Volunteer Spotlight: Deanna

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Volunteer Spotlight: Deanna

Deanna started volunteering at HFS early in 2024, after retiring from a teaching career and moving to the area from LaCrosse. She had learned about HFS dating back to 2015 through her daughter, Krysta. “From our first visits to Heartland, we came to see the importance of the farm sanctuary mission. We loved meeting the animal residents and we admired the dedicated staff and volunteers,” Deanna said.

Why Heartland? I grew up an only child on a small farm (cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, geese, ducks, a pony…ironically, no goats), and it was important that my own family always have animal connections. We had many kinds of pets over the years. So, volunteering at HFS seemed like a great opportunity for me to reconnect with my farm ‘roots,’ but with a different perspective on animal life.

What do you do at Heartland? I do chores in the main barn and our shift takes turns helping with bird barn chores as well. So it’s mucking, cleaning, providing fresh water, and doing any misc. chores that need to be done that day.

What do you love most about volunteering at HFS? I love turning into the HFS driveway, putting the stressful world on mute. I know I’ll be spending three busy hours with incredibly kind and dedicated staff and volunteers, learning about and helping care for some of the most curious and intriguing animals I’ve ever met. What’s not to love?

Do you have a favorite sanctuary resident? I have goat favorites: Murphy, the ‘I’ll-take-my back rubs and scratches-now-please’ goat and the ‘We will charm you’ Breakfast Club trio. Also, I’ve met and been enchanted by Sabrina hen — I love her gentleness and that we share a love of corn.

What do you enjoy doing with your time outside of Heartland? Keeping my 46+ houseplants happy, reading, genealogy and other volunteering. During the summer I manage our extensive outdoor perennial gardens and always make time for family, which includes 5 adults, 2 cats ( Dwight and Marley), and 1 animal- loving granddaughter).

Volunteer Spotlight: Seama

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Volunteer Spotlight: Seama

Seama started volunteering at Heartland in June of 2015, which means she’s coming up on her 10-year anniversary! 👏

After graduating from college and moving back to Madison, Seama was looking for an outdoor volunteer opportunity for the summer different from CSAs, because she already had a gardening gig lined up. The stars aligned, Seama found Heartland, and thankfully she never left! These days, you can find Seama working in the main barn, snuggling with the cats, and doting on roosters Leif and Gunnar.

What do you do at Heartland? I am a Barn Chore & Animal Care Volunteer. I mostly work on mucking in the mammal barn, but I occasionally do other projects or muck in the bird buildings.

Do you have a favorite sanctuary resident? I do not have a favorite sanctuary resident, but I am excited that we have barn cats again. I also love that Leif and Gunnar roosters like to be carried around so I pretend I’m in Pride and Prejudice and ask if they’d like to ‘take a turn about the room’ and carry them for as long as my arms can hold them.

What do you enjoy doing with your time outside of Heartland? Outside of Heartland I am a soprano in the Philharmonic Chorus of Madison. We have our spring concerts at the end of April. I also love hosting friends and parties at my house. Before the pandemic, my friend and I would write and plan murder mystery parties so we’re finally doing another one this year that is Dungeons and Dragons themed.

Anything else you would like us to know? Before I deleted Instagram I would take pictures of Heartland residents and post ‘Farm Haikus’ almost every week. Although I don’t have social media anymore I’m happy to compose haikus for anyone if they’re interested!

A sunny farm day,
With donkeys who love braying,
Keeps my soul in peace.

Thank you, Seama, for your longtime dedication, beautiful heart, many talents and creativity!

Volunteer Spotlight: Tracy

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Volunteer Spotlight: Tracy

Tracy joined Heartland in April 2023 because she’s always been passionate about animals and wanted to find a meaningful way to contribute to their care and well-being. She searched for volunteer opportunities in the area and found Heartland. She was inspired by our mission to provide sanctuary to farm animals and advocate for compassion. “Volunteering here felt like the perfect opportunity to make a difference while learning more about animal welfare,” Tracy says.

