Jason Thomas, Fuquay-Varina resident and lifelong farmer, lived “nice and calm and at peace” on his Sunset Lake Road property for 20 years, until an enthusiastic neighbor and a viral TikTok video blew the gates to his farm wide open.
See, Thomas lives with more than 30 goats, most of which he raised since birth, even bottle feeding some as necessary. When Jesi Wilde (the enthusiastic neighbor) moved into the house behind the so-named Smith Farm Goat Sanctuary, she could see the animals from the back of her home and decided to contact the owner.
“I wrote a letter because the driveway to come and go from the farm is pretty hidden,” says Wilde.
In the letter, which she left on the farm’s entry gate, Wilde introduced herself and offered to help out.
“I volunteered at an animal sanctuary in Virginia. If you ever need any help, please let me know. I love watching them. When I sit on my porch, I can hear them, and it’s awesome,” she says, describing her letter.
“Who writes a letter?” says Thomas. “Nobody does that anymore. Something told me I need to let her in.”
As Wilde and Thomas got to know each other during daily feedings (Wilde spoils the goats with pineapples from Costco) and farm chores, they started to dream big for the future of the goat sanctuary.
“My dream would be to have this place become an actual animal sanctuary, not just for goats but other animals in need,” says Thomas.
Educational visits, goat yoga, and a general store are all part of the plans the pair sketched out, but the first necessary step is to upgrade the existing fences. Enter the Smith Farm Goat Sanctuary TikTok account, Wilde’s suggestion to raise awareness and, hopefully, spur fundraising for the needed improvements.
“I started in February of this year just making silly TikToks of the goats and the farm,” she says. “Our followers are mainly other small farms or homesteaders, and we just hype each other up.”
Wilde’s videos would typically garner a few hundred views, until goat mom-to-be Bev brought in over 19 million views, 16,500 comments, and 43,000 followers with her viral debut.
The sanctuary catapulted to internet fame thanks to mom-to-be Beverly’s viral TikTok video.
Bev with her weeks-old twin babies.
“I see Beverly, the pregnant goat, hobbling down the hill. She sees me first and she’s gonna be the first to get the pineapples today. I bust out the camera and start shooting,” says Wilde.
For context, Beverly is massively pregnant with twins, her body nearly as wide as it is tall, with tiny stick legs and a characteristic pregnant waddle, endearing herself to expecting women and moms everywhere.
“I used the hashtag #pregnant, and all the pregnant women were feeling Bev. And her tiny legs — she definitely had thoughts and prayers sent for her legs,” says Wilde.
Jesi Wilde, backdoor neighbor to Thomas and the goats, runs the sanctuary’s social media accounts.
“You can’t come up with viral videos all the time. And that one I created, I would have never thought in a million years that was the one that was going to send us to a million views, let alone 19 million.”
Bev’s pregnant prance accumulated more than 16,500 comments on TikTok. Enjoy this sample.
Gravy
This is the clearest UFO sighting I’ve seen to date!
Butterflysnme724
That is the widest load EVER! Bless her heart!!
Autumnjr99
It’s her waddling like she’s not thrice the size of everyone else
Ranch blessing
She’s gotta be storing them horizontally because that’s crazy
TraceyWatchesStuff
Bev starting her own football team in one go.
Aiden
OH LAWD SHE COMIN
“We’ve been posting a video every day pretty much since then. … It’s really hit or miss, but the goats are constantly doing silly stuff. So now I always have my camera at the ready.”
Building on that popularity, Wilde hosted a naming contest for Bev’s twin babies and created a GoFundMe page to raise money for the sanctuary’s fencing project.
“This group of nurses in Durham won and ended up naming the boys Jon Bon Goati and Vincent van Goat,” says Wilde.
The sanctuary isn’t currently open to the public, but local residents will have the opportunity to meet some of the Smith Farm goats at Goat Fest 2024 — an afternoon of fun and fundraising at Fainting Goat Brewery on Sept. 21.
The event will feature a goat kissing booth, live music by bluegrass band The Kudzu Ramblers, a silent auction, food truck, and more.
Thomas says the goats are extremely loyal and laid-back animals. When given the chance to interact with people, their sweet personalities draw lots of attention and petting.
“I love the animals. I think if people get to know the animals and see how great they are, it makes a difference for the animals and the people,” Thomas says.
Thomas grew up on a family farm in Apex and has seen Wake County’s farming tradition slowly disappear. By expanding Smith Farm Goat Sanctuary, he hopes to preserve and share that legacy.
“There used to be farms everywhere — that was just the way of life around here. Now that so many people are moving here, it’s changing and it’s not what it was,” he says. “I’d like to preserve it and let people enjoy it if we get to that point. This has been a working farm for close to a hundred years.”
Attend Goat Fest 2024
In support of Smith Farm Goat Sanctuary
Where: Fainting Goat Brewing Company, Fuquay-Varina
When: Saturday, Sept. 21, noon to 4 p.m.
Why: Help the sanctuary replace and improve fencing and goat housing to provide a safe, welcoming space for the goats and future visitors.
Details: Enjoy The Kudzu Ramblers bluegrass band, interactions with goats, silent auction, raffles, face painting, food trucks, and more. Admission is free.
