Get hands on at our two petting zoos.
E–I–E–I–O! It’s not Old MacDonald’s farm — but it’s just as much fun! People of all ages will enjoy a visit with Belkin Family Lookout Farm’s unique assortment of farm animals. You’ll meet a few that are uncommonly found on a working farm, like Sophie or Bradley, our resident ostriches. Plus, you can visit with your tried–and–true favorites like the sheep, goats, pigs, cows, reindeer, and more!
Our large petting zoo is located at the children’s play area and you can actually get inside the pen with the sheep, goats and bunnies! The large petting zoo is open from April 28 through August 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. From August 18 through the end of October (our Fall U-Pick season), the large petting zoo will be open daily during our normal buisness hours. Stop by and take a peek!
Our small petting zoo is located just beyond the Farm Market parking lot, is free of charge, and is open daily, year-round, for visitors.
Cows:No two cows have exactly the same pattern of spots. The average cow is two years old when she has her first calf. Dairy Cows provide 90% of the world’s milk supply. A cow spends 13 hours a day lying down and up to 8 hours a day eating!
Rheas:Rheas lay 15 eggs at a time — and the males are the ones who watch over them! The rheas are a South American cousin of the ostrich. On average rheas are 6 feet tall and 150 lbs. The rhea can kick with a force of 800 pounds per square inch!
Emus:Emus can live to be 30 years old! They are shy birds, but very curious about what is going on around them. Emus adapt well to extreme temperatures — both hot and cold. Emus are native to the country of Australia and were first brought to the United States as breeding stock for our zoos.
Ostriches:Ostriches love to dance. Sometimes they run in wide circles or perform a “waltz”. Ostriches can run up to 40 miles per hour and are very powerful. A single kick to a predator, such as a lion, could be fatal.
Donkeys:A male is called a Jack, and a female is called a Jennet. Donkeys can live to be 40 years of age. The donkey is the smallest member of the horse family. There are three categories of donkeys. Miniatures are 36 inches and under. Standards are between 36 and 54 inches. Mammoths are over 54 inches.
Reindeer:Reindeer coats are dark in summer and light in the winter. All reindeers, regardless of age or gender, grow a new set of antlers each year. A male is referred to as a buck, a female as a doe and a baby as a fawn. The diet of a reindeer consists of grass, moss and lichen.
Peacocks:The real name of these birds is “peafowl”. The female usually lacks the beautiful colors of the male. Peacocks are members of the pheasant family. A group of peacocks together is referred to as a bevy. Reaching heights of over three feet, an adult peacock’s tail feathers can be sixty inches in length!
Goats:Goats don’t have tear ducts — how sad! — and their horns grow straight up. A female is called a doe, or nanny goat, a male is called a buck, or billy goat and a baby is called a kid. Goats hate when people touch their ears but love having their coat brushed. A goat typically has 2 kids a year and is pregnant for a total of 5 months.
Rabbits:Rabbits can see behind themselves without turning their heads. They typically live in groups in underground burrows. Female rabbits are able to have 20 to 40 babies per year! Rabbits live for about 10 years.
Sheep:Most sheep live to be about 8 years old and you can actually tell the age of a sheep by looking at it’s teeth! They are very gentle animals and hate to be alone so they tend to live in flocks (groups of sheep). Sheep usually give birth once a year and have 1-3 lambs. Did you know that one year’s growth of fleece is about 8 pounds of wool?!
