Baby Animals for Days
Danni Epting checks out Indian Ladder's annual Baby Animal Days, when the farm opens its doors for animal lovers to meet its youngest residents.
Spring doesn’t arrive quietly at Indian Ladder Farms (ILF). It shows up all at once. Mud on your boots, sun on your face, and many, many tiny animal sounds.
When I pulled into the farm this week, I immediately knew it wasn’t going to be a quiet afternoon. The parking lot was packed with cars and school buses, and I had to park down by the Cidery & Brewery. I should’ve expected as much—after all, this was Baby Animal Days, Indian Ladder’s annual April promotion the welcomes the public to the farm to meet chicks, ducklings, lambs, piglets, calves, and more adorable little creatures.
I had my dog, Echo, with me. She’s is a big fan of both people and animals, and dragged me up to tents and barns to see just what was going on. She wasn’t allowed into the pens with the baby animals (probably for the best), but that didn’t stop her from having the time of her life. Just outside the fences, she made quick friends with just about every person that passed by in an attempt to insert herself into the action.
It felt like everyone had the same idea: Get outside, shake off winter, and experience the unique joy that comes from witnessing baby sheep cuddling each other.
I spoke to Heather Billington of Delmar just as one of the baby goats in the Goat Playground pen decided her hair looked like a snack.
“The baby animals are adorable,” she said, laughing as she gently tried to untangle herself. “I’ve been coming for years and live close by, but it brings in people from all over the Capital Region. And the goats are giving out free haircuts, too, apparently,” she added.
Not a minute later, I felt a tug at my boot. I looked down to find another baby goat, who was later identified as Trickster (very aptly named), had selected me as his victim and was fully committed to eating the zipper on my boot.
This is the thing about Baby Animal Days at ILF. You’re not just observing. You feel like you’re a part of it. Everywhere you turn, there’s something new to hold, pet, or crouch down next to. Goslings waddling in tight little groups. Ducklings peeping from crates. Bunnies being held by gentle employees, allowing people to pet them. Goats and lambs and piglets, oh my!!
Ted Kelly, assistant to ILF Manager Laura Ten Eyck, put it simply: “This is a really good opportunity for kids who otherwise wouldn’t be able to see and pet these types of animals.”
Indeed, the kids weren’t just looking—they were learning how to hold, approach, and be gentle with the animals.
“Baby Animal Days is often a child’s first introduction to real farm animals and farm environments,” said Laura Ten Eyck, Manager at Indian Ladder Farms. “Even something as simple as seeing and interacting with them up close can spark curiosity and a better understanding of where agriculture begins, and pairing that with Easter traditions makes it meaningful experience for families.”
There were fully grown animals there, too, who were enjoying the extra attention and feeding from visitors. Goats like Boston and S’mores were all too happy to get some extra snacks, and the sheep came right up to the fence when Echo and I walked by.
If you’ve been to Indian Ladder Farms before, you know it’s one of those places that feels built into the rhythm of the Capital Region. Family-owned and rooted in agriculture, the farm has become a go-to for everything from apple picking to cider donuts to weekend escapes that don’t require much planning.
Baby Animal Days fits right into that identity. The draw is simple: Come see something real, something alive, something that reminds you to slow down a little.
Stepping into the world of the Baby Animals at Indian Ladder Farms feels like spring has finally shown up. I, for one, was all too happy to meet it.
—Danni
Baby Animal Days runs from 10am–5pm daily through April 26. Tickets are $15. Two special Baby Animal Nights remain on April 17 (yes, today!) and April 23. Tickets are $35 and get you two farm-to-can beverages to sip while you meet the animals from 5–7pm.