The Big Purple Barn, A Sanctuary

03/03/2025

Today is the day! Dine in and show the flyer, or order online and use the code to support!

03/03/2025

Gorgeous 😍 girl, Sophia 💜

03/03/2025

Best friends Jewel 💎 and Summer ☀️ # #

03/03/2025

Nap time for Bruce and Mikes while Bugatti stands watch 💜

03/03/2025

This week we are continuing our look at how we describe animals. Today, we bring you Stella the goat!

Stella is a cream (her color) Alpine x Boer (her breed) doe (she is an adult female). We are absolutely not the experts on goat colors and markings that we are when it comes to horse markings! Stella was born white and developed the cream color, along with her darker markings around 2 years of age. She was a surprise color for us!

Stella came from an Amish farm and is reported to be a combination of the Alpine and Boer breeds of goats. The Amish choose hardy breeds that serve dual purposes for meat and milk. Alpine goats, also known as French-Alpine goats, are a medium to large dairy goat breed that originated in the French Alps. They are known for their milking ability and are the source of the most common type of goat milk used for dairy products. Boer goats are a South African breed of meat goat known for their fast growth, high meat-to-bone ratio, and resistance to disease. The name comes from the Afrikaans word boer, meaning "farmer".

Here at the sanctuary, Stella will not ever worry about being used for milk or meat. She is here to help provide vegetation and w**d control, headbutt things she doesn't like (which is A LOT) and educate people on the care and use of goats as pets and in agriculture. She's also here to educate people on horns and how to respect them!

Yes, you may notice Stella has horns. Using the presence or absence of horns on a goat is not a reliable way to determine gender. Horns vary by the breed, and some breeds or genetic lines are naturally polled, meaning they do not have horns at all. The horns are part of the skull! There is a protruding bone core the grows from the skull where specialized cells produce horn tissue, complete with nerves and blood supply running through the center, like the quick of a dog's nail. The very end of the horn is dead and, like a nail, could be trimmed or rounded. The outer horn is comprised if keratin. The horns are attached to the sinus cavity as well and a broken horn is extremely painful and can lead to bleeding and infection that travels into the sinuses.

03/02/2025

I shall
Gather up
All the lost souls
That wander this earth
All the ones that are alone the ones that are broken
All the ones that never really fit in
I shall gather then up and we shall find our home

"Gather Up" A poem by Athey Thompson
A little book of poetry

Pictured: the first 2 lost souls we gathered up that helped us all find our home 💜 Founding here members Mia and Justin

03/01/2025

It's National Pig Day!

To celebrate 🥳, we bring you Owen Papagiorgio Pig! He's pretty much the coolest guy you'll ever meet 😎. Here is how we would describe Owen!

Meet Owen! He is a black (solid colored) barrow (neutered male) potbelly (his breed) Pig! He has a little white spot on his nose and little white socks (white markings) on his legs. He loves watermelon, snacks and his sunglasses 👓.

Owen is an American potbellied pig 🐖. Potbellies were originally developed in the 1960s in Vietnam, they are descendants of wild boars and have roamed Eurasia for over 40,000 years. They have short legs, wrinkled skin, and low-hanging bellies, which inspired their name. They can be solid black, solid white, or spotted, and have straight tails and upright ears. The American version can measure 15 to 20 inches tall as adults and weigh in 90 to 150 pounds. Compare that to a standard meat pig that can grow over 700 pounds when fully grown! Potbellies were developed to help families be able to raise a more manageable sized meat pig.

In the US, potbellied pigs make popular pets. They are extremely intelligent and can be potty trained, learn their name and follow commands. Pigs in general are actually VERY clean and male designated areas in their space for esting, sleeping and using the bathroom. They are generally very personable as well.

However, many people get lured in by advertisements for "mini and micro and teacup " pigs assuring them the pig will stay tiny. Those photos are of baby pigs and underfed piglets. Once given appropriate food and care, the average potbellied pig will be well over 50 pounds. They will also display all appropriate and normal pig behavior like rooting (digging) and they can be very loud when vocalizing. Many people are not prepared for this and end up abandoning their pigs when full grown. It's not uncommon to see stray pigs and ower surrenders at animal shelters. There are pig rescues and sanctuaries as well, and they are typically FULL of pigs that need lifelong and specialized care due to deficiencies the pigs experienced with prior care or lack thereof.

Pigs also need care! They need vaccines, wellness checks and hoof care. Male pigs have tusks that need to be trimmed. Finding appropriate healthcare professionals and accessing care can be difficult. We utilize a farm animal vet who comes to us as well as a traveling hoof care professional that specializes in pigs and goats.

