Bless Ewe Sanctuary & Farm
Donation protected
It’s with a heavy heart, and after months of worry & soul searching I have reached a decision for the future of the farm.
As many of you know, I am a disabled veteran and unable to work off the farm. I support the flock with my disability pay & donations from so many kind and compassionate people. I simply cannot go on with the increase of the cost of feed, fuel and food. When I am making decisions to buy alfalfa or go to the food bank for myself, it’s reached critical mass.
The cost to feed the flock currently is $122 a DAY because I do not have enough money available to pay in advance for a large truckload. The pasture is gone due to summer drought. The truckloads are half the price per bale for alfalfa (compared to feed store) and he cannot deliver until the end of the month/beginning of September.
Winter needs:
One 20 ton truckload of alfalfa ($430 a ton X 20 = $8,600)
70 local grass round bales. $70 X 70 = $4,900
Total $13,000
I am unable to buy small amounts of alfalfa. I need at least enough at a time to purchase 10 ton minimums. ($4300)
The farmer selling the round bales will sell them to me 10-15 at a time, if we cannot find raise for the whole amount he will work with me for the balance. However I run the risk of running out of hay later in the winter because he cannot hold them for me.
So, this is the plan: I will be applying for 501(c)(3) organization status and switching over to a sanctuary from a farm. All younger Border Leicester breeding stock is being rehomed. All of the remaining Border Leicester, Romney, unbreedable Wensleydales and cross bred sheep will be covered under the sanctuary, along with the current special needs sheep. The goal with the sanctuary is to find placement into non breeding/pet/fiber homes for sheep that are younger and able to leave.
The remaining breedable Wensleydales will not be under the sanctuary umbrella. Their care and future will be determined by my personal income. There are no plans to breed any of them the coming year. All the remaining ram lambs (5) from this last year will be wethered on August 19th and covered under the sanctuary. With the goal of placing them eventually in fiber homes. As the older Wensleydales age out they will be covered under the sanctuary. These sheep are able to contribute toward their costs with their fleece and yarn alone. No one is currently buying breeding stock, even though I have tried to sell them. Everyone is in the same boat.
These are the only options I have, other than to send them all to auction/slaughter. I would rather die than take that step. I fully support and understand everyone who is making these same choices and have no other options…it’s heartbreaking. I wish there was more I could do to help. My dream goal would be to be able to take in rescues at some point, but have to care for the ones I have now first.
We are launching a Patreon for the sanctuary where supporters can adopt sheep virtually. With adoptions will come access to barn cams, special events, zoom calls with your sheep, content & merchandise. Stay tuned. I am technically challenged and do not have a computer (just my phone and iPad) and have people helping me launch it.
A new online store will be going up soon where fleeces, yarn and merchandise will be available.
I say this all the time, but I don’t want anyone to ever forget how very thankful I am for your support, past and present. These animals deserve a long happy life and your support enables them to have that and not end up in a bag of dog food or in a freezer. Thank you
As many of you know, I am a disabled veteran and unable to work off the farm. I support the flock with my disability pay & donations from so many kind and compassionate people. I simply cannot go on with the increase of the cost of feed, fuel and food. When I am making decisions to buy alfalfa or go to the food bank for myself, it’s reached critical mass.
The cost to feed the flock currently is $122 a DAY because I do not have enough money available to pay in advance for a large truckload. The pasture is gone due to summer drought. The truckloads are half the price per bale for alfalfa (compared to feed store) and he cannot deliver until the end of the month/beginning of September.
Winter needs:
One 20 ton truckload of alfalfa ($430 a ton X 20 = $8,600)
70 local grass round bales. $70 X 70 = $4,900
Total $13,000
I am unable to buy small amounts of alfalfa. I need at least enough at a time to purchase 10 ton minimums. ($4300)
The farmer selling the round bales will sell them to me 10-15 at a time, if we cannot find raise for the whole amount he will work with me for the balance. However I run the risk of running out of hay later in the winter because he cannot hold them for me.
So, this is the plan: I will be applying for 501(c)(3) organization status and switching over to a sanctuary from a farm. All younger Border Leicester breeding stock is being rehomed. All of the remaining Border Leicester, Romney, unbreedable Wensleydales and cross bred sheep will be covered under the sanctuary, along with the current special needs sheep. The goal with the sanctuary is to find placement into non breeding/pet/fiber homes for sheep that are younger and able to leave.
The remaining breedable Wensleydales will not be under the sanctuary umbrella. Their care and future will be determined by my personal income. There are no plans to breed any of them the coming year. All the remaining ram lambs (5) from this last year will be wethered on August 19th and covered under the sanctuary. With the goal of placing them eventually in fiber homes. As the older Wensleydales age out they will be covered under the sanctuary. These sheep are able to contribute toward their costs with their fleece and yarn alone. No one is currently buying breeding stock, even though I have tried to sell them. Everyone is in the same boat.
These are the only options I have, other than to send them all to auction/slaughter. I would rather die than take that step. I fully support and understand everyone who is making these same choices and have no other options…it’s heartbreaking. I wish there was more I could do to help. My dream goal would be to be able to take in rescues at some point, but have to care for the ones I have now first.
We are launching a Patreon for the sanctuary where supporters can adopt sheep virtually. With adoptions will come access to barn cams, special events, zoom calls with your sheep, content & merchandise. Stay tuned. I am technically challenged and do not have a computer (just my phone and iPad) and have people helping me launch it.
A new online store will be going up soon where fleeces, yarn and merchandise will be available.
I say this all the time, but I don’t want anyone to ever forget how very thankful I am for your support, past and present. These animals deserve a long happy life and your support enables them to have that and not end up in a bag of dog food or in a freezer. Thank you
Organizer
Carolynn Bernard
Organizer
Enumclaw, WA
