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Recently, a family in Novato has created a unique addition to their front yard: a pig farm. The Gamble family has turned their yard into a small pig farm open to the public for visits on Mill Road. Anyone can come by to meet, feed, and pet the pigs at this new community attraction.
“We began rescuing pigs in 2022,” the owner of the pigs, Shauna Gamble, said. “We moved [to Novato] to have more space for the pigs and expand our scope. Our project here is still in its very beginning stages- we have many plans to expand and rescue more animals. However, it is a complicated process. We are just starting to apply for permits from the county to achieve our goals, but I would still consider us in the ‘planning’ stage.”
After moving to West Novato in June 2025, the Gamble family quickly began a summer project: they decided to build a mini barn in their front yard. They managed to finish the project in about two months. Since then, their barn has transformed into a home for a group of potbelly pigs. The pigs they rescue are from all around California and they take them in, care for them, and get them ready for others to take them home.
“We currently have four resident pigs – Simon, Rusty, Wallace, and Diesel,” Gamble said. “Any other pigs are here temporarily, they are generally rescues that we give veterinary care to before they move on to their forever homes.”
Lots of kids come and visit the pigs, which is the main intended audience of the owners.
“I’ve also noticed a lot of middle and high schoolers show interest in them,” Gamble said. “It’s awesome to see kids getting interested in animals when they could instead be getting into trouble.”
Knowing that the pig farm would invite members of the Novato community to their home, the family has set up a small coin-operated feeding machine near the pigs’ barn to make the experience more interactive. For just a quarter, visitors can buy food to feed the pigs. This simple idea has made the front yard farm more fun for San Marin High School students who have gone to visit the pigs.
“The first time that I visited, I went and knocked on their front door,” senior Caitlin Burke said. “The [owner] gave me two cucumbers and a carrot, and I went into the enclosure, and I fed them. I think it’s a great addition to the neighborhood.”
Overall this new addition to the community emphasizes local interaction and encourages locals to stop by and visit.
