Nibblets (aka Mama Goat) is ready for her close-up as part of “Goat 2 Meetings,” a zoom meeting program set up by the animal sanctuary Sweet Farm south of Half Moon Bay. (Rachael Myrow/KQED)

If you’re feeling starved of nature right now, here’s a novel opportunity for you.  Sweet Farm, an animal sanctuary located in California, just 30-45 minutes away from Silicon Valley, is scheduling opportunities for an animal to attend your next online meeting.  Since they are currently not able to host public events and tours during the coronavirus pandemic, they came up with the novel idea of scheduling animals for your zoom meetings.

The concept is simple: Whether you’re an elementary school class looking for a virtual field trip or a high-tech startup starved for an amusing diversion at the top of a business meeting, you can book a visit to Sweet Farm via Zoom. Some individuals are even booking farm visits to spice up happy hour video calls with their friends.  “Goat 2 Meetings,” started just a few days ago, and already, Sweet Farm is sharing their animal friends several hours a day with homes all across the country. It’s not exactly a moneymaker for the farm. School Zooms, for instance, are free. Corporate “visits” range from $64 to $150, depending on the length of the engagement.

The nonprofit’s end goal, both online and off, is to raise awareness about the evils of industrialized agriculture, and the joys of treating animals like friends instead of meat, at a moment when most of us are longing for the sight of something good going on.

“Each of these animals has their own personal story: abuse, abandonment, factory farming. It really spans the entire spectrum. Of course, these animals [at Sweet Farm] are living out their lives to the fullest without fear of meeting the ultimate end of a slaughterhouse,” Sweet Farm co-founder Nate Salpeter said.

To make a reservation for an animal to join your next meeting, just fill out the form on the Sweet Farm website.