What do you do at Heartland? I assist with feeding, cleaning enclosures, and spending time with the animals to help ensure they feel safe and cared for. Some days, I help prepare fresh salads for dinner; other days, I clean and refresh the geese pools. Sometimes, I make sure everyone has a cozy and comfortable spot to rest for the night. I love the variety of tasks and being able to contribute in so many meaningful ways. I enjoy learning about their unique needs and helping with any other tasks to support the sanctuary’s operations.

What do you love the most about volunteering at HFS? Heartland is my escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and work. It’s a place where I can connect with the animals and feel grounded. To me, animals have always embodied a pure and honest nature that feels incredibly refreshing, especially after the complexities of daily interactions with people. I love seeing their unique personalities shine and being part of their journey to recovery and happiness. Every shift is a reminder of the trust, resilience, and beauty of all of our residents. Watching each unique spirit and personality grow never fails to put a smile on my face.

Do you have a favorite sanctuary resident? Choosing a favorite is nearly impossible because each animal has such a unique personality and story. I love watching their playful interactions and getting to know their quirks. If I had to pick, I’d say Fonsi holds a special place in my heart — his reserved affection makes every sweet nuzzle feel so meaningful. Bluey’s gentle nature amazes me, especially knowing the challenges she overcame before arriving at Heartland. And of course, Frankie always brings a smile to my face with his goofy grin and constant requests for belly rubs.

What do you enjoy doing with your time outside of Heartland? Outside of Heartland I enjoy spending time with my husband and dog, spending time outside running or biking, and traveling.

Volunteer Spotlight: Paul

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Volunteer Spotlight: Paul

Paul and his late wife had been longtime HFS supporters before Paul started volunteering. Once he retired this past summer, Paul joined the crew as an invaluable facilities volunteer. He is part of what we affectionately call “The Beatles” since Georg is our other skilled repair and light construction volunteer. 🙂 Paul accomplishes so much each week – from fixing the washing machine to the tractor, mower, kitchen heaters and so much more. We are incredibly grateful for his immediate and ongoing impact to help things run and work more smoothly at Heartland. 

Why Heartland? My wife and I learned about the farm sanctuary movement in the 1990s, long before any even existed in the heartland. It was exciting to learn about HFS opening and I’ve wanted to volunteer ever since. Now I’m retired and have the opportunity. The work I do here is dedicated to my wife’s memory.

What do you love the most about volunteering at HFS? Knowing that I can make the amazing, inspiring work that the staff and primary volunteers do here easier, safer and more productive.

Do you have a favorite sanctuary resident? Hard to pick a favorite. I do feel like I ‘graduated’ here when Hank let me work in his presence and played it cool.

What do you enjoy doing with your time outside of Heartland? I maintain a prairie that my wife and I created. I also volunteer at Primates Inc, Wisconsin’s primate retirement sanctuary. I also enjoy bicycling, kayaking, fixing (breaking) things and chilling with my two cats.

Volunteer Spotlight: Erin

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Volunteer Spotlight: Erin

Erin joined Heartland in March of 2023 as an invaluable admin volunteer. She works so hard to make life easier for the admin staff — from data entry and other office work to event prep, cleaning, watering plants, organizing and running errands. Whatever it takes to help keep the admin team focused on their work. She is such a caring, dedicated person with a strong work ethic, and Heartland is so grateful to have her on the team!

Why Heartland? I was looking for ‘my people.’ I wanted to be with animals and people who truly love all animals.

What do you love the most about volunteering at HFS? I love the atmosphere. I may not get to see the animal residents up close very often, but I can see them from the window and know I can visit them anytime I want. I just need to be around people who care about each other and animals.

Favorite sanctuary resident? Esther was the first to greet me when I visited the barn for the first time and I really enjoyed spending time with her. Hank’s smile gets me every time! Murphy and Truffle are adorable.

