Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary, Inc.

06/21/2024

BARN NEWS .... As you know, we are pursuing our new Rescue Barn project. You have to start somewhere, so a big oak tree that was standing in the footprint of the barn had to go in order to be able to make space for the barn site. Seemed like a good idea to fell the tree first and then build the barn, instead of the other way around ...duh? It will also be lots of firewood come winter ... the folks around here think that the first day of summer is the time to start planning for winter! Ouch!

https://gofund.me/7f4a4b0a

06/19/2024

Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary is a non-profit equine rehabilitation haven providin… Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary Inc needs your support for Help Us Rescue Horses

05/27/2024

I SEE THE STARS, I HEAR THE ROLLING THUNDER, THY POWER THOUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE DISPLAYED .... We watched the storm come in and a beautiful rainbow appeared on the left side of this short video with the lightening and fury of the storm behind it .. my God how great Thou art!

05/14/2024

https://gofund.me/7f4a4b0a

Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary is a non-profit equine rehabilitation haven providin… Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary Inc needs your support for Help Us Rescue Horses

05/14/2024

HORSE ACCOMODATIONS !! As most of you know, we are the only 501(c)(3) horse rescue left in the North Carolina High Country. The others have succumbed to the economy, but we are still rescuing horses. We have been planning to build an additional rescue barn, to expand the number of horses we can rescue, but it will also have a space where a veterinarian and/or farrier could work inside the building during the months when it's awful tough to do their work outside! We have kicked off a Go Fund Me campaign with a generous anonymous gift of $100,000.00 which is about half of the total project! This was from a donor that we had not known before but who saw a magazine article about the Sanctuary, realized the need and picked up her pen and wrote a check. She's not a "horse person" per se, but a philanthropist that likes to see her donations go directly to a need, not just to help run an organization. We know that there are not a lot of donors out there like that ... if you are, you can and you will ... please raise your hand! It seems, however, that most of the really successful Go Fund Me Campaigns, are grass roots with a large number of donors just giving what they can, because they believe in the mission, and they want to help if they can. We have ~3,000 Facebook followers and if each one would share this with just one friend (whether you can give or not) and each of them did the same (whether they can give or not) and so on and so on, we can get this barn built this summer, which is the goal.

NOW, IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, IF I DON'T DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW, I'LL FORGET A LITTLE MORE EACH DAY UNTIL I DON'T END UP DOING ANYTHING AT ALL ... SHAME ON ME! Please hit the donate and the share buttons and help us rescue these horses!

https://gofund.me/7f4a4b0a direct link or go to our Web Page ... www.southernsunfarm.com ...

05/07/2024

PERFECT SETTTING! Old Barn Winery is a perfect setting for all kinds of things, but when we have a Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary, Inc. event, it is particularly perfect. When the horses take a break, there is a very large "pasture (lawn)" for them to R & R and our volunteers can do the same with some wonderful wines! There are many more pictures on the Old Barn Winery site, so check it out! Our thanks to Pam Lather, Anna Mills Welsh, Marianne Spiegel, Patrick Traitor, Carmen Gregg Traitor, Ken Lather, Laurie Pugh Moon, Jennifer Walker Michelle Cranford and, of course, our Hosts and and their entire staff!

05/06/2024

A TOAST! Here's the author of Doc's two books, Pam Lather, toasting Doc and his date, Piper, at Saturday's Derby Day at Old Barn Winery ... good times overcame the rain!

05/05/2024

DERBY DAY 2024! As has become our custom ... we took Doc to Derby Day at the Old Barn Winery ... weather was a little iffy, but a good time was had by all Doc brought a date, Piper, and she was just as congenial as he always is .. POWER COUPLE, no doubt ... The Winery (Robin Hughes Sexton and Gregory Sexton) donated a dollar for every Mint Julip in honor of the Derby and without naming names, there were a few people who, apparently, REALLY like mint julips ... :) ....... here are a few pictures of Doc and Piper in their Debry attire .... it's all about hats, right?

05/03/2024

ADVENTURES OF AMOS!

We have a cat door into our Tack Room, for the cats! When Ms. Ann was washing horses getting ready for our event tomorrow at Old Barn Winery,Amos our Golden Retriever wanted to help, but since Amos Is not always an asset to the endeavor, Ms. Ann put him in a "timeout" in the Tack Room. Amos, clever dog that he is, found a way to participate without getting himself in trouble ... ahh the cat door!. Pretty sure there was no cat traffic while he was there!

05/02/2024

🎩 Just 2 days until Derby Day! Join us at Old Barn Winery for a day of fashion, fun, and fundraising for Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary. Rescue horses Chief and Doc will be ready for photos at the booth—so bring your biggest hats, dress to impress, and get ready for live music as we count down to the big race! 🐎✨

Can’t wait to see you there! 🎉

04/30/2024

Loads of fun at Old Barn Winery ...come join us!

