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Spring fever at Asgaard Farm

Yes, it’s the 5th annual Kidding Day April 21

Goats wait for the Asgaard Farm Kidding Day tours to start. (Photo provided — Diane Chase)

Springtime rituals are different for everyone. For us, the maple sap is finally starting to flow. We spend out time outside searching for any tree buds or new wildlife sounds. I usually reach a point where I’m even willing to shovel our backyard just so the snow has a chance to thaw before June. That is when I know it’s time to take a step back and visit Asgaard Farm.

Snow or no snow, Asgaard Farm’s goats are making way for their springtime kids. The first time I went to visit the baby goats at Asgaard Farm in Au Sable Forks, was long before their annual Kidding Day. My friends and I squeezed ourselves into a van full of children to see what all this kidding fuss was about. Arriving at Asgaard Farm is like being transported into the opening scene of “The Sound of Music.” I half expect to see Julie Andrews twirling and singing in a field surrounded by gorgeous mountains, but holding freshly made cheese.

Once owned by illustrator, printmaker and artist Rockwell Kent, Asgaard Farm remains mostly unchanged. Kent named the beautiful 1,500-acre property after the mythological Norse “garden of the gods.” Asgaard Farm certainly lives up to its name with its fresh goat cheeses, homemade caramels, grass-fed meats and handmade soaps. Let us not forget the baby goats.

On Saturday, April 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Asgaard Farm is celebrating the arrival of their young by hosting their 5th annual Kidding Day. During Kidding Day, the barns are open for people to walk through. Some goats are grouped in smaller pens while other goats wander around in an open barn. There are other animals to view and a full store to browse. Some food is provided during Kidding Day, but it goes quickly. It is serviced on a first-come, first-served basis. There may even be a fresh batch of goat milk caramels.

Since it is a working farm and a busy time of year, Kidding Day is a self-guided tour. The farm and its workers may be doing another job when you arrive, but there will be plenty of staff around to point people in the right direction. Wear sensible shoes and dress for the weather, whatever that will be.

Asgaard Farm is already a buzz with newborns. The farm maintains a milking herd of 44 Alpine, Nubian, and Saanen goats. (Look for the white Saanens, marked Alpines, and long-eared Nubians.) The does are bred in the fall, rest throughout the winter, and give birth in the spring. There is also a live feed Barn Cam at www.AsgaardFarm.com. Yes, goats and kids on demand!

The owners and staff at Asgaard encourage visitors any time of the year, so if you can’t make Kidding Day, the regular store hours are Thursdays from 2 to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To get to Asgaard Farm (74 Asgaard Way, Au Sable Forks) from Lake Placid, take state Route 86 to Wilmington and head toward Jay. Turn left onto state Route 9N toward Au Sable Forks. Upon reaching Au Sable Forks turn right and cross the bridge onto Broad St. and an immediate right onto Sheldrake Road (county Route 65). Follow Sheldrake Road for one mile and the farm is on the right.

The store shop is open all year long.

Call 518-647-5754 for more information.

Diane Chase is the author of the “Adirondack Family Activities” guidebook series, “Adirondack Family Time: Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities.” For more family-friendly activities go to www.adirondackfamilytime.com.

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