It's a winter Saturday in Kitsap County. What better fun is there than meeting up with some friends to do some Yoga... with baby goats!
Welcome to The Smithshyre in Poulsbo, WA
The Smithshyre wants your family to enjoy local seasonal veggies, herbs, fruit and eggs. A source of food that you can feel good about. Where you know the animals live on pasture and forage naturally. Where you know the farm is actually organic and the animals all feed organically. Where you know the farm works in harmony with nature.
Erin and Roni, Founders of the farm, Photo credit Erinn J Hale
In the past few years, The Smithshyre has branched out to include Nigerian Dwarf Goats for milk. They make cheese, yogurt and ice cream to share with their friends and family. They hope to have a dairy to share with the community soon.
Kidds are available for sale, typically at 8 weeks, depending on their size and weaning status. In an effort to keep the kidds happy and help socialize them, they started up Kitsap Goat Yoga! Yes, it is as fun as it sounds. The goats breed every 6 months, which means BABIES twice a year! Kidds are ready to do yoga shortly after birth and retire from the class when they are no longer interested in playing.
Alison Hatletveit, and her daughter Ella, sharing a wonderful morning together at The Smithshyre
Why Goat Yoga?
In Erin & Roni's words:
Humans have lived in harmony with animals for 10,000 years. Animals have unique personalities and a life unfettered by experiences of humans. They live a simple life, where the necessities of food, water, safety and shelter are their only true concern. Love, affections and attention feed their souls, just like ours. When these needs are met, a goat is free to be truly happy, just being with them invites you into their sense of peaceful grounding. Their energy combined with human energy created while performing yoga creates a magical synergy of bliss, happiness, joy and any other synonyms you can think of that creates a “feeling or state of well-being and contentment”. It’s also beneficial to your mind by allowing you time to step outside of your daily life and into a place filled with laughter.
Try not to giggle while a baby goat is nibbling on your ear lobe while you are stretching into your downward dog. It’s ok, you don’t have to get the pose right or even stay with it, this little love bug chose to give you some attention, feel free to return the favor (but please don’t nibble on it’s ear). Laughter is the best medicine, so why not laugh out loud and nourish your soul with a little goat love.
The Rules:
Children 12 and up please
Don’t wear white or something you would be upset with being stained.
Goats aren’t good at wiping their feet before they jump on your back or belly, they’re used to dirty toes.
Dress comfortably, bring a layer or two, the PNW weather is unpredictable and even if the class is in the barn, we cannot be assured it will be warm.
Please tie any long hair up in a tight bun or something similar.
“Goat dreads” are a free service offered by our caprine friends. Yes, it’s cute while it’s happening, but it’s behavior we strongly discourage. So just gently remove your hair from their mouth and they’ll go on to the next thing that looks fun. Hoods are highly encouraged.
The takeaway was an appreciation of a working farm. The healthy and seemingly happy animals ran together in the yard- chickens, goats, sheep, a barn cat, two beautiful working dogs and a family chihuahua mix of sorts ran circles around us. Plus we got in some cathartic cuddle time with the Kidds and the day-old baby sheep- we timed it just right! (And as a bonus, we didn't get peed on, like the lady behind us in yoga) To boot- the sun was out!
Cannot wait to do this again!
Reserve your class here! New babies coming soon, so reserve April dates!
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