04/29/2024

5 Days to Derby Day! This year, Doc is bringing a date! Her name is Piper and she's as sweet as he is if that's possible! Haberdashery by Laurie Pugh Moon for the happy couple!

04/26/2024

How can you help on National Help a Horse Day? Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary is on a mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome horses in need. Here’s how you can help us make a difference:

Together, we can create a brighter future for these amazing animals. 🐎

04/23/2024

GETTING DOLLED UP FOR THE DERBY! Doc's hat is ready, he tried it on and walked around with it and he thinks it's '"the cats meow" about which he knows quite a bit! ! I'm thinking the tux shoes are going to be a problem!

04/16/2024

DERBY DAY 2024 ... once again Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary, Inc., will be at Old Barn Winery to celebrate Derby Day ! This year, in traditional Derby Day finery, Doc will be dressed for the occasion! Here he is being fitted for his formal wear by Laurie Moon, one of our loyal volunteers and draft horse fashion expert ordinaire! Mark your calendars for Derby Day and come join us!

04/08/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/aFmGhWMya1maKbtr/?mibextid=xfxF2i

PLEASE remember to protect your horses from the solar eclipse!! 😎

04/08/2024

Ready?

PLEASE remember to protect your horses from the solar eclipse!! 😎

02/20/2024

HAY RIDE! We needed to deliver a round bale of hay to one of the pastures down the road. We went down and brought it up from the shed row where we store them, but we had other chores to do before completing that one, so we left it on Martha (the tractor, most of you know) and went on our way to the other chores on our list. However, Otis (the rooster in the front) and Carmen (the hen behind him) climbed up to, apparently, inspect the bale. It must have passed, because Otis and Carmen "flew" back down (which is probably not an adequate way to describe their return trip), and sounded the all clear, but, once again, the members of our little zoo here, all look out for each other! We have been Blessed with multiple days with highs in the 50s and lows in the mid 30s, lately, so everyone is out and about. But since March is, historically our biggest snow month, we're not counting any of our chickens before they .... all together now ... "make it thru the winter" ... ha, ha, fooled you with a little variation on theme, huh? ...but you get the idea....

02/12/2024

TACK ROOM - The cats like the Tack Room almost as much as the horses do! Can you spot the kitty in the Tack Room?

02/06/2024

Today is my beautiful wife's 70th Birthday! In her honor, we traditionally post this poem. This year's picture is with our famous Doc At Southern Sun Farm...if you haven't read his books, you're really missing something!

"When I am an Old Horsewoman"

"When I am an old horsewoman
I shall wear turquoise and diamonds,
And a straw hat that doesn’t suit me
And I shall spend my social security on
white wine and carrots,
And sit in my alleyway of my barn
And listen to my horses breathe.
I will sneak out in the middle of a summer night
And ride the old bay gelding,
Across the moonstruck meadow
If my old bones will allow
And when people come to call, I will smile and nod
As I walk past the gardens to the barn
and show instead, the flowers growing
inside stalls fresh-lined with straw.
I will shovel and sweat and wear hay in my hair
as if it were a jewel
And I will be an embarrassment to all
Who will not yet have found the peace in being free
to have a horse as a best friend
A friend who waits at midnight hour
With muzzle and nicker and patient eyes
For the kind of woman I will be
When I am old."

WE LOVE YOU, ANN! Happy Birthday!

12/26/2023

MAJESTIC! Corley Lather came by to visit Doc on Christmas morning and just look at these pictures she captured of him in his Jingle Bells! Isn't he something! And one, of course, for her personal collection!

12/02/2023

Alright ... Who do you vote for to become the Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary pianist?

BrightInspiredAnimalsRescue Horse Is Given Piano and Becomes Obsessed With It—Hear the Hilarious Melody She Composed(Courtesy of Little Creek Farm and Sanctuary)By Epoch Inspired Staff12/1/2023Updated: 12/1/2023Print0:00Just listen to Sally play the piano and it becomes clear she brings joy to oth...

11/15/2023

THE CYCLE OF LIFE AT THE FARM ... This was a sad but necessary day at Southern Sun Farm as we said "Goodbye" to two long time residents. Rocky was 33 years old. This spunky little guy had no quit in him and ruled the barn for years. Ultimately, no matter what we tried, we could not keep weight on him and to put him thru another winter would not have been fair to him.
Bucky, the Paint pony, had an inoperable cancer in his eye and was already over 30 years old. We considered removing this sweet pony's whole eye, but at his age, we opted not to put him through that surgery. This is the hard part of what we do, but the horses deserve the love and respect that it takes for us to take this step. When it's their time to go, we always groom them and tie flowing ribbons in their manes and tails, so they can feel special one last time. They are all buried here at the Farm. God Bless little Rocky and Bucky, they will be missed...

11/07/2023

AWWW! Sometimes when Ms. Ann and Jeri Allison: Animal and Pet Portraits are moving horses from one pasture to another, the dogs are not an asset! Left to right, Amos, Angus and Codi ... they lobbied longer than this video is, but it didn't change the result ... pups had to stay home for this one ...