California Baby Animal Farm Tours: Where to Cuddle this Spring

Me, cudding at Redwood Hill’s baby animal farm tours

Spring means sprouting flower buds, farmer's markets plush with tiny strawberries, and, most importantly, baby animals. That's right. It's time for...

Baby Animal Farm Tours

Below I list some of my favorite places to visit and pet baby animals in California. Most baby animal farm tours focus on sheep and goats since that's who has babes around now, but baby cows are also cute. Read more here about why spring = cute animal farm tours, or scroll down to get your cuddle on.

A goat in a sweater from Prodigal Farm, North Carolina.

Here I am petting my first sheep.

A goat puppy on a baby animal farm tour.

Baby Animal Farm Tours

Harley Farms Goat Dairy, Pescadero

In addition to having a cuddly load of cheesemaking-inspired baby animals, Harley also has llamas (may or may not be small). This is one of my faves, but Harley is a hot ticket. Must farm tours are booked well into June, but there are a few treasured spots open here and there. Book quick.

• Harley's claim to fame: Gorgeous farm dinners in the field, flowered chevre & ricotta

Hidden Villa, Santa Cruz

Hidden Villa is a 1,600 acre farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains whose programing focuses on environment and social justice education. Oh and meeting animals and Twilight Walks and Japanese Cultural Days. It's a very special place with events galore on beautiful, beautiful land.

• Hidden Villa's claim to fame: Tours like Preschoolers on the Farm, Toddlers on the Farm, Afternoon Farm Tour (grown-ups allowed)

My mother the goat whisperer.

Redwood Hill Farm, Sebastopol 

Sharing time: I've been to this farm every Mother's Day for the past three years. Five years? Not sure. Most photos featured on this post are from baby animal farm tour visits. Not only does Redwood Hill Farm have tons of day-old (or hour-old) goats for you to visit, the staff is pretty much the nicest family this side of the midwest. You get a little flower in a yogurt container when you leave, and after petting the goats, you can sit under their apple orchards and picnic.

• Redwood Hill Farm's claim to fame: Kefir, Cameo cheese, goat's milk yogurt, and... May 7 & 8 and May 21 & 22 are their Farm Tours this year. If you go on May 8th, Mother's Day, say hello. I'll be there cuddling.

Tomula Farms, Tomales Farmstead, Petaluma

Year-long tours at Tomula bring cute animals all seasons, but alas, spring means babies, hence baby animal farm tours! A super nice couple owns Tomales Farmstead, there's a creek running through the property, and there is even is a awe-worthy airbnb stay on the property.

• Tomales Farmstead's claim to fame: Teleeka and Assa cheese, to name a couple. Currently - guided tours on the first Sunday of each month

Windrush Farm, Chileano Valley

An exception to others on this page, Windrush focuses on wool and children's tours. But they made it on the list because I love the idea of sending my imaginary child to one of their Summer Camps so they can learn to milk animals, harvest veggies and then visit their "Music Camp" sessions. The animals may not all be babies by the time you get there depending on spring or summer class selections, but Windrush looks spectacular.

• Windrush Farm's claim to fame: Sheep fiber (yarn and wool), and check out Lamb Day on April 9th, 2016.

Enjoy your spring, and I recommend contacting farms before visiting to confirm petting sessions are still on. Know any other baby sessions that need to be on this list? Email me at kirstin@itsnotyoitsbrie.com

Spring = Babies, Babies, More babies, and Goat Festivals at the Ferry Plaza.

I've been feeling like something was missing from my life lately and I couldn't figure out what. Down time, sure, but there's never enough of that. Friends? Couldn't be, I have plenty of wonderful friends that I adore. A partner? Sure, but, dating is, well, dating, and well, enough said. After going through the list of commonly listed "missing things" and re-watching Pretty in Pink (they discuss what could happen if you miss your prom, and I was doing research on missing things), I figured it out.

It has been two years since I've been to a farm during spring time. This means that it's been two years since I snuggled with a baby goat or sheep.

Cow's are on a year-long breeding schedule, but normally goats and sheep give birth in spring time.

Know what that means?

BABY ANIMALS.

I don't want to knock any human babies out there, but I think that baby goats could be even cuter than baby people. I've seen pictures of myself as a child, and I agree.

So I wanted to send a little love today to all the baby animals out there. You are too damn cute. I love you.

If you happen to be around a farm that's having an open house, go. You won't regret it. Baby goats wag their tails. They also eat your belt ends but that's beside the point. And San Franciscan's - there is a goat festival this Saturday from 10am to 1pm at the Ferry Plaza. There will be baby goats to play with and pet. Please go if you can stand to die from cuteness.

And oh my gosh, Prodigal Farm in North Carolina needs volunteers to help feed the babies.

Hope you enjoy the pics of the babes! Most of them came from the farm themselves.

Have you played with a baby sheep or goat this year?