Star Gazing Farm, Animal Sanctuary

31/12/2024

Hi. I'm Stephanie. I'm not a wolf (or a woof, as my mom likes to call me). I'm an Anatolian shepherd. But I love to howl. I sing for all the animals. I can't tell if they appreciate it or not. But I have music in my soul so I have to sing!
You can hear me here! Stephanie's howl, take 1: https://www.stargazingfarm.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Stephanie-howling.mp3
Or here: Stephanie's howl, take 2: https://www.stargazingfarm.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Steph-2.mp3
Or here: Stephanie's howl, take 3: https://www.stargazingfarm.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Stephanie-howling-1.mp3
I thought you might let me serenade you at midnight when you welcome in the new year.

So my mom has the Big Bad Flu today. It's really hard when the Human In Charge is out of commission. No champagne for her! But she's a tough old broad (oops don't tell her I said that) so pretty soon we'll be back to getting served our dinners and taught poetry and getting regular massages. For today: I'm in charge! so listen up!!

YOU make this farm work through your contributions and support. My goodness, you were so wonderful to work with Santa this year to bring us all kinds of beautiful treats and gifts.

Now ... wait for it ... amazingly, you can still donate for 2024!! https://www.stargazingfarm.org/how-to-help/donate/ You can also sponsor one of our animals (I am honestly the most cool animal to sponsor - just saying). https://shop.stargazingfarm.org/sponsor-an-animal/

Did you know that we have extremely low overhead costs, so your donation does not go to administration - it goes right to the hay supplier, the feed store, the farrier, the veterinarian. In other words, you can help in a very direct way by donating!

And for the new year - think about volunteering. https://www.stargazingfarm.org/how-to-help/volunteer/ We always need volunteers to help with animal care (massages would be top of my list) and doing exotic things like mucking barns.

Thank you for your kindness, and I wish each and every one of you a beautiful, happy, and healthy new year.

Yours on behalf of Farmer Anne and the whole crew here,

Stephanie

27/12/2024

Bruno, having a word with Gladys the vulture. Gladys and her friend Oliver have been coming to the farm every day for at least 15 years. They are accepted as permanent guests.

25/12/2024

He came! Santa came to our farm and he brought his beautiful wife Mrs. Claus! Oh what a wonderful world, oh what a wonderful farm, oh how wonderful is Santa Claus.

We want to thank each and every one of you who has read our Santa Letters this year, and each and every one who has been moved to send a gift or sponsor an animal.

It’s your help that keeps us singing that this farm is a joyful place!

With love from all of us at Star Gazing Farm.

24/12/2024

Santa Claus? Hello Santa Claus? Are you coming still? We are outside waiting for you.

Look, it’s me Dolly and my sister Shannon, our husband Dwayne (that’s a long story so don’t ask) and our children William and Willow. And also the nicest goats on the farm Gilbert and Tony. We’ve got the lights on, cookies all ready for you, and the naughty goats are put away so they don’t head butt your reindeer.

Dearest Santa, many of us have asked you for presents this year and guess what? They have been arriving, day by day. It’s so exciting to open the packages! The goats have been eating the boxes.

Some of our presents haven’t been promised yet and we will wait for those – maybe you can put in a few extra items for us in your overflowing sleigh? https://santa.stargazingfarm.org/wishlist/

And some of us still haven’t been sponsored! That is the best Christmas treat of all because love is the most important thing in the world. https://shop.stargazingfarm.org/sponsor-an-animal/

Santa, I hope that you will visit other animals. Please help them to keep warm, to find enough food, and to get out of situations that are not good for them. Just look at us. If we can do it, then anything is possible.

Santa, if you come at midnight, you know that we will be speaking!

Love,

Dolly
and Shannon, William, Willow, Dwayne, Gilbert and Tony
and all the rest of the gang
Star Gazing Farm
16760 Whites Store Road
Boyds, MD 20841

23/12/2024

My kind sir:

I write to you today with both greetings and misgivings. In fact, I write to you to beseech you to aid me in my troubles. As I am sure you are aware, I have lived many years on this earth, twenty, in fact, having come to this fine establishment eight years past.

Oh, from time to time I’ve had my difficulties with the upstart goose George (not to be confused with George the pig or George the chinchilla). But we work out our difficulties in a goose-like fashion (with my flapping of wings and screaming at high and annoying pitches). Until recently life worked quite well. And then the females came. There are four of them now, and they are brutal, unrelenting bullies. Might I say that being bullies was STRICTLY George’s and my job. We have been usurped.

