The following post is an archive of our GoFundMe campaign which began in 2020.
Hello everyone,
Just in time for Easter I would like to give you another update from the animals and the farm. In a “normal” year the Easter long weekend tends to be one of the busiest weekends of our farm season. We had lots of inquiries if the farm would be opening for visitors now, but unfortunately this year the farm is not open to the public yet. With the ongoing risk of COVID-19 surrounding us and the current rise in case numbers, our highest priority is to continue to do our part in order to keep everyone healthy and safe – humans and animals – and through that to ensure our ability to continuously care for our animals. We are aware that some people will be disappointed to miss out on the opportunity of their annual Easter visit to the farm, and we like to apologize for that. We strongly believe that if we all do our part now, the time will come when (with the necessary safety measures in place) we will be able to welcome visitors back inside the farm.
However, as I let you know in our last update, there are some animals at the farm in Beacon Hill and when you’re strolling along the fence on sunny days, you will be able to see them. At present, there are seven sheep, two mums with their babies, roaming from the chicken area all the way along the outside of the goat area to the back corner of the horse and donkey yard. The little lambs are really curious, like to play with each other and nap in the sunshine. The goat area is currently home to a small herd of ten adult goats, more to come. They have settled in nicely, have rediscovered their area and made it their cozy castle. They like to snuggle with each other, demand lots of attention from their staff and enjoy to sleep or sunbath on the goat benches. Some of them are expecting and while giving an accurate time estimate for the deliveries is quite tricky, we hope to be able to welcome the first babies any time in April. Osmond, the alpaca, is also adventuring around the farm, so please don’t be surprised if he is not in his usual area. When the weather is good, we either take him around the farm on his lead rope to find nice patches of grass or he is exploring some of the still unoccupied animal enclosures by himself. And as I promised before, our big pig Maple has arrived at the Beacon Hill as well. He is back in his regular housing and only ventures outside if the weather agrees with him. He wasn’t pleased at all about being in a cage for the truck ride into town, and Maple isn’t shy with words, he truly lets you know what he thinks. But once we had his cage safely on the ground and opened the door, he knew right away where he was and he absolutely approves of being back. He still tries to hurry us along at feeding time, but he really enjoys to hang out the with the staff, getting lots of cuddles and belly rubs and even a full body spa treatment with baby oil.
Over the last two weeks we’ve seen lots of people – many old farm friends and lots of new faces – stopping by at the fence to see the animals and talk to us. It was great to see you all, talk to you and answer your questions about the animals and just being able to witness how the presence of the animals magically brighten our spirits. We and the animals will continue to be there for you – even if it has to be from a safe distance through the fence for now – and we like to remind all of you to do the same and keep a safe and respectful distance to everyone else while stopping by for a visit. Be kind, be patient and be safe. Thank you.
I would also like to use this update as an opportunity to address the farm team and to let them all know how much I admire what they are doing for the animals, the farm, the community surrounding us and for each other. When you read these updates you always get my view and impressions and even though I’m happy to speak for all of us, I like to emphasis the fact that all the work at the farm can only to be tackled and mastered with an energetic, dedicated and passionate team. There are many of us who are working towards the care of the animals as well as the future of the farm – especially during the time of this pandemic. Many different tasks need to be addressed and handled and I can only give some examples here, because the list seems endless. Some of us are working directly with the animals and perform all the necessary cleaning, feeding and general care duties, others are working towards web design, printing and mailing certificates, fundraising, organizing and looking for new resources and support programs, fixing and maintaining farm tools and equipment, dealing with all the paperwork that is involved in running the farm, staying in touch with other local businesses, the community and the media as well as answering phone calls and emails, etc. I would like to say Thank You to our small farm team! We are a very unique team with a deep passion for animals, I’m very proud to be a part of it and I deeply appreciate all you do – be it as paid staff or when you are volunteering your time. You know who you are and I really like to give kudos to all of you. I know farm work isn’t always as easy or fun as it looks, it can be hard physical work, there are days with awful weather and long hours, we sometimes have sick animals to take care of and there can be sadness and heartbreak, when we have to say goodbye to some of them. But what counts most is, that we always do the absolute best we can, we always put the animals first. And I can see their gratitude, trust and love shining in their eyes. We’ve worked together as a team – even when being apart during this health crisis – to ensure the animals receive the best care and to give the farm a future. Thank you for all you do! You guys rock!
And as always my final words today and another big and heartfelt Thank You go out to all of you, our loyal donors – for your continuous support of the animals and the farm. It really is amazing and heartwarming how you support and follow us through such a long time, especially because I know that it is a difficult time for everyone. Thank you from all of us at the farm – animals and humans.
We are all wishing you a happy Easter Weekend with lots of sunshine and plenty of Easter eggs.
Stay safe,
Claudia
