good for families – Maine Terrain https://www.maineterrain.com Secret Destinations in and around Acadia National Park Sun, 07 Apr 2024 23:26:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.0.8 Goat Hikes Maine: Baby Goats, Hiking & Farm 2024 https://www.maineterrain.com/goat-hikes-maine/ https://www.maineterrain.com/goat-hikes-maine/#comments Wed, 11 May 2022 20:33:09 +0000 https://www.maineterrain.com/?p=3078

Goat Hikes in Maine: ten apple farm

May 11, 2022

Maine Terrain Acadia National Park
SO2

Written by Stephen Ondich

Ten Apple Farm goat hike is a two hour educational and recreational goat experience. The hike consists of an approximately one and a half mile loop

source: Ten Apple Farm

Ten Apple Farm is one of a select few goat farms in Maine where you can hike with these ruminant animals.  Whether you love baby goats, funny goats or female goats, 10 Apple Farm has you covered.   Goat yoga? We asked but Ten Apple Farm does not offer it…yet. However, after months of anticipation, our family booked a hike at Ten Apple Farm in July of 2019. It was an incredible experience, perhaps the G.O.A.T.? OK, the goat acronym may be a bit of a stretch. However, we strongly recommend visiting the farm if you love homesteading and animals.

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Hiking with goats

Ten Apple Goat Farm

Location

Ten Apple Farm in Gray, Maine is 147 miles from Acadia National Park.

It is (not really) Acadia Adjacent.↵
 
Gray is just outside of Portland and Freeport. Also, it is home to the Maine Wildlife Park.
Family at Ten Apple Farm

Ten Apple Farm: About the Farm

Ten Apple Farm is a homestead in Gray, Maine operated by the husband and wife team of Karl Schatz  and Margaret Hathaway.

The farm consists of 18 acres where the family tends dairy goats, pigs, turkeys and chickens.

Additionally, here is a short list of things you’ll find at 10 Apple Farm.

  1. A large garden kitchen
  2. Overnight accommodations through AirBnb 
  3. Cheese and yogurt making
  4. Goat hiking
  5. Farm tours
  6. Apple orchards
  7. Freezing, canning and butchering workshops.

In between homesteading activities, Margaret and Karl renovate their 1901 farmhouse and barn.

In short, Karl and Margaret are very busy homesteaders! However, they are passionate about self-sufficiency and their farm lifestyle. Thus, they are eager to share their knowledge, experience and time with visitors from all walks of life.

Margaret Hathaway speaking at Ten Apple Farm

About Margaret Hathaway and Karl Schatz

Like many people, we found out about Ten Apple Farm  through their Hiking with Goats tours. It is one of the most popular activities at their homestead.  Certainly, it gets the most media coverage.

However, outside of their goat work, Margaret & Karl are fascinating people.

Our family enjoyed learning about their unique life experiences just as much as we did the goat hike.

Margaret Hathaway is an author, lecturer, Wellesley College graduate and hails from the Midwest.  She managed New York City’s prestigious Magnolia Bakery prior to leaving the city for a sustainable homesteading life. 

Karl Schatz is a photographer, Syracuse alum and Maine native. He worked as a Photo Editor for Time Magazine. Before meeting Margaret in Brooklyn, he taught photography at the International Center of Photography in New York. Karl is a wealth of knowledge and a great source for goat information.

 

Karl speaking with hikers about goat behavior

Homesteading at Ten Apple Farm is a Family Business

Karl and Margaret have three young daughters: Charlotte, Beatrice and Sadie. They were all born on the homestead and take an active role in the day to day farm activities.  

After a few minutes of interacting with the Schatz-Hathaways,  you get a sense for the intensity of their work ethic.

They are fully committed to everything associated with living a self-sustainable homesteading life. It is not the tepid or wavering commitment of someone who dabbles in a new lifestyle. They are fully vested in their family’s self-sustainability.

In fact, there is a massive amount of day-to-day work required to maintain a homestead. Thus, I am surprised they have time to give tours and run workshops. But, that speaks well to their work ethic.

On a side note, when we took our hike, their youngest daughter Sadie joined us for the last leg. That was particularly exciting because our daughter Sadie was with us and doesn’t meet too many other Sadies!

Goat Hiking at 10 Apple Farm: How Did it Start?

Of all the activities at Ten Apple Farm, goat hiking is the most popular,

The idea came from an experience that Karl & Margaret had with John Mionczynski in the early 2000’s.  

The Year of the Goat: 2003

After Karl & Margaret met, they jointly decided to leave New York and raise a family in the country in a self-sufficient manner. 