In this letter I shall propose to you a few things that would improve my quality of life (besides asking those female geese to find other lodgings). I do believe quality of life should always be considered, especially as one reaches a more mature, and shall we say, advanced age?

First, while the cold weather does not particularly trouble me, it does cause problems with water. To be specific, it is frozen. Please consider sending me this very fine water bowl that can be plugged in so that I may drink at my leisure, no matter the weather? https://tinyurl.com/heated-water-bowl-for-louie

Second, the whole farm has gotten quite enthused about supplements and vitamins this year. I, too, have researched the matter and have discovered that Brewers Yeast is quite good for Anatidae (that is my general scientific family, should you not be in the know). https://tinyurl.com/brewers-yeast-for-louie

One more thing: Santa, sometimes those cheeky little goats squeeze into our feeding area and try to steal our food. This is bad. It’s bad for them to eat our food and it’s bad for us to not eat our food. I think that this treadle-feeder would help us a lot. It would mean I could eat whenever I feel like it, but the cafeteria will otherwise be closed. https://tinyurl.com/feeder-for-louie

OK Santa my dear, could you kindly send me a sponsor for the season? I would be very nice to them, especially if they bring me some treats like fresh greens or blueberries! Sadly, I am not beyond being bribed. But then, who is?

https://shop.stargazingfarm.org/product/louie/

In closing, I remain respectfully yours,

Louie
Star Gazing Farm
16760 Whites Store Road
Boyds, MD 20841

For a list of other things our animals have asked you for, you can visit https://santa.stargazingfarm.org/wishlist/

23/12/2024

Mr. Santa! I’m sending you two photos of me because I thought you’d like to see me in my various moods. I can be “in your face George!” or I can be “sweet as pie in your arms George.” I’m entitled because I’m an old guy. Do you know how old? Would you like to know how old? I am FIFTEEN! That’s a record for a chinchilla. But I have my young friend Billy to keep me on my toes. I do sleep more than I used to, but I’m still feisty and will gladly chew on your finger if you offer it to me. Someone gave me up many years ago because I was “too much work.” What balderdash. I’m what they call an “easy keeper”. I’m decorative, I’m cute as a button, I’m entertaining (watch me run and bounce off the walls) and I’m worthy of being cared for.

Now, Santa, as quite the elderly fellow, I could use some extra vitamins in my diet: https://tinyurl.com/vitamins-for-george

And as playful fellow, I’d LOVE a new hidey hut castle – ours is pretty much gone to seed with all the chewing and peeing we’ve done on it (sorry, not a nice story but a true one). We LOVE to hide and go in and out of this little castle. https://tinyurl.com/hidey-hut-for-george

Can I be practical for a moment? This is not what you’d call a “sexy gift” but the pans in our multi-story condo have seen better days. Yes, OK, I admit, we’ve peed on them and chewed them, too. But there is only so much scrubbing that can be done on a very old pan. I’ll be your elves would agree with this. Here is the top shelf: https://tinyurl.com/replacement-pan-for-george
and here is the bottom one! https://tinyurl.com/replacement-pan-2-for-george

I’m asking for a lot today, Santa. Don’t you think senior citizens should be able to ask for more gifts? I do! In fact, I think they should get one extra gift for each extra year they have on earth! So here is what I’d like – some crunchy treats! Oh, how we love to chew on things, Santa! https://tinyurl.com/crunchy-treats-for-george

Now we need to discuss an issue: I have not gotten a sponsor in a very, very long time. I’m sorry that I nibbled on the thumb of my last sponsor. I can’t promise I won’t do it again, but I still think it would be nice to have someone special who cares about me, don’t you?

https://shop.stargazingfarm.org/product/george-the-chinchilla/

OK! That’s it! Oh – I should mention that any gift that I get will be shared with my best buddy Billy. If you were thinking that a tiny animal who only weighs a few ounces should only get so many gifts. There are TWO of us who weigh a few ounces and that should count for something, right?

Santa, thanks for reading, over and out!

George
Star Gazing Farm
16760 Whites Store Road
Boyds, MD 20841
For a list of other things our animals have asked you for, you can visit https://santa.stargazingfarm.org/wishlist/

23/12/2024

Hi Santa Claus, it’s me, Dexter.

Remember I came here last year because my daddy got a really bad sickness called ALS. We were so sad to say goodbye to each other, and I miss him. But I have new friends here including a lady who holds me for hours while we listen to books. I like listening to books. My daddy was very educated, so I like to try to keep up my intellectual skills.

I’m really old, though, Santