Farm Visits, Events + Classes FAQs

We have tried to compile answers to the questions you might have about what to expect when visiting our farm, and to make your experience here as amazing as possible! Some items are specifically related to Goat Yoga classes, but many of the items below apply to any of our events or farm visits. Please feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions.

COVID-19 UPDATE:

For all visits at the farm, face masks are now optional. We will still, however, provide sanitizer and hand washing stations at the farm.

What is Goat Yoga (GOGA)?

Goat Yoga is… well… a yoga class with goats! These adorable little animals interact with the participants, and although uninterrupted meditation is probably not possible, the class is a fun, therapeutic, and totally unique way to exercise and relieve stress.

What should I expect during a Goat Yoga Class?

Please arrive at GottaGoat Farm no earlier than 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to start. We’ll get everyone settled into the class area, give you an overview of the class format, and provide some instructions about how to interact with the goats.

Depending on the class and the instructor, you may have some time to first perform a few yoga exercises before the goats are introduced, or they may participate right away. The goats might walk under you, over you, or even lay down beside you. Our staff will be there the entire time just in case you need assistance with any of the goats.

Smile, laugh, pet and cuddle with the goats, and let the stresses of your everyday life just slip away. And above all else – expect to have some fun!

What should I bring to a Goat Yoga Class?

You should bring a large (beach) towel/outdoor blanket or yoga mat (one that you don’t mind if it gets a little dirty or if a goat decides to chew on it), as the sessions take place outside on the grass or inside the barn if the weather doesn’t cooperate (PLEASE NOTE: We will follow COVID-19 protocols regarding sharing of our yoga mats and towels; we recommend bringing your own, however, we may have some to loan out).

You should also bring some water, sunscreen during the day, and insect repellent for morning or evening classes.

What should I wear when I visit GottaGoat Farm?

Goats love to nibble! They test everything with their mouths, so wear comfortable clothing that you don’t mind if they happen to nibble on. However, try to avoid anything with dangling strings or pulls, and it is a good idea to keep your jewellery to a minimum.

We generally enjoy similar weather to Penticton, but we are located at a higher elevation at the base of the mountains, so be prepared for cooler temperatures (especially in the early spring).

During your visit you will be walking through the barn and barnyard, so we also recommend closed-toe shoes, such as sneakers. We do ask that any clothing or footwear worn at our farm has not come in recent contact with other farms, for the safety of our animals.

Where do I pay/register?

For our Goat Yoga (GOGA) classes, registration and payment is done online (you can find the link for our classes on our schedule page). For farm visits, and other events at the farm, the fee is payable by cash or debit upon arrival at the farm, or by e-transfer in advance (please contact us if you would like to make arrangements to pay in advance). Rates for farm visits are provided on our GottaGoat Farm Schedule page.

Can I bring my own animals?

Although we love all animals, we kindly ask that you do not bring your animals to our farm.

Where do I park?

We have parking available at our farm for all classes, events and farm visits. For larger groups and classes, we will have our staff helping direct you where to park.

Can I pick up the goats?

For the well-being of our little animals, we request that you do not pick up the goats yourself. We are happy to bring a goat to you to hold for a photo or just to cuddle, but we want to make sure all of our animals are handled safely.

Should I wash before/after petting the goats?

We care greatly about your health and that of our animals, and have several biosecurity polices we would like you to practice. If you have been to a different farm in the last few weeks, we ask that you do not wear the same footwear or clothing when on our farm property. We also request that you wash up or use hand sanitizer both before and after handling our animals. We do have a sink in our barn for just that purpose.

Can I take pictures?

Of course! We encourage you to bring your camera or phone, and there will be time set aside for taking pictures if you are attending a class. If you are out for a farm visit, feel free to take as many photos as you’d like! We will also take a number of photos during most classes and events, and they will be available on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GottaGoat/

Are there refreshments available?

We have a limited selection of refreshments/water available for purchase.

Although we don’t currently sell any food at the farm, we do have tables + chairs that you may use. Let us know if you would like to book extra time during your visit, and you can bring your own snacks to enjoy while sitting and watching the goats!

Are towels/mats provided for the Goat Yoga Classes?