They spent a year travelling the country, driving over 40,000 miles. The purpose was to visit, learn from and document the lifestyle of people already living the goat life. 

Along the way, they formulated a plan for their own homestead.  Their many experiences from that journey are documented on a website and in print.

Significantly, during their Year of the Goat they spent time with John Mionczynski in Wyoming. In some circles, Mionczynski is known for his decades-long quest to prove the existence of Bigfoot (Sasquatch).

However, it was a goat packing trip with John that inspired Karl & Margaret to create a similar goat experience on their own homestead. According to Karl, they thought it would be very poplar with the people of Maine. Additionally, it dovetailed with the vision they had for connecting with people and introducing them to their homesteading lifestyle.

After being at Ten Apple Farm myself, I appreciate the genius of this concept. Homesteading, canning and butchering is a niche audience. However, everyone loves goats. Goat hiking has a much broader appeal. It allows the farm to connect with and spread their message of health  and self-sufficiency to a wide audience.   

In a fitting conclusion to The Year of the Goat, Karl & Margaret exchanged wedding vows and began married life together.

 

Planning Our Goat Hike: First attempt

Early in 2019, I reached out to Karl through the farm’s Facebook page. I wanted to schedule a goat hike and possibly an interview in April on my way to Milbridge

Karl explained that 10 Apple Farm was a good 2+ hours away from Milbridge. However,  the distance did not dissuade me. Unfortunately, the lingering snow limited the number of scheduled activities at the farm. Additionally, Karl was tending to newborn baby goats which put their regular tours on a small hiatus. 

As a result, we waited till summer to visit  10 Apple Farm.

Goats grazing at 10 Apple Farm

Our Goat Hike in July 2019

Finally, we booked a family goat tour for late July of 2019. 

Book through AirBnb Experiences

We booked our tour through  AirBnB Experiences but you can also book directly through the Ten Apple Farm website.

They have a  busy schedule and are tech-savvy. Thus, I recommend booking on-line, one way or the other, rather than calling. 

The hike was incredibly fun and educational. Also, we learned so much about goats, farming, self-sufficiency.

Perhaps best of all,  our family came away feeling like we were close friends with Karl and Margaret.  

 

Meet at the Farm

Karl sent us a direct message confirming the time and details of our hike. 

He provided suggestions for hiking attire and gave us a heads up on what to expect. 

Hikes are contingent upon weather conditions. There was rain early in the day of our hike. However, Karl monitored the forecast and kept us apprised of the hike status. Fortunately, the rain cleared up by 3:00 PM, just as Karl predicted. 

Our hike was on! One other family from out of state joined us.

 

Goat in pen at 10 Apple Farm

Greet the Goats

After meeting up outside their 1901 farmhouse, Karl took us into the animal pen to meet the goats. Next he gave us a primer on how to interact with the goats.  

Karl requested that we avoid touching the goats’ horns. The reason is that he has trained the goats to avoid using their horns to engage with humans. In reciprocity, people do not touch their horns. Sounds fair to me.

Goat Behavior

Despite an outwardly awkward appearance, billy-goats are actually very nimble creatures. Occasionally, they decided in lockstep to rush by us on the trail. Karl instructed everyone to just stay still and they will avoid you.  He was right. This also explains why they look so natural perched on precariously on high elevations.

One thing I noticed almost immediately is that we were hiking with the goats. They weren’t leading us or following us. 

We moved through the woods like an amorphous shape. It was like we were a jellyfish where the nucleus of the group could at anytime be human or animal. The outer perimeter casually but instinctively followed along.

The billy-goats don’t mind us being there. Nor do they really perk up in our presence.  You are just kind of with them.

Occasionally a feisty goat Nudged her way past Heidi but for the most part the goats kept any aggressive behaviors to themselves 

They absorbed us into their hiking group without judgement or question. It was very cool!

Can goats be woke?

 

Hike the Farm

Hike Overview

The hike itself is just over one mile.  However, there are some slight elevation changes. Additionally, there is at least one spot where you need to use a rope rail to assist in the climb. 

For the most part, the trail is flat and well marked.

 

Hiking with goats at Ten Apple Farm

No Animal Left Behind

Initially, we were concerned about some straggling goats. However, Karl bellowed a loud call to tell the goats to hustle. They respectfully complied. Generally speaking, does and bucks do not like to be left behind. They had a natural desire to keep up with the group.

Hiking in Unison

The hike is a communal experience. I find it a little difficult to describe in words.  Our interactions with Karl, Margaret, the animals, our own family and the other family flowed together seamlessly.

