Old McDarling's Farm Rescue & Sanctuary, Inc.

01/02/2025

Tomorrow starts the new year off with a somber beginning. We will say goodbye to our oldest Matriarch, Nana.

Nana arrived here in February of 2024 and her life prior to joining us was not a good one. When she arrived, she was terrified, afraid of people and hands and we estimated her age to be close to 16. Arthritis had already reared its ugly head and she had some difficulty walking but it didn’t stop her. She was introduced to the angoras, who quickly took her into their family and under their wing. It took a little bit of time but she quickly learned that not all hands would hurt her but that they brought good things and much love.

Nana has declined over the last 3 months. Last week, I found Nana down. She’d either lost her footing or had been knocked down. I quickly carried her to her stall, where the angoras gathered to make sure she was okay. They didn’t leave her side. She could stand if I helped her but not for long. Since that day, I have gotten her up several times a day to stretch and to drink water. She is eating and drinking but can no longer navigate on her own.

There are no easy decisions running a sanctuary. But I let every person speak to me. She’s told me she’s tired. I see it in her face and when we sit together, she simply leans into me as though she needs that extra soft place because she’s no longer comfortable. Medicine can only do so much.

The promise I make to every single person who arrives, which is also our mission statement, is that they get to live their lives here with dignity and without pain. I feel strongly about that statement and hold true to my promises. Because of that promise, I want to ensure that she goes on her terms, with dignity and before the pain becomes too much.

Tomorrow is her freedom day. The day that she gets to hold her head high and be released from the mess of a body she’s in. She will go painlessly and will be free to run in her new body. Gilly will be waiting for her, along with all the others who have gone before her, letting her know it’s okay.

Please think of Nana as we navigate this next chapter in her life. Her life was and is special and should be celebrated. Help me celebrate how beautiful she truly is. ❤️

01/01/2025

As I reflect on this year 2024, I have much to be thankful for.

Wonderful supporters like you, amazing people who both entrust me and our rescue with the special beings who become a part of the family we have here, and all the people who reside here at the Sanctuary.

This year has been a year of ups and downs. We have gained beautiful people and we have also lost them. It’s the blessing & the curse of running a sanctuary. It breaks your heart yet it in some way makes the heart stronger. The fact is, the people who arrive here come mostly from less than stellar circumstances. They didn’t get to choose their path, but we take our mission statement seriously, allowing them all to live out the rest of their lives with dignity and without pain.

Your support has been uplifting and helps us realize that we can continue. We will continue. Looking into the year 2025, we have some goals. We hope to reach those goals and we hope you’ll stick around to help us, support us, donate, so that you can see those goals come to life WITH us, not just FOR us. Because if it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t be. For that, we…I…will forever be eternally grateful to each and every one of you.

Thank you for being a part of this journey. For watching us grow, healing our hearts when they break and rejoicing in the accomplishments and wins we share together.

We love you. We appreciate you always and here’s to a year that’s even better than the one that is quickly coming to an end.

Happy New Year, friends. 🥳

12/29/2024

Y’all remember Chicken Nubbie, the one legged chicken that survived not only the hurricane in the south but also getting her leg taken off by a predator? Guess what, y’all! She’s doing AMAZING and has now laid three eggs in the last 4 days!!

This girl loves to purr, she loves to cuddle and she is living a happy life (currently) in the house. She’s inside because prior to coming to us, she had been inside recovering from her wounds so the transition to the cold wouldn’t be good for her now. So, she is warm and content here with me and her friends and will transition full time in the spring. In the meantime, LOOK AT HER CUTENESS!!! Oh, and her most adorable little eggs ❤️❤️

12/25/2024

From all of us here at the Sanctuary, we wish you and yours a Merry Christmas!!

12/24/2024

Friends! We are in desperate need of a heated hose here at the sanctuary to replace our (now) dead one! With the cold temps, this is the best and easiest way to get all the people watered during the winter. Please check out our Amazon Wishlist, which includes the hose.

Thank you so much for your support

12/23/2024

The 2024 Santa run sponsored by Solomons Volunteer Rescue Squad and Fire Department has come and gone. Our goat ambassador, Basil, joins me every year and tonight he was decked out for the holidays. We look forward to this every year! Thank you!!!

12/23/2024

Every year, Basil (our Ambassador goat) joins me at the end of the driveway to see Santa. This year, we went in style and he was all decked out for the holidays! Thank you, Solomons Volunteer Rescue Squad and Fire Department for doing this each year, it’s a treat for us and for all the people in our neighborhood. And hey Mrs. Claus, Basil was sooooo excited to get his candy canes!! Thank you thank you!!

