A Crop of Cute: 5 New England Farms to Visit with Baby Animals

Though spring marks the start of a fresh season of farmers market treats, it also yields the beginning of something clumsy and cute: baby farm animals! Sweeten your agricultural appreciation this spring with a visit to these baby farm animal fostering New England farms.

Fawn Over Farm Animals at Shaker Farm in Massachusetts

No spring visit to the historic Hancock Shaker Village is complete without a stop to see youngins both fowl and four-legged. Keeping to its historic roots, the farm is bustling with heritage livestock like cows, sheep, and poultry similar to the animals of Shaker’s past. A spring visit here will yield squeals of delight at the sight of the farm’s baby chicks, ducklings, goats, and piglets.

New England Farms in Vermont with Baby Animals

Got milk? Vermont sure does. Dairying is the primary farming industry in the state and produces over 2 billion pounds of milk as a result.

A portion of that comes from a darling dairy farm called Billings Farm and Museum in Woodstock, Vt. Both a fully-functioning Jersey farm and well-regarded outdoor history museum, the farm formally welcomes new additions with an annual Baby Farm Animals Celebration. The two-day event gives visitors a fun farm experience with tractor- and horse-drawn wagon rides, kid’s craft activities, and of course a chance to meet and greet the baby steers, chicks, ducklings, and newborn lambs in their handknit sweaters. For those who can’t make it to the official welcoming party, stop by and partake in one of the farm’s scheduled events like “An Introduction to Milking.” After meeting the makers, it’s only fair to test the final product with a visit to the Dairy Bar or a bite of Billings Farm Cheddar Cheese.

For another dairy farm and animal mashup, drive down scenic Route 30 to Retreat Farm in Brattleboro, Vt. It’s not tough to find the livestock here — just pop some quarters into the grain machine to fill a bowl with snacks. The faces of donkeys, goats, alpacas, and more will emerge from their stalls to greet you (or a handful of hay) with a smile. The farm also has a room dedicated to the delicate peeps of baby chicks and a goat pen that visitors can enter for some up-close head scratches.

Alternatively, head to the northern part of Central Vermont to immerse yourself in the midst of farm animal appreciation with a stay at Liberty Hill Farm Inn. When guests aren't preoccupied with an array of activities like fly fishing, filling baskets with handpicked berries, or exploring wildflower fields, they can get up close and cuddly with the on-site farm life. Help feed the Vermont-famous Holstein herd, learn how to milk a cow, or take the opposite approach by bottle-feeding the farm's baby calves. At the end of the day, relax with one of the farm's country kittens as you snack on some freshly picked vegetables.

Ride the Waves of Cute in Rhode Island

Trade the beach for the barnyard on an afternoon visit to Simmons Organic in Middletown, Rhode Island. If you dream of cuddling baby goats, this may be one of the best New England farms to make it a reality. Starting at the end of March, Sunday visitors have the opportunity to hold and pet the farm’s newest additions of bouncing baby goats. In addition to the dairy goats, the farm is home to Tennessee Fainting Goats, a Shetland Pony named Strawberry Shortcake, and a female donkey who goes by Jake.  

Whether you’re in it for the goat videos or the farm-fresh goat cheese, spring getaways are undeniably sweeter with a baby animal visit. If you predict spending most of your time admiring the crew at these New England farms, we’d suggest finding your barnyard-buddy homebase in a town nearby!

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