Courtesy of Green Finned Hippy Farm
At Green Finned Hippy Farm in Illinois, your yoga partner is one of the land's many goats.
A charming 10-acre farm in Pocahontas, Illinois, is gaining attention for its yoga classes, where the farm's goats steal the show. Jumping atop participants' backs, nibbling hair or hoodie strings, and napping on mats, the goats make for quite the entertaining partners.
Alicia Davis, who runs Green Finned Hippy Farm with her husband Joshua, was inspired after friends sent her photos of yogis on the West Coast striking poses with goats.
"There really wasn't a reason to not do it, so we had goat yoga class the very next week, and we've been going nonstop ever since. That was three years ago," says Alicia. Although there are more places that now offer goat yoga, the Davises were the original home of yoga with these curious creatures in the St. Louis area.
The goat-filled yoga classes are an increasingly popular way to connect with nature, relieve stress, and enjoy plenty of goat cuddling. After hearing enthusiastic reviews, I had to try it.
Here are the five things to know before you go.
1. Wear something you won't mind getting dirty.
Leave the Lululemon at home! As yoga classes are mainly held outside on a grass pasture, it goes without saying that there will be a little dirt involved. The goats also love to cuddle and aren't shy when it comes to climbing on yoga-goers. I left with a few hoof prints on my jacket, but it felt like a badge of honor. This one of the rare occasions where you want to be stepped on.
2. Bring a yoga mat and towel.
Although there are a few mats at the farm for people to use, they go quickly. The Davises recommended for yoga-goers to bring their own mat and a towel to place under it. This helps protect the mat from the dirt and, er, goat droppings from the pasture.
3. It's okay to come just to cuddle.
Before the class begins, Alicia tells everyone that you can follow along with the mainly seated stretches, or just relax and enjoy petting and snuggling with the goats. "It's okay to just cuddle the goats. I'm used to doing yoga by myself sometimes," she says before the class really starts. Although I began with the best intentions of focusing on the yoga positions, my attention was soon taken by the goats coming to say, "Hello," or sit on my legs. It's difficult to focus on yoga when a baby goat has deemed you a worthy napping place.
4. Know you're in safe hands—these goats are professionals.
Goats usually aren't very friendly, but these ones are trained from birth to be around people. During late winter and early spring, the farm hosts Sips & Snuggles which serves two purposes. One is to let guests cuddle with newborn baby goats, and two is to familiarize goats with people as soon as possible. Joshua likens goats to cats in that, without familiarization, they typically want very little to do with people. The goats who participate in goat yoga are deemed therapy goats, as they are friendly and enjoy being around people as much as people enjoy them—though they do still have an ornery side.
5. Stay for the farm tour.
Green Finned Hippy Farm offers a free farm tour after each yoga session. During the tour, I learned about what makes them a "beyond organic" farm, met a few friendly chickens and cats, and learned of the farm's efforts to save the critically-endangered American Mulefoot Hog. The hogs are rare, so seeing them up close is something to not miss. The Davises are passionate about raising quality food and sharing ways to eat better, for them and for the animals. After the tour, farm-fresh bacon, eggs, and cuts of meat can be purchased from their shop, along with goat yoga shirts to commemorate the experience.
Visit Green Finned Hippy Farm's website for goat yoga times and tickets.
