Greencroft Communities Stories

For several years, JoEllen Mast and Wanda Schrock worked together at Walnut Hills and often talked about how the residents would love to see all the baby animals born in the spring each year. This year, they even had a new resident that lived on a farm before coming to Walnut Hills and missed her animals deeply.

Jo Ellan and Wanda continued to dream about a miniature farm for Walnut Hills, only now the questions began to change from, "what if?" to "why can’t we?” and then “how can we make that happen?” Wanda shared their thoughts with a resident's son one day, and he loved the idea. He helped out with a donation from his family toward the purchase of a chicken coop. They hatched one of four Silkie chicken eggs and the mother Silkie, along with two light Brahmas donated by Rick who works in maintenance, now live in the Walnut Hills coop.

Wanda had some interaction in the past with Pygmy goats and knew how entertaining they could be. She found a family with connections to Walnut Hills that raises the Pygmies. They were glad to sell their only female who was named Nikki in memory of a past resident who loved Pygmy goats and had a stuffed goat named Nicodemus. Nikki is so affectionate and spoiled. She will do anything for treats!

Oreo is a friend they borrowed for the summer from a local man and she has now returned to her home farm. Oreo was timider but came around with Nikki’s help. Jo Ellen’s father built an extension for the front of the chicken coop, so that they would have more room and her daughter and granddaughters come once a week to clean the pens and give baths to the goats.

A local woman and her two boys bring their therapy dog in every other week. Wanda told the woman about the project and her husband, a veterinarian, decided to donate his time and the vet clinic where he works is donating supplies. They have been fantastic and the support from everyone has been overwhelming!

Wanda and Jo Ellen knew the residents would enjoy the animals but had no idea how much the campus and even neighbor and staff children would love them. It’s been rewarding in so many ways.