What do you enjoy doing with your time outside of Heartland? I have been spending my summer visiting the many prairies and woods we have in Dane County and recently went on a guided tour of a prairie to learn more about our native land. I like to walk, read, go thrifting and engage in DIY projects for my home. And, I’m currently volunteering to help save our country’s democracy.

Anything else you would like us to know? I was executive director of non-profit agencies for many years so in my retirement I’m enjoying helping out without the pressures. I’m married to a great guy who also loves animals. We have two gorgeous, smart and funny daughters in their twenties, and two cats (Harry and Sally).

Volunteer Spotlight: Rachel

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Volunteer Spotlight: Rachel

Rachel started at Heartland in the Fall of 2018, and she’s since been an incredibly consistent and reliable member of the Thursday AM shift. We’re so grateful for Rachel’s  reliability, her mad mucking skills, and her willingness to take on miscellaneous tasks such as filling waters and cleaning up the straw and hay room. We also appreciate Rachel’s calm energy, her special relationship with our cows, Beau and Daisy, who passed away last year, and her commitment to lovin’ on Fonsi donkey after he lost his brother, Chachi.

Why Heartland? I’ve always been involved with animals in one way or another —with family pets, volunteering at the humane society and working with cows. In 2018, I went back to school at UW-Madison for dairy science and became interested in animal welfare. Many farm sanctuaries across the country started popping up on Facebook so on a whim, I Googled to see if there were any local farm animal rescues. Luckily I found Heartland and before I knew it, I was driving to the sanctuary for my first day.

What do you love most about volunteering at HFS? Heartland is my weekly reset. I enjoy coming every week to leave the rest of the stressful world behind and just be in a loving spot with all the animals and their different personalities. While there will always be loss at a sanctuary, Heartland has taught me to slow down and cherish the moments we do have together. I love watching the animals grow, trying new things, exploring their world and letting their goofy sides show.

 Who is your favorite sanctuary resident? Like many volunteers say, it’s hard to pick a favorite. Animals I’ve connected with most across the years include goats Waylon, Sunflower and Billy; Maxwell big pig, and as previously mentioned, Daisy and Beau cows. An animal I have happily grown to love is Harriet mini pig and her bedhead. While all the animals put a smile on my face, Fonsi donkey really touches my heart. I love seeing him be courageous after losing his brother, how excited he gets when I put on his pasture gear to go outside, and how he picks up his pace when he sees me with a bag of carrots.

What do you enjoy doing outside of Heartland? My life outside Heartland is surrounded
by my three Siberian Huskies who I love spending time with. My family is quite close and we love going on outings, such as Cave of the Mounds and Wisconsin Dells. My other hobbies include crafts, gardening, watching crime mysteries, trying new recipes and hiking.

Save the Date for our Lighthouse Gala

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Saturday, October 19 at the
TruStage Lighthouse Building | Madison, Wisc.

Heartland's Gala is back, reimagined in a whole new light.
Tickets available soon.
On Saturday, October 19, we’ll bring our community together to shine a light on compassion at Heartland’s Lighthouse Gala at the TruStage Lighthouse Building in Madison. ✨  And we invite YOU – our incredible community – to support our gala by sponsoring the event, or contributing an item to the silent auction.
 
This year, we’re looking for unique, meaningful items that soothe the soul and provide comfort or safety. Whether it’s a cozy blanket, a calming experience, a work of art that brings peace, or any item that evokes a feeling of deep acceptance and warmth, we’d love to hear your ideas.
 
Interested in contributing? Know a business, individual or organization who would love to sponsor this compassionate event? Email Sydnie at [email protected].

Volunteer Spotlight: Sarah Johnson

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Volunteer Spotlight: Sarah

Sarah started at Heartland in November 2019. She has been a consistent and reliable member of the Sunday morning crew doing barn chores and animal care. And because that crew is so efficient, they get rewarded by doing some of the ‘less fun’ (but equally important) housekeeping chores like cleaning, organizing, restocking and more. Everything our dedicated volunteers like Sarah do is in service of the HFS residents, making sure their living spaces are clean, safe and organized.

