Schoharie County's Coopers Ark Farm

Something for Everyone is Just the Start!
By Thom O'Connor

Old MacDonald had a farm, but that was long ago

Ma’ ‘n’ Pa Metzger own it now, so be sure to go.

See emus here; feed baby chicks there; pet goats ‘n’ llamas

along the way.

So bring your family—and camera, too—

to Coopers Ark Farm for the day.



The dazzling sunny afternoon ride through the sweeping Schoharie Country countryside is as much an adventure as the personalized tour of Cooper’s Ark Farm that, I was told, awaits me. Exiting from I-88 in Schoharie, I head South on Route 30. After what seems like weeks of rain wrought by an ornery Mother Nature, she appears equally determined to show that she is indeed a Schoharie lass with a softer side.



Cruising along more slowly than work-a-day speed, the delights of the county present themselves for the two-mile ride to my turnoff on Bridge Street to Coopers Ark Farm. The road is not new to me. But task-focused and usually in a rush, I realize that I have never experienced the close proximity of a string of venues that top a day-tripper’s wish list: Schoharie Valley Farms’ Carrot Barn, the intrepid Old Stone Fort Museums Complex, the award-winning George Mann Tory Tavern, Wellington’s Herbs and Spices, the historic Parrot and Palatine Houses and the shaded gallery of nationally known artist Elizabeth Apgar-Smith.



Turning on Bridge and bypassing Guernsey’s Schoharie Nurseries in seasonal full-bloom, I traverse a supposedly two-lane structure that bridges the land over Schoharie Creek. Picture Perfect. But a farm tour awaits just minutes away and down what surely is a scenic designer’s template for a rain washed, back country road. I see movement as I inched my way down the hill. A sign catches my eye: Farm Tour. Then, a tractor filled with laughing people passes by. They wave in the way one does to invite outsiders into the fun at hand.



Larger than I had imagined, the hay wagon is a surprise. A beaming Phil Metzger appears to read my mind and walks over to greet me as his energetic wife Pam fusses over children reluctant to get off the wagon. “It holds about 25 people,” he tells me. “It was specially crafted through a New York State Agri-tourism Grant.” Designed by Phil and Joe Merli of Merli Manufacturing, Duanesburg, NY, and driven by the farm’s 275 Massey Ferguson tractor, the wagon transports up to 25 people or six wheelchairs and an additional 10 riders. “The addition of the wheelchair-accessible hay wagon has enabled us to become a favored destination for organizations that cater to the needs of the elderly, handicapped and disabled,” Phil says. “”With the help of New York State—and the wagon—we can be inclusive. We’re thrilled not to leave anyone behind.”



I am introduced to several families. I feel the warmth of the Metzgers. This is not a business to them. These are youthful grandparents-at-large, out to indulge their heirs—even those not related—in any way that makes them happy. The fact that the Farm’s tours vary in length from the standard hour to sometimes 90 minutes says it all. “Some kids take longer than others,” Phil tells me. “Some want to say goodbye to a favorite animal before they leave. Other families bring a blanket and picnic basket and spread out on the lawn for the afternoon.” He tells of families—now part of the Farm’s expanding network of tri-state friends—that return every just to see what’s new. A man from Long Island overhears. “That’s why we come here. It’s like coming home to a comfortable friend while we share the day with our son.” The tractor starts. The tour begins.

The arresting panorama of the Schoharie countryside vies for attention with the world of animals ahead. A little girl holds a goat born just two days before. Her mother (reverting to little girl status herself for the day) helps her daughter to feed the kid. Elegant llamas strut regally up to the fence. Lionhead rabbits watch from their pens. Chickens surround one little boy who excitedly scatters feed at his feet for them. “Lucky” the preening turkey bobs in defiance of a peacock on the fence. The calls of emus born just weeks ago before beckon visitors. The tractor pulls us at a snail’s pace for safety and for a side view of the barn.



