A Different Kind of Farm

One of the things I think about often at City Goat Farm is how our residents came to be here. Their stories are all different, but most have one thing in common: at some point, someone cared enough about that individual animal to help get them somewhere safe. Today, we welcomed seven young hens rescued from the use of live chickens in Kapporos, a tradition observed by some Orthodox Jewish communities before Yom Kippur. Kapporos can be practiced in different ways, but when chickens are used, they are customarily swung or passed over a person’s head before being slaughtered. @kaporoscompassion and its partners rescued 360 birds this year, giving them the chance to find homes instead. Sitting with these young hens tonight brought me back to a question I find myself asking again and again: Why are we so horrified when we witness animal suffering in front of us, yet so comfortable with suffering that happens out of sight? Often, suffering is far away from us, in places we don't see, involving animals we'll never meet. When something is common enough, familiar enough, or simply hidden from view, it can become much easier not to think about. We get used to things. We stop seeing them. Tradition makes that especially complicated, whether we’re talking about Kapporos or something as familiar to many of us as eating turkey on Thanksgiving. As a Jewish person, I don’t believe compassion and tradition are at odds. And I don’t believe something should be beyond questioning simply because it has been practiced for generations. I believe we can honor our faith, our cultures, and our communities while still asking whether the ways we practice our traditions reflect our values. I try to ask myself whether the choices I make and the traditions I participate in reflect the compassion I believe in. I think that’s a question worth asking even when the answer is uncomfortable. Especially when the suffering has become ordinary. For these seven hens, the questions can wait. Tonight, they're safe.

We're so excited to have our friends and neighbors at @birchstarfarmandbooks joining us for our Goats & Ghosts Open House on October 9! 📚 Browse a wonderful selection of new and used books, and take home a little reading adventure with a blind date with a book! And who knows… our Halloween craft might be book-themed, too. 👻 See you in two weeks for an evening of animals, books, and fall fun at the farm! P.S. A portion of all sales will support the farm!

If you’re used to visiting places where animals are there to be fed, pet, or handled, a sanctuary can be a little different. We love having visitors at City Goat Farm, and many of our residents love visitors, too. Building positive relationships with people can be really wonderful for the animals, and it also helps us care for them when they need things like medical treatment, hoof or nail trims, or other hands-on care. We’ve seen some incredible changes in our residents as they’ve gotten more comfortable around people. But that doesn’t mean every animal wants to interact with people all the time. Some may have had difficult experiences with humans in the past. Others are simply more independent or have their own personalities and preferences. So when an animal comes over to say hello, we’re happy to spend time with them. And when they’d rather do something else, that’s okay, too. Marnie and I were just standing here looking at each other for a minute. It’s a pretty simple interaction, but it’s one of the things we love about getting to know the animals who live here.

It's hard to take the time to share updates when there's so much to do! Over the past month, we've been doing some major repairs to the back of the barn, housing improvements, and generally preparing for the coming winter. We still have a lot more to do, and the rain is not helping, but we can't wait for visitors for our upcoming October 9 open house! See you there!

🐐 Meet Gus! Our newest resident. 🐐 Gus has had a pretty unusual journey to City Goat Farm. His mother passed away giving birth to him due to his startling size, so Gus was bottle-raised from the very beginning. He grew up on a small farm with a herd of Nigerian Dwarf goats, but as Gus continued to grow… well, he got really big. Eventually, he needed a herd that could better accommodate his size. We’ve never taken in a new goat outside of Bianca’s family group, but we thought Gus might be a good fit here. And so far, he’s proving us right. ❤️ The people who raised Gus absolutely love him, and finding him a new home wasn’t about loving him any less. They knew that as he grew, he needed something they couldn’t provide: a herd where he could truly fit in and have goat companions his own size. And that’s exactly what he has now. Gus is incredibly comfortable around people and absolutely loves the attention from our visitors. But he also has an appropriate herd, giving him the chance to just be a goat and have a goat family of his own. His impressive size and remarkably calm personality seem to be the perfect combination. He’s getting along with everyone, settling in beautifully, and already seems very much at home. And if you come to our October 9 open house, keep an eye out for Gus. We have a feeling he’ll be first in line to greet you. 🐐❤️

September is here, and we’re excited to announce City Goat Farm's second annual fall open house: 👻🐐 GOATS & GHOSTS 🐐👻 Last year, we opened the gates for our very first fall community open house and had such a great time welcoming friends, neighbors, and new faces to City Goat Farm that we decided to make it an annual tradition. Join us for an evening of animals, Halloween fun, cider, snacks, and more! 🐐 Meet our rescued farm animals 🎃 Halloween fun for the whole family 🎨 Kids’ Halloween craft 🍎 Cider & snacks 👻 Costumes welcome! 📅 Friday, October 9 | 5:30–7:30 PM 📍 City Goat Farm, 833 Swaggertown Rd, Charlton, NY Free • Family-friendly • All are welcome! Come meet the animals who call City Goat Farm home and see a little of what life is like at our farm animal sanctuary. We’d love to see you there! 👻🐐