When we go on our camping excursions, we like to find the unusual. This time, it found us. Tucked away near Virginia Beach sits Kevin Warren’s Doodle Doo Farms, a spot that at first glance looks like any other roadside farm market. Kevin, though, is no ordinary farmer. He’s blending his grandparents’ farming and general store legacy with his own background in real estate and mortgages, creating a hybrid farming operation that’s as much about vision as it is about livestock. After chatting about his story, he surprised us with an invitation: “Come back tomorrow at nine. You’ll meet the zebras.” Curiosity was hooked. So, the next morning, we rolled back into the gravel lot, ready to see what in the world Kevin meant.
We didn’t have to wait long. It was feeding time when we arrived, and Elvis and Ozzie, the farm’s resident zebras, were already pacing the barn aisle like impatient customers. At first, they were skittish—hanging back, eyes fixed on us as though we were the ones on display. Kevin explained they take a little while to warm up to new people. Sure enough, within minutes, Ozzie was sniffing around, even checking out the barn cat perched on a hay bale. The cat, unimpressed, swatted back when his personal space shrank. Chris stood still, hoping Elvis’s curiosity would outweigh his shyness, and sure enough, he came up for a cautious sniff. I tried my hand at being a zebra whisperer, but Elvis wasn’t buying it—at least not at first.
The more time we spent in the barn, the more the zebras circled, growing bolder, their stripes flashing like shadows as they moved in and out of the light. It was fascinating to watch their personalities emerge. Ozzie played the explorer, nose everywhere, while Elvis was the skeptic, taking his time to trust. Eventually, though, he came close enough for me to reach out. The moment was fleeting, but it was a reminder: trust isn’t something you demand from creatures like this, it’s something you earn. Meanwhile, the Angus cattle outside the barn seemed to watch with quiet judgment, heads poking over the gate as if to ask why these flashy newcomers were getting all the attention.
Doodle Doo Farms is more than a curiosity stop. Kevin is working to build something enduring—raising Angus beef, chickens, bison, and lamb with sustainable practices that honor tradition while looking toward the future. The zebras may not be the cornerstone of his operation, but they’re certainly the draw, a conversation starter that reflects Kevin’s imagination and willingness to stand out. That morning in the barn reminded us why we love these trips. The road has a way of leading us to the unexpected—zebras in Virginia Beach, of all places. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, you pull into a farm market and end up nose-to-nose with Elvis and Ozzie. That’s the promise of RVing: you don’t just travel, you discover.
