Clover & Willow

Once the barn was almost finished, we started researching miniature donkeys. I thought we'd have to travel far to get them, but Mark stumbled upon a miniature donkey farm right here in Idaho Falls. We immediately contacted them and asked if we could come see the donkeys.  

This was our first visit to 'Simple Little Farm,' and we loved it. This cute little one with Mark instantly won his heart. Little did we know, she would end up being ours.

We talked with the people for a long time and asked them endless questions. They were so helpful! We asked if they had a waiting list, and if so, could we get on it for two donkeys. They like their donkeys to stay local if that opportunity comes up, and they could tell we would love them and take good care of them, so we were scheduled to get the next ones that would be born. That would probably be around March, but then they have to stay with their mammas for 6 months. So we were still quite a ways out from getting them.

Mark contacted them again to see if we could come out and see the donkeys again, and we got a great surprise. A lady from Boise had been waiting for two donkeys for two years, and right at the last minute, she backed out. The donkeys were offered to us if we wanted them. The two girls were born on the same day (April 8th) and would be 6 months old and ready to leave their mammas at the beginning of October. Ahhhhhh! Of course we wanted them! We didn't even have the corrals up yet, so we contacted a fence guy right away. We went back out to the farm to officially meet our girls.

Clover was still as sweet as can be, and wanted to be right in the middle of everything. She is a wooly, which is more rare, and she is so tiny!

Willow nursing 😊

Clover nursing. Her mom is so tiny, so she will stay really small.

Willow is beautiful.

Sweet Willow.

We were so thrilled with the two we were getting! We loved them both times we visited!

Just for the record, their names were not Clover and Willow until we got them. Bailey has all our farm animals already named. We told Ruth, and when she had their paperwork done, she made sure they were registered as Clover and Willow.

We went out for a final visit so Sawyer and Amanda could meet them.

Amanda with Clover.

Sawyer with Clover.

We got the fence up, and it turned out amazing. We got their automatic waterer all hooked up, and the stall all ready for them. We had 35 bales of grass hay put in the barn to get us through winter, and we were all set for them to come home. When the day came, it was like Christmas morning for us! 😁

Their stall all ready for them!

The day finally came!

You can tell how tiny they are by the size of the kids leading them into the corral.

Exploring their new home.

I can't even handle the cuteness!

😍😍😍

I love them!

The morning after we got them I took them for their first walk. I've been walking them every day since. I always look at them and think, "I've got the coolest life EVER!" 😁 

Sawyer and Amanda came to see them, and it was a hilarious walk. 

They thought they were supposed to follow Reeses, so they would trot to keep up with her. It was like a parade. 😂

We were a little worried about how they would be with Reeses. At first they were timid, but very curious about her. Reeses just wanted to be their best friend right from the start. After a couple days the donkeys would come nose to nose with Reeses through the gate. Then I could open the gate and they would go nose to nose with nothing between them. Now they are good friends. Clover loves her! I don't let them in the same corral together, just because the donkeys are young, Reeses is old, and deaf, and one kick would be the end of it for her. They like to go on walks together, and sniff and nibble on each other through the fence. Reeses is so much better, and a lot less lonely now that she has them around.

We knew the girls would have a hard time the first couple weeks. They had just had their shots, and chips put in, got weaned from their moms, and left their home, moms, and friends all at the same time. We made sure we gave them so much attention and love. They have had lots of visitors, and they seem to be adjusting great. They have taken well to their new routine, and it hasn't taken long for them to trust and get attached to me and Mark. After a couple weeks, their personalities really started coming out, and they are so fun! We love them!

Joyce came to meet them and brought her camera. She got some beautiful pictures of them!

When I go down to wake them up in the morning, I always end up busting up, because this is what they look like. Clover is usually the worst. 

😂😂😂

To keep their minds stimulated, we try different activities with them every few days. I have read to them a couple times, and it's hilarious. They try to nibble on the book, the chair, my toes, etc. We actually made it through one and a half chapters and they seem to love it. They just like that I'm out there talking to them.

Willow enjoying the story.

Clover dying to know what's gonna happen next. 😂

Amanda and I went on a run, and she picked me up so she could meet the donkeys. She got some darling pictures of them when she was here. She came back another time with a whole bag of apples that her and Paul had picked for them. It was so fun watching them play with and figure out how to eat apples.

I love this one, because Clover is playing with Reeses through the fence, and Willow is playing with her leaves. 😍

I love this one too because it shows just how big Willow's ears are.

😁😁😁

Sawyer and Amanda came over for dinner on Sunday, and we went out to see the donkeys. Clover was playing king of the hill, and when she saw us, she got excited, and did her first bray! It just came out as a little squeak, but Mark and I got so excited. You would think our child had just said their first word. 😂 They have both done it a few times since that, but it still only sounds like a barely audible squeak. We're assuming it will get louder as they get older and figure it out.

She loves all the dirt piles.

Clover was identifying as a unicorn today. 🦄

They are the cutest little snuggle buddies. 
They get brushed at least twice a day, but you would never know it. They are always a mess!

My blog will have lots of donkey content on it, because I think they are the sweetest, cutest, funnest little girls! We have loved every second of having them on our farm!