Grovins Farm | Spring Time Fun in Menomonie

When Spring comes around, there is just one thing on my mind, Baby Animals! They are just so cute and lovable and you just want to hug them.

The MN Zoo and the State Fair both do a great job of showing off the animals. But if you want to hold them, you need to go to a real farm. My friends over a Skidadlers recommended that I check out the Govins Farm Lamb Barn last spring. It was an unforgettable experience.

The Farm’s philosophy, if it can fit in your lap, you can hold it! This has to be an exaggeration right? They must have long lines, and a limited amount of animals to play with? I had to check it out.

The Govins Farm

We showed up at Grovins Farm around lunchtime on the last day of the season last year. The place was already bustling with people. Outside the Lamb Barn, people were playing yard games and going on pony rides.

It felt like a cross between a fair and a family get-together. Four weekends during the spring, the owners, John and Julie Govin open their barns to guests.

The Chicks

Inside was where the magic was happening. Immediately we found a big grouping of little chicks. You had free reign to pick them up and pet them.

If you needed assistance, staff was on hand to help you hold one. Even though it looked crazy from the outside, we didn’t have a problem getting up close to the animals.

The Piglets

The pigs were next. A couple of sows had recently given birth to a couple of litters and were nursing. If you wanted, you could hold your very own pig from a different litter. My son was a little nervous but my 6-year-old was in heaven.

After getting the chance to hold one myself, I quickly found that I would have driven double the distance to do it again. They are one of the sweetest little things to hold.

The Lambs

As soon as my 3-year-old son saw the lambs, he was ecstatic. He jumped right up on a bale of hay and patiently waited for a lamb to be dropped in his lap.

The staff did an amazing job of making sure the kids knew how to hold them in a safe manner and they pointed out all the softest places to pet.

In addition to letting you pet the animals, they also dropped a little bit of knowledge on you about them. Like the color-coding system every lamb get’s to ensure that it gets back to its mama safely.

The Goats

The goats may have been my favorite. They were too big and rambunctious to be held on a lap. But that didn’t take away the fun. They wandered around checking out everyone.

Unlike the MN Zoo’s, these kids would hang out with you even if you didn’t have food in your hand.

My daughter learned that they would eat just about anything too. Having your clothing nibbled on is all part of the experience, right? Thankfully no damage was done.

What I loved about the Govins Farm experience was they made sure that everyone got the opportunity to spend as much time with the animals as they wanted. You never felt rushed to give the animal back. They also let everyone in the family hold the animals. Once your child was done, the parents were given the opportunity too.

What are the details?

These baby animals are in Menomonie, Wisconsin. It cost $7.95 a person to get in and you can pay with a credit card. Pony rides were $5 and they also have feed to purchase on-site with quarters.

The barn is always open the last two weekends in March and the first two in April. While I’d like to say I went for the kids, I may have had more fun myself. I recommend going early in the season and early in the day if possible. The parking lot will get pretty crazy later in the day.

Also make sure to get bring your camera, and think about where some tennis shoes. While they keep the barn pretty clean, you will be walking through some straw and some grass.

Plan Your Trip: Grovins Farm and Lambing Barn Location: Menomonie WI Open:  Weekends March 23 – April 14 Cost: $7.75 per person. Kids 24 months and under are Free Other Reads: The Farm Babies Have Arrived at the MN Zoo & Crystal Cave | What You Need To Know Before You Go

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