Your Community Recorder newspaper serving the communities of southern Campbell County
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T h u r s d a y, A p r i l 1 5 , 2 0 1 0
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Petting zoo fields wildlife attraction
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By Chris Mayhew cmayhew@nky.com
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Bellevue resident Patrick Dougherty, a self-employed studio potter, works on a fireplace mantle he made.
Bellevue potter recognized in book of international artists For more than 30 years, Bellevue resident Patrick Doughtery has been following his true calling, creating art. The self-employed studio potter was recently recognized as one of 38 noted international artists in the book “Masters: Earthernware,” curated by Matthias Ostermann. “It really just blows me away to be included in the book,” Doughtery said. “There are artists in there from France and Belgium and then you see my bio where is says based in Kentucky.” Doughtery said he has spent years and put in a lot of hard work creating his artwork. While working as a social worker in 1974, Doughtery decided to take
an art class at Northern Kentucky University for fun. Since no painting classes were open, he took a ceramics class. “That was 30 something years ago, and I’m still doing it,” Doughtery said. “I realized my true calling, and the rest is history.” After going back to school to get his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts, Doughtery taught ceramics at various universities for years. Now, his time is taken up with his studio art, which includes pottery and architectural work like sinks and fireplace mantles. Doughtery also shows his work across the country and teaches workshops at various places.
THINGS TO DO Waite at the Syndicate
Rock singer John Waite ( p i c t u re d ) will perform at the Newport Syndicate April 16 at 7:30 p.m. Waite is most known for his single, “Missing You,” which was No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1984. Tickets, which range from $40 to $60, include access to a dinner buffet at 6 p.m. To purchase tickets, visit www.rwatickets.com or call 781-7700. The Syndicate is located two blocks south of Newport on the Levee at 18 East 5th Street.
Food and wine
Learn how to cook and how to pair that meal with the correct wine during the Cork and Fork Cooking Class at the Argentine Bean in Crestview
Hills April 17. The class begins at 2 p.m. and includes cooking demonstrations with wine pairings. The class is family friendly and costs $20 to attend. For more information, call 426-1042. The Argentine Bean is located at 2875 Town Center Blvd.
Shop ‘til you drop
The Boone County Main Library in Burlington will have host a special shopping experience April 17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The library will be selling audiobooks, movies and music as well as books. Adult hardcover books will be sold for $1 and paperback books will sell for 50 and 25 cents. Children’s books and magazines will also be available. For more information, call 342-2665. The Boone County Main Library is located at 1786 Burlington Pike.
Noah’s Ark Farm & Petting Zoo, in its 12th year as a haven for animals big and small, opens April 15 this year with an unplanned attraction of a wildlife rookery of a nesting colony of great blue herons. Wanda Wanner and Buddy Teke keep the farm at 3269 Koehler Road in California. The animals are a collection of everything from bison and an African Watusi steer with horns that are wider than a grown man’s arms can reach from finger tip to finger tip to baby goats, sheep and rabbits. There are also pony rides, a shaded picnic area, and a gold and blue parrot that sometimes performs tricks for the public, Wanner said. But, the nesting colony of great blue herons in the tops of trees lining one of the farm fields has been a surprise that’s been growing in recent years, she said. The number of nests has grown over several years from five to 14 and finally 21 nests by this spring, she said. Each February, the birds return for the warmer months to the farm, she said. They’re making an observation post that won’t disturb the birds too much, so visitors can go out to the field and observe the herons at distance, Wanner said. The birds can be seen from the spot with the naked eye, but bring binoculars for a better view, she said. The baby herons usually hatch by April and start taking first flights around the end of June or early July, Wanner said. The farm also has its own bird attractions including a pair of emus, peacocks, pheasants, doves, turkeys and silky chickens, but to see the herons up close is majestic, Wanner said. “This year the herons are kind of adding to the bird watchers who like to come,” she said. A regular attraction for visiting children are the baby goats, sheep, bunnies, chicks and other animals
CHRIS MAYHEW/STAFF
Buddy Teke, co-owner of Noah’s Ark Farm & Petting Zoo in California, cares and feeds for many of the animals including Cindy the bison.
If you go
Noah’s Ark Farm & Petting Zoo, 3269 Koehler Road, is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Unguided tours are $5 per person. Call Wanda or Buddy at 635-0803 to schedule a guided tour. For information visit www.noahsarkfarmzoo.com.
CHRIS MAYHEW/STAFF
“Big Jim” an African Watusi steer (front) and a “Buffy” the water buffalo at Noah’s Ark Farm & Petting Zoo in California. born at the farm each year, Wanner said. It’s also hoped that “Buffy” the water buffalo will have a calf born this summer or fall with her new mate, Wanner said.
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CHRIS MAYHEW/STAFF
A blue heron perches above nests in the tree tops at Noah’s Ark Farm & Petting Zoo in California Thursday, April 8.
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Teke said sometimes visitors witness the birth of an animal, and that’s often a special moment for them. As for variety of animals, the emus, a bird as big as an ostrich, are one of the oldest species of birds on the planet, Teke said. And the fourhorned sheep is a line of sheep mentioned in the Bible as spotted sheep and are also sometimes called Jacob’s sheep, he said. Churches, daycare groups, schools and groups of people with disabilities often come to the farm, but so do grandparents with their grandchildren on unscheduled vis-
its, Teke said. Teke said he enjoys seeing the animals like the water buffalo play in the fields, and seeing the animals up close is an experience people can’t get just by watching television. Seeing the children interact with the young and old animals is one of the reasons Wanner said she enjoys operating Noah’s Ark. But one of the most popular attractions with children isn’t one of the more exotic animals, she said. “The kids spend the whole day playing with the baby kittens,” Wanner said.
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CHRIS MAYHEW/STAFF
A four-horned sheep (missing its left front horn) at Noah's Ark Farm & Petting Zoo in California.
B I G O N C O M M I T M E N T. ®
Bob Woeste
Agency Manager
Teresa Kool Agent
Andrew Schultz Agent
107 Washington St. Alexandria, KY 41001
859-635-2101