As published in the Weirs Times on May 1st, 2014
Two years ago, my family went through a crisis, when we lost our general store business,
and our only source of income along with it. Our biggest fear was that we’d end up
losing our rescue farm as well, and that not only our family, but a whole lot of
beloved critters, would end up homeless.
But during this time of crisis, our family also experienced many miracles. Lots of “angels
on earth” as we like to call them, came out of nowhere and everywhere, to help
us. Friends, family, neighbors, church members, and even folks we’d never met, heard of our plight and came to our aid. They filled our pantry with food, stocked our barn with hay and grain,
filled our dog food bins, volunteered tractor time to clean our paddock, put gas
in our cars, and even provided our children with Christmas presents that year.
In a time of extreme upheaval, we felt truly blessed by all the unsolicited
support we received. And it was only because of this support, that we were able to keep our rescue farm going. We can’t ever express enough gratitude to all those who’ve helped us maintain what we do here, both then
and now.
Since that time, our family has finally emerged out of crisis mode, but even with my
husband and I both working full time jobs elsewhere, it continues to be a
struggle to financially support “Reuben’s Rescue Ranch”. At times we’ve been
discouraged enough to consider closing our doors and dispersing the farm. But
this would go against everything we believe in. Our promise to our farm
residents has always been that this can be the last stop for them. There’s
a quote from Anna Sewell’s book “Black Beauty” that says “….and so I have
nothing to fear, and here my story ends….my troubles are all over, and I am at
home.” This quote sums up what we are about. Occasionally, we make exceptions and adopt out one of our critters, if a perfect fit presents itself elsewhere….but overall, we strive to provide a
permanent home for our furry friends, right here on the farm.
But our mission goes beyond providing a sanctuary for the animals. Our motto at the
ranch is “People Helping Animals….Animals Helping People.” and our mission
includes providing opportunities for such synergistic relationships to occur.
Each of the animal residents here has their own special gifts to share with the world, and we’ve seen time and
again the positive effect they have on anyone who’s lucky enough to interact
with them.
Last summer, we opened the farm to the public on Saturdays, so more people could
benefit from these gifts. Those Saturdays were amazing! People of all ages came
and experienced the healing energy our farm friends radiate to others. Lots of
children, some with disabilities or illness, beamed with happiness, as they
groomed a horse, petted a donkey, or walked a goat. Even if just for a little
while, the animals brought them a sense of peace, and visa versa. One
Saturday, we watched in awe, as a normally-aloof rabbit named “Smudgit”
affectionately befriended a gentleman visitor….much to the man’s delight. We
found out later, that this gentleman had just been diagnosed with
early-stage-dementia….and somehow Smudgit was drawn to him.
Yes, those open-farm Saturdays were nothing short of miraculous. And the feedback we
received from the visitors was so inspiring, that it renewed our faith and
determination to continue our mission here at Reuben’s Rescue Ranch. But we are
also faced with the stark realization that we can’t do it alone.
Hay and grain alone cost almost $10,000 per year, to feed the just the barn critters, and that figure
doesn’t include the cost of shavings, supplements, medical care, grooming and
hoof care tools, or even feeding the dogs, cats, and smaller animals that reside
here. The reality is that we simply could not keep the farm open without the
continued support we receive from the public.
So we are seeking new ways to financially support the Reuben’s Rescue Ranch endeavor, and
we welcome any fundraising ideas you may have. Some of you have already shared
some great ideas with us…….. please watch our Facebook and web page for new
upcoming events, to be posted in the summer months ahead.
Starting May 17th, we are once again opening the farm to the public on
Saturdays, from 10:00am-5:00pm. We encourage visitors to come enjoy the animals.
Admission is FREE on Saturdays, but we welcome donations of any size, sell farm
fresh eggs, and offer a thrift store on site, with all proceeds going directly
to support the farm.
New this year, in addition to being open on Saturdays, we are also offering group outings by
appointment, for a nominal fee. School Groups, Community Centers, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Nursing Homes, or any other group you may know of, who might like to visit, are welcome.
Call us at 603-630-2239 for more information.
Thank you to Paul and Tom of Osborne’s Agway, for setting up a new Reuben’s Rescue Ranch
account at their Belmont store, to accept donations on the farm’s behalf. This account provides
the public with an easy option for donating to the ranch, either in person at Osborne’s Belmont
location, or over the phone with a credit card. Osborne’s Agway is located at
304 Daniel Webster Highway in Belmont, and their telephone number is 603-527-3769.
All donations will be used to purchase grain, shavings, supplements, and other necessities for taking care of the
animals at Reuben’s Rescue Ranch.
We want to express a huge THANK YOU to all who have supported Reuben’s Rescue Ranch in the
past, present, and of course, the future! Hope to see you on open-farm Saturdays...
….and please, tell your friends!
and our only source of income along with it. Our biggest fear was that we’d end up
losing our rescue farm as well, and that not only our family, but a whole lot of
beloved critters, would end up homeless.
But during this time of crisis, our family also experienced many miracles. Lots of “angels
on earth” as we like to call them, came out of nowhere and everywhere, to help
us. Friends, family, neighbors, church members, and even folks we’d never met, heard of our plight and came to our aid. They filled our pantry with food, stocked our barn with hay and grain,
filled our dog food bins, volunteered tractor time to clean our paddock, put gas
in our cars, and even provided our children with Christmas presents that year.
