top of page
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
-
Is there a bathroom?The Farm has a couple very clean outhouses (I have had many comments on ours being the cleanest outhouses some have ever used!) We do also have a hand washing station and hand sanitizer dispensers on site.
-
I’ve never done yoga before, is this class for me? Is this a ‘serious’ yoga class?This class is designed to be fun and accessible! Interacting with animals is the main attraction, and yoga is secondary. As always when interacting with domestic animals, expect surprises and cuteness! Laughter is encouraged.
-
What is the cost to attend?$20 per person, per class, includes admission to the Farm after hours. There will be a chance to visit briefly with animals before and after class.
-
What if I don’t want to interact with the animals during class?Now, not to be rude... but this may not be the class for you. The easiest way to keep animals at a distance during yoga is to not offer them any treats. If there is an animal getting too close for comfort, just give them a gentle push off of the yoga mat.
-
What should I bring?Bring a yoga mat, towel or blanket to lay down on in the pasture. Wear comfortable clothes that are easy to move in. Water to drink, if you want. Sunglasses if it’s bright out. Maybe a few squirts of bug spray before entering the pasture. (Clothes, mats, water bottles, purses, phones and anything brought to class in the pasture may get minor dirt, nibbles and goat footprints on them.)
-
Are private Farm Yoga classes available?Yes! Book a special class for your group! The private yoga class price is $100 for up to 4 people, and $20 for each additional person. The farm availability can be limited so please be patient. No students under 10 years old, please, because of safety issues. Contact Lois at Cook’s Country Connection to learn more.
-
What animals will be at yoga?Goats, sheep, alpacas, llamas, Guinea hens and cats are usually in attendance. Sometimes piglets, mini horses, turkeys, yaks, dogs and others make a guest appearance. Baby kid goats are the stars!
-
Is this class for kids?Kids 10 years old or older are welcome to attend with an adult. Please do not bring younger children, as combining little kids with free-roaming large animals isn't safe.
-
Do I have to do yoga?No! Attendees are welcome to skip the yoga and just be on their yoga mat with the animals.
-
What if it rains?If it is raining, Farm Yoga will be cancelled. Check Facebook or call Cook’s Country Connection on the afternoon of class.
-
I don’t like animals or farms. Will I like this class?The simple answer is "No - you probably will not enjoy this experience". This is a class for people who like to get up close and personal with fun farm animals!
-
Are photos allowed?Yes! And encouraged!
-
Will the animals bite? Kick? Hurt me?Only the friendly and well-mannered animals are invited to Farm Yoga! Animals in the pasture during yoga are usually gentle, curious and sweet. But, animals are not toys and even friendly animals can be unpredictable. Please do not hit or be rude to the animals, or they may be rude back! As we said before, a gentle push will move them on if you don't feel like interacting with them. Cook’s Country Connection is not liable for any injury or insult.
-
Will I get dirty? Is there poop?This is a working farm. And we are practicing yoga in the pasture with the animals. You can expect some minor dirt. Especially if feeding, petting or snuggling with the goats and other animals. Although we scoop poop in the pasture before class, attendees may experience animal poop and pee during yoga. Goat poops are little round dry grass pellets (like deer or bunny scat) that can be shook off of yoga mats easily. Goat pee can be cleaned up with disinfectant wipes available in the pasture.
-
When is Farm Yoga?Farm Yoga happens in June, July and August on Thursdays from 6:15p-7:15p. Please arrive at 6:00p to check in, get organized and make your way out to the pasture before class starts at 6:15p.
-
What is "Farm Yoga" anyway?Farm Yoga is a fun outdoor yoga class in a grassy farm pasture filled with friendly farm animals! Farm Yoga is Cook’s Country Connection’s owner, Lois Pajari’s version of the unique Goat Yoga craze that is sweeping the world!
-
How does it work and what can I expect?Students arrive at Cook’s Country Connection at 6:00p about 15 minutes before class begins. Drive (slowly, please) to the very end of the driveway and park near the welcoming red and white barn. Bring a yoga mat or towel into the barn to check in and pay for class. Students can mingle with and pet the animals in the barn and on the grounds during the 15 minutes before class. Friendly staff will direct or lead students through the gate and out to the pasture to set up mats. Please remember to close the gate! Once in the pasture, students may remove their shoes, but being barefoot is optional. Before class begins, participants can choose to take animal treats to entice the animals on to their yoga mats. Then, farm ‘wranglers’ will let the remaining animals into the pasture. The baby kid goats and other animals will run happily to meet the students and locate treats. Fun chaos ensues! After the animals and students have met each other, the yoga begins. During class, students will be guided to make yoga shapes with their bodies while the animals roam, mingle, climb on or snuggle with the yoga practitioners! After class, students can mingle with and pet animals on their way out of the pasture and back to the barn parking area.
