GREENFIELD, Ind. — An Indiana couple is using a breed of cow native to Europe to provide not just a fun experience for visitors but also therapy on their farm.

Mark and Luann Kramer have about 40 head of Scottish Highland cows and over a half dozen miniature donkeys at their Remark-able Ranch near Greenfield.

Unlike traditional cattle, the Scottish Highland cows are a distinct breed known for their wide horns and long hair. The 42-acre farm is open year-round by appointment. While anyone can visit, the farm focuses on children and adults with special needs.

“We really have a backlog of groups with all different challenges waiting to come here,” said Luann  Kramer.  There’s no price of admission for people with special needs, including nursing home residents. 

Kramer describes her cows as about a foot shorter than traditional cattle and “very docile.” 

They’re also easy to socialize with, keep and tame. 

“The folks who come here, regardless of whether they have physical, developmental or mental health issues, these cows are just so calm.  They will stand very quietly and let like an elderly woman in a wheelchair who is mostly blind feel all over their face and have a calming interaction,” she said.

The only time people are asked to pay is during special events at the farm like concerts with people dressed in costumes at Halloween to raise money for keeping the free admission in place.

The driving force behind Remark-able Ranch is the couple’s developmentally challenged 28-year-old daughter, Brianna.

Kramer, 65, said her daughter did not seem to have enough activities to keep her busy after high school and felt a job on the farm is what she needed. Her daughter serves as the hostess, guiding people in groups and individual families during their visits with the animals and other activities like arts and crafts.

The family has lived at the farm for over 20-years.

However, there was no livestock until after Mrs. Kramer and her daughter returned several years ago from a trip to Scotland where they laid eyes on the Scottish Highland cows. “We were really in love with them just from seeing them in Scotland,” she said. 

At the time, Mark Kramer, who grew up helping raise dairy cows, wanted a half dozen or so head of cattle of his own.

He agreed with his daughter’s request to acquire the Scottish Highland breed if any could be found in Indiana and they were affordable.

Luann began a search that finally ended with a man and woman having seven head of the Scottish Highland breed, ironically, just one mile from her farm. The couple who were thinking about retiring and wanting to travel agreed to sell their beloved cows.

Initially, the Kramer’s wanted to strictly breed the animals but they started inviting special needs groups their daughter joined after high school to the farm. “It was meaningful for these groups.  They loved it,” she said.

The initial positive response from visitors resulted in them reaching out to more people with special needs like nursing home residents and female victims of domestic violence while growing their herd from breeding and buying from other owners.

Eventually, the farm started hosting school groups as well and taking their animals out to places like nursing homes.

A barn was recently constructed for housing the animals to be able to have visitors year round.

The busiest time at the farm is during the fall.

“I don’t know why but that’s when everybody wants to come out and see hairy cows,” she said. 

About a year ago, Remark-able Ranch became a federally designated not-for-profit organization, allowing monetary donations to the farm to be tax deductible.

“It’s been a journey for us and we’re not done,” she said. 

As a child Luann considered becoming a veterinarian because of her love for animals. She’s now getting a taste of that profession by doing things like giving the animals shots and, occasionally, helping her husband deliver calves.

“I love it.  I’m living my dream,” she said.

She’s also fulfilled by watching the spirits of her visitors being lifted during their experience with her animals. 

“I feel like you’re supposed to take care people.   To give back if you’re blessed like we are to have things and have had a good life.  It’s good to give back but it’s also good to take care of animals,” she said.