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Tag: alpine goats

Dasha the Alpine Goat doe with twins in July 2025

Goodbye Spring…Hello Summer!

Written by rogue-admin on . Posted in Stories & Updates.

The meadows are in full bloom, the garden is bursting with lettuces and greens, and the sounds of summer are all around: baby goats and baby chicks, nature day campers exploring the forest, and wedding celebrations under the oaks. Our Farm Stays are filling fast, and there’s never been a better time to visit. Summer is officially here at Willow-Witt Ranch!

Welcome, Dinah, Dover, Max & Margot!

  • Dasha the Alpine goat doe with twins Dinah and Dover

    Dasha with twins Dina and Dover

  • Maeve the Alpine goat doe with twins Max and Margot

    Maeve with twins Max and Margot

We’re thrilled to introduce our four newest farm residents — twin sets of baby goats born to Dasha and Maeve!

Dinah and Dover arrived on June 7 at 3:30 PM, and Max and Margot followed on June 9 at 3:30 AM. They’re thriving, full of personality, and already out frolicking with the rest of the dairy goat herd.

While they’re still nursing, we’ll begin gently milking Dasha and Maeve in just a few weeks — and that means fresh, creamy goat milk will soon be available in our Farm Store.

Come meet the babies during a Farm Stay or our new One-Hour Guided Farm Tour. There’s nothing quite like goat snuggles on a summer day.

Shell-ebrating Community & Nature

Turtle Trot Thanks You!

2025 Turtle Trot start and finish line tent with participants and volunteers

What a day! Huge thanks to everyone who ran, walked, volunteered, donated, or came out to cheer at our 6th Annual Turtle Trot. Because of your incredible support, we raised over $2,000 for The Crest’s programs connecting youth to the natural world.

We had a fantastic turnout, beautiful weather, and a special turtle presentation by Suzanne that captured hearts of all ages. Events like this remind us how powerful community can be when we come together for a good cause.

Let’s make next year even bigger—our goal is 50+ runners in 2026!

2025 Turtle Trot sponsor logos

Thank you again to our 2025 Sponsors!

Ashland Food Co-op
Ashland General Hardware ACE
2 Hearts 4 Feet Walk & Talk Coaching and Consulting
DEI Engineers
Ken Cairn Landscape Architecture
Jefferson Public Radio
Ashland’s Own Shop N Kart
The Forest Conservation Burial Ground

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The Campground at Willow-Witt Ranch photo collage of luxury tent cabins, camp kitchen, and outdoor showers (there are also modern indoor shower and bathroom facilities)

Experience the Magic of Summer at Willow-Witt Ranch

Written by Tarah Dougherty on . Posted in Stories & Updates.

Summer is almost here, and there’s no better place to soak it all in than at Willow-Witt Ranch! Whether you’re craving cozy nights in a wall tent, eager to lace up your shoes for the Turtle Trot, or hoping to witness the magic of baby goats being born, there’s something unforgettable waiting for everyone.

Run, Rest, Repeat: Turtle Trot + Camp Out!

6th Annual Turtle Trot trail race fundraiser for The Crest at Willow-Witt Ranch

A Huge Thank You to Our 2025 Sponsors

Ashland Food Co-op
Ashland General Hardware ACE
2 Hearts 4 Feet Walk & Talk Coaching and Consulting
DEI Engineers
Ken Cairn Landscape Architecture
Jefferson Public Radio
Ashland’s Own Shop N Kart
The Forest Conservation Burial Ground

The Turtle Trot is back on Sunday, June 15, and we can’t wait to see you trot, walk, or dash your way around the meadows of Willow-Witt Ranch. Choose from a 10K, 5K, or 1 Mile Fun Run — all followed by a hearty hot breakfast. Proceeds support The Crest’s mission to cultivate connection between people and nature.

Want a truly relaxing race day? Book a one-night stay in a tent site at our campground the night before, and wake up ready to run!

The Campground at Willow-Witt Ranch photo collage of luxury tent cabins, camp kitchen, and outdoor showers (there are also modern indoor shower and bathroom facilities)

Your Glamping Adventure Awaits!