-
Who are the instructors?Kris Musto and Connie Larson are your local and certified yoga instructors who prioritize making "Farm Yoga" enjoyable and accessible for all levels.
-
Will the baby goats jump on me?Baby goat kids see people laying and crawling on the ground as an invitation to climb, jump and explore! Baby goats will want to jump on backs of yogis! (Which is kind of the point, right?) The babies are small and have soft leather-like hooves that do not hurt. It's more like a little message.
-
What are hosts responsibilities when the zoo comes to visit?Please let us know where the petting zoo will be located on the property as soon as possible. Our preference is to set up adjacent to / or near to the truck and trailer. This makes for the quickest setup and teardown. We will have signs posted with the rules for interacting with the animals. Please have hand wash stations or facilities available. Animals may explore with their mouths. Our animals normally do not bite, but they may if items are allowed to come into contact with their mouths. Please make sure the grass we are on has not been chemically treated for at least 1 week prior to our arrival. We don't want any of the animals to get sick. If setting up on snow, please make sure there is less than 4" of snow in the area we will be setting up. Dogs should be kept at a safe distance away from the zoo and the animals so as to not cause stress to the animals. They look at all strange dogs as predators that may try to eat them.
-
What are Cook's Country Connections responsibilities?Our first responsibility is for the safety of our animals and visitors. We will setup and take down the zoo on time, as best we can. However, animals can be finicky, traffic, vehicle/trailer problems or weather can occur. We will provide all the fencing and equipment needed to contain and care for the animals during the zoo. We also bring our own hay, water, feed and remove all debris As a rule, we do not guarantee that any specific animal will be at the zoo. These are living creatures and they get sick, moody, injured or simply "don't feel like traveling". All our animals are checked annually by our vet and are vaccinated against all diseases common to our area. That being said, even healthy animals can carry germs that may make people sick, so it is important that everyone is diligent about hand washing and or sanitizing after visiting with the animals. Note: The Minnesota Department of Health does not condone the use of hand sanitizer alone following a visit to a petting zoo. They STRONGLY recommend washing with soap and running water. Due to the mobile nature of our petting zoo, we cannot provide a sink and running water for our zoos,.. For zoos where hand washing facilities are not readily available, it is recommended that portable hand wash stations be rented from your local sanitation vendor. This rental is the responsibility of the event organizer. We will attempt to minimize any impact to the grounds we are on.
-
What animals are included in the mobile zoo?Our usual travel cast of characters includes: a llama, an alpaca, a miniature horse, a miniature donkey and of course naughty goats! There are times when we change it up a bit and even the baby yak have come on the road. Have a specific request? Feel free to reach out!
-
What does it cost to have the mobile zoo at my event?We charge $100 per hour from the time we leave the farm until we get back home. Travel time to your event and back to the farm is calculated by using google maps. I punch in your address and the magic computer in the sky tells me how long it will take me to get to you. Setting up and tearing down takes about 30 minuets for each.
-
What does it cost to visit? Are there additional charges?Petting farm admission is $8 per person plus sales tax ($8.59) Infants under the age of 2 are free! If you decide you want to feed the animals, we have coin operated feeders that take quarters. (There is also plenty of free grass around too) We snacks and soda for sale. We have a gift shop with items for sale.
-
What are your hours? Do I need a reservation?We have a set "open to the public" schedule. Farm Schedule: May, September and October the farm is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm June July and August we add Thrusdays 10am to 6pm to the list above. No reservations are required during the above days and times.
-
Are service dogs allowed to visit the farm?We respectfully request that you please call to book a special visit if bringing a service dog
-
Why no pets?Don't get us wrong....we love animals! At our petting farm, we absolutely adore all animals, and we know that our visitors do too. However, we kindly request that you do not bring your own pets to our facility. While we understand that it may be tempting to share the experience with your furry friend, it is important to remember that our petting farm is designed specifically for the animals that we have on site. Bringing in another animal, even one that you consider to be well-behaved, can disrupt the natural environment and routine of our animals. Additionally, it can be stressful for your pet to be in a new and unfamiliar environment. We want all of our animals, both the ones that we care for and the ones that our visitors bring in their hearts, to have the best experience possible at our petting zoo.
bottom of page