Goat yoga is a hit in its first season

The national trend of goat yoga hit the metropolitan area by storm this spring, garnering around 400 people onto a small creamery in Honey Creek, Iowa.

Sunday was the farm’s last day of goat yoga. The day was filled with sunshine, chirping birds and at least half a dozen baby goats.

Honey Creek Creamery started the goat yoga in April, opening up registration to its members. The classes immediately filled up, and the farm was booked before the first class even opened up.

Each class holds only 20 people, and they’re doing yoga alongside – or underneath – baby goats.

Goat yoga has become a nationwide trend, but Sharen Oamek’s yoga is one of the first in the Midwest. Oamek owns Honey Creek Creamery.

Oamek spearheaded the movement in the Midwest because of the trend, and it has been a huge success for her.

“These instructors and everybody that’s been attending has been so creative and adventurous. That’s really added a lot to my season,” Oamek said.

Sunday’s class was full, as expected, and for the nearly two dozen people who came out, it was quite the treat.

Maria Dehghan treated her fried Jason McMeen attended goat yoga Sunday morning to celebrate McMeen’s birthday.

“We were much more in touch with goats than I realized,” Dehghan said.

“They were a little in touch with us, yeah. It was fun, though,” McMeen added.

The two had never experienced goat yoga before, but it’s definitely something they’d encourage others to try.

The goats frolic, hop and even ate some of the womens’ hair, but the peace the goats bring was worth every minute of it.

“I think because they’re playful, it reminds us that we can play, and jump and laugh,” Dehghan said.

Unfortunately, sometimes the kids would miss as they hopped on top of someone, kicking their heads as they made their way down.

“They’re super light. It was kind of fun. It was like a goat massage and yoga all in one,” McMeen said.

Many guests say goat yoga allows for relaxation, and it lets them escape their busy city lives for something at a little slower pace.

“Sometimes I think we need to slow down a little bit, and this situation right here helps you to slow down and lose focus of the stress and just pet a goat,” Dehghan said.

The classes at the farm are over for the season, but Oamek expects to bring it back next year.

“I think the more that people get exposed to what’s around locally, the better,” Oamek said.

Though the farm won’t be offering yoga, they do have plenty of other events coming up such as their Stanley Snack Shack, which opens in June. The snack shack will be a seasonal café and local market on the corner of the farm.

The farm also offers local homemade gelato and critically acclaimed cheeses.