We ask that you bring your own yoga mat or a towel/outdoor blanket to use for the class; one that you don’t mind getting dirty or nibbled on (PLEASE NOTE: We will follow COVID-19 protocols regarding sharing of our yoga mats and towels; we recommend bringing your own, however, we may have some to loan out).

Can we just come and play with the goats and other animals?

Rates and hours of operation for our farm visits, and schedules for Goat Yoga classes and other events and activities, are provided on our GottaGoat Farm Schedule page. As we are an operational farm, for your safety and that of our animals, we are not able to have visitors just drop by outside of these times, or have additional people visiting the farm who are not registered in a class.

Please note that during your visit, there are certain areas of the farm that will be “viewing only” and entry to these areas is strictly off limits! For your safety and the safety of our animals, we do not allow people to wander through the property, especially in those areas where there are large animals present. We will provide you with that information upon arrival.

We ask that in the areas where you can interact with the animals, you are aware of keeping all gates closed behind you so that our animals remain safely in their separate spaces! Any children who visit our farm MUST be supervised by their parent/guardian at all times!

All of the animals at our farm must be treated kindly at all times: no rough playing, chasing, or picking up animals is allowed. We can advise you of the best ways to pet the goats and other animals so that everyone is able to enjoy the visit!

Are there restrooms at the farm?

Yes, we have portable toilet facilities located on the farm. Our staff will be happy to guide you there when needed.

What kind of goats are there?

We have two primary breeds of miniature goats that participate in the Goat Yoga classes: Nigerian Dwarf Goats and Miniature Silky Fainting Goats. We also have several other goat breeds who are often part of our farm visits and tours, but don’t participate in the classes.

Are there only baby goats?

Nope. We allow our entire herd of goats to interact with everyone, except for our bucks (the full-grown males). Our larger breeds of goats do not participate in our Goat Yoga classes. Our herd includes all the goat moms (does), and all their goat babies (kids), and possibly even some pregnant does.

Depending on the time of year, we may have a number of goat babies or they may be a little older. Any of our really young babies will not be allowed to participate in any events for their own safety, but they are usually close by!

What are the age requirements?

For our Goat Yoga (GOGA) classes, we require the participants to be at least 13 years old and comfortable around animals. They will require parental consent on their Liability Waiver Agreement if under 19 years old. If you have a larger group attending, we also have a Group Liability Waiver that you can use instead of individual forms. All of our visitors should be able to make it through the entire class or activity, and we ask that no one wanders around the farm unless they are on a guided tour.

For our farm visits, all other events or tours, we are open to people of all ages. Any of our younger visitors must be closely supervised at all times, for both their safety and the safety of our animals.

Will the goats poop?

The goats are in their natural environment and may occasionally poop or pee close by (or sometimes on) your towel or mat if you are attending a class, but not usually on a person (although you should consider it lucky if it does happen)! We will be there to help clean up after them as needed, but rest assured, their poop does not stink and those little pellets are easy to just brush away. And they make great fertilizer!

Can we feed the goats?

Our goats love to visit with people because they LOVE PEOPLE, not because we are feeding them! Our goats are on a specific diet, and get regular feedings. Although we appreciate offers to bring them “treats”, they don’t require any additional food. In fact, goats have very sensitive digestive systems (unlike the stereotypes you may have seen of goats eating almost anything), so we avoid giving them extra foods that might “upset their stomach”.

Where is GottaGoat Farm?

We are located about 20 minutes west of Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. It is a beautiful, scenic area in the Okanagan valley, where you can appreciate the joys of nature and the environment. Even the drive here is amazing!

Please let us know if you require additional directions to our farm.

Is there a smoking area?

We can’t allow any smoking in our barn, or generally around the farm property, as the Penticton area is usually at a high risk for fires, especially where we are located. We can certainly provide you with a safe place to smoke if needed though – please just ask when you are here.

Do you offer private classes or tours?

Yes! We offer private Goat Yoga Classes as well as Educational Farm Tours. These make amazing corporate activities or team building events! We would love to have your group attend, so please contact us for more information.

One last piece of information:

There is no cell phone service at GottaGoat Farm! Don’t panic – just think of this as your opportunity to really “get away from it all!” We do have a land-line that can be used in case of emergencies, and WiFi is also available.