Even on one of the coldest days of the year, when given the chance to play with baby goats, you can guarantee we are going to brave the elements. We took a trip to Goatopia last week, a small, family-owned and operated goat farm in Bishopville, MD to learn more about their goat’s milk products and to spend a few minutes getting to know the 28 goats that currently call Goatopia home.
After owning goats for several years, husband and wife team Amy and Joe Timmons decided to put their passion to work by making products based on their belief in the quality and benefits of goat milk. After a lot of trial and error, the Timmons began producing soaps, lotions, body wash, and handmade candles. “The quality is amazing,” Joe told us during our visit, explaining that it was his step-daughters battle with eczema that led them to initially discover the benefits of goat milk products. Goat milk has long been lauded as a natural cleanser, most notably because it is rich in Vitamin A, which is known for helping with skin issues. The alpha hydroxyl acids found in goat milk also naturally rejuvenate your skin, aiding in the breakdown of dead skin cells. So far, the vanilla sugar lotion and soap has been the most popular seller, said Joe.
Of course, we were thrilled to get a sample of the products (which are available for purchase online), but we were equally as excited to get a meet and greet with the goats. There are 28 goats that currently call Goatopia home, which includes Nigerian Dwarves, Nubians, and Pygmies, to name a few of the breeds. There are even a few fainting goats roaming around! Fainting goats are known for – you guessed it – fainting! The domestic goats’ muscles freeze for roughly 10 seconds whenever they feel panic. “It’s a little scary to see, but they really do just pop right back up when they are done,” explained Timmons. (Note: they must not be camera shy, because not a single goat fainted during our photo-op).
“Of course there aren’t many things that they won’t eat,” joked Timmons as the goats took a liking to my jacket. “A few even love broccoli, but chips and animal crackers are always a favorite.” They are all vegetarians, which means come spring they will be enjoying hours of grazing (i.e. grass cutting). The goats are also notable climbers, traversing their way through the play area with ease. They all live in a refurbished chicken house, along with a few chickens that Timmons explained help to keep away harmful parasites. The 70-year-old chicken house was built by Timmons’ great grandfather, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that Timmons had the idea of converting its use for housing their pet goats.
While there are 28 goats currently living at the farm, baby goats are always on the horizon. Timmons explained that once they reach their capacity, they will ten sell them as pets. “We definitely consider them to be our pets so we only sell to people who plan on keeping them as pets,” Timmons stressed. His affinity for his pets was immediately apparent as they followed him around, even engaging in a little friendly banter here and there. They even each have their own names (our favorites were Han Solo and Princess Leia of course). “For me, it’s just so relaxing to be out here and its relaxing for our visitors that enjoy being around the animals,” said Timmons, who encourages visitors to come out to meet the goats. “The quality of the product is amazing, but I also want people to know how relaxing and fun it is to be out here with them.”
Despite the cold day during our visit, our time with the friendly goats (seriously, one even attempted to stow away in my backseat) made for a relaxing afternoon on the farm. Not convinced? Take a look at a few of our photos from our visit or plan your own trip out to the local goat farm to play:
