Maymont Farm

Maymont Farm. . , The Farm at Mamount is a popular destination for encounters with traditional domestic farm animals. Here, you will find animals such as goats, sheep, chickens, rabbits, donkeys, cows, pigs and horses. The animals might be seen in the barn stalls, paddocks or fenced pastures. Their location on any given day is determined by the weather and activities managed by the animal keepers., Look for unique experiences during each farm outing, depending on the hour or the season. Listen to the crow of a rooster, feel a sheep's wool or feed a hungry goat. Visit the farm classrooms for a school field trip, public program or birthday party., The Farm is open year-round., History of the Farm , A dairy farm was located in this area at one time, but the land was not a farm when James and Sallie Dooley created their country estate "Maymont" and lived here from 1893 to 1925. The Dooleys did, however, keep some livestock such as cows, chickens and horses in the row of picturesque outbuildings near their 33-room mansion. After Maymont opened to the public, a small farm was built in the valley south of here, near the black bear habitat, in 1960. The farm moved to its current location in 1983., [Captions:] , Left: The original Maymont farm in the valley, pictured in 1963., Top Right: A diverse collection of gardens dot the 100-acre landscape at Maymont, and several of them are situated close by. Around the farm, look for Jack's Vegetable Garden, Marie's Butterfly Trail, a rain garden and wetlands., Bottom Right: The sculpture of children playing on a log on the hillside near the farm is called "Follow the Leader" by W. Stanley "Sandy" Proctor of Florida. It was donated to Maymont for permanent display in 1999., Animal Care , Proper care and animal welfare are high priorities at Maymont. The animal keepers can be seen fading, watering and caring for animals each day inside and outside of the barn, at the wildlife exhibits and in the Nature Center. The keepers train the animals to complete certain behaviors that aid in animal husbandry and veterinary treatment., You may see the goats getting their hooves trimmed, the sheep being sheered, the pigs being weighed or the donkey being walked with a lead. In addition, enrichment items are given year round to reflect the season's changes and to encourage natural behaviors. Look for fun items in the pastures and wildlife exhibits on holiday like Valentine's Day and Halloween., Wildlife Habitats , In addition to farm animals, Maymont is home to many species of native Virginia wildlife. Outdoor wildlife exhibits were first introduced here in the 1950s. Now you can see animals such as the black bear, bobcat, bald eagle and owls in naturalized habitats to the south. Most of the animals were injured, orphaned or otherwise unable to survive in the wild, and the special care they receive gives them a second chance at life in a sanctuary-type setting.