“Coopers Ark is a working farm,” Phil shouts. “When visitors call, we tell them what’s going on. That’s what they experience on the tours. There’s no time to rehearse this,” he says as he gestures to the organized chaos that surrounds us. “And what there is to do is farm work!” From the tractor, we see visitors try their hands at grinding feed, saddling the ponies, feeding the animals, picking eggs and experiencing the natural rhythms of farm life as punctuated by a barrage of eager visitors—like us.



Instead of a gumball machine, the Metzgers offer two, 16-ounce cups of grain for $2.50. It is more than enough to experience the excitement of feeding the animals. The cup is a memento of the day, “machine washable,” says Ma’ Pam with a smile, “with our name, logo, and Web site. And in season,” she adds, “we also have dried corn-on-the-cob.” The children put the corn through an early 1900’s sheller, and then grind the kernels in an 1800’s grinder. There are, in fact, many antique farm implements and tools on display.



A little boy sitting next to me asks his mother why the wagon is bypassing the barn. His name is Christian; he is with his parents Danielle and James Mule from New Port Richey, FL. They have friends in Schoharie. James repeatedly scans the ground below the wagon for snakes. We laugh when someone says, “Well at least we don’t have alligators, here!” He plays into the humor.



“Aren’t we gonna stop to play with the animals,” Christian asks more plaintively the second time. I, too, notice that the wagon is veering toward a wooded area. Attention is suddenly diverted from the barn to the woods and we see animals in the pasture behind the barn. Moments later the tractor stops and everyone heads into the barn. “We use the wooded turnaround to delay arrival at the barn,” Phil tells me. “Some kids are less comfortable than others and need time to see that the animals are peaceful; they see others playing with and feeding them. We want to alleviate fears and make sure that everyone feels safe and comfortable. Our biggest thrill is to welcome a child who’s a little afraid of animals and won’t go into the barn and within an hour hear them say, ‘Hey Mom, I don’t want to go home!” The biggest kid here seems to be Farmer Phil himself!



Even before the wagon stops less than a quarter-mile from where we embarked, Pam, who has walked alongside, prepares to help visitors off the wagon. Everyone is talking. Some children already are calling the names of some animals. They have been here before. “We name them all,” Pam tells me. “This year, I’m doing food groups. I’m into ice cream flavors!” We laugh. She laughs too, confessing that with so many animals, she runs out of options by mid-season.

The natural alchemy of the countryside, the animals, and the excitement of exploration turns strangers into friendly travelers for the afternoon. Laughter and feeling good come easy here. We take turns holding children and cameras so that somehow over the next 45 minutes there are permutations of every image taken by cameras that guests share among other visitors to make sure that no one is excluded from any photo op. The couple next to me, Monica Belli of Island Park, NY, and her fiancé, Mark, has been here before. They start to tell me the history of the Farm. Pam tells it her way.



The Makings of a Farm

Through a patchwork of interrupted comments, a pretty Pam Metzger seems always on the edge of smile as she recounts how a simple girl from Oceanside, Long Island, came to set up a homestead on the shore of lower Schoharie Creek in the heart of the northern Catskills.



She recalls how Phil was hurt in a construction accident in the early '90s. “We had always vacationed in upstate New York. It was perfect for our kids. We knew we’d end up living here, but we didn’t realize forced retirement would get us here sooner than later.”



Pam relates how their house hunting began in earnest in 1998. Phil wanted 50 acres—or more. Knowing that he was not able to work as he did formerly, Pam wanted a newer home, less work, less ground. “After 18 months of searching, Phil came home one day and tells me that he ran into a realtor who took him to a place a little beyond our price range. As we drove down that tree bordered dirt road, the view opened up to this 15-acre slice of Heaven. I knew in that instant that this was it. A compromise? Yes. But perfect. It had to be ours!”



The farm, Pam says, was a natural extension of heir combined personas. “We’ve always loved animals, always brought our children to petting zoos, horseback rides, anything outdoors and natural.” With 1,000 feet of fencing, a pre-fab barn, 12 goats—and “more advice than we knew what to do with”—Coopers Ark Farm was under way. Pam recalls that their relationships with “animals” actually started long ago—with the British Invasion.



