“Bring the family:" Interact with animals at Green Meadows Petting Farm
EAST TROY -- Brian spent the morning at Green Meadows Petting Farm in East Troy. It was started back in 1964. You can come and meet their furry and feathered friends -- from goats and cows to chicks and horses. You can interact with all the animals. They're open a few more weeks before closing down for winter. More than 500,000 people pass through the gates of Green Meadows Farm each year.
About Green Meadows Petting Farm (website)
Green Meadows Farm was started in 1964 in Waterford, Wisconsin by Bob and Coni Keyes when they decided to convert their 80-acre hog and cattle business into a “pick-your-own” vegetables and raspberry farm. (At that time “pick-your-own” farms were a new concept in produce marketing.) When they discovered that most of the other “pick-your-own” farms in and around the Milwaukee area excluded children, they marketed their farm as a place to “bring the family.” They also decided to incorporate some of the farm animals as an additional way to draw in families and, voila, the petting zoo was born!
Along with Bob, Coni and their children, they employed neighbors to serve as guides and give hayrides. To their amazement, by the early 1970’s the farm was hosting as many as 1,200 visitors a day during the spring and fall seasons!
Bob and Coni expanded to offer horse-drawn hayrides, sleigh rides, barn rentals for parties, campfires, and overnight outings at the farm. They also became mobile leaving the farm to give pony rides, horse-drawn hayrides or sleigh rides with draft horses at events. During their “off season” they continued to expand and offer new experiences.