H ere at JP Farm Animal Sanctuary, we love each other and would like to share that love with you too! Would you like to be our Valentine? Perhaps you need a little insight first.

This is our love story, narrated by me, Cara (I’m the ‘cow-licker’ and have cute little horns and beautiful long black hair, that is how our humans describe me).

When we were little, our previous farmer man was surrendering Belle and her baby Brody to Oscar and Lynn, our human parents, as Belle was sickly and of no use to him. He told them that they might as well take me and my baby, Cody, too because Belle and I were best friends! I am so grateful that he did and that Oscar & Lynn agreed. Well not only did he surrender us but also two neglected babies of different cows, Grady and Ethan. So the six of us went to our new forever home and experienced freedom and true love for the first time!

Me, Cara & my Son, Cody (R.I.P) ❤

“The way to the heart … ”

I bet you are wondering what I mean by that. Well not only did we feel all the affection from each other but also from the humans! They fell in love with us. They couldn’t stop talking to us (sometimes singing), hugging, kissing, brushing and feeding us the most yummy food! They gave us shelter and helped us regain good health but I have to say when they introduced all the yummy hay, grain, cookies and fresh apples to us, food that we had never had before, my heart was full! I talked with the rest of the cows and steers and they agreed that the human expression, “the way to the heart is through the stomach” is right on!

Me & Belle, Best Friends Forever ❤

So I bet you didn’t know that cows can have best friends? Well I didn’t know humans could have them either…but I have been observing and seeing all the love you folks can give one another too!

In fact I think we have many similarities: We all love chatting, eating together, laying near each other, licking with affection when needed (I guess you folks call it kissing), consoling one another when nervous, scared or sad (Belle & I both lost our sons to Hip Dysplasia), running around like teenagers when feeling frisky, going on sunny walks and always like being by each other’s side. Quite similar to you folks, I must say, wouldn’t you?

Super grateful for all the love…so it seems apropos to share the love…and back to the original question, would you like to be our Valentine?

Will you be our Valentine? ❤

If you said YES, Yay! No need for fancy flowers and gourmet chocolates or wining and dining us, we are pretty simple! Hugs and licks (kisses) are great as well as a bale of hay, some grain and a few cookies will do!

Go ahead and click that DONATE button and the humans will buy the yummy food for us all here at JP Farm Animal Sanctuary!

Love Cara on behalf of my cow, steer & piggy siblings:
Belle, Ethan, Grady, Tallulah, Beanie Tofu, Dolphin and DJ

N ovember was a busy month and many changes happening at the Sanctuary. We were contacted by the National Placement Program Director from The Farm Sanctuary to see if we had space for a young pig named DJ.

He was rescued by a young man who went through a college agriculture program where students are assigned an animal to train, and once they have completed their required assignments the animals then go to auction to be killed! This does not seem to adhere to students who want to be vets or are in any type of animal care career. DJ was lucky to have a student that bonded with him as a living being and who was able to save him from such a terrible fate.

The first picture we saw of DJ before we adopted him.

“… All hands on deck!”

So it was time to prepare! All hands on deck to fix up a room for DJ’s arrival. We had to add new fencing as we wanted to separate him from the “Pink Girls” until they have time to get to know each other.

DJ playing with Dolphin ❤

He looked like he wanted to find out what was going on. He jumped out of the trailer, came up to smell us then went to look around at his new home.

Arrival Day

As we saw The Farm Sanctuary’s truck coming up the hill, we heard some noise coming from the trailer. Once parked and the trailer door opened, we saw this beautiful little pink pig. He looked like he wanted to find out what was going on. He jumped out of the trailer, came up to smell us then went to look around at his new home. We have found DJ to be very curious, smart, likes to run and jump and he loves attention from people. We have introduced him to Beanie Tofu and Dolphin, they seem to all get along but we have not left him alone with them quite yet since he is still young and a lot smaller than the girls. We are so happy that DJ will have a forever home here with us at JP Farm Animal Sanctuary.

DJ with Beanie Tofu & Dolphin ???

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Love to All Beings,
Lynn, Oscar and the JP Farm Animal Sanctuary Family

O scar and I wanted to let you know that we lost our beautiful furry boy Brody on October 31st. He was an amazing strong steer who wanted to live but his body could no longer hold him up. He was the sweetest cow who loved attention, being brushed and hand fed. Oscar met him when he was just a day old, very tiny and furry.

When he was a baby he would run around and get all the other cows excited to play, that memory will be in our hearts forever.

The night he passed, he was surrounded by family and friends as we said goodbye, I believe he felt the love we all shared for him. He was buried at our Sanctuary this morning next to Cody, his brother, where they both look at the house and the barn. We will miss him dearly and will continue to watch over him and Cody as well as the rest of our family here at JP Farm Animal Sanctuary.

These past few weeks have been one of reflection.

“… Brody was a playful little cow”

When you lose an animal you love, it takes time to process your feelings and to let go. You don’t want to let go because you don’t want it to be true, as your heart is broken.

