Loma Vista Farm

At Loma Vista Farm and VCUSD (Vallejo City Unified School District) we take great pride in the care we provide for our farm animals. Our farm animals are happy, healthy, and loved! Visitors and care takers alike, see the incredible joy in our friends eyes as they walk around the farm during classes and for visits. Our local veterinary and students studying animal and veterinary science from local Universities, have long been impressed that animals at Loma Vista Farm live years longer than what's considered the normal length of life for farm animals.

Hundreds of classes, tens of thousands of kids over the years, from Napa to South Bay have met the farm animals. Children have advanced their education due to the presence of our farm animal friends. In the past 2 months during, March-May 2007 alone, we've had 108 classes visit Loma Vista Farm, of which 88 classes were from outside VCUSD and the Vallejo area. Through the years tens of thousands of kids from kindergarten to 3rd grade have experienced and learned from meeting our cherished friends like Valentina (cow), Linda (lamb), Vallejo (goat), Benicia (goat), and Wilma (pig).

We bid them farewell and thank them for the years of service to Vallejo and surrounding area schools. Most importantly we remember them through the education they helped provide to students and classes over the years.

	DOLLY Dolly, a Suffolk ewe, lived at Loma Vista Farm for most of her adult life...and she lived to be approximately 17 years old. She was always the wise matriarch of the herd. She had the common sense that some sheep seem to lack. She could be called out of the herd when they would sometimes get confused and she would calmly lead them back to the Farm from the pasture across the street. She was an extremely loving ewe and always loved to be scratched on the top of her back or on her face. She delivered many beautiful Suffolk lambs into this world - each always a single birth. Her life at Loma Vista Farm was rich with love and she will be missed. Dolly passed away August 27, 2007, at 2:30 p.m.
	WILMA Wilma, a Vietnamese Potbelly Pig, lived at the Farm 15-1/2 years. Wilma came to Loma Vista Farm from the Napa Humane Society, in Napa, California. She had been found wandering the streets of Napa. Wilma absolutely loved tummy rubs and veggie treats. Pigs are a favorite of all school age kids. Wilma greeted approximately 250,000+ school kids during her 15+ years on the Farm. One of our dearest friends, Wilma is missed tremendously. Wilma died on February 13, 2007 of old age and natural causes. We were honored to provide her a home for 15+ years at Loma Vista Farm.
	VALLJEO Vallejo, Saanen buck goat, was brought to Loma Vista Farm when he was a baby from the Benicia-Vallejo Humane Society. Vallejo entertained and delighted children and adults with his sweet spirit and flowing beard. He produced many offspring with his "wife" Benicia. Vallejo lived at the Farm for approximately 15 years. He was a favorite for classes visiting the farm for years! Vallejo passed away September 6, 2006, due to old age and natural causes. We Thank Vallejo for his years at Loma Vista Farm.
	LINDA Linda the Lamb was born and raised at Loma Vista Farm. Linda was a very sweet little lamb that adored children and being petted. She loved her outings in the pasture next to MIT across the street from the Farm. At age 7, Linda passed on February 2007 due to the medical condition acidosis. She is buried at Bubbling Wells in Napa, CA, her burial costs were donated.
	BENICIA Benicia, a Saanen goat, was born and raised at Loma Vista Farm. Benicia had her first babies at the age of 6-1/2 months - we didn't know babies could get pregnant but she proved to us they could. She "visited" the Pygmy buck by slipping through the fence when she was six weeks old and accidentally was bred by him. She had one single birth that time. After that, each pregnancy netted twins that always loved to jump over the fences and get out. That was the trademark of her offspring! Benicia left the farm in April 2007. We'll miss her jumping personality!
	VALENTINA Valentina, a Dutch belted cow, which didn't have the white belt, was the showcase animal at the farm for over 4 years. Valentina delighted Farm staff, children and adults with her mooing and her large tongue when taking treats! She was affectionately called "our one ton Black Lab" because she would follow Farm staff around like a dog. Thousands of kids walked up to Valentina's pen and gasped at amazement. It was common for Valentina to look at her audience of 25+ kindergarten students and see them all pointing at her with open mouths and big eyes at awe. The sounds of kid's amazement saying "Oh!" and "Wow!" were common place for Valentina to hear. Valentina just loved the attention. She stood tall knowing the tiny people looking at her were amazed at her size. Valentina was one of the friendliest and happiest cows ever to live in all of California. In an effort to return the kindness back to Valentina, FLVF spent money and time redesigning parts of the farm allowing for Valentina to have her own roaming area, named "Happy Acres". Valentina was a gift to Loma Vista Farm, donated by Suzi Hirshfield in honor of her parents, Antonia and Burton Hirshfield. Friends of Loma Vista Farm offer tremendous thanks to Suzi Hirsfield and her family. Their generous gift to the farm graced the farm for over 4 years. Valentina died February 17, 2007 due to medical complications brought on by acidosis - over overfeeding/overeating. A tragic accident allowed Valentina access to an area on the Farm where donations of bread and food are made to the Farm after hours. Valentina was young at 4-1/2 years. Valentina's loss was by far the hardest loss Loma Vista Farm has ever had to face and recover from in its 35 year history. Happy Acres is not the same without Valentina's moos echoing around the farm. For weeks and months following Valentina's loss classes have been saddened by her absence and continue to ask about her. Today Valentina has spurred more educational good than anyone could of ever imagined. We thank Valentina for the new educational programs developed and under development after the accident. These new programs are being designed to teach about eating healthy, not only healthy eating for farm animals, but for kids in today's America. We are excited to see Valentina living on today in the form of new policies and procedures the Farm has implemented since her loss. Valentina's loss has spurred a new found energy at the Farm with a focus on modernizing and improving our 30 year old farm. Signs of Valentina's legacy are everywhere! We eagerly await to see what Valentina will bring to the Farm in the future.