Today we’d like to introduce you to Aimee Long.
Hi Aimee, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
If someone had told me years ago that I would one day be introducing strangers to alpacas, goats, donkeys, pigs, and a cast of rescue animals with personalities bigger than most humans, I probably would have laughed. Yet somehow, that is exactly where life led me.
Animals have always been a constant in my life. I’ve never been someone who could turn away from an animal in need, and over the years my farm became a place where rescued animals could find safety, care, and a second chance. What started as a personal passion slowly evolved into something much bigger.
Friends and family would visit and tell me that spending time with the animals made them feel calmer, happier, and more connected. They loved hearing the stories behind each animal, learning their quirky personalities, and experiencing a side of farm life that felt authentic rather than commercial. Eventually, those visits grew into organized tours, and Long Meadows Farm was born.
Today, we welcome guests from all over the world. What surprises many people is that the tours are not just about petting animals. They’re about connection. Every animal here has a story. Some came from difficult situations. Some were unwanted. Some simply needed a place to belong. In many ways, their stories mirror our own. We all want to feel safe, accepted, and loved.
One of my favorite parts of running the farm is watching people arrive stressed, distracted, and glued to their phones, only to leave smiling, laughing, and completely present. There is something magical about an alpaca gently taking a treat from your hand or a donkey deciding you are its new best friend. The animals have a way of reminding us what matters.
Of course, building the farm has not been without challenges. I’ve had moments where I questioned whether I was doing the right thing. It means very long days, muddy boots, and more animal-related surprises than I can count. But every challenge has been worth it when I see the joy on a child’s face, hear a guest tell me they needed this experience more than they realized, or watch an animal thrive in a place where they are truly loved.
The farm has also inspired me creatively. My beloved goat, Dingle, became the star of a children’s book I wrote called Dingle’s Tale: Friendship & Belonging. His story reflects something I believe deeply: that everyone deserves a place where they belong.
Looking back, Long Meadows Farm grew from a simple idea. Create a place where animals are cherished, where people feel welcome, and where joy can be found in the simple moments. What it has become is a community, a passion project, and one of the greatest blessings of my life.
If there is one thing I hope people take away from my story, it’s that sometimes the most meaningful journeys begin with simply following what you love. For me, that love has four legs, fuzzy faces, and occasionally a talent for shenanigans.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, although most people assume the challenges are things like finances, fence repairs, or caring for animals in every kind of weather. Those things are part of farm life, but the hardest part has always been emotional.
Long Meadows Farm is home to many rescue animals, and over the years I have opened my heart and my home to animals that others could no longer care for, animals that were neglected, unwanted, elderly, or simply needed a safe place to land. Every time I say yes to a rescue, I know I am making an investment that may one day break my heart.
What many people don’t realize is that rescue work comes with loss. I’ve loved and lost more animals than I can count. Some stayed with me for years. Some only had months. A few only had days. Every single one left a mark on my heart.
People often ask how I keep doing it when the losses hurt so much. The answer is simple: because the pain of losing them is still smaller than the pain of imagining what would have happened if nobody had stepped in to help them.
There have been days when I’ve questioned whether I could continue. There have been tears in the barn, emergency vet visits, sleepless nights, and moments where I felt completely helpless. Loving animals means accepting that we rarely get enough time with them.
But those experiences have also taught me something beautiful. Success isn’t measured by how long an animal lives. Sometimes success is giving them comfort, safety, dignity, and love for whatever time they have left. Sometimes success is watching an animal who arrived scared and uncertain learn to trust again.
The animals have taught me resilience, patience, and gratitude in ways no person ever could. They live in the moment. They don’t worry about yesterday or tomorrow. They simply embrace the life in front of them, and I try to do the same.
The losses will always be part of this journey, but so are the victories. For every goodbye, there are countless moments of joy, healing, laughter, and connection. Those moments are what keep me going and remind me why Long Meadows Farm exists in the first place.
As you know, we’re big fans of Long Meadows Farm. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Long Meadows Farm is much more than a farm tour. At its heart, it is a place built on connection, belonging, and a whole lot of animal hair.
I offer small, personal farm experiences where guests can meet and interact with my alpacas, donkeys, goats, horses, pigs, and other rescue animals. Unlike larger attractions, my tours are intentionally intimate. I want every guest to leave feeling like they didn’t just visit a farm, but that they became part of my story.