Why Heartland? My dad was a veterinarian, and he shared his passion of caring for people
through their animals. I am a social worker, not a vet, but volunteering at Heartland is a
little bit of both.

What do you love the most about volunteering? Walking in and being among these incredible creatures. It takes you out of your world and life for a minute (or a three-hour shift) and changes your perspective. Each animal has such a distinct personality, story and journey of how they came to us. (Sarah also appreciates the vegan resources we share each week via email.)

Favorite Heartland Animal? That isn’t a fair question — they are all so unique in their own way. From the newest adorable Breakfast Club, cuddly Murphy and Truffle, amazing-sounding emus, sibs Justice and Libby…but as a lifelong swimmer, I have always been drawn to the ducks. I always take a minute to watch them jump into the pool for the first time in the morning, as they dunk their heads and splash in the water.

When pushed a little, Sarah acknowledged Hank as her favorite. While I love everyone there to my core, Hank has a special place in my heart. When I found out about his story and how he was neglected and abandoned twice, I made him a promise that I was going to be his friend. It took some time for him to fully trust me. I knew that we reached the point of mutual trust when I sat down with him outside in the pasture and he leaned up against me and laid down.

Outside of Heartland: I love cycling, walking my dogs, cooking, traveling, hiking, yoga and swimming.

Welcome Lloyd and Faith!

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Welcome, Lloyd and Faith!

Heartland recently two welcomed two hens to our sanctuary. Both girls needed a fresh start and a second chance at happiness. We’re thrilled to introduce you to Lloyd and Faith. 

Lloyd is a 6-year-old Polish chicken who wasn’t fitting in with her flock. The other hens were pulling out her head feathers, so her caring guardian kept her as a single hen.  Lloyd seemed like a great match for our rooster Pico, who recently lost his companion, Petri. ♥️ Lloyd and Pico have been spending time together, and we’re thrilled to report they seem to be completely obsessed with each other!

Welcome Faith! This week, we welcomed Faith into the Heartland family. Faith is a Brahma hen, and — like Lloyd — was also being picked on relentlessly by her flock and ended up isolated and unhappy, living in a garage. Her caretakers had run out of options so reached out to us, hoping for a better life for her. Thanks to a special grant for rescues and medical care, we were able to offer Faith a safe and loving home.

Volunteer Spotlight: Paul

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Volunteer Spotlight: Paul

Paul started at Heartland in the fall of 2022. For a decade prior, he was (and still is) a valued monthly HFS Stable Supporter. As a reliable member of the Saturday morning shift, Paul focuses on the care and mucking of the goats and emus, but is always willing to pitch in where needed.

Why Heartland? For me, the best thing about volunteering at HFS is of course working with the residents. I also love the welcoming environment and how the sanctuary strives to make compassion a part of our community.

Favorite Heartland Resident? As everyone that knows me can attest, goat Hank is my ‘favorite’ resident. While I love everyone there to my core, Hank has a special place in my heart. When I found out about his story and how he was neglected and abandoned twice, I made him a promise that I was going to be his friend and see that he is never let down by humans ever again. Hank and I had a good relationship from the beginning but it did take some time for him to fully trust me. I knew that we reached the point of mutual trust one Saturday morning when I sat down with him outside in the pasture and he leaned up against me and laid down.

Outside of Heartland: Outside of my volunteer time at HFS, I enjoy hiking, spending time with my two dogs — Jack the chihuahua mix and Tula, a very energetic Boston Terrier — and Piper, a rescue from an abandoned barn cat litter. I’m also an aviation geek and one of the highlights of the year for me is to spend a few days each July at the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis.

I am also the Wisconsin State Director for the national animal advocacy organization, Animal Wellness Action, and am a board member for Off the Table Farm Sanctuary in Westfield, Wis. For my primary employment, I have been an emergency services dispatcher for the last 26 years.