Goats
We primarily have Pygmy Goats that are one of the smallest breeds and is therefore the reason why we breed these goats. Over the years we have brought in a few other breeds as rescues and as there are many people looking for goats for their new or seasoned homestead, we have no difficulty finding them a home. These goats have come in for many reasons from found wondering the country side to owners not having the time or energy to care for them.
During the warmer months we do such fundraising as Goat Yoga also known as Farm Yoga. What is Goat Yoga you ask? This is an activity that has grown in popularity over the past number of years as it balances animal therapy with the calm of yoga making for an enjoyable experience for participants.
Ducks
Among the reeds and on the shores of the pond there are many interactive birds who love to be talked too. Rouen, Pekin, Blue Swede, Muscovy and Cayuga ducks can be seen lounging around the yard and playing in the pond.
Geese
In 2004 a pair of Embden geese were the first to join the farm and since then we have added goose breeds such as Czech & Chinese, even Canadian Geese have found sanctuary in our yard.
Pigs
The very first pig to arrive of the farm was in 2004, a pot bellied pig named Charlotte then a male named Piglet in 2005. Later in 2005 we brought in our first animal rescue. We received word from Tara’s sister in NW Ontario that an old man had past away with a bunch of animals that now had no one to care for them. We said that we would take them in but did not expect the number of animals that came in which included a litter of bot bellied piglets that we found good homes for. It was this rescue that started us on the journey that led us to what we do today.
Sheep
Sheep are great for clearing land of poison ivy, thistle, and other annoying plants. Making them awesome pets that work the yard. Some of the breeds we have had on yard include Canadian Arcott, Shetland, Dorper and other cross sheep. Sheep are normally very calm animals and when visiting our farm you will more than likely have a sheep come to you for attention.
Chickens
The large variety of chickens in the yard makes the yard very entertaining. Everything from purebreds to Barnyard mix, producing a variety of colored eggs. Always a roo or two to put on a show.
Alpacas
Not to be confused with Llamas like Big Mama that came to The 10 Acre Woods back in 2005, Alpaca are smaller and usually not as temperamental. Alpaca are native to South America and their young are referred to as "Cria" meaning "Baby" in Spanish.
Equine
The first equine that arrived on the farm in 2004 and was a Shetland Pony named Smoke. Since then we have had over three dozen equine on the farm ranging from Big Joe that measured over six feet tall to numerous donkeys and miniature ponies.
Rabbits
Some of the first animals we had on the farm were rabbits and is why that the first building we constructed back in 2003 was a rabbit hutch. We originally bred rabbits for Petland but after finding so many rabbits that were in need of rescue we stopped breeding rabbits and started to take in rabbits in need of a home.
Over the years we have had many breeds of rabbits that include Standard Rex, Mini Rex, Lion head, Holland Lop, New Zealand, Flemish Giant as well as a variety of cross breed rabbits.
Pigeons
Very entertaining and magical we have a wide variety of colored Pigeons that can be seen in the sky above The 10 Acre Woods. Pigeons were the first animals (other than our dog and cat) to live on the farm. They actually started out in a cage across one wall of our bedroom and included three breeds: Old German Owl, Lacquer Shield and Capuchin pigeons. There is no particular reason why we have pigeons other than they make a wonderful addition to the farm and are beautiful to watch playing in the air on any given day from spring to fall.
Turkeys
Don’t let their looks deceive you. Turkeys are very inquisitive and interesting bird’s.
Our first Tom turkey was actually named Tom, a local country home day care contacted us about a turkey that was hanging out in the yard with the kids. After visiting the day care, I informed them that if there were any concerns, we would take him in. Not more than a week later we received a call asking for the Tom to be picked up as the parents when picking up their children were not comfortable with a turkey in the yard. Tom spent a year and a half here on the farm and come spring 2017 decided it was time to leave the farm when the his wild turkey brothers came calling.
In 2016, Fernando the tom turkey hatched out and moved off with his sibling to a farm wanting turkeys. Unfortunately all but little Fernando was lost and because of this he was returned to us during the winter of 2017. After Tom left us, Fernando took over his role as Chief Greeter to visitors coming to the farm. On May 20th 2018 Fernando and The 10 Acre Woods was presented a certificate in recognition of the first annual Manitoba Therapy and Service Animal Day from the Province of Manitoba.
