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. :)
