Memorable Moments from Visits To and From GEE Funny Farm

  

Lizzy, the bearded dragon



We pulled up to a preschool and started unloading animals.  As I took out Lizzy, the bearded dragon, children in the playground area called out:

“Hey, does that dragon have wings?”

I answered, “No, she doesn’t have wings.”
“Does it breathe fire?”
“No, sorry, she is just a plain ol’ bearded dragon.” I’m thinking to myself, “Wow!  I hope they aren’t disappointed!”
Then I pulled out Sariah, the goose.

Sariah the goose being pet,
even if she doesn't lay golden eggs.

“Does that goose lay golden eggs?”
I gulped, “No, she is just a plain old goose.  Wow!  You guys are going to be a tough audience!”
They laughed.  The teacher said, “Umm, we’ve been reading fairy tales.”
They were a great group and they liked Lizzy and Sariah, even if they were just plain ol’ animals.

 I start out each event asking, “Who here is an animal trainer?”  I let kids who raise their hand tell me which animal they trained and what they trained it to do.  I mentioned this to the USDA Inspector. 

“What is something they said they’ve trained?” 
“Well, one kid said he trained his pitbull to sit.”
“Tell them to teach their pitbulls “release!” she muttered.

 Other things kids have trained:

• A giraffe…to run.
• A dog to sit. (more than one has said this)
• A cat to use the litter box.
• A cat to stand up for a treat.
• A bird to talk when it is told to (I needed to meet with this trainer since I can't do that!)
• A train to go on the track.

We were at one event that had really been misrepresented to us.  There were too many people and we had too few helpers and our animals weren’t secure.  My assistant at the time was shocked to look over and see a child squeezing one of our chicks.  An adult was standing there watching and asked, “How many chicks do you lose at events like this?” My assistant grabbed the chick and put it into a traveling cage and snapped, “None!  We don’t do events like this!” (Well, I thought it was memorable.)

We were at a camp for kids with special needs and every time he pet an animal one young man sang out, “I did it!”  He was so excited about it.  It was fun!

We were at a preschool and one of the little boys was very afraid of the animals at first and didn’t want to stay.  By the time we left, he had pet all of them (early on I remembered the young man who sang out, “I did it” and suggested that this little boy say it, too, and he did, with a big grin) – that was a successful visit!

Gabriel

We have Gabriel, a Shetland wether (a male that has been neutered), and he has had multi-denominational experiences.  He has gone to one Christian church to give people an idea of what a lamb might look like that would be slaughtered as a Pascal lamb.  He stood out in the foyer and allowed people to pet his regal body and he went up on stage and stood regally, after he ‘marked’ his area with a few droppings.  Gabriel also showed up at a Jewish family’s home as the Pascal offering as a practical joke (we’d been promised that he would remain unscathed – which we already knew since in both cases he was NOT unblemished).  After we made that visit, the family walked us down to the Rabbi’s home where we surprised HIS family. 

We had a group at the farm and during the hayride we got StUcK!  Everyone had to get out of the hay wagon while David got the tractor out (luckily he was in his office and ran out to help).  All the moms and the kids were very good sports!!  They waited patiently and then reloaded when David was ready!  We are thankful for visitors (and people we visit) that go with the flow!!

The front duck is a runner duck.

We went to the birthday party of a 2-year-old.  We’d been told that he was an animal lover and it was no exaggeration!  He sat and petted animal after animal for over an hour.  His birthday gift?  A couple of ducks!  He made frequent visits to a neighbor’s where he had fallen for the runner ducks the neighbor had.

Another 2-year-old wasn’t very interested in the animals at his party, but one of the other little boys was ready to go with us and an even younger girl pet every animal much to the surprise of her mother!

We were at an event where there were chairs set up for the children with the plan for the adults to sit back at tables behind.  The organizer was shocked when adults sat in the first row!!  And once we went to an assisted living place.  The plan was for there to be three groups that would come out so it wouldn’t be crowded and everyone would have an opportunity to meet and pet the animals.  We were asked to set up in a patio area.  To our surprise, and the surprise of the organizer, EVERYONE came out at once.  It was very crowded, but the people were so excited and very patient as we made our way around walkers and wheelchairs and people with canes.  In spite of the crowd, it was fun! It just goes to show that people are never too young or too old to get involved with our animals!!

Talking Turkey....cuz Turkey Day is Coming --

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it seems appropriate to talk turkey.  Here are some things you might not know about the turkey:

1. With about 600 million turkeys in the world (National Geographic, May 2011), about 90% of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving and 50% consume turkey at Christmas (www.home.aristotle.net/Thanksgiving/trivia-submit.asp  2012).  