Campground Now Open – Make It Part of Your Summer Hosting Plans

Our furnished Wall Tents and Dispersed Campsites are now open for the season — complete with fireplaces and stunning views. If you’re hosting out-of-town guests this summer,why not treat them to a night or two at Willow-Witt Ranch?

Encourage your friends and family to unwind in nature, explore the farm, and truly experience the Rogue Valley. You’ll be the hero of their vacation plans!

Book Your Summer Adventure!

Baby Goats Incoming!

Try Your Luck at catching the births with a Farmstay

  • Dasha, an Alpine Goat doe pregnant with twins

    Dasha

  • Maeve, an Alpine Goat doe pregnant with twins

    Maeve

Dasha and Maeve are due early June and that means… baby goats on the way!

There’s a good chance you’ll catch the magic of a live birth if you stay with us in early June. Even if you don’t, you’ll still enjoy cuddles with our playful kids, fresh goat milk in the Farm Store, and hands-on farm fun like egg collecting, viewing a goat milking and attending a farm tour.

Don’t miss this unforgettable slice of springtime magic — it’s a perfect family experience or spontaneous weekend getaway.

Book Your Farm Stay

closeup of mourner holding a flower bouquet at green burial ceremony at The Forest Conservation Burial Ground at Willow-Witt Ranch

Memorial Day Open House at the Forest Conservation Burial Ground

Join us Monday, May 26, 2025, from 11:00am–2:00pm to honor your loved ones in this serene natural resting place. Staff will be available for guided visits. Bring lunch, take a walk, and experience the peace of this special place.

Directions & Weather

Nature Day Camp 2025 Registration is Open!

Weekly summer camp sessions for kids ages 6–11 are filling fast. From hiking to harvesting, goats to geology, campers explore our 445-acre ranch through hands-on learning and adventure.

Register for Summer Day Camp

Upcoming News

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Love on the Ranch

Written by rogue-admin on . Posted in Stories & Updates.

family building snowmen during winter farm stay at the Meadow House

Goat mating season is just ending and we’ve sent our male goat guest, Zeus, back to his home. Zeus came to visit us for the past month to have time with our does. Does signal when they are in heat by flagging their tails, which tells us they are ready for some time with Zeus. So we had a few weeks of watching, testing, and taking cues from them. Does come into heat every three weeks so Zeus visited long enough to see if another cycle was needed. They didn’t come back into heat a second time, which could be a sign of goat pregnancy!

Millie had also been brought to another buck earlier in the season, so she’s the first to be due in early April, and our next does will be due in early June. We will watch as the birth is impending, which includes all-night shifts from Suzanne and our staff. Whoever is tending to them when they are born gets to name the new babies! Stay tuned for spring baby goats!

Try your luck and book a stay with us in early April or early June to be a part of welcoming in the baby goats.

Meadow House blanketed in snow on sunny winter day

Goat Care

Often after baby goats are born it is another female goat that will take care of the babies while the mom takes a break. We often find the babies happily standing on the backs of an aunt goat playing babysitter.

Couple on their Wedding Day

Looking forward to wedding season!

Just four months until wedding season at Willow-Witt Ranch! We can’t wait to host couples and families at our campground and Meadow House venues. Couples and their guests enjoy three days of exclusive campground use including the camping area, four furnished wall tents, the bathhouse, cookhouse, wedding circle, and dance floor, plus an all-inclusive package of amenities. Planning your special day? We still have a couple open weekends for 2025 and are booking for the 2026 season.

Download Our Wedding Packet

mother reads to young daughter in bed during winter farm stay at the Meadow House

Stay with Us

If you have 4-Wheel Drive and snowshoes, now is your time to come up and play in the snow!

The Meadow House: Sleeps 10
BOOK NOW

The Farm House Studio: Sleeps 6
BOOK NOW

Looking forward to wedding season!

Willow-Witt ranch is seeking a Marketing Specialist / Administrator who excels at content creation, brand storytelling, and strategic audience development. Interested in learning more? Know of someone who may be a fit? Head to the JOIN OUR TEAM page on our new website for the full job description, including how to apply.

We will also be hiring a Camp Host & Farm Hand this spring as we staff up for the summer season, stay tuned for more info, or reach out to our business manager via email to learn more.

Laura Hardin manager@willowwittranch.com.

