She is the dearest little thing. She and Teddy followed us all around inspecting each chore we did and sampling the various animal foods. We would often leave pans of feed on the floor for the chickens, turkeys and ducks but that is a thing of the past with old Lola around!  She is a pig in every sense of the word! We have to really watch her or she will no longer be ‘miniature’!

On Saturday afternoon I took Thor and Mick’s (the llamas), Frances and Bert’s (the big sheep) and Teddy’s fleeces, which had been removed the following week,  down to Rainbow Fleece Farm  for processing. They will wash and card the fleece so I can spin it into yarn for the silent auction fundraiser Heartland is having in August.  They were having their ‘Shearing Days’ open house and it was cool to see all of their animals. Their peacocks are so beautiful. I wish I hadn’t left my camera in the car!

Heartland Barn Manager Sarah Solberg

For Sarah Solberg, Heartland Farm Sanctuary barn manager, the opportunity to combine helping animals with helping people in her work is a dream come true. She first heard about Heartland in early 2011, while volunteering with Friends of Ferals. Heartland asked FoF to spread the word that they were looking to hire employees and recruit volunteers.

“Upon reading that [Heartland] was a sanctuary for farm animals, as well as a place to help vulnerable youth, I realized that I was reading about my dream job,” Solberg says.

Now a year into her barn manager role, Solberg hasn’t changed her mind. “I can truly say that I absolutely love my job. I cannot imagine a more perfect job for me, and I am grateful every day.”

A typical day for Solberg includes ensuring the animals have fresh food and water, taking them outside, mucking stalls, cleaning dishes, sweeping, and cleaning up the barn. She picks up bedding, supplies, and feed for the animals once a week. In addition to barn duties, Solberg leads sanctuary tours, trains volunteers, and meets with groups of at-risk youth, such as students with special needs, scout troops, and the Boys and Girls Club. She also corresponds with new volunteer applicants and sets up appointments for Heartland’s Farm on Wheels program.

Solberg says she loves the way being around the animals makes her feel, and enjoys seeing other people get the same benefits when they visit the sanctuary. “Being in the presence of these amazing animals is all it takes to make even my worst day better,” she says with a grin.

Rescuing Toby the calf is among Solberg’s favorite memories of her first year with Heartland. “Getting the baby cow was extremely exciting for me because I absolutely love cows. He has been such a welcome addition to our barn, and he has a set of eyes that can melt anyone’s heart.”

Solberg is currently working toward a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and she plans to earn a master’s degree in counseling. After school, she hopes to continue her work with Heartland with an increased focus on animal-assisted therapy.

Cheryl Breuer is a Madison writer and a Heartland Farm Sanctuary volunteer.]]> http://heartlandfarmsanctuary.org/2012/04/16/the-people-of-heartland-meet-sarah-solberg/feed/ 0 http://heartlandfarmsanctuary.org/2012/04/05/get-your-heartland-apparel/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=get-your-heartland-apparel http://heartlandfarmsanctuary.org/2012/04/05/get-your-heartland-apparel/#comments Fri, 06 Apr 2012 04:25:15 +0000 jstarzewski http://heartlandfarmsanctuary.org/?p=3049

Heartland Farm Sanctuary has a new online store! Thanks to CafePress.com, we are now selling a number of products with our logo on them, including t-shirts, tote bags, water bottles, magnets, and buttons. 15% of sales proceeds go to Heartland Farm Sanctuary. Please feel free to browse our store by clicking the link below.

Shop Heartland’s Online Store

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Kristin Roosmalen at (608) 395-9741 or send an email to kristin.roosmalen@heartlandfarmsanctuary.org

Watch our YouTube video of the boys at the barn

The boys are participants in a youth program we created in partnership with Family Works, a treatment foster care agency for traumatized, special needs, and at-risk youth in Wisconsin. Our collaboration with Family Works helps the boys practice valuable life skills like following work directions independently, problem-solving as a team, learning the importance of caring for animals, and having empathy for each other, all in the enjoyable, informal environment of the Heartland barn.

Our executive director, Dana Barre, sees how much working with the animals means to these boys. “Last week, Brett was walking Toby the calf when Toby broke into a run. Brett could barely keep up, but he had a huge smile on his face and was squealing with delight the whole time.”

Dana says working in the barn also prompts the boys to verbalize more. “Some of the boys have traumatic pasts, and our relaxed environment allows them to open up,” she says. “They enjoy talking about the animals, their connection to the animals, and what the animals need. I’ve also seen the boys help each other out with different barn chores. It’s a joy to see the boys gaining awareness of what their human and animal friends need, and taking the initiative to help them.”

While the boys are at Heartland to work, they get to have fun, too. Ethan says his favorite part of working in the barn is “working with the pigs.” And, as a reward for a job well done, the boys cuddle with our barn cat, Miss Leroy, at the end of every visit.

Our collaborative programs with Family Works and similar nonprofit youth agencies are still in their infancy, but are in very high demand. Your donation can help us continue this valuable work to help young people heal and grow through working with our animals. Make a donation

Cheryl Breuer is a Madison writer and Heartland Farm Sanctuary volunteer blogger.