The following post is an archive of our GoFundMe campaign which began in 2020.
Hello everyone,
It’s winter at the farm which simply means the weather is less agreeable and we are closed to the public, but apart from that we still provide the same daily care for the animals as well as getting them and the farm ready for the colder temperatures. This involves tidying up, packing away supplies, insulating and winterizing, and clearing out at least a million leaves.
This summer and fall some of our goats met their new human families, and after we got to know each of them well and made sure they were fully prepared and their farms ready and safe for their new four-legged family members, in October the time had come for our little goaties to move to their new forever homes. These are always bitter sweet goodbyes as we welcome these little guys into our farm family and our hearts and raise them with all the care and love we can give. But at the same time it is also heartwarming to see how our goaties touch other humans who then simply fall in love with them and take on lifelong animal familyship. We know it is a big responsibility that these new animal parents are taking on and we try to assist them with our expertise and give advice where possible. So far all of them (goats and humans) are settling in well and are fast becoming much loved family members.
Our goaties here at the farm have grown a thick fluffy winter coat which helps them with the colder temperatures but still offers no protection against rain or wind – but they are smart and will always go into their shelter and cuddle up closely with friends well before the chill hits. We’ve prepared all the window covers and insulation panels to be ready before winter really arrives and then we all braved this rather rainy November. Luckily the animals can hide from the elements while the team defies the wetness to have everything set up and ready each night for the cozy well prepared barns.
We also had a few vet checkups for the animals to make sure everyone is strong and healthy to have a good start into the winter. Now the entire goat herd is due for a hoof trim and their yearly tetanus booster – it takes a lot of care, knowledge and planning as well as dedicated staff and professional help to keep all our farm residents in their best health.
A few selected of our goat ladies went on a short date with one of our two billies, Beau and Wasabi, and hopefully we’ll be able to welcome strong, happy and healthy bundles of joy as a result of their courtship five months later.
Since we adopted two younger alpacas Sweetie Pie and Pumpkin this summer, our group of four alpacas has grown very tight and it is simply a pleasure to see them together – the ladies can still have little tiffs with each other and then you don’t like to be within spitting distance – not very “lady-like” at all – but they always get along again. Our old gentleman Ozzie prefers to stay out of all the drama and every day he is looking for a bit of quiet time and a private spot to find some peace to just just relax and chew his cud. However, to the ladies he is their leader and they really value his presence – particularly our old girl Lacy who despite (or maybe because of) the new lady friends Pumpkin and Sweetie Pie doesn’t leave Ozzie out of her sight for too long.
This winter we are in the process of planning a big medical endeavour for our three miniature pig ladies Poppy, Petunia and Punk. Through our vet we have learned that miniature pigs have a highly increased health risk due to tumours and that a spaying procedure would be beneficial to them. This is a very big step and we felt we needed more information. After having consultations with different vets and reading up on several medical studies to learn about the procedure and its benefits and risks, we had an onsite vet visit with staff of the vet clinic that we had previously used successfully for animal surgeries during which they also gave us the opportunity to ask a lot of questions. Now, we took some time to take all the information into account and evaluate pros and cons. This is not a clear “black-and-white” decision as every surgery bears risks and the outcome can never be promised. But in our opinion the benefits outweigh the risks, our three ladies were seen by the vet who would perform the surgery and we trust in their expertise and knowledge. We have decided to go ahead with the spaying and while we are waiting to get a surgery date, we are planning and working towards making the procedure as easy and low risks as possible for our three girls. That involves making an as detailed as possible plan for the surgery day with the sedation before, the transport, the supporting staff and the arrival back to the farm including their first night as well as trying to think ahead to foresee any possible problems or complications. We have started to make permanent improvements and temporary changes to their barn and enclosure to help their recovery and keep stress, risk of injury and infection as low as we possibly can. This is a very big decision that we have given a lot of reflection and are going forward well informed and prepared. We received very good instructions from our vets and know what to expect and what our three girls will need for a smooth recovery, but there remains an uncertainty of complications that we might not be able to see coming. Yes ,we are worried, but with our preparations we’ll try to be as ready as we can. Please send your best wishes and keep your fingers crossed for Poppy, Petunia and Punk. We’ll keep you posted on the progress.
With the farm being closed to the public now but lots of work and projects in front of us, we know we are currently cut off from our most regular form of support through donations made by farm visitors. So today I’m also reaching out to let you know that we are seeking support this winter to help bring everyone through the cold months. We have decided to raise the goal of this fundraiser to help cover the cost over the winter closure. At the same time we also used this opportunity to redo the entire introduction story of this campaign to give newcomers and also longterm followers of our journey the updated story behind Beacon Hill Children’s Farm.
This fundraiser was initially started in 2020 to help the farm during the COVID pandemic and the community surrounding us really stepped up, literally lifting us to stay afloat. Five years have passed since then and this fundraiser has grown into something more: It is a steady and easy to use way to show financial support, but it has also become a platform to send us messages and for us to share a look behind barn doors to really let you see how and why we work with these very special animals. Thank you for all the support you have shown us as well as all the kind words, uplifting messages and helpful feedback after the updates and every smile or wave when you walk by the fence. It is heartwarming to know that there are so many of you out there who care about the animals.
This community has always been generous and supportive and has helped the animals through some difficult times. It is really not easy to ask for help, especially from a community who already has done so much in the past to support us. But if you are thinking about a cause to support this holiday season, please keep the animals and the farm in mind. Remember how much joy the animals give to all during the farm season, how they make us smile, share their kindness and affection, look right into our hearts with those gentle wise eyes or make us laugh about their quirky personalities. They simply lighten our day with their presence.
Any small donation is appreciated and it all brings us a little closer to our goal and to bringing everyone safe and warm through this winter.
I would already like to say a heartfelt THANK YOU for being part of this amazing journey and we are all wishing you
“Merry Christmas – Happy Holidays – Season’s Bleatings”
Claudia