Brody was a playful little cow, he arrived at our home in Newtown the week of Thanksgiving 2013, with the rest of the “Hippy Kids”. We had so much to be grateful for that year and the six years that have passed so quickly. It was our joy and honor that we were able to take care of him during that period. He would be the first to start running and butt heads with the other cows. His hair was thick and wavy, so it made him look much bigger than he really was. He adored when people paid attention to him, especially if they gave him cookies and soft rubs. We all loved spending time with him, just sitting in his room on the hay and talking with him gently. When I brushed him as I do all the cows, I would tell him how beautiful he was, and then when I would stop brushing him, he would give me a look like “What, are you really done??” So, I would continue to brush him a bit longer.

He adored when people paid attention to him, especially if they gave him cookies and soft rubs. We all loved spending time with him, just sitting in his room on the hay and talking with him gently.

Unfortunately, in an industry where cows are bred for meat there is no conscious thinking of how these animals will live their lives, will they suffer, will they miss their family, will they feel any pain or suffering. There are literally billions of animals a year that are slaughtered globally for people’s consumption. I don’t think it will change in my lifetime, but I do believe that Brody represents hope for change.

I know I ate meat as I was brought up that way and it took me awhile to realize that this is not what I want to do any more, I don’t want to cause any pain to these beautiful creatures that deserve to live a full life. That is why we will continue to build JP Farm Animal Sanctuary and rescue farm animals in need of homes and help people who are interested in transitioning to plant based foods. We want to provide other animals a place like we did Brody, where he had no fear, he was gently brushed and hand fed when he didn’t feel well, he was part of our family. Brody was an amazing cow and I hope we gave him the best cow life possible.

With Love for Cows and all Creatures on this planet,
Lynn

H aving heard about JP through a friend, I really wanted to show support for a local sanctuary so I messaged them about possibly volunteering. They promptly replied and before I knew it, I was on the phone to Britt. What I had expected to be a brief call about arranging a volunteer day, turned into a considerably longer conversation about various things pertaining to who we are and what we’re about. After the call and before I had even met her in person, I felt like I’d known Britt for years.

Jenny has recently joined our team of caregivers at the farm.

Flash forward to my arrival, I was blown away by JP’s staggering beauty and oddly overwhelmed by my immediate feeling of belonging. As I’m taking it all in, I’m greeted by the biggest hug from Britt and the loudest welcome from the resident dogs, Ace and Oliver. I was immediately made to feel right at home.

It’s safe to say I instantly fell in love with JP

It was time for the tour – I was excited as I had never met Scottish Highland Cows before! In keeping with what I had already seen, the barn itself was beautiful. Britt introduced me to each of the fluffy personalities; Brody, Grady, Ethan, Tallulah, Belle and Cara. Even on first impressions, I could tell how different they all were from one another but the one thing they all had in common was their hair. In true Highland cow fashion, their long, flowing locks put my hair to shame! They were just beautiful. Britt was sure to tell me exactly how to keep myself safe whilst in the presence of such large animals and avoid any accidental head butts with their massive horns, which made me feel comfortable enough to interact with the herd but cautious enough not to get myself into any trouble!

It’s safe to say I instantly fell in love with JP, its residents and the compassionate crew who work so hard to provide an idyllic life for these precious animals.

Over the next few weeks, resisting the urge to just pack up my suitcase and move right in, I took what I could get and visited once a week to help out. I got to meet Lynn and Oscar, the founders of JP, and they were every bit as welcoming as Britt had been. What struck me most was the unshakeable love they all had for both each other and the animals in their care. They all knew every little quirk of each of the cows and were so excited to share their stories.

Not long after I started volunteering, one of their trusted employees was moving on, leaving an opening for a new crew member. Obviously, I knew it had to be me and I immediately put my name in the hat but there were concerns… I lived over an hour away and in certain seasons, getting there might cause a problem in my tiny car and I already had a full time job. Staring this amazing opportunity in the eye, I wasn’t going to go down without a fight. The commute, the car, the potential pay cut – none of that was going to deter me from doing whatever I could to become a part of this amazing sanctuary family. All I had to do was convince Lynn, Oscar and Britt that I wouldn’t let them down and after much deliberation, they finally all agreed to give me a shot and I couldn’t believe my luck!

As I counted down the days until I started, I was in constant contact with Britt. She would tell me exactly what I could expect from the job, whilst preparing me for the unexpected too. By this time, they had taken in 2 pigs, Dolphin and Beanie Tofu. Everyone was buzzing at the thought of getting to know these sweet souls and I couldn’t wait to get to know them either! They had prepared for months, building a pig barn from scratch and learning all there is to know about taking the best care of pigs. The sheer dedication and everyone’s instantaneous feeling of love for these pigs would make it hard for anyone to not want to be a part of this journey.

I am so in awe of what this family have built together and I cannot wait to continue to grow with them, learn from them and share in the ultimate beauty that is JP Farm Animal Sanctuary.

The sheer dedication and everyone’s instantaneous feeling of love for these pigs would make it hard for anyone to not want to be a part of this journey.