A white broadbreasted and a Spanish black heritage turkey -- the same age.

2. Turkeys are the only breed of poultry native to the Western Hemisphere, with the first turkeys being domesticated in Mexico and South America (www.infoplease.com/spot/tgturkeyfacts.html  2012), and there is evidence that they have been around for over 10 million years (www.baltimoremd.com/content/turkey1.html  2012). 

Turkeys are curious birds and investigate everything -
and we haven't had one drown in the plastic goose/duck pond,
though my cousin said that she had one that drowned in a trough
(it got in and couldn't get out).

3. Contrary to popular belief and in spite of the musical that I really like (1776), Benjamin Franklin did not go head to head with others in favor of the turkey being the national bird.  The legend seems to have originated with a letter to his daughter about six months after the national coat of arms was accepted with the bald eagle as the national bird.  His letter mainly referenced his feelings about a military fraternity and after finding fault with the society's motives and its concept, he writes:

    Others object to the Bald Eagle, as looking too much like a Dindon, or Turkey. For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen as the Representative of our Country. His a Bird of bad moral Character...Besides his a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. His therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country, tho' exactly fit for that Order of Knights which the French call Chevaliers d'Industrie.

 I am on this account not displeas'd that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For in Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bid, and withal a true original Native of America...He is besides, tho' a little vain and silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Genadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.

 So, while Benjamin Franklin may not have been that happy with the choice of the Bald Eagle, he never actively promoted the turkey (www.americanheraldry.org/pages/index.php?n=MMM.Turkey?action=print).  The things we learn in history class...

I left the dog kennel open and came home to roosting turkeys. 
When they saw me, they came to greet me. 
Who wouldn't like that?!?

4.  Several sources claim that, unlike wild turkeys, domesticated turkeys can't fly.  It is clear that they haven't been to GEE Funny Farm where our turkeys fly short distances on a regular basis.  While we have mostly heritage turkeys that are much more similar to wild turkeys in build and functioning ability, we happen to have a broad-breasted turkey who flies over our six foot fences on a regular basis -- which surprised even us, since that has not been our experience before.

Several of my heritage turkeys, at a young age,
roosting on our 6 foot kennel fence. 
Yep, they flew up there.

5. And finally, there is the claim that domesticated turkeys are so dumb that they will look up at falling rain and end up drowning.  Snopes says it ain't so. And we certainly haven't had that experience.  You can go to Snopes to find out what they believe caused the myth.



My favorite turkey, Sariah, coming
to visit at the front door. 

Sariah at the back door.
How can I not love this bird who seeks me out?

While we have heard from people that turkeys are 'dumb.' Ours come when called and know where to find food and water (including from the dishes of the other animals on the other side of the fence).  And while we may be among the Americans enjoying turkey at one of our holiday meals, we really love and appreciate our birds.  We are glad that they enjoy a life of leisure and fun as they wander where they will every day and that they have a secure place to go at night (from which they can and do escape if I'm not on hand when they feel it is time to get going in the morning - they fly through the opening between fence and 'roof.')  I really like turkeys...and not just eating them.

My First Exotic Pets

I’ve been told that I should tell some animal stories about my experiences with various animals.  While my mom and dad were not particularly interested in accumulating animals, they were always supportive of me.  The other day, a friend visited from Flagstaff (where I grew up) and said, “I just never imagined you on a farm.”  However, I don’t think my parents were surprised.

When I was eight, my dad ordered two chipmunks from the back of a Field and Stream magazine (or some similar magazine).  We’d always had dogs and cats and my uncle gave me his kids' rabbit (and dog) while they were out of town.  But the chipmunks were my first ‘exotic’ animals.

I was excited to get them!  They were so cute.  They came in a little cage. The cage probably wasn’t really big enough for them, but it had a wheel and a hideout and it came with them, so we thought they were fine.  I couldn’t wait to get my hands on them – until they bit me!  I was astonished and a little afraid.  I tried feeding them goodies, but I kept my hands well away from their vicious little teeth!

Then one Saturday in the summer, the East Flag's Kid’s Day Parade was happening!  Wallace and Ladmo would be there (they were two guys that had a kids’ show on TV that I watched) and there would be prizes for pets.  Pets in costumes, pets doing tricks, etc.  Well, how can anyone beat having pet chipmunks (even if they bit!!)?  That day I carried them around in a pocket and I had to handle them to show to various people.  By the end of the day, they didn’t bite anymore.  My sister and I also won a trophy for the “Smallest pet – Chipmunks.” 

