The Herd
The Leaders
Maya and Sophie
The leaders of our animal pack today are Maya and Sophie. Adopted in 2009, these twin sisters are never seen very far apart. Although we don’t know their breed, Lindsay affectionately calls them supermodel Corgies because of their long-legs and long tails, but Corgi-like stature. They are definitely herders, so don’t expect to get very far on the property before they announce your presence! Lindsay rescued them from a box underneath the freeway, and has called them her fur-babies since they were eight-weeks old. Today they do their best to control the wild turkeys from eating our grapes, fill Dante’s enormous paws, and provide sweet cuddles. And, yes, they are getting more accustomed to getting bossed around by third-generation Rohan and Rajan.
Jack E. O’Asses
Jack E., the protector of our herd, presiding over daily farmyard politics. Jack is a rescued wild burro who now calls Hoopes his home. Jack came from the wild and keeps the coyotes at bay but he is a sweet boy. He loves his carrots, cabbage and of course, never misses an opportunity to come say hello when Rohan and Rajan visit.
The Pygmies
Puck & Pan
Puck and Pan are our pygmy goats. Small in stature but they have huge personalities! They can be skittish at first but very friendly once they get comfortable. Having to compete with the bigger goats, Gertrude and Clementine, for treats, they are not ones to shy away from a good goat headbutt battle. They’ve also become best friends and sidekicks of Jack E. so they have some backup when Gertrude and Clementine get a little extra enthusiastic about treats from the humans.
The Goats
Gertrude Ornethal Armistead Thurgood (G.O.A.T.) and Clementine
These bearded beauties were named after famous bearded ladies and among the first of the herd to stake their claim on the farm. Not nearly as shy as Puck and Pan, these two never an opportunity for a snack. Whenever they see our clan walking up with a bucket of food scraps, they’re the first to greet us at the gate. They will not only battle Puck and Pan for the treats but each other as well. And be careful with your scrap bucket because we often find these two pick-pockets sticking their maws in to sneak some extra treats!
Rescue Piggies
Rasher, Carnitas, and LuLi
Rasher is our lone male pig. This little guy thinks he’s the king of the farm. He even manages to scare Jack away from the treats every now and then but Jack will give him a good buck to remind him who is the Top Dog on this farm.
Carnitas arrived on the farm with Rasher and they’ve been besties ever since. Don’t let her resemblance to Rasher fool you, she is a sweetheart. She loves to come over, say hello, and take treats from your hands. She also loves to be brushed and pampered.
LuLi may be the largest of the pigs but she is a sweet girl. When she arrived, her face reminded us of the Lucha Libre wrestler masks from Mexico, hence the name, LuLi. You will often find LuLi relaxing by herself in some corner of the farm. Rasher didn’t exactly welcome her with open tusks but they seem to have agreed to disagree and keep their distance from each other. Now she is much more comfortable with her new home, taking walks around the sanctuary to shed a few unwanted pounds and taking mud baths whenever she can.
Chickens
Lello Bird and the Clucks
When we got our first batch of chicks, there was one bird that stood out from the rest and he was the only yellow chick of the bunch. At the time, Rohan called him “Lello Bird” and the name stuck. Little did we know, he was a rooster and would grow to have the magnificent plumage he has now. He is the protector of the hens and will not hesitate to let you know when you’re intruding on the Clucks.
The Clucks are our beautiful hens of various breeds. We have Rhode Island Reds, one Crème Legbar, five Dominiques, and five Speckled Sussex.
Aside from being clucking beautiful, these hens serve as an integral part of our regenerative farming efforts by fertilizing the soil and infusing the land with vital nutrients. Oh and they also lay really delicious farm fresh eggs!
