Photo: Cute overload alert! The Little Rock Zoo's newest exhibit, Arkansas Heritage Farm, will feature dwarf miniature horses, miniature goats, sheep and more.

Springtime isn't complete without a trip to the Little Rock Zoo. And this spring, visitors will have a whole new exhibit to explore: Arkansas Heritage Farm! The interactive and educational exhibit will open to the public at 10 a.m. April 2.

Children can pet, groom and feed the animals on the farm, which includes a big red barn and smaller barn, a chicken coop and a new, accessible playground that features a slide built into the two-story silo. In addition to common farm animals, visitors will see Katahdin sheep, Blackberry sheep, geese, and several breeds of chickens and turkeys. The African Pygmy goats, miniature donkeys and dwarf miniature horses are all sure to be a crowd-pleaser, too.

The exhibit, which focuses on sustainable farming and how animals can change the lives of farming families, is a partnership with Heifer International. The organization donated the livestock in the exhibit, educational materials and a chicken tractor, a coop that can be moved to different farm areas to help distribute manure.

In the exhibit, visitors will also learn about Heifer’s mission and the Seven M’s—milk, manure, meat, muscle, money, materials and motivation—which explain how an animal can be a catalyst for change and help Heifer's mission to end hunger and poverty around the world.

Heifer International and the zoo will also develop educational programs and materials that can be used in classrooms and as part of Zoo Education Outreach efforts.

We can't wait to spend an afternoon on the farm!

For information about visiting the Little Rock Zoo, visit LittleRockZoo.com.