NEW GERMANY, Minnesota — Did you know that donkeys are fast and smart and can build lifelong bonds with other animals and people?
In this week’s Finding Minnesota, John Lauritsen takes us on a journey to Hee-Haw Hollow in New Germany.
A visit to Brett and Kelley MacNally’s farm is like visiting a zoo. There are pigs, sheep, goats, cats, and if you want to talk to the MacNallys, you have to pass by the cows.
“We have highland cattle. This is Savannah and Sweet Pea,” Brett said.
No matter how social these boys are, the farm really belongs to one animal.
A few years ago, Brett and Kelley left city life to live in the country. Partly because they wanted to find a place where they could raise both mammoth donkeys and mini donkeys.
“One day my daughter sent me this video about donkeys, about this girl and this donkey, and I completely fell in love,” said Kelley.
“We’re generally very spontaneous people, so we just rolled with it,” Brett said.
This meant that you had to become acquainted with donkey farming on the spot. They soon discovered that the animals build close bonds with people.
Vets even say they get depressed when they are alone.
They can also be very protective. Even the minis.
“We have bears here, coyotes, bobcats and you would see the tracks of them all over this pasture. Once we got the donkeys, we never saw a sign of a predator again,” Brett said.
It is also believed that donkeys are smarter than most dogs. The MacNally’s are known for opening doors and letting themselves out of the barn.
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“The reason we got into mammoth donkeys is because there are very few people breeding them in the U.S. And we want to help support that breed as well,” says Brett.
The MacNallys also want to help increase the number of miniature donkeys – those that are 3 feet tall or shorter. Over the past two months, Bianco and Romeo have become the newest members of Hee-Haw Hollow.
“Within an hour they’re walking and wiggling, within two hours they’re running up and down the pasture,” Brett said.
The little ones are part of the inspiration behind “The Fancy Farmer” – a cafe Brett and Kelley are opening in New Germany.
“It will have a donkey theme. We will have a little fenced area where we will bring the donkeys up so people can come and see a donkey,” Brett said.
The couple hopes that their customers will enjoy their donkeys as much as they do. An animal that comes in all shapes and sizes, with a people-friendly personality.
“They’re so loving, so compassionate, I feel like they’re really in tune with people,” Kelley said.
“It’s the love. To come down and get a hug from an animal, let them put their head on your shoulder and just be happy to stand there and let them hug you for as long as you want to hug them,” Brett said.
According to the MacNallys, it is a misconception that donkeys are stubborn, when in reality they are cautious. They do sell mini donkeys at Hee Haw Hollow, but they say they are careful about who they sell to because they want to make sure the animals are well cared for. More information can be found on their Facebook page.
Johannes Lauritsen
