Jill's Journal: Our tour of unusual farms in the Santa Ynez Valley has continued with what the girls will remember as a major highlight: a miniature donkey haven, Seein’ Spots Farm in Ballard, California. The owner welcomes visitors and supplies them with brushes, wisely serving the dual purpose of entertaining guests and getting the donkeys groomed.
My, what fabulous ears you have! Technically, miniature donkeys aren’t miniature at all, but just a smaller breed of donkey that originated in the Mediterranean area of Sicily and Sardinia. Interestingly, by all accounts, these donkeys are virtually extinct in those areas now but their population has ballooned in the United States.
Miniature donkeys are extremely friendly and affectionate. And they’re just so darn cute. Madelyn in particular fell head over heals in love with mini donkeys and especially with this one-month-old little guy named Muffin Man.
Seein’ Spots Farm has plenty of other animals too, including a zonkey. With a zebra daddy and a donkey mama, zonkeys are also known as zedonks. As Erika remembered from a previous time we’d seen a zedonk, they’re “donkeys with their party socks on.”
Look at those stripes.
Animals, animals, animals…oh yes, the girls were ready to move right in. They are animal lovers to the core. :)
2 comments:
All three of the Sheridan's are ready to move in there as well. Oh, Steve has always wanted to see a Zonkey, and I would fall in love with the mini donkeys's for sure. I've always wanted one. Liz would be like your girls and love it all. Someone close by to our house is selling an RV and every time we pass by it, Liz says, Mommy, please buy that so we can go visit Erika. hehe Oh how I wish my darling girl!
Oh Gretchen, you would have absolutely loved this place!! Tell Steve this particular Zonkey is broken to cart and saddle, but makes a poor mount because he spooks so easily (impossible to breed all of the wild out of them!) and a poor cart horse because he's too strong for any brake! ... And I've always wanted a mini donkey too! A lady I knew in Kentucky had one and his name was "Dinky the Donkey." He was turned out with her broodmares and helped protect the foals from coyotes. SO cute. ... I think you should listen to Liz and buy that RV! She's a wise girl, you know. We could caravan!! How fun would that be??
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