The breeze is gentle, working its way through the valley as afternoon gently turns into evening. From the fresh-cut field atop the hill at ZiegenVine Homestead, the view is quite spectacular: sun slowly dipping behind steep hills in the distance.

This is serenity. This is peacefulness.

This is the sort of right-down-into-your-bones calmness that is hard to come by during the myriad moments of one’s daily routine. The car ride to work, maybe affords a few brief instants of solitude, but nothing quite so palpable as this. Nothing quite so transformative.

Here on the homestead, for an hour at least, the rest of the world slips away. It’s just you, your yoga mat, a majestic sunset, that delicate breeze, and the soothing voice of a yogi leading you through a sequence of traditional poses. Leading you toward yourself.

Oh, there’s also and a little bleating. A little nuzzling. And a whole lot of love.

Taking your eyes off the horizon, your breath deep and restorative, you look down into that precious face. Sure, the eyes might take some adjusting to with their unusually long rectangular pupils, but not the frolicsome ears, the mischievous smile, and the inescapable adorableness. It’s difficult to not feel at ease around these friendly, gregarious creatures. I’m talking about goats, of course. And depending on the time of year, perhaps a few tiny even-more-adorable kids as well. Miniaturized heart stoppers.

You’ll be hard pressed to find a more playful cohort for a session of sunset yoga. Or for simply savoring the moment at hand.

Spend a Saturday evening or Sunday morning doing “Goat Yoga on the Homestead” and you’ll get what all the fuss is about. You’ll understand why it’s a trend that seems to have staying power. Although we should probably call it what it really is up front. Goat cuddling is more apt. Goat snuggling. If you have felt hug-deprived of late, here’s a remedy for that.

A movement of sorts that started in Oregon a few years back, “goat yoga” has made its way to small towns and rural communities across the country.

Typically, during a yoga class, you hear a chorus of exhales that sound a lot like ocean waves lapping a sandy shore as breaths fill the studio and calm the mind. During a session of yoga with goats, you also tend to hear giggles, snickers, and outright laughter.

And here at ZiegenVine Homestead in Savona you start to understand that perhaps it’s the juxtaposition of what you might typically expect to get from a yoga class and what you get out of goat yoga that makes it so rewarding.

The world around us can be distracting . . . with all the physical, mental and emotional demands we experience each day with work, family, relationships, and other happenings beyond our control, as well as challenges we might bring upon ourselves, a day in the life can be rather draining. At times, it can feel downright debilitating.

Yoga is an activity that, at times, consists of inactivity. Of stillness. Of quietness and a disconnecting from the world around you as you turn inward and reconnect with some vital aspect of yourself.

And it is that journey, not the bendy, twisty, contortionistic poses one sees in movies that is often the most challenging part of yoga. And also the very trait that makes it such a widespread and compelling practice.

You may have heard the popular Hawaiian phrase Mai Iloko Mai which means “That which is within matters.”

At its essence, yoga is the practice of moving one’s body, of channeling one’s breath, and of directing one’s focus in an attempt to align the body, the mind, and the emotions in such away that we become aware of this sentiment with regards to ourselves.

At its essence, yoga is about slowing down and being in the moment. It’s about recognizing and honoring the inner self.

Poet W. B. Yeats wrote that the world “is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” The mindfulness you practice during yoga can help your senes grow sharper. Time spent with a goat can, it turns out, offer you an abundance of moments full of magic.

The magic is simply waiting for us to slow down, drown out the noise, and notice. That’s what the best part of each day is really, our taking time to notice. To be aware.

That’s why mindfulness and yoga go hand in hand. And this is perhaps the aspect of adding goats that lends itself best to the practice of yoga. For it’s difficult if not impossible to not be drawn in by those adorable faces and the playful, gregarious personalities. And make no mistake, goats have personalities.

They are very social. If you hold perfectly still, they’re still going to notice you. And nuzzle. And maybe even climb, turning you if only momentarily into their own plaything. A vehicle, if you will, for them to ultimately be themselves. Goats are climbers, after all.

So expect to get distracted. The perfect reverse side angle becomes a somewhat slouchy stooped side hug. Downward dog offers up just enough backside to transform you into a small mountain peak, allowing the goat to give in to its inherent nature and climb.

Our breathing patterns are closely linked to our emotional states. We breathe in a different way when we’re angry, when we’re excited, tired or when we’re nervous. However, it works the other way too. We can calm or energize ourselves by changing our breathing patterns.

Travel writer Alexandra Baackes spent some time at ZiegenVine Homestead with her friends, taking one of the seasonal goat yoga classes.

“As usual, the class was a mix of yoga poses, giggles, photos, and enjoying the beautiful outdoors.” – Alexandra Baackes, Alex in Wanderland

A 103 acre farm with scenic views of the valley, ZiegenVine Homestead has been making a name for itself with its goat yoga classes, but it’s so much more than that.

Randy and Allison combined more than their last names to create ZiegenVine Homestead. They have combined their passion for nature, their love of the land, and their generosity in finding ways to share the best aspects of their homestead with others.

In addition to seasonal goat yoga classes (and private classes if you’re so inclined), they also make goat milk soaps and offer workshops in soap-making. They have built three rustic cabins for farm stays. If you’re an RVer or prefer primitive camping, no problem. The homestead offers various overnight options for folks looking to get away for a few days, enjoy the outdoors and the beautiful setting.

Not farm from ZiegenVine Homestead, you can also discover bison or enjoy a peaceful horseback ride. Learn about other ways to engage with animals on local farms at Finger Lakes Farm Country.