***** Kidding Experiences are only available during Alpine Kidding Season and are finished for 2020. They will not be available again until 2021 Kidding Season. ****
During kidding season in the Spring (when the Alpine goats are having their babies), we make sure that somebody is in the barn 24/7. While most of the goats will have their babies without difficulty, there will always be births with complications, and we like to be there. This is your opportunity to join at least one member of the Jonas Family during Kidding Season.
Please understand that the Kidding Experience is a work experience. This means you may be helping to clean stalls, move hay bales, clean up after-birth, and more. If you just want to snuggle and play with baby goats, we strongly suggest you try a Baby Goat Experience instead. If watching a baby goat being born is a high priority, you can always watch them on our Facebook Live videos or on our live streaming cameras in the barn for our Patrons. But if you want to get down in the dirt and work hard to take care of baby goats, this experience is for you!
Scheduling. Previously, we allowed multiple groups of people to schedule kidding experiences at the same time. In 2021 we are only allowing one group to schedule at a time. This really limits the number of experiences that are available, so book your experience now if you don't want to miss out!
Price. The Kidding Experience time slot costs $150 on Saturdays. We discount the Kidding Experience time slots to only $100 on weekdays. Each time slot includes up to 2 people.
If you have more than 2 people in your group, purchase additional Kidding Experience tickets. For example, if you have 4 people in your group, purchase 1 time slot on this page (which covers the first 2 people) and then purchase 2 more additional tickets. Additional tickets are only $50 per person (even on weekends) and can be purchased later (once you've secured your time slot) if you have additional people who want to join your group. Please let us know if you have any questions about purchasing your tickets.
Time. The Kidding Experience is available from 10 am - 2 pm, Mondays through Saturdays. They are not available on Sundays. They last 4 hours, but you can leave early if you'd like. And if a goat goes into labor right around the time to leave, you can stay until it's finished without any extra charge.
What does the Kidding Experience include?
- If there's a birth, you'll get to participate as much or as little as you'd like. Every brand new baby is caught, dried off, named, and fed by the people who are in the barn at the time, and you'll get to do as much of that as you want. We cannot guarantee there will be a birth during your scheduled time.
- Spending time with the baby goats. You'll have access to a pen full of baby goats. You can snuggle with them, hug them, let them climb on you, pick them up... they love the attention!
- Spending time with at least one of the barn cats. Kidding Season is the cats' favorite time of year - there are tons of people in the barn to pet them. There is a 99.99% chance that you'll get to spend some time with Jim-Bob, Jason, John-Boy, or the kittens on your lap, helping to keep you warm.
- Learning all about goats. You'll have a Jonas with you the whole time, and since we've had goats for over ten years, we know lots of fun facts about them. You'll learn something new and have fun at the same time.
- Feeding baby goats. It wouldn't be the real experience if you didn't feed any baby goats!
- Cleaning stalls and halls. It also wouldn't be a real experience if you didn't clean up after any baby goats. Cleaning stalls is a huge part of farm life and needs to be done multiple times a day.
- Folding towels. Baby goat births require lots of towels, so we wash and fold quite a lot of them during kidding season!
- Photo ops! There is nothing cuter than a selfie with a baby goat, or a family portrait with baby goats climbing all over you. Make sure your phone/camera has plenty of space for pictures.
What do I need to bring?
- Warm Clothes (that can get dirty). This is an absolute must. Dress like you're going to spend three hours out in the snow. You can always take some layers off if you get hot, but it can get cold out there. Also, make sure that everything you wear can get dirty because it probably will.
- Camp Chairs. If you're going to want to sit down on something other than the hay in the stall, you're going to want to bring your own camp chair.
- Drinks. It can be chilly in the barn, so you may want to bring a thermos of hot coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, or just a bottle of water. However, please make sure that any drinks you bring can be securely closed. The last thing we want is hot chocolate all over the floor because a barn cat knocked over your mug.
- Snacks. Your experience will include lunch or dinner, depending on which shift you schedule, but if four hours is a long time, you may want to bring some snacks to keep in your car.
More details:
- All participants must be 13 or older.
- We have 24/7 live streaming cameras in the barn, and they will see you. If you are uncomfortable with your image on the internet, whether on our Facebook Live videos or on the live streaming YouTube channel, this experience may not be for you.
- This experience does require physical exertion. You may be asked to lift baby goats, full bottles, or more. There are no chairs in the stall, so if a goat is in active labor, you will need to stand or sit on the ground in the stall.
- Accessibility. Walking is required to reach the barns. Our 2 parking lots (Farm Store & Sweet Shop) are currently gravel so care should be taken with those who have difficulty walking.
- Please no tobacco use or vaping is permitted in, around, or near the barn or other buildings. You are always welcome to take a break from the kidding experience to go sit in your vehicle for such activities.
- No pets are allowed in or near the barns so please leave your animals at home. If you have a service dog, please contact us.
** No discount coupons may be used with the Kidding Experience.
** Saturday tickets are non-refundable. They may be rescheduled for a different open date.