And on their farm….

Upper Greenwood Lake — This was a Christmas gift for Rich Gomm like none before. It is assumed there was no fancy wrapping paper, as that would have been difficult, if not impossible. But that didn’t matter. Three years ago when Gomm’s employees at Gomm’s Tires in West Milford gave their boss his holiday gift he was blown away. It was the best gift he ever got, he said. His gift was Jake - an adorable six-month old miniature donkey. Gomm had talked about getting a mini donkey, knowing it would be a good deterrent for the bears roaming around his ten acre, deeply wooded lot in Upper Greenwood Lake. And now he had one. What he didn’t know at first was that donkeys, like all herd animals, should not be kept alone. So, Rich and his wife, Cookie, went donkey shopping for a companion for Jake. Since the seller they visited did not want to split up her pair, they came home with two brothers, Gus and Zonkers. Now there were three. The little brayers, however, were joining a menagerie, as they were predated on the Gomm’s farm by two miniature horses, Fred and Ginger. Currently there are three donkeys, two horses, two goats, 60 chickens, two guinea hens, two ducks and two geese. E-i-e-i-o. Mini donkeys originated on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. They are diminutive, not bred down to size, and today the most desirable mini donkeys range in height from 31” to 35” weighing in at 200-450 pounds. It is reported that while traveling in Europe a New Yorker shipped six females (Jennets) and one male (Jack) mini donkeys to America and in 1929 one of the Jennies gave birth to the first miniature born in this country. While there are many color variations, the most common color is gray-dun, with a dark dorsal stripe down the back and over the shoulders, known as the donkey’s cross. There are several legends regarding the donkey’s cross, the most well known is this: When Jesus was to enter Jerusalem he asked for a donkey colt to carry him into the city. When Jesus was sentenced to be crucified, the little donkey wanted to help him carry the cross, but was shooed away. With great love, the donkey remained by the crucified Jesus and when he turned to leave the shadow of the cross fell on his back. It remains as a sign of loyalty by one of God’s humble creatures. Cookie Gomm believes she has her own little piece of heaven on earth. After many years of hustle and bustle, she said, she enjoys the solitude of her land. She adores all of her animals but has a special place in her heart for the donkeys. She is at a point in time when she is not responsible for the bulk of the work with the animals - Rich and two farm hands do that now. She gets to enjoy them: playing with them, brushing them and doling out treats. Cookie feels a little guilty sometimes, but Rich enjoys the early morning and night feeding rituals, as the peacefulness he finds with the animals helps him unwind. Although Jake tends to hang out with the horses, since they were his first playmates, the three donkeys get along well with each other and all the other animals. They are known to have very loving personalities. They communicate with their owners and each other by braying and can be quite vocal, especially when strangers or other animals approach. “They are friendly, protective and affectionate animals,” Cookie said. Cookie witnessed nature at its finest recently when a bear neared the livestock. The larger animals surrounded the chickens, forming a protective barrier until the bear was frightened away. As winter now approaches, Jake, Gus and Zonkers will grow thick winter coats, allowing them to run and play outdoors - surely a sight to see. “They love the snow, even the chickens love the snow,” Cookie said. A healthy donkey’s life span is 25-40 years. They require good feed and consistent, quality vet care. Mini donkeys come with a price tag. Are they worth the expense? Just ask Cookie and Rich.