Honeysuckle.

Horses & Cows

Huckleberry

I am a miniature horse who was born 1983. Miniature horses like me cannot be taller than 34 inches at the shoulder or we get classified as a pony. I am proud to tell you that I am only 28-and 1/12 inches high, and secure in my miniature horsedness.

Another thing I am quite proud of is fact is that we “minis” were first bred as pets for European royalty over 400 years ago. But all of us were not pampered pets of kings. Some of my breed were used to haul coal in low, dark mines. I am related to the big horses that were used on farms, like this one, to do the heavy work until tractors and combines took over. That is why I am here, to represent the older way of farming.

In spite of my small size, I am a full-fledged Stallion, or intact male horse. I can be quite a handful, especially if a lady horse, or mare, is nearby. Here in my stall, however, I am quite friendly, and you can pet me if I come near. But don’t make loud noises or move fast. I startle easily.

Please, don’t feed me. It takes very little food to make me sick.

Molly

I am a Guernsey cow who came to Gorman Heritage Farm in March 2006 to keep Shakes company. I used to live at Turner Farm in Indian Hill, Ohio, but when I heard about Shakes, I knew I had to come here. Shakes and I became instant best friends who love to eat together, take naps in the field together and groom each other. I was a little shy of people at first, but the farmers taught me how great it feels to get groomed and petted. I am very proud of my little Stella, a heifer calf who was born on May 30, 2006.

Stella

I was born on Memorial Day (2006), and have quickly become the darling of the farmyard! Much ado was made over choosing my name, and “Little Star” seems to fit me well! Come and visit me; I can usually be seen toddling along after my mom Molly and my “Uncle Shakes”.

(Update - Summer, 2007) Stella is now fully grown and quite a lady in her own right.  She still lives with Molly, Shakes and her best friend, Little One, but has developed quite an independent streak.  She's the one most likely to try to run off when moving from one pasture to the next!

Shakes

Farewell to our Gentle Giant

It is with great sadness that the Gorman Heritage Farm staff notifies our volunteers, members and extended farm family of the death of Shakes, our 10 year-old Holstein-Angus steer.

Shakes underwent surgery for an intestinal blockage, which veterinarians discovered was not repairable. He was humanely euthanized at the Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital in Columbus on Sunday, October 21, 2007.

A favorite of farm staffers and visitors alike, Shakes was as gentle as he was big. His gentle nature developed over years of interaction with his human friends. Born at the Cincinnati Nature Center's Long Branch Farm in 1997, Shake's came to live at Gorman Heritage Farm in 2005 to augment our education program.

Shakes touched hundreds of young visitors to the Farm simply by letting them pet him. Elementary school students, campers, volunteers and many others have helped to groom, feed and learn about a steer's role on the farm. He taught visitors that a little hay and a scratch behind the ear goes a long way.

Shakes will be missed at Gorman Heritage Farm, but the joy he gave to us will live on in the tales we tell. Please share your thoughts and stories of Shakes by sending them to us via e-mail. We'll post your thoughts on our website, in hopes that sharing fond memories will ease the pain of losing our farm friend. Click Here to for pictures and thoughts about this wonderful animal.

Memorial donations may be mailed to Gorman Heritage Farm, 10052 Reading Road, Evendale, OH

Shorty

I am a ten year-old dwarf miniature horse. Both of parents were Huckleberry’s size, but I have different proportions because I am a dwarf—which means I have a genetic mutation. My coat is strawberry roan with a flaxen tail. I was born on May 4, 1997 at the Heart Farm in Bethel, Ohio. I came to Gorman in the spring of 2005 with my best friend Stormy.

My favorite place to be is out in the pasture eating grass. Though I may act timid at first, I sure do love attention, especially if someone scratches between my two front legs.

Stormy

I am a 16 year-old miniature donkey. If you think I’m handsome now, you should have seen me in my youth! I won blue ribbons in halter and showmanship classes when I was just a youngster.

Now I spend my days hanging out with my long-time pal Shorty and new friend Huckleberry. My favorite time of the day is feeding time and I let everybody know with a loud bray.

Rabbits

We have a number of new rabbits here on the Farm.  Stay tuned for pictures and bios!

Lappy

I am a female French Lop who came to GHF early in the spring of 2006. My owners love me very much, and knew that I would be much happier on a farm than in an apartment. I had surgery before I came, so I can’t have any babies. I had to stay in a hutch for a week or so until I healed, but I got to meet my new friends, Cookie and Bernice, through the fence. Now we spend all day hopping around munching on grass, digging holes and taking naps together!

Chickens

The Golden Girls

We are the Golden Girls: Dorothy and Blanche. We are golden hens that have retired from egg production. We spent our “productive” years at Long Branch Farm. We are spending our retirement here at Gorman Heritage Farm as the special education chickens. Since we aren’t bogged down with the chore of producing eggs, and are comfortable to being handled, we are prefect chicken ambassadors.

Turkey

Frankie

I am a 3 year-old female bronze turkey. I hatched in early May of 2004. I am shy at first but I love to be scratched on my belly. I chirp when the sun comes out and love to eat grass out in the field. I laid several big, brown-spotted eggs this spring, but no chicks hatched. I’m considering them my practice clutch—watch for more eggs this spring.

I’m happy and polite now, but you might be interested to know that I had a wild streak when I was younger. My first room mate, Benny #1, didn’t last long. Right now I'm "flying solo" around my coop.  I hope to have another mate one day!

Sheep

Little One
Little One (with his head up) is our ram.  He arrived at Gorman Heritage Farm in October, 2006 to be bred to our ewes, and liked it so much he decided to stay!  While not on duty, he lives with Shakes, Stella and Molly, and loves to pretend he's a cow!

Nubby

I was born in late April of 2005, the first of many lambs born on Gorman Heritage Farm that spring. My nickname is Nubby because I was born with a bump on the back of my neck—the farmers teased me because it looked like I had a third ear. I was a huge and healthy lamb. I was lucky; I did not have a twin, so I had all of my mothers’ milk all to myself.

I have never been afraid of people and will come right up to you to see if you brought anything for me to snack on. I inherited this from my mother, Mimi, who also likes to be the center of attention where people are concerned.