While brainstorming ideas for a possible Staff Day activity, a colleague suggested Goat Yoga. This was the first time I had ever heard of such a thing. What is Goat Yoga? My mind went through several options: watching goats do yoga; doing yoga with a goat Yogi; watching goats skip blissfully around an enclosure while performing yoga poses. Whatever it was, it sounded interesting and I was keen to try, so my husband and I headed out to Happy Goats Farm, located in Holliston, MA. This little farm is owned by Diana and Lee Phillips and features not only Goat Yoga but is also a mini farm that specializes in fresh eggs, goat milk, soap and other items which they sell in a tiny store. Diana told me that Happy Goats Farm has been offering Baby Goat Yoga for about three years now.

Lee, the co-owner and Diana’s partner, greeted us and gathered the 12 or so people together and led us on a short trek down to the goat pen. I was very excited… everyone there was, especially as this was the last Goat Yoga session of the year. We soon came upon the goats’ area and Lee mentioned to us that the goats will be very playful, so be prepared. He also introduced his daughter as our “Goat Wrangler.” She did a marvelous job of keeping the goats interested in the people, even though there was delicious grass to be had on the edges of the enclosure. At this point, everyone went in and laid their towels down on the grass (mats were discouraged, as the goats had taken to eating them), and the goats immediately came to greet everyone. It was a beautiful, serene setting and one immediately felt a sense of peace.

It turns out that Goat Yoga was similar to what I had imagined (well, except for the goat Yogi). Our Yogi, Nissa Dianatina led the class while the goats frolicked around and jumped on people’s backs while they were in the table pose (or any pose, as it turns out). They were about 4 months old and probably 25-30 pounds, so not tiny babies, but still babies! They were so playful, and so well trained!

The goats would wait for their moment and then: Table Pose and boom! Goat on your back. I couldn’t stop laughing. The owners had recommended that anyone with long hair tie it up, as it’s a favorite of the goats to munch on. I’m in the pose, goat on my back and chewing on my bun, and I’m giggling like a little kid. It was just so comical. The best part for me, though, was the very end, when we got to feed the babies their bottles of fresh goat milk. They were greedy little things and would try to butt each other out of the way, but eventually everyone drank their fill. Lee graciously allowed us to take pictures and everyone slowly walked back to their cars. It was an experience very well worth the $33!

In closing, I want to mention that Lee and Diana care very much about their goats. When the goats are older, they are adopted out to good families that are carefully screened. The farm is aptly named, as not only are the goats happy but also the folks participating. I plan to attend another class in the spring, right after the new babies are born. No kidding!

You can borrow:  The Little Book of Goat Yoga

Carla Howard is the Senior Circulation and Media and Marketing Assistant at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA. Look for her article in the August 26, 2021 issue of the Transcript and Bulletin.