Pasture pals. At the Academy, a freeranging multispecies flock of birds shares space with the larger pasture animals, the uncontainable goat herd, as well as dog and cat friends. The bunnies have their own space off by themselves.
In its new rural (and virtual) campus, the Academy has expanded its focus on networks and community to include human-animal-plant relations.
Interspecies peer to peer learning courtesy of an animal associate faculty means that we can approach topics like health or agro-ecology from a broader perspective.
Current animal faculty
Logan (the Orator)
Look out for Logan. Just over a decade old, Logan is big AND beautiful. Never one to trot when a walk will suffice, Logan loves to show off his statuesque good looks as a Thoroughbred/Belgian draft horse cross. He will touch anything and everything with his nose in hopes that it might earn him a treat. Learn more about Logan in "No animal is an island"
Comandanta Ramona ("Monchita")
Moooooonchita. As a young Jersey-Angus heifer calf, Monchita's main interests are a bottle of warm milk, bursting into random cow kicks and jumps, and modeling. Don’t stare too deeply into her soulful eyes or you will be lost forever.
Elaine Brown
Cautious and clever Elaine. Our only goat who understands that a subtle approach can be more effective than making a beeline for what she wants. A registered black and white LaMancha doe, Elaine is the no-nonsense boss lady of this goat herd. Loves some quality attention from her humans. DC & Claudette are her second pair of twins. Learn more about Elaine in "Love for sale", "What's in a name?", "Winter is here", "The company of wolves", and "Of goats and conifers".
Lucy Parsons
Oh that Lucy. All goats are rebels and unpredictable agents of chaos,but then there is Lucy.A big kid in an adult’s body, Lucy never lost her curiosity or athletic flair. A two year old brown LaMancha/Alpine mix doe who was raised as a bottle baby, she is the largest and in the herd. Unlike Elaine, she never looks before she leaps and has a history of mishaps to show for it. Funmilayo & Ella are her firstborns. Learn more about Lucy in "Love for sale", "What's in a name?", "Winter is here", "The company of wolves", and "Of goats and conifers".
Patrice Lumumba
Proud papa Patrice. Smallest in size by with a personity that fills the room (as does sometimes his buckish aroma), our two year old white Nigerian Dwarf buck, Patrice, is father to all the kids. Treats and scritches to the itchy spot behind his horns are what Patrice wants from any bipeds in his proximity, and he isn’t shy about expressing his wishes. Learn more about Patrice in "Love for sale", "What's in a name?", "Winter is here" and "Of goats and conifers".
The goat kids
The kids. Who understands the pure joy of play better than a baby goat? Enjoy the nonstop acrobatic capers and pratfalls of our mini Lamancha kids.
The sheep: Frantz Fanon and Lolita LeBrón
Counting sheep. Frantz the Southdown ram (L) and Lolita the much younger British Milk Sheep/East Friesen ewe lamb (R) are a bit of an odd couple. He’s fully adult and already a father, but from a miniature breed so no bigger than this young lady of less than a year. They are touchingly devoted to each other despite their short acquaintance. But watch out when treats are around--the competition is fierce!
The flock
Mornings and evenings in Chickenville. A coop full of many different kinds of heritage chickens--all with names--a handful of guineafowl, and some delightful turkeys. Birds of all ages. There’s always nonstop action and intrigue: even when most of the flock is out foraging, a few always linger behind. Learn more about the flock's adventures in "Ain't nobody here but us chickens" and "Round midnight".
Chicks and poults. Everything from unbearably cute baby birds to awkward teenagers.
#teambunnies
It’s always a good time to visit New Rabbiton. The rabbit colony is another social microcosm here at the Academy. Watch for the fractal spirals formed by our rabbits swarming anyone who comes into their midst, both hypnotic and slightly unsettling to see
The dogs
Dog tales. Harriet and Leon are the country version of Lady and the Tramp but with way more more sibling energy instead.
Harriet Tubman
First there was Harriet. A two year old Bernedoodle (Bernese Mountain dog/standard Poodle mix), Harriet loves cheese, running outdoors, barking at squirrels, and bossing around Leon. Entirely too clever for her own good sometimes, Harriet's athleticism and her knack for problem solving made her well-suited to pioneering our exploration of interspecies relationships. Learn more about Harriet in "Winter is here"
Leon Trotsky
Loveable Leon. A Great Pyrenees/Anatolian Shepherd mix, Leon is a one year old livestock guardian dog (LGD) and thus the Academy's head of security. Off duty he is a big lug who just wants to be loved. Learn more about Leon in "No animal is an island"
Our wild friends
And finally, our faculty at large. All of the wild animals with whom we share the land.
