A Different Kind of Farm

Tomorrow is a big day for Orson and Welles. ❤️ For years, we’ve been trying to understand why these two best friends could go from peacefully sleeping side-by-side to suddenly having serious and dangerous fights. We’ve worked with veterinarians, explored different possibilities, and searched for the right solution for these two special boys. We’re so relieved to finally have an answer: after a lot of questions and conflicting information, we’ve confirmed that Orson and Welles are still intact and need to be neutered. It may seem obvious in hindsight (and trust us, we’ve had that same thought!), but we’re incredibly grateful to finally know what’s going on and have a clear path forward. Over the past few months, we’ve kept them physically separated out of an abundance of caution to keep them safe. They can still see each other through the fence, but it’s clear they miss being together. Our biggest hope is that this surgery will give them the chance to safely share a space again. Tomorrow, we’re making an 8-hour roundtrip drive to Pennsylvania because it’s the best option to perform this procedure for pigs their size. This year has brought more veterinary expenses than usual at City Goat Farm, and we’re asking for help covering the cost of Orson and Welles’ surgery and travel. We’re hoping to raise $1,000 to help these boys get the care they need. If you’d like to support Orson and Welles, you can donate through this fundraiser or on our website. If you can’t donate, sharing their story helps us reach more people. Thank you for helping us give these two best friends the chance to be together again, and to @easternsnoutspigs and @thefarriergroup for all their help. #pigrescue #farmsanctuary #fundraiser

For too long, we've had to keep Orson and Welles physically separated to keep them safe. Although they're the best of friends most of the time, they can suddenly become dangerously aggressive toward one another without warning, and we have made the difficult decision to separate them out of an abundance of caution. They can still see each other through the fence. They nap nearby, grunt back and forth, and it's clear they miss being together. After months of searching for answers, we finally confirmed that both pigs are still intact. Neutering will give them the best chance of reducing the hormone-driven aggression and safely sharing a pasture again. On July 15, we'll make an 8-hour roundtrip to Pennsylvania. We're hoping to raise $1,000 to help cover the cost of the surgery and travel. Every donation helps give Orson and Welles the opportunity to heal, recover, and—our greatest hope—one day safely live side-by-side permanently. Help us give two best friends the chance to be together again. ❤️

Living alongside wildlife is one of the most rewarding—and challenging—parts of living on a farm. Wild birds, in particular, are a constant challenge. Between avian influenza concerns, lots of droppings, and protecting the rescue birds from the wild birds and vice versa, there's a lot to manage while keeping everyone safe and healthy. One ongoing challenge has been a growing population of pigeons roosting in the peak of our barn—right above where we're now storing months' worth of hay. We've cleaned out piles of pigeon poo and sealed up as many openings as we could, but there was one section of damaged chicken wire nearly 50 feet up that we simply couldn't reach safely. Thankfully, a friend loaned us a lift, and we were finally able to finish the job quickly and safely. As a bonus, the view from the top of the barn is pretty cool! We're so grateful for friends who lend a hand (and some very awesome equipment!) to help keep City Goat Farm a safe home for all animals. Bonus pic: one of the many wild pigeon fledglings

We're so grateful to our neighbors at @madbloomscharlton for supporting the sanctuary this week! 💐 This Thursday and Friday (July 2–3), fresh-cut flower bouquets will be available at the MADBlooms farm stand at 481 Stage Road in Charlton, NY, with 50% of all sales benefiting City Goat Farm Sanctuary. If you're out and about, consider stopping by to pick up some beautiful flowers! Every purchase helps care for the animals here at the farm while supporting another wonderful local farm. Thank you, MADBlooms, for your generosity and community spirit! 🐐🌸

It's a hot one, but we're doing everything we can to keep everyone comfortable here at City Goat Farm. ❤️ Fortunately, yesterday's storm left behind plenty of fresh mud for the pigs and water for the ducks. Our well is continuing to provide plenty of clean, fresh water, so everyone is staying well hydrated. The barn also helps beat the heat. Because it's built partially underground, it stays significantly cooler than outside, and all of our animals have access to it throughout the day. We also run a large fan inside to keep the air moving whenever possible. Unfortunately, we did lose power this afternoon, which means the fan is temporarily out of service. We're hopeful electricity will be be restored this evening. In the meantime, we're keeping a close eye on everyone, making sure they have access to shade, cool water, and all the mud they could want. Thank you to everyone who has checked in on the animals today—we appreciate your concern, and so do they! 🐷🦆🐐💚

Hay is one of the biggest ongoing expenses at City Goat Farm. Last year alone we spent over $6,000 just keeping everyone fed through the seasons. This year, we were finally able to clean out our hay loft and recently had Smith's Farm deliver 300 bales, enough to last us at least half a year. That means less time hauling and moving hay, lower costs, and more stability across seasons. It’s a simple thing, but it makes a huge difference: healthy, well-fed goats and sheep, and a little more breathing room for the farm. Thank you to everyone who has made generous contributions this year and helped us make this investment.