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Winter at The Ranch

Written by rogue-admin on . Posted in Stories & Updates.

marigold illustration

Winter at The Ranch

Winter brings out the serene nature of Willow-Witt Ranch. Our Farm Stays are open year-round and we have guests choosing to spend meaningful holidays with us.

The days are filled with cozy moments by the fire, birdwatching, and hiking/snowshoeing/or xc skiing depending on the conditions!

Our Farm Hands keep the roads clear and work daily to care for the land and the animals. You can visit us by booking a farm stay or coming up for the day to explore.

Meadow House bathroom with clawfoot tub

The Meadow House: Sleeps 10 *
BOOK NOW

The Farm House Studio: Sleeps 6 *
BOOK NOW

* All Farm Stays are 40% off through April. All stays are stocked with fresh eggs, and our Farm Store has seasonal produce for purchase.

daisy illustration

Winter Animal Care

Our goats stay close to the barn this time of year. In addition to certified organic grass hay and alfalfa, we bring them conifer boughs or chips! Staff members are known to find their Christmas Trees at the ranch and bring them back as a gift to the goats!

Goats are all about cellulose: they don’t discriminate among live, recently-died, or long-dead trees and shrubs, or chips…it’s all good. Of course their favorite part of sunny winter days (which is most of the time at our elevation) is going for a hike with our staff to browse ‘fresh’ off the trees. They often accompany us when we work in the forest or on the roads.

Meadow House blanketed in snow on sunny winter day

We raise chickens on pasture; rotating pastures all summer and fall is easy. But what about winter? Our ‘chicken hoop’ is a 14’x24′ hoop on skids; it houses the hanging next boxes, keeps feed dry, and has roosts for ~80 hens for the night. And light through the white covering seems to help the hens keep laying when days are short and nights are long and dark. Chickens range inside a large yard for the winter…looking for bugs, of course. We bring the hens hay/alfalfa left from the goats’ feeders a few times weekly, full of bugs and ‘waste’ from the goats…perfect for scratching and pecking to find treasures.

As our temperatures rarely rise above freezing all animals have constantly-running fresh waterers…cold but fresh.

We can’t think of a better winter morning than waking up, stoking the fire, going for a snowshoe walk in the serene forest, and cooking up some eggs from the farm. We hope to see you and your family this winter at Willow-Witt Ranch!

The Willow-Witt Ranch Team

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Raising goats can be entertaining and challenging

It’s Breeding Time for our Alpine Goats

Written by rogue-admin on . Posted in Stories & Updates.

As we’re getting settled in for the colder months, we’re already making preparations for next year’s ranch babies! A new generation of goat kids is on the way. If you’ve visited us during birthing season, you know the joy that these playful and energetic baby goats bring. Needless to say, we are eagerly awaiting their arrivals!

Baby goats (kids) love to play and climb (often on each other)
Baby goats (kids) love to play and climb (often on each other)
Alpine dairy goats grazing in the meadow
Alpine dairy goats grazing in the meadow
Alpine goat doe
Alpine goat doe
Visiting children and the goats just seem to get along with each other
Visiting children and the goats just seem to get along with each other
Raising goats can be entertaining and challenging
Raising goats can be entertaining and challenging

At the ranch, we breed and raise Alpine goats. Having originated in the French Alps, this wonderful breed is both hardy and beautiful. They are intelligent with a curious nature, and have charming personalities. They provide us with milk and meat, and also make great pack animals for hiking and hunting.

Alpine goat does are well recognized as heavy milk producers. Our dairy goats provide us with an abundance of nutritious milk. Guests at the ranch are treated to fresh goat milk while staying with us at our farm stay accommodations, and we offer a Raw Milk Herdshare to our local Ashland, Oregon community. With our Herdshare, people can sign up for a steady supply of fresh, organically raised, unprocessed goat milk. If you’re local to the area and interested in signing up, contact us.

We bring in a different buck each breeding season, and this year we are pleased to welcome Sergio. This handsome fellow is currently breeding with seven of our does. Check out the mug on this guy!

Each mother typically gives birth to between one and four babies, which means we could very well have our hands full next Spring! It will be a great time to come up for a visit with your own kids; young people and goats seem to have a natural affinity for one another.

Be sure to check our photo gallery for lots of “baby” pictures, and come up for a visit if you can!