In a time of extreme upheaval, we felt truly blessed by all the unsolicited
support we received. And it was only because of this support, that we were able to keep our rescue farm going. We can’t ever express enough gratitude to all those who’ve helped us maintain what we do here, both then
and now.
Since that time, our family has finally emerged out of crisis mode, but even with my
husband and I both working full time jobs elsewhere, it continues to be a
struggle to financially support “Reuben’s Rescue Ranch”. At times we’ve been
discouraged enough to consider closing our doors and dispersing the farm. But
this would go against everything we believe in. Our promise to our farm
residents has always been that this can be the last stop for them. There’s
a quote from Anna Sewell’s book “Black Beauty” that says “….and so I have
nothing to fear, and here my story ends….my troubles are all over, and I am at
home.” This quote sums up what we are about. Occasionally, we make exceptions and adopt out one of our critters, if a perfect fit presents itself elsewhere….but overall, we strive to provide a
permanent home for our furry friends, right here on the farm.
But our mission goes beyond providing a sanctuary for the animals. Our motto at the
ranch is “People Helping Animals….Animals Helping People.” and our mission
includes providing opportunities for such synergistic relationships to occur.
Each of the animal residents here has their own special gifts to share with the world, and we’ve seen time and
again the positive effect they have on anyone who’s lucky enough to interact
with them.
Last summer, we opened the farm to the public on Saturdays, so more people could
benefit from these gifts. Those Saturdays were amazing! People of all ages came
and experienced the healing energy our farm friends radiate to others. Lots of
children, some with disabilities or illness, beamed with happiness, as they
groomed a horse, petted a donkey, or walked a goat. Even if just for a little
while, the animals brought them a sense of peace, and visa versa. One
Saturday, we watched in awe, as a normally-aloof rabbit named “Smudgit”
affectionately befriended a gentleman visitor….much to the man’s delight. We
found out later, that this gentleman had just been diagnosed with
early-stage-dementia….and somehow Smudgit was drawn to him.
Yes, those open-farm Saturdays were nothing short of miraculous. And the feedback we
received from the visitors was so inspiring, that it renewed our faith and
determination to continue our mission here at Reuben’s Rescue Ranch. But we are
also faced with the stark realization that we can’t do it alone.
Hay and grain alone cost almost $10,000 per year, to feed the just the barn critters, and that figure
doesn’t include the cost of shavings, supplements, medical care, grooming and
hoof care tools, or even feeding the dogs, cats, and smaller animals that reside
here. The reality is that we simply could not keep the farm open without the
continued support we receive from the public.
So we are seeking new ways to financially support the Reuben’s Rescue Ranch endeavor, and
we welcome any fundraising ideas you may have. Some of you have already shared
some great ideas with us…….. please watch our Facebook and web page for new
upcoming events, to be posted in the summer months ahead.
Starting May 17th, we are once again opening the farm to the public on
Saturdays, from 10:00am-5:00pm. We encourage visitors to come enjoy the animals.
Admission is FREE on Saturdays, but we welcome donations of any size, sell farm
fresh eggs, and offer a thrift store on site, with all proceeds going directly
to support the farm.
New this year, in addition to being open on Saturdays, we are also offering group outings by
appointment, for a nominal fee. School Groups, Community Centers, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Nursing Homes, or any other group you may know of, who might like to visit, are welcome.
Call us at 603-630-2239 for more information.
Thank you to Paul and Tom of Osborne’s Agway, for setting up a new Reuben’s Rescue Ranch
account at their Belmont store, to accept donations on the farm’s behalf. This account provides
the public with an easy option for donating to the ranch, either in person at Osborne’s Belmont
location, or over the phone with a credit card. Osborne’s Agway is located at
304 Daniel Webster Highway in Belmont, and their telephone number is 603-527-3769.
All donations will be used to purchase grain, shavings, supplements, and other necessities for taking care of the
animals at Reuben’s Rescue Ranch.
We want to express a huge THANK YOU to all who have supported Reuben’s Rescue Ranch in the
past, present, and of course, the future! Hope to see you on open-farm Saturdays...
….and please, tell your friends!
Dawn Thomson is an independent columnist who, with the help of her
husband and two children, runs a private animal sanctuary, called Reuben’s
Rescue Ranch, located at 161 Route 104, Danbury, NH.
Their mission is to provide a permanent safe haven for animals in need,
as well as offering educational opportunities for the public to share hands-on
experiences with these beloved creatures.
Reuben’s Rescue Ranch is open to the public for visitors, on Saturdays
10am-5pm, from mid May through late October. Group outings are available at
other times, by appointment. They sell farm-fresh eggs and offer an on-site
thrift shop, with all proceeds going directly to support the farm. Donations are
also gratefully accepted. For more information, call 630-2239. Be sure to check
out their website at www.reubensrescueranch.weebly.com and/or visit them on Facebook.
husband and two children, runs a private animal sanctuary, called Reuben’s
Rescue Ranch, located at 161 Route 104, Danbury, NH.
Their mission is to provide a permanent safe haven for animals in need,
as well as offering educational opportunities for the public to share hands-on
experiences with these beloved creatures.
Reuben’s Rescue Ranch is open to the public for visitors, on Saturdays
10am-5pm, from mid May through late October. Group outings are available at
other times, by appointment. They sell farm-fresh eggs and offer an on-site
thrift shop, with all proceeds going directly to support the farm. Donations are
also gratefully accepted. For more information, call 630-2239. Be sure to check
out their website at www.reubensrescueranch.weebly.com and/or visit them on Facebook.