Cape Breton farms get creative to bring in business
This past summer was dry and hot, making it a difficult time for farms across Nova Scotia. But this winter, farms in Cape Breton are coming up with new ways to get people to visit. The CBC's Anna Rak has the story.
Goat Walks in the Woods
In 2018, we welcomed our first goats to the farm, Sophie and Sadie, and since then the herd has grown. With the farm being situated on 74 acres of forest along a magical brook, we have many trails that have been developed over the years which are perfect for hiking. Walking with the goats is one of our favourite activities here on the farm and we are excited to be sharing this with others.
The goats love walking in the woods, nibbling away on greenery and bark as they go, and we have experienced incredible interactions between kids and adults alike with these forest wanders. These amazing beings are intuitive and gentle with people and enjoy the attention they receive from folks along the hike. This makes for some very special experiences. We have also enjoyed meeting new people and see this as such an incredible opportunity to share what we have learned from our homesteading adventure here in Cape Breton.
About the Walk
We follow a forested trail along the brook, making stops along the way to interact with the goats. The goats have been handled consistently since birth and are therefore very friendly and truly enjoy human interaction. This is also a great opportunity, when we have goat kids, to cuddle an adorable little goaty babe.
The hike itself is about 1.5 km in length, but we walk slowly with the goats to have more interaction time with them. We also make a stop by the beautiful brook, which is where we fell in love with this land at first sight! There is some incline on the trail, however, we have found that it is manageable for most due to the slow pace. Depending on the time of year, some parts of the trail may also be wet and or muddy, therefore, if you have mobility issues, it may not be suitable.
These walks are open to all ages, children must be accompanied by an adult. As the walk is in the forest, fellow goat hikers should be dressed appropriately for outdoor conditions including footwear that can get a little wet and clothing that can handle goat cuddles!
Cost
We offer a private program for groups of up to 6 people. The cost is $100 for the hour for the group, children 2 and under are free. We can also add more goat walkers for an additional cost of $15 / person. Our maximum group size is 15 people.
Registration
Goat walks can be booked Tuesday through Sunday. To book your walk, please send an email request to info@twistedrootsfarm.ca with preferred date and time and we will respond with availability. Payment can be made by e-transfer prior to your walk or cash on the day of the walk. Please note, walks may need to be cancelled or rescheduled due to weather conditions.