12/19/2024

We want to thank each and every one of you who voted (1086 votes, y’all!!) for our tree this year at the Lights of Kindness event. This year far surpassed the votes we have gotten at past events and we are so thankful to all of you who took the time to help us, both in person and online.

This will help so much, particularly as we move into the winter months when our hay & feed bills climb so we can keep all the people warm and healthy.

We appreciate your support so we can continue our mission in helping those less fortunate live out their lives with dignity.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to all. ❤️

12/18/2024

I love when these videos include us ❤️❤️

12/15/2024

A little over 25 hours left to vote! Voting closes at 4 pm on 12/16! If you haven’t voted and are able, please follow the link to do so! If you are unable, share! We still have time! 50% of the votes come back to our sanctuary and there are additional money donations for the top three trees!

Thank you so much!!

Instead of “Why did this have to happen?” the founders asked “How can we keep this from happening to someone else?” Of course, none of us are cancer researchers, and we can’t – on our own, at least – come up with enough opportunities for all of the kids who want to volunteer in their c...

12/12/2024

Only a couple more days! Voting goes through December 16th!

VOTING IS STILL OPEN!!! You have through December 16th to vote!! We are tree #26!

Each vote is $1.00. You can offer as many votes as you’d like - the more the better!

Our sanctuary - our PEOPLE - receives 50% of each vote and the rest goes to the sponsor of the event, Rotary.

Get your votes in, friends!!! Help us raise some money!! Tree #26!

Instead of “Why did this have to happen?” the founders asked “How can we keep this from happening to someone else?” Of course, none of us are cancer researchers, and we can’t – on our own, at least – come up with enough opportunities for all of the kids who want to volunteer in their c...

12/11/2024

A little throw back to little Skye before she turned into a big girl ❤️ (I don’t own rights to the music)

12/11/2024

What is “normal” anyway?

12/09/2024

VOTING IS STILL OPEN!!! You have through December 16th to vote!! We are tree #26!

Each vote is $1.00. You can offer as many votes as you’d like - the more the better!

Our sanctuary - our PEOPLE - receives 50% of each vote and the rest goes to the sponsor of the event, Rotary.

Get your votes in, friends!!! Help us raise some money!! Tree #26!

Instead of “Why did this have to happen?” the founders asked “How can we keep this from happening to someone else?” Of course, none of us are cancer researchers, and we can’t – on our own, at least – come up with enough opportunities for all of the kids who want to volunteer in their c...

12/07/2024

Rhenny still comes in each night for grain and snackies. She was a bit annoyed that I wasn’t ready for it when the door opened 😂

12/05/2024

UPDATE: They've fixed it and our photo now shows beautifully on the website! Yay!

VOTING IS OPEN!!! We are tree #26!

The online voting is open, friends! I’m pasting the link below. We are not happy with the blurry picture that was uploaded of our tree so I have asked that it be replaced with a good picture.

So, I am showing you the pic here which lets you zoom in all all the faces on the ornaments and our signs, which read “away in a manger”…”always room for a bed”.

Each vote is $1.00. You can offer as many votes as you’d like - the more the better! Voting is also in person at Homestead Gardens but only for a couple of days. Online voting goes through December 16th. Our charity receives 50% of each vote and the rest goes to the sponsor of the event, Rotary.

Get your votes in, friends!!! Help us raise some money!! Tree #26!

https://www.rotarylightsofkindness.org/copy-of-2023-trees

12/05/2024

was a HUGE hit y’all! Wyatt’s goal was to hit me with 10 pies and we came sooo close!! We hit a total of $901 - 9 pies!!

Thank you so much to all who gave - we are grateful and so thankful for your support and love. I don’t think you know how much this will help, especially as we move through the winter months.

Pie in face day is TBD but I promise it won’t take as long as last time!! Will keep you updated and get the date set soon so you can mark your calendars!!

12/04/2024

We are super excited to announce that we have a spot again this year at the Homestead Gardens Lights of Kindness event. Each year, nonprofit organizations are sponsored by businesses and/or families. The nonprofit organizations decorate their trees and once the event opens, you can see the trees in person and vote on your favorite(s) either in person or online!

Today, Michelle Doell & Ginny Hinders joined in decorating our tree, to honor both our past and present people here at the sanctuary and we think it turned out perfectly!

Watch for more information on the event and voting - this has been a fabulous fundraising event for us and we hope you’ll join in! For now, have a look at our “Away in a Manger” tree and enjoy!