Rest Break and Pictures

Once we reached the far end of the property, Karl gave the billy-goats (and us) a few minutes to rest. Most of us took pictures of the grazing animals while our conversations continued.

At one point I mentioned to Margaret that we have a hardwood lumber company and supply tone-wood to electric guitar manufactures. She told me that the previous day someone from Paul Reed Smith came to 10 Apple Farm and hiked. It’s a small world, especially in the goat-hiking community!

 

Karl Schatz in front of guesthouse at Ten Apple Farm
Check Out the Woods House

Next, we started back toward the farmhouse. We took a brief stop at the guesthouse where their AirBnB guests stay. At that point their daughter Sadie appeared and joined the group. Sadie, meet Sadie!

Ten Apple Farm Garden

The next stop was their impressive garden. 

Goats are voracious eaters. Thus, it was with a bit of annoyance that Karl had to go back and pull one mischievous goat out of the raspberry bushes.

Pretty much everything else on the property is fair game for goat food but apparently this one billy-goat has a thing for ripe red raspberries.

 

Mangalitsa Pigs at Ten Apple Farm
Heritage Mangalitsa Pigs

Next to the garden was a pen containing two very large and distinctively furry Heritage Mangalitsa pigs.

Karl explained how this particular breed of pig was on the verge of extinction in the early 1980’s. Since then, the population has made a comeback.
 
These pigs are enormous. Considering their size, I was surprised that a modest wire fence contained them.  Karl explained that it was an electric fence. However the electricity does not need to be on.  Since the pigs previously felt the slight shock a couple times, they now just stay off of the slim wire fence out of habit.
 

Molly milking a goat at Ten Apple Farm Sadie milking a goat at Ten Apple Farm

Milk the Nanny-goats

After the walking portion of the hike ended, we went into the animal pens. There, anyone who wanted to, took a turn milking the goats. Karl expertly explained the technique several times before it was my turn. Yet, it still took me a few tries to get it right.

 

Buy Food, Books and Gifts

Our tour ended up in the farmhouse kitchen.

We had a goat milk tasting. It was our choice of warm or cold milk. I tried the warm goat milk that we just finished.  

Additionally, Karl gave away some surplus chicken eggs. We took a dozen back to our AirBnb and fried them in the morning. 

I always thought an egg is an egg. Not sure if it was from the type of chicken or what but the eggs Karl gave us were extra rich and tasty delicious.

We bought matching Goat Love tee-shirts for the girls. Apparently, the t-shirt design was based off Karl and Margaret’s wedding invitation. Lest anyone question their commitment to  the goat lifestyle, here is the proof!

Our Ten Apple Farm T-Shirts

Girls in Ten Apple Farm shirts at the Alamo Girls at The Alamo wearing Ten Apple Farm shirts

Here we are at The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. The girls are proudly wearing their matching Ten Apple Farm shirts!

 

Hospice on the Homestead

The most unexpected portion of the tour occurred just as we started back toward the farmhouse.
 
Margaret mentioned that several years ago she and Karl brought her ailing
father to live with them on the homestead. He received hospice care and passed away peacefully at Ten Apple Farm.
 
I offered my condolences but Margaret quickly explained how it was a beautiful and loving final chapter to a loved one’s life. 
 
She was right. 
 
Around the same time, my mother was dying of cancer. She, too, received home hospice care and ultimately passed away at home.
 
Margaret and I shared our admiration for hospice workers.  Having someone who can calmly and compassionately perform their job while in the midst of  emotional chaos is invaluable.
 
In May of 2019, Margaret lectured at the Hospice of Southern Maine’s annual Threshold Conference
 
Hospice care information probably isn’t the biggest draw for visitors to Ten Apple Farm. However, Margaret would be glad to answer any questions while you’re there.

Conclusion

Karl and Margaret are two very worldly people who have found peace and harmony in the bucolic Maine countryside. Nirvana.
 
In a strange way, this 1 mile hike seems like a metaphor for our life journey. There’s a beginning, middle and end with lots of twists, turns and experiences in between. In both scenarios, it’s comforting to go through as part of a group.
 
By all means, come for the goats.  But be prepared to make friends, learn and experience the homesteading lifestyle. 
 
 

Visiting Ten Apple Farm

Karl and Margaret’s farm is located at:

241 Yarmouth Rd, Gray, ME 0403

Ten Apple Farm Website and AirBnb

You can contact Ten Apple Farm through their website here or through their AirBnB listing below.

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