Would you like to be a part of the sanctuary community? Sign up for our newsletter, write us, share our sanctuary with others, volunteer or make a donation.

Love from the farm,
Jenny

W e are so excited to let everyone know that “The Pink Girls” have arrived! Their names are Little Beanie Tofu and Dolphin, given to them by their first adoptive parents Madilyn and Zac.

Beanie Tofu is fully exploring her new grounds … and seemingly enjoying it!

We started to prepare for their transport and we were all a little nervous as we did not know if they would want to get on the trailer. As you know pigs are extremely smart and sensitive. Their sense of smell is so keen that they can smell something that is 25 feet underground! Their sense of smell can also help humans. Some pigs are trained to assist law enforcement officers. They can sniff out drugs, just like dogs. Pigs tend to be near-sighted and rely on their senses of smell and hearing.

Mama Kathleen and her ‘babies’ at their new forever home …

… the joy we felt

Kathleen their caretaker for the last two years, came up with a “food plan” to get them on the trailer, as they are very motivated by food. We put some fun things that they usually don’t get like donuts and ice cream in their food bowls and set them in the trailer as she carried a bucket of treats and had them follow her into the trailer!! It worked!! Yeah, the joy we felt as they got on because we did not want to traumatize them.

Once they arrived at the farm they were a little warm and not so happy so we cooled them down with a hose and got their pool out so they could get comfortable. They explored their new surroundings once they settled in, had some nice fresh greens and grain then went to their new room full of soft dry hay and slept till morning. They are not early risers, they like to sleep till 8 or 9 then have a delicious breakfast full of lettuce, kale, carrots, peaches (no pits) radishes, berries and grain. This will vary with the seasons.

“Don’t I look gorgeous!!?” ?

They have been here for almost a week now and are looking at everything. They have a hill in their area so they have been trying to go up and down it, they love the fresh green grass and weeds. They are digging up the rocks and look so cute with their dirty brown noses when you call their names. They have checked out the fencing but we hope they like staying in their area.

It is a joy to hang with them in the hay and listen to them “talk”. Dolphin is the most vocal and I can’t wait to understand everything she is saying. As we spend time with them I think we will create our own vocabulary and will be able to communicate in a wonderful way that provides a better understanding between us.

Thank you to all the people who have helped us prepare for the pigs arrival we could not have done it without you!!

Love pigs and all farm animals,
Lynn

I ncredible! Summer is just about over and we’ve had so many fun highlights. The best part is what we’ve encountered, on a daily basis, right here on the hill.

So much wildlife at the Sanctuary, too!

You know you live in the country when every day you not only see your resident rescued farm animals but so much wildlife. Deer, turkeys, and bears ‘oh my’! And that is not all, our rescued doggies have also come back home with porcupine quills in their snouts, chased the bumblebees and have also been chased by mama sparrows guarding their babies! But what amazed us were all the various types of frogs and toads we found living on the sanctuary. Who knew there were so many sizes and patterns? We found a chubby salamander and her tiny babies, prehistoric looking insects, psychedelic looking spiders and well the list goes on. The sounds of summer have been pretty neato as well, like a mini concert of insects, birds and even coyotes. One of our favorite parts was watching the summer sunsets with the hippy kids grazing and resting. What peace and joy!

“Hay Hay” says Tallulah!

Spreading the word ….

As we enjoyed the sights and sounds, so did many others. We are so excited that the stories of the hippy kids and pink girls spread and continues to thanks to our volunteers, family and friends! We had about 50 people at first open volunteer day. It was a big success. Some of our main supporters raised donations – so grateful as every donation helps so much! We were also interviewed for Sanctuary Tour’s podcast to help spread the word! Please listen to it here: sanctuarytour.org/podcast/episode-5-jp-farm-animal-sanctuary

The pig barn is almost finished! ?

The pig barn for the pink girls is almost done. We had the groundbreaking in June, built most of it by ourselves and then had a professional crew finish the roof this past weekend. We had volunteers help begin the fencing and hope to get another day of volunteers to help complete the fence. As we approach their arrival in mid September, we continue to prepare!

We got a hay elevator a few months ago (can you imagine Oscar would toss up each bail every time after he picked up the order)! Now we get it delivered and use the elevator…so much better. We also stocked up on second cutting hay which the cows love.

One highlight the cows did not love was how hot it got…thank goodness for the summer haircuts to keep them cool. So now the weather change is great for them. The cool breezes that have come in the last week have had the hippy kids moving a little quicker and even running and doing happy hind leg kicks in the air! Even Brody, who moves slowly because of his hip dysplasia, was ready to get out to the field to smell and feel the breeze.

Volunteer highlights

We hope to keep the momentum of JP Farm Animal Sanctuary getting noticed as we grow so that the stories will help more animals in need and inspire compassionate living for all.

Would you like to be a part of the sanctuary community? Sign up for our newsletter, write us, share our sanctuary with others, volunteer or make a donation.

Love from the farm,
Britt