This Idaho Farm Lets You Get Up Close With Kangaroos, Highland Cows And More Than 300 Animals

A kangaroo is not usually what you expect to see while driving through Idaho farm country.

That is exactly why this place gets interesting fast.

One minute everything looks perfectly normal.

Then something hops past and your brain needs a second meeting.

The farm covers 42 acres near Nampa, where more than 300 animals share the property and apparently have no interest in sticking to anyone’s idea of a standard farm visit.

The family behind it actually works the land, so the experience feels less like a staged attraction and more like being invited into somebody’s very busy backyard.

You learn where the food comes from, hear the stories behind the animals, and probably spend more time talking to a cow than you expected.

Honestly, there are worse ways to spend an afternoon.

Kangaroos Are The Last Thing Most Visitors Expect To Find On An Idaho Farm

Red kangaroos and irrigated farmland do not usually appear in the same sentence, which is exactly why this stop catches people off guard. Back Forty Farms previously kept two male red kangaroos obtained from a Washington farm, while its current animal-sponsorship page lists a male kangaroo named Adonis.

Adonis is the resident male, and his fur feels startlingly soft, closer to rabbit down than the coarse coat most people imagine.

Adonis’s current profile notes one much simpler favorite: apples, and the two are often spotted sharing the same patch of ground.

Outside of a zoo, only two places in the state keep kangaroos, and Back Forty Farms is one of them. Watching one balance on a thick tail while sunlight catches the reddish tint of its coat is a strange and wonderful moment.

Bring a camera, but keep your movements slow and your voice low. Kangaroos notice sudden motion, and the calmer you stay, the closer they tend to come during your visit.

Scottish Highland Cows Add Plenty Of Shaggy Personality To The Pastures

Long ginger bangs, sweeping horns, and eyes that peek out from behind a curtain of hair: Highland cattle look like something drawn for a storybook. The herd here includes Arabella, Noelle, Boo, Maisie Moo, and Missy Moo.

Their double coats were built for damp Scottish hillsides, which means they handle cold snaps in the valley without much fuss. Run your hand along one and you feel the difference right away, coarse and weatherproof on top with a woolly layer hidden underneath.

Petting these cattle ranks among the most requested parts of a visit, and the animals seem entirely fine with the attention. They graze slowly, chew thoughtfully, and occasionally lean in for a scratch behind the ear.

Photographers love them because the light catches every strand of that fringe. Morning visits tend to work best, when the herd is active and the pasture still holds a little dew.

Farm Tours Bring Guests Close To Goats Alpacas Horses And Other Animals

Roughly an hour and fifteen minutes is all it takes to walk the heart of this property, and every stretch of the route holds something alive. Goats crowd the fence line hoping for attention.

The address for these encounters is 8899 S Black Cat Rd, Nampa, ID 83687.

Alpacas study visitors with those enormous dark eyes, humming softly to one another. Horses graze in the middle distance, and more than 300 chickens scratch through the yard in a constant, cheerful racket.

Guides explain how the food is grown, why certain soil practices matter, and how the family works with each season rather than against it. Kids ask questions nonstop, and the answers come back in plain, practical language.

Gardens factor into the walk too, with rows of produce that eventually reach the country store. Wear closed shoes, because pasture ground stays uneven and sometimes damp.

Special Kangaroo Encounters Let Visitors Feed The Marsupials By Hand

Adonis’s current profile lists apples among his favorite foods, but the farm’s 2026 site does not promise hand-feeding as part of a standard tour. These closer encounters are not part of every standard tour, so planning ahead makes all the difference.

Guests who sponsor an animal can arrange special visits, which opens the door to more personal time with the marsupials. Adonis has a well-documented fondness for apples, and he approaches with a rocking, unhurried gait when one appears.

What surprises nearly everyone is the texture of the fur. It feels plush and warm rather than bristly, and the small paws reach out with more delicacy than expected.

Sponsorship also supports the daily care that keeps these animals healthy through valley summers and winters alike. Ask about availability when you book, since encounter slots depend on the animals and the season at Back Forty Farms.

Bottle-Fed Highland Calves Can Become Part Of The Experience During Certain Visits

Two of the farm’s young Highland cattle, Missy Moo and Maisie Moo, required bottle-feeding after their births in May 2025. Maisie Moo and Missy Moo were both raised this way on the property.

That early hand-rearing shaped them into unusually sociable cows who now wander right up to visitors instead of drifting away. You can trace the whole story from bottle to full-grown herd member in a single walk through the pasture.

Timing decides everything here. Calving happens when it happens, and a calf only needs bottles for a limited stretch, so the opportunity comes and goes with the seasons.

Should the chance line up during your visit, expect a strong tug on the bottle and a very determined little animal. Ask about current calves when you reserve your tour, since availability shifts month to month.

The 42-Acre Property Still Holds A Century-Old Barn And Historic Farmhouse

Weathered red boards, a peaked roof, and hinges that have swung for generations: the barn on this property has watched more than a hundred years of valley farming go by. It anchors 42 acres of pasture and cultivated ground.

Nearby stands a farmhouse built in 1915, back when the place operated as a 100-acre dairy. Some sections of these buildings have barely changed in decades, and the original craftsmanship shows in the joinery and the thick beams overhead.

Tour guides fold this history into the walk, tracing the families who worked the land before the Kerns arrived. Guests often say the historical portion turns out to be their favorite surprise.

Stand near the barn on a quiet afternoon and you catch the smell of aged wood and clean straw. It is a rare piece of preserved agricultural heritage in a rapidly growing corner of Idaho.

Indian Creek Runs Through The Property And Adds To The Rural Setting

Water changes the character of a farm, and Indian Creek threads right through this one. Its steady murmur sits underneath everything else you hear, from clucking hens to the rustle of poplar leaves.

Cool air gathers along the banks on warm afternoons, making the creek-side stretch one of the most comfortable spots on the property. Horses graze within view, tails swishing, heads down in the grass.

Farm-to-table meals are offered here as well, and eating outdoors with that gentle water sound nearby turns a simple plate into something memorable. Eggs from the resident hens are a standout, with deep golden yolks and a creamy texture that store-bought cartons rarely match.

Overnight stays have brought travelers through too, drawn by the quiet and the open sky. The creek gives Back Forty Farms a softness that pastureland alone could never provide.

Advance Reservations Matter Because This Working Farm Is Not Open For Walk-In Visits

Showing up unannounced will not work here, and there is a good reason for that. The property runs as a Private Membership Association, and every visit is scheduled in advance so each group gets real attention rather than a rushed pass through the pastures.

Membership is free, and signing up is the first step toward booking a tour or shopping the country store. Group tours require at least 14 days of notice, so plan school trips and family gatherings well ahead.

Directions lead you to 8899 S Black Cat Rd, Nampa, ID 83687, a pleasant drive through open farmland.

Reserving early also means the Kern family can prepare animal encounters and meals thoughtfully, which is exactly what makes a visit to Back Forty Farms worth the planning.

Disclaimer: Details about tours, animal encounters, meals, memberships, and other farm experiences can change throughout the year.

Because this is a working farm, certain animals may not always be available to meet, feed, or pet, and some activities may depend on weather, staffing, season, or daily operations.

Visitors should confirm current hours, reservation requirements, pricing, membership details, and available experiences directly with Back Forty Farm & Ranch before traveling.

Closed-toe shoes are recommended, children should be supervised closely, and all posted rules should be followed around animals, fences, equipment, crops, and any areas that are not open to guests during visits.