What makes Long Meadows Farm different is that every animal here has a name, a personality, and often a remarkable story. All of them are rescues who found their way here after difficult beginnings. They aren’t attractions to me. They’re family.
What truly sets Long Meadows Farm apart, though, isn’t just the animals. It’s the experience. Guests aren’t simply meeting alpacas and donkeys. They’re spending time with someone who genuinely loves sharing them. I have never been interested in creating a “look but don’t touch” experience. I want people to laugh, ask questions, learn something new, get a little dirty, and leave with stories they’ll tell for years. Whether I’m introducing guests to an alpaca with an oversized personality, explaining why Dingle believes every rule is merely a suggestion, or sharing the rescue story behind one of my animals, my goal is always the same: to create an experience that feels personal, memorable, and authentic.
Friends and family have given me many titles over the years, but one of my favorites is “Best, Craziest & Most Fun Aunt.” I think that same energy shows up in every farm tour. I want people to feel welcomed, entertained, and completely at ease from the moment they arrive. Whether you’re five or eighty-five, my hope is that you leave smiling, having learned something new, and feeling like you spent the afternoon with an old friend rather than a tour guide.
What I am most proud of isn’t the farm itself. It’s the feeling people leave with. In a world that moves incredibly fast, Long Meadows Farm gives people permission to slow down, laugh, connect, and simply enjoy the moment. Watching children light up when they meet an alpaca for the first time, seeing adults forget about their phones, or hearing someone tell me that visiting the farm was exactly what they needed that week is what makes all the hard work worthwhile.
I am also incredibly proud of the rescue mission behind the farm. Every animal here matters. Every animal deserves kindness, safety, and a place where they belong. That belief is woven into everything I do.
If there is one thing I hope people know about Long Meadows Farm, it’s that I am not trying to be the biggest. I am trying to be the most meaningful. I want people to leave with memories, laughter, and maybe a favorite animal they can’t stop talking about on the drive home.
At the end of the day, Long Meadows Farm is simply a reflection of who I am. I believe every animal deserves kindness, every guest deserves to feel welcome, and every day is a little better when it includes laughter, fresh air, and a few muddy hoofprints. If people leave believing that too, then I’ve done my job!
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
There is absolutely no way I could answer this question without starting with my mom.
My love of animals began in childhood. My mom fostered that love from the very beginning and never made me feel silly for caring so deeply about animals. Whether it was bringing home strays, stopping to help an injured animal, or simply encouraging my endless fascination with every creature I encountered, she helped shape the person I am today. Looking back, I realize that she wasn’t just teaching me to love animals. She was teaching me compassion, empathy, responsibility, and the belief that every life matters.
I would also have to give credit to one of my older cousins. Growing up, she loved animals as much as I did, and she was one of the few people who truly understood my obsession. We could spend hours talking about animals, dreaming about future farms, sharing stories, and imagining all the ways we would help animals one day. Those conversations may have seemed small at the time, but they helped fuel a passion that has stayed with me throughout my life.
And then there is my husband.
If my mom planted the seed, my husband helped me believe it could actually grow into something real. There were plenty of moments when I questioned myself, wondered if I was taking on too much, or thought this dream was a little crazy. He never saw it that way. He supported me when I doubted myself, encouraged me when things felt overwhelming, and believed in this journey long before I fully believed in it myself. Long Meadows Farm simply would not exist in the way it does today without his unwavering support, patience, and willingness to embrace a life that often includes unexpected rescues, emergency vet visits, and more animals than either of us originally planned.
Throughout this journey, I have often felt that God and St. Francis have gently nudged me down paths I never expected to take. Many of the animals who have found their way here arrived through circumstances I could never have planned. Time and time again, doors have opened, people have appeared, and opportunities have presented themselves at exactly the right moment. Those experiences have strengthened my belief that this work is bigger than me.
Finally, I am grateful to every guest who has visited the farm, every person who has trusted me with an animal they could no longer care for, and every supporter who has shared a kind word, recommendation, or review. Long Meadows Farm may have started as a personal passion, but it has grown into a community of people who believe, as I do, that animals deserve kindness and that the world could always use a little more compassion.
Pricing:
- $75/hour – up to 6 people included
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.longmeadowsalpacas.com
- Instagram: @longmeadowsfarm
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/longmeadowsfarm/
