In 1776, a British soldier wrote of Staten Island: “Surely this country is the Paradise of the world. . . . The inhabitants of this Island are tall, thin, narrow shouldered people, very simple in their manners, and each house has a good farm.” Alas, the fifth borough’s farmland has long since ceded to suburban development (and its residents are no longer so tall and thin), but there’s one place on its agricultural heritage that still flourishes: the Kid’s Korral at the Staten Island Zoo. Open every day of the year—save Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day—this children’s zoo is stocked with exceptionally good-natured and patient farm stock. Tots can tempt the goats, alpaca, sheep, and rabbits with the pellets and Ry Krisp available for purchase. Even if you come empty-handed, the goats will still consent to being pet and may even provide the occasional nuzzle—though the more daring ones may try to take a bite out of your T-shirt or jeans. Kids today, eh?
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