This photo is special to me. Just before, my boss agreed that this beautiful goat Willy could be mine. She was on the sale list at the dairy, and in this instant, my life changed forever.
When I started this whole adventure, I was just turning 34. Young, wide-eyed, enthusiastic, energetic, I fell in love with the it all…the animals, the hard work, the early mornings, the late nights, the solitude and the distance one can wedge between the world and a little farm.
Yesterday, I turned 48. I’m quite a bit more rickety than when this all started, but still going strong. The aches of breaking in new muscles gave way to being pretty creaky in the morning. Enthusiasm changed to passion, wide-eyed to experienced, energetic to committed. I’m less in love with the harrowing schedule and crushing responsibility but can’t imagine being anywhere else.
This past year, we said goodbye to the last of the original herd of the first five goats I rescued from the dairy, including Willhelminna (Willy). These are the goats who made me who I am now, who taught me about what I wanted the world to be for animals, and guided me from the dairy industry into sanctuary and rescue.
So it is bittersweet that finally we have the opportunity to expand and buy the land next door, that has been sitting there waiting for us for 11 years, never knowing it’s full potential. In honor of Willy, Peggy, Jamaica, Fiona and Kelly, my goat spirit guides, I want to give this gift to their remaining children and family who still live with us at the sanctuary and for my very first baby goats, Montreal and Saskatchewan, we can STILL make that happen.
Buying this first property in 2012 was an unbelievable miracle, a single mom and her rag tag bunch of goats, buying her first home after 3 years of unofficial employment as a farm intern, no home to call our own. Somehow, we did it.
We are still a long way from our goal for the down payment we need. Sending even a dollar or two, for my birthday or for all the future celebrations for the animals who call the sanctuary their home, we need you to take a chance on us again, so we can really show you all the good we want to do in this world. See stories for link
