Save Our Farm: A Sanctuary for Healing
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We are reaching out to you with an update to our situation from the depths of despair, with our hearts shattered and our spirits hanging by a thread. Our beloved farm, our life's work, and the home of our precious animals are on the brink of being torn away from us. We are facing the harsh reality of foreclosure because of our township's relentless actions, which have left us entangled in a battle we cannot sustain. After winning against them in our superior court battle in November and being tormented through December and January when we found out they were appealing the decision which was initially rejected by the appellate court we had been back and forth. For three agonizing months, we awaited the township's decision, only for them to cruelly choose the last possible day, April 16th, to continue dragging us into appellate court.
Despite publicly declaring to news agencies that they would drop their suit to appear benevolent, they have persisted, forcing us to bear crippling legal expenses and damages that are unimaginable. Their actions are destroying our business and toying with our very lives and ruining our names. The facts are clear: the odds are not even in their favor to win an appeal, but they wield limitless resources, while we are left to fight a seemingly unwinnable battle.
As we face a summer filled with court dates during the critical season we rely on for our survival, we find ourselves drained. Our savings are gone, our credit cards maxed out, and we are trapped in a financial black hole with no end in sight. We have spent a lifetime helping others, and now, we desperately need your help. There is no time to spare.
In this moment of dire need, we humbly turn to you, pleading for your support to save our farm and protect the lives of our animals. Every single donation, each act of kindness, is a lifeline pulling us back from the edge of this darkness.
Please, if you can, lend us your strength. Share our story, spread our plea, and contribute whatever you are able. With your compassion, we hold onto the hope that we can weather this storm and keep our home and dreams alive.
Please read our story! We are facing losing our farm and dealing with persecution for standing up for what’s right!
Angel and Jules Not So Ordinary Farm
at Samrock Stables
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am reaching out to you with a heavy heart and an urgent plea for help. My name is Jules, and my husband Angel and I are fighting for our farm, Angel and Jules Not So Ordinary Farm at Samrock Stables, which has been a sanctuary and a place of healing for children in need, veterans with PTSD, those facing life-threatening illnesses, and individuals overcoming domestic abuse. Through our therapeutic riding program, farm-assisted therapy, farm classes, and volunteer opportunities, we have provided respite and transformation in the lives of many.
My commitment to this cause runs deep, rooted in a long family history of dedication to horses — the most incredibly intuitive and restorative creatures in the world — and farming. As a fourth-generation farmer and equestrian, I have spent my life cultivating and nurturing our land. My grandfather had the honor of training horses with General Patton, and the legacy continued as my mother began her journey into motherhood in the winner's circle at Monmouth Park Racetrack in New Jersey. This farm is not just our livelihood but our life's work and my passion.
- However, despite our dedication to serving the community, we are facing relentless legal challenges from our township, threatening to close down our operations. These actions have forced us into costly litigation and now place us on the brink of losing everything. Tragically, due to these legal battles and harassment, in November we lost one of our beloved horses, Trooper. While we did everything we could to try to save him, we were forced to make financial decisions about the extent of testing we could provide. The town's refusal to take us to the Monmouth County Ag Board further exemplifies their frivolous spending of taxpayer dollars, causing unnecessary financial and emotional distress to our family and community. Had they done this, not only would it have saved us costly legal fees, it would have spared taxpayers from footing numerous legal bills. In reality, the normal course of events is to do this first.
Our farm is more than just a piece of land; it's a haven where rescued animals become therapy companions, where children, some facing their last chance to thrive, learn to trust and express themselves, and where veterans and survivors find solace and purpose. The closure of our farm would mean losing the safe space and support system that so many depend on.
Today, I am asking for your support to help us save our farm. We need financial assistance to cover legal expenses and maintain our programs. We are also accepting donations of feed and hay to help us through this very difficult time. More importantly, we need your voice to help spread the word and bring attention to our plight. It would be incredibly helpful if students or anyone who has visited our farm could write a statement or a letter about how the farm has positively impacted their lives or those of their children. Your support can help us ensure that our farm continues to serve those who need us most in the years to come and doesn’t succumb to the politics and bullying that don’t belong in farming.
Please consider donating, volunteering, or sharing our story with your networks. Together, we can protect this vital community resource from being taken away. Please understand while we are in the fight of our lives, farming as a whole is in danger. We must do all in our power to advocate for our farmers, to advocate for the future of farmers. We all need to fully understand that farming is life! Our food, our vitamins and supplements, life-saving medications, textiles, fabrics, fibers — so many parts of our life would not be possible without farming. We are all fighting to be healthier, stronger, more fit, with a peaceful mind. Farming, horses, and livestock provide these things for us. Please help us protect this most valuable resource.
Thank you for your time, compassion, and support.
Warm regards,
Julia Angelov
Angel and Jules Not So Ordinary Farm at Samrock Stables
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Addendum: Timeline of Legal Challenges
1. April 24, 2024: Initial encounter with township official Matthew Howard, leading to forced changes in advertising that impacted summer business.
2. September 6, 2024: Served with a superior court order late on a Friday, causing significant distress without immediate legal counsel.
3. September 11, 2024: Court hearing where we successfully defended ourselves with Judge Hogan ruling in our favor.
4. October 2, 2024: Erroneous "courtesy" email from the township with mislabeled documents, leading to postponed court dates for compliance.
5. November 15, 2024: Township's unsuccessful opposition due to lack of appealable official documentation post-April encounter.
6. November 18, 2024: Township's request for farm inspection denied, preferring a judicial decision.
7. November 22, 2024: Victory in superior court under Judge Zallie Hogan.
8. November 25, 2024: Official court ruling released.
9. December 6, 2024: Township contacts SPCA, attempting to cause disruption.
10. January 3, 2025: Informed of township's appeal of superior court decision, escalating to appellate court.
11. April 16, 2025: informed of townships submission of brief to the appellate court
Organizer
Angel Angelov
Organizer
Farmingdale, NJ