Send some love ❤️ Owen in the comments and help him celebrate National Pig 🐖 Day 🥳!

02/28/2025

Moms and caregivers,

Do you need a day for yourself? Come join us at The Big Purple Barn for a relaxing workshop focusing on self-care, renewal, and reflection. Gift yourself the space to pause, slow down, and disconnect. Explore the horse-human connection to assist in resetting your nervous system and learn breathwork, mindfulness, and grounding techniques to help restore balance. You give so much every day; take the time to nourish your state of mind.

Know someone who would like to attend? Please share!
To register, please click here:

Join us for a relaxing workshop focusing on self- care, renewal, and reflection. Gift yourself the space to pause, slow down and disconnect, explore the horse-human connection to assist in resetting your nervous system, and learn breathwork , mindfulness, and grounding techniques to help restore bal...

02/28/2025

Meet George!

George is our Katahdin (his breed) wether (his gender, he is a castrated male) sheep 🐑.

The Katahdin is a hair sheep developed at Piel Farm in Maine beginning in the 1950s. The goal was to produce a hardy meat sheep that did not require shearing. Virgin Islands hair sheep contributed the hair coat, as well as hardiness and prolificacy. Katahdin sheep come in a variety of solid and colored pattern coats.

George is a hair sheep, which means he doesn't grow wool and therefore doesn't need to be shorn each spring like the other sheep. Instead, like a dog, he grows a winter undercoat which sheds on its own in the spring! All of that lighter, cream colored hair you see will shed out over the next few months leaving George a beautiful redhead for the summer.

George is SUPER smart and the most friendly and inquisitive sheep in the flock. He is also very brave. He is the only sheep here with a full tail and it it looks like a little fox tail, complete with white tip.

Even though he was bred to be a meat sheep, he will never need to worry about that here. Our flock is here to introduce people to sheep and educate them!

Fun 😁 fact ✔️: The other sheep were terrified of George when he first arrived because he looked so different and his tail was particularly terrifying. Now they are all a cohesive flock 🥰.

02/27/2025

This is Zoe!

Zoe is a grey (her color) Welsh cross (her breed) pony (her height designation, shes under 14.2 hands tall) mare (her gender, she's an adult female). We believe her breed is Welsh pony with a sprinkle of Arabian and appaloosa! She's a beautiful and expressive mare.

Don't let her dingy winter coat fool you 🤭 She's been building up those dirt and clay stains since fall 😆.

While Zoe may appear white to the eye, her color is called grey. Her skin is actually dark under her white hair and Zoe was born a dark color like black or bay, and the gene for grey has gradually removed the pigment from the hair over the years, turning her white! When Zoe gets a bath, you can see actual white markings hidden on her face and legs where the skin is pink underneath! From this photo, you can see her white snip at the end of her nose ❤️. The telltale signs that she has true white markings on her legs are her light colored hooves! Legs without markings are typically dark, while legs WITH white are typically light colored, and sometimes striped! Zoe has 3 light hooves.

We have 2 more grey ponies at the sanctuary. Do you know who they are?

02/26/2025

Meet Summer!

Summer is a chestnut (her color) Morgan (her genetic breed) mare (her gender).

Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a orange-reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs. It is one of the most common horse coat colors, seen in almost every breed of horse. You can tell the difference between chestnut and bay by looking at the mane and tail! Remember, bay horses have black manes and tails.

Morgan horses are the first American breed of horse, hailing from Vermont and a single stallion called Justin Morgan. They are known for thier versatile nature and wonderful attitudes. They are smart and loving!

Summer is a mare, meaning she is an adult female. Summer has had one foal before coming to our sanctuary as a neglect case.

Summer is also a horse meaning her height classifies her as such. She measures in at 16.1 hands (a hand = 4inches and horse is any height over 14.2) and she is the second tallest horse behind Bruce!

Summer has a hind left pastern as her white markings. In her nose she has a white snip. The white higher on her face is trauma from a halter rub and not a true white marking.

02/25/2025

We have specific terms to describe our sheep as well! This is Ally, short for Queen Alfseger of the Iron Hills 😉 Ally is a Suffolk (her breed) ewe (her gender, she is a female). 🐑

The Suffolk is a breed of medium-wool, dark-faced, hornless sheep developed in England during the years 1800 to 1850. They are primarily a meat sheep as their wool isn't long enough or soft enough for clothing. Our wool sheep must be sheared each spring to remove their year of wool growth. We give the wool to local crafters who use it to practice skills like cleaning, spinning and coloring. We also make crafts with our wool AND the outer section of fleece that is typically discarded is great in gardens to help reduce w**ds and regain moisture in the soil!