“Phil was a huge fan of The Animals [the band]. He wouldn’t see The Beatles at Shea Stadium—even when we had free tickets—or even The Doors, who performed within two miles of our former home in Long Island. No, he was truly an Animal head. Things have certainly come full circle: not only is Phil a part owner of more than 2,000 animals, he has been friends with Eric Burdon (lead singer of The Animals) for more than 20 years!”



“To think I came up here to quilt and sew after Phil’s retirement! There is simply no time, any more,” Pam confides. “Now, life is all about the animals,” she says with a mock glare at Phil. “When it’s time to feed the animals or gather eggs, that’s what we have to do. It’s that simple.” Another visitor named Mark tells of a prior visit to the Farm with this wife and grandson last winter. “It never occurred to me that eggs would freeze,” he says, until Phil interrupted our visit to say that he had gather eggs before they froze. Until that time, I pictured them safe at Price Chopper.” We laugh—wondering how many of us had the same thought.

The soprano trill of excitement floats from the barn. Matilda the piggy has gathered a delighted audience of animated kids. Under cover of excitement, Phil deftly leads one of the ponies from its stall, a move not unnoticed by several youngsters. “This is IT for many of the children,” Pam says. “They love to ride.” She tells me that what makes their rides special is that they take place on natural turf and throughout the farm. “We don’t just seat the children and lead them around in a circle. The fun is riding through the woods or in open areas. When the horse stops to graze, that’s what happens. Riders get the real experience of balance and coordination and riding,” Pam tells us. She also says that the rides often take a long time. “Some children—and parents—are frightened. We do what we can to ensure that everyone who does ride leaves here with an experience that lasts for a lifetime.”



Hundred of families come to Coopers Ark Farm each year, the Metzgers say. Many return again and again, as their children grow and their families expand. Word of mouth is their biggest ally. “Families come; they tell others. We like it that way,” Phil says. “This isn’t a factory. It’s a working farm in the heart of farm country. The experience shouldn’t be rushed.” We all attest to that.



As some of us prepare to leave, Phil inquires about the direction in which we are headed. He quickly volunteers that picturesque Middleburgh is just south on Route 30, followed by Barber’s, Shaul’s and Bohringer’s Farms (he adds with a grin of someone in the know that the latter serves gourmet ice cream made with berries fresh-picked from the fields), then without missing a beat, add Vroman’s Nose, Mine Kill State Park, Lansing Manor and Science Exhibit on the grounds of the New York Power Authority to the list of attractions along the ride back to Ulster and Delaware Counties.



On what appears to be the same breath, he suggests we shouldn’t miss Howe Caverns, the Pumpkin Patch, Pethick Site (the Schoharie Valley excavation site that archaeologists have called one of the most important in the state), or JD Winslow’s riding exhibit, the extraordinary Landis Arboretum, historic Sharon Springs—or the new miniature golf course and go carts at Gobbler’s Knob in between. “They’re just as close in the opposite direction,” he says. We laugh again, amazed at the effortless flow of the travelogue.



“When Pam and I moved here,” he tells us, “there was little to do. Today, Schoharie County is a week-long adventure—with the sites, activities, bed-count and restaurants to make that a reality.” We already know about the animals and the gracious hospitality that draws more and more people to Coopers Ark Farm each year.



Coopers Ark Farm is located at 145 Ark Lane in Schoharie, NY. For more information, call them at 518 295 7662, e-mail them at ebcn@midtel.net or visit www.coopersarkfarm.com or www.fuelingthefun.com. They are open daily from 9 am to 6 pm, Memorial Day through Labor Day, and other times by appointment. An entry fee of $6/person includes hay-wagon ride; $3.50/person Mini-Trail Ride; $2.50/person for commemorate cup with feed refill.



Coopers Ark Farm is easy to access: it is 15 minutes from Exit 23 (Schoharie) off I-88 and accessible via Routes 7, 20, 30 and 145. From Schoharie Village turn on Bridge Street for nine-tenths of a mile. Take a left on Cooper Village Lane for two-tenths miles, then take a left on Ark Lane to the bottom of the hill.