Hard to read after all of these years, but it says,
East Flag Kids Day Parade
1964
Kathy & Julie Banning
Smallest Pet: Chipmunk

Sadly, chipmunks have a fairly short life span (about 4-6 years), but I carried them around with me after that – too bad I didn’t have a bonding bag, but we managed!

What I learned from that day at East Flagstaff Kids’ Day Parade was that it was fun to show off your pets.  But more importantly, I learned that you have to tough it out and handle the animal you bring home even if it bites.  I’ve been kicked, bitten, and scratched (There is a great book about a school for animal trainers by that name) and I’ve survived.  Usually, just like my chipmunks, once the animal finds that I won’t give up and I won’t hurt it, it calms down and I can handle it.  Most of the time the animal LIKES to be handled once we get past the biting.  They bite because they are afraid.  My job as their owner is to help them become less afraid and to trust me to protect them.  What I learned from those two little chipmunks had helped me deal with animals all these years!

Ideas for Your Visit to GEE Funny Farm

   We want your visit to GEE Funny Farm to be a fun and rewarding experience.  There are a few things you can do to help that to happen.

1.   Please bring cash to pay for your visit.  We don't accept credit cards or checks.  Sorry if this is inconvenient. It works for us.

2.   Talk to your children about the importance of obeying instructions about how to pet or hold the animal.  Talking to them ahead of time puts us on the same page when I give instructions --- though I’ve had very few problems.  People who come here like animals and want to do the right thing!

 

People who follow directions get to pet all kinds of interesting animals!

 

3.    If you aren’t sure of what the weather is going to be, plan accordingly.  Having a windbreaker or sweater is better than wrapping up in a blanket.  The blanket ends up getting flapped around when you are trying to pet the animals and that might make them nervous – and if it doesn’t, it makes me nervous.

 

Bringing jackets will make you more comfortable and
there won't be flapping blankets that might scare the animals or distract Kathy.

  

4.    We suggest that you wear closed toe shoes (not sandals or flip-flops) to protect your feet.  Goats, sheep, mini pigs, horses, donkeys, and llamas have hooves.  While they would not purposely step on anyone, they do move around sometimes and may step on your feet.  Even when you are sitting it is possible that your feet may find their way under the feet of the animal that we are moving as close to you as possible so you can pet it.

Wearing closed toe shoes (tennis shoes, steel toe shoes --
not sandals or flip-flops) will keep your feet and toes safe
when you are around hooved animals.

5.   Bring bug juice or sunscreen if you might need it – most of our property is wetlands (ie swamp) and it often rains, so it is possible that there will be mosquitoes or other annoying insects.  While you are under the canopy for the presentation, the hayride does not have shade and some people (like my grandsons) can get sunburned on sunny days (not that Wisconsin has that many, says the girl from Arizona).

 

You are in the shade under the canopy
(you might want to bring a chair if you don't want to sit on benches provided...
we're working on getting a few chairs for adults. 
These adults brought their camp chairs).

 

No shade when you are in the haywagon, except near a few trees. 
If you burn easily, you might want to apply sunscreen or bring it along.

 

6.    WASH YOUR HANDS!!  We provide warm water and goat milk soap for you to use, and we also have antibacterial soap you can use without water – however, soap and water works as well and doesn’t kill all of the good bacteria on your hands that help to build immunities.

a.     If you eat BEFORE the presentation – wash your hands.  Some little animals smell food and think you might taste good (at least this is what I’ve heard).  Larger animals who smell food will look through your pockets and sleeves and under your shirt trying to find what is making that yummy smell.  While this might seem funny, it is not how we like our animals to be trained.

b.      If you eat AFTER the presentation – wash your hands… people aren’t around animals like in the ‘olden’ days and immunities are not built up like your parents’ or your grandparents’ were – besides dirty hands are yucchy.  (Second verse same as the first...a little bit louder and a little bit worse...)

c.       If you don’t eat and just leave after the presentation – wash your hands… people aren’t around animals like in the ‘olden’ days and immunities are not built up like your parents’ or your grandparents’ were – besides dirty hands are yucchy. (Third verse same as the first...a little bit louder and a little bit worse...)

 

I know, it looks like a water cooler.  In this case it has warm water and
there are soap and paper towels next to it so hand washing is easy.

 

   There you go!  Six things can help you have a great time.  If you have other concerns, please feel free to contact us by email information@geefunnyfarm.com or phone 262-751-8328.

   We look forward to your visit!