💡 Did you know that sheep produce lanolin?
The sheep's sebaceous glands produce this “wool wax” to help shed water and keep the sheep dry💡

Ally came to us in lieu of being an Easter Lamb dinner. Most ewes will become replacement breeding stock first, or food second. We aim to teach people about sheep, their proper care, and connect them with local family farms for their meat. At our farm, our animals will never become food. They are here to educate the public and help people gain appreciation for them as well as hands on experiences. Sheep are actually quite smart, can learn their name, be led around and learn several commands!

02/24/2025

Eat for a cause! 🍽️✨ Join us for Dine to Donate Night in ONE WEEK and make every bite count. A portion of your meal goes directly to supporting the barn. Let’s come together, enjoy great food, and make a BIG difference. See you there! 💜

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02/24/2025

Sophia is a super sweet bay (her color) mare (her gender, she's an adult female). Bay is a reddish brown color identified by the presence of a black mane and tail as well as black hairs on the bony points of the horse that include the nose and the legs from the knee down.

Her breed (her genetic makeup) is Morgan x Arabian commonly called a Morab! Sophia is small, but her height designation is horse. The main difference between a horse and a pony is their height at maturity. Ponies are usually smaller than 14.2 hands (58 inches) tall, while horses are usually taller. Sophia is 15 hands. One hand is equal to 4 inches and we have a special measuring device to help!

Sophia has white markings on her face and one leg as well that are further used to describe/identify an individual. On her face, she has a interrupted blaze which makes for a star (the portion at the top of her head) and disconnected blaze. On her hind right leg, her white goes to the pastern joint and is called a pastern. If it extended beyond her pastern a little more, it would have been a sock!

When we are talking about animals, we use some basic terms that describe their breed, gender and color to differentiate them. Follow along as we introduce you to some of our residents and teach you the terms we use!

02/23/2025

Let's talk fairy knots! Swipe through to see them unraveled!

"Fairy knots" in reference to horses are small, intricate knots that appear in a horse's mane, often believed to be created by fairies during the night when they ride the horses on magical adventures, leaving the knots behind as a sign of their presence; essentially, folklore describes fairies as "braiding" the horse's mane while they are asleep. Jewel is a favorite here amongst the fairies, and despite us asking them to please undo the knots, they don't, and she gets quite intricate knots during their nocturnal adventures 😉. These knots look unbelievably difficult, and many people are tempted to cut them ✂️, but a little observation, finger work, determination, and some conditioner can eliminate them with minimal breakage. After the knot is brushed, i like to add some cowboy magic conditioner and a little silicone spray to make it harder for the fairies 🧚‍♀️ to weave the knots 🪢 back 😉.

02/23/2025

A message from Pudge:
Sun's out...buns out!

The sun is shining again today and after a week of wind, gloom and below freezing temperatures, all of the animals are enjoying blanlet free days to soak up some sunshine and roll in the dirt!

Did you know that tje angle and strength of the sun right now is equivalent to October 🌞 That's means the days are getting longer and the sun is getting stronger 💪! Come on sping 🪻 we can't wait to see you!

02/19/2025

Looking for dinner on March 3rd? Look no further! Mark your calendars for dinner (or lunch) at BJs brewhouse in Bowie!

02/19/2025

Today would have marked 9 years since we got Pepper 🌶 Pig. Today is the first time in 9 years she hasn't been with us to celebrate 🥺 because this year she is at the rainbow 🌈 bridge.

We wanted to take a moment to be thankful for Pepper and all she taught us and everything she added to the sanctuary. Pepper was out first non equine. We had ZERO experience with pigs and her gentle nature made learning to care for her so much easier. Because of Pepper, we would able welcome Cesquealia (who is at the rainbow bridge with Pepper) and Owen. It's because of Pepper we gained experience to welcome different types of animals to the sanctuary, like our goats 🐐 and sheep 🐑 . It's because of Pepper we could expand our care and advocacy for more animals and for that, we will always be thankful for her.

When we talk about the contributions of each animal that comes through the sanctuary, this is what we mean. We are deeply enriched and made stronger for the lives that call this place home. We are challenged and encouraged to grow and learn more. We are able to help more animals in the future because of the contributions of the animals in the past and present.

This spring, we will open the sanctuary to a new pig to join Owen and we will continue the legacy of compassion and care Pepper has left us with! We will continue to advocate and educate our community as well.

Happy Gotch Day in Heaven Pepper Pig! We miss you! We love you 💜.