Imagine this: You are strolling down the sunny paths of Chippokes State Park, admiring the blue skies behind the cedar trees. The pasture you’re walking past is green and lush, but has evidently been grazed by a large animal. You peer over your shoulder and there she is: a dark red calf coming over with a friendly toss of the head, asking with a low moo for the apple you have in your hand.

This scenario was probably a common one at Chippokes 400 years ago. The American Milking Devon, a cow easily recognized by its beautiful, rich red coat and long horns, was among the first cattle brought to Virginia by English settlers. Devons were raised on farms all over Virginia for several hundred years, until new dairy breeds replaced them. Known for their gentleness and intelligence, Devons were often trained to be oxen, pulling the wagons, plows, and other machinery that made farming possible.

Ruby, Chippokes' American Milking Devon calf, stops in front of the Jones-Stewart Mansion while on a walk

Today, the American Milking Devon is a relatively rare breed, but at Chippokes State Park, you can still meet one while you’re out for a stroll. In July, Chippokes welcomed a 4-month old Devon calf, Ruby, to the Farm and Forestry Museum. Ruby was generously donated by Mount Pleasant Plantation, which actively works to keep the Devon breed alive. Each day, a staff member takes Ruby on a walk, where she gets to interact with guests and the occasional dog. Because Ruby is still a baby, these walks are important to teach her to feel safe around the park before she grows those long Devon horns. Ruby also learns commands, how to walk on a halter, and eventually will learn to pull a cart. Because of Ruby’s historical significance, she is a great ambassador animal to teach visitors about farming and animal husbandry.

Some of the other farm animals you can meet at Chippokes: Chip, Billy, and Curly

While Ruby is certainly the largest of Chippokes’ heritage breed animals, she is not the first. Earlier this spring, Chippokes quietly welcomed four two-day-old Dominique chickens, a breed known for hardiness, adaptability, and beautiful black-and-white striped feathers. As they grew, the Dominiques began to enjoy supervised outdoor time on the museum grounds, before graduating to the main chicken pen, where they can now be seen chasing bugs and pecking at treats with Chippokes’ four older chickens.

Two of Chippokes' Dominiques, Gretchen and Karen, enjoy some scratch grains and oyster shell

Dominique chickens, like Devon cattle, were some of the earliest livestock brought to Virginia. They are excellent foragers, lay brown eggs, and provided a source of meat to colonists. At Chippokes, the Dominiques are ambassador animals, teaching guests all about chickens and their long history on Virginia farms. In addition to our heritage animals, the Farm and Forestry Museum is also home to donkeys, goats, and pigs, all of whom can be visited 7 days a week, March through November. On Sunday mornings at 10 am, join a ranger for Pasture Pals, a program where guests of all ages can help participate in our animals' care while learning about their unique adaptations. We hope you will stop by and let our amazing ambassador animals give you a one-of-a-kind learning experience.

Click here to view a listing of upcoming events like:

• 10/18/2019 - Candlelight Ghost Walk
• 10/19/2019 - Chippokes Harvest Festival
• 10/26/2019 - Youth Costume Contest, Dog Costume Contest, Trick-or-Treating and Campsite Decorating
• 10/29/2019 - Voices in the Mansion: Ghostly Tales with Patty Elton
• 10/30/2019 - Candlelight Ghost Walk

Chippokes State Park is located at 695 Chippokes Park Rd., Surry, VA 23883. Park admission is $7 per car and includes parking and admission to the Farm and Forestry Museum. For more information, call the park office at (757) 294-3439 or visit our website by clicking here.