Drought, economy shut down Northern Kentucky's Noah's Ark Farm
The popular northern Kentucky petting zoo planned to close its doors Sunday night after a dozen years of hosting goats, hay rides and pumpkin patches.
Wanda Wanner, who operated the attraction with her husband, Buddy Teke, told the Kentucky Enquirer that a convergence of events six weeks ago prompted the decision to shut down the farm, which operated on 51 acres in rural Campbell County.
“The last three years we've kind of lost money, and it's a little too expensive to keep that many animals as a hobby,” Wanner said.
This summer's drought killed the farm's pumpkin crop, forcing the couple to buy pumpkins for this year's hayride and pumpkin patch. Also, one of Wanner's favorite goats died. The down economy, which had been hurting the farm, also did not improve this fall, she said.
“We used to get a lot of schools and everything,” Wanner said. “But the schools kind of quit taking field trips and that really cut into our profits.”
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20101031/NEWS01/310310073/1008/NEWS01/Drought++economy+shut+down+Northern+Kentucky+s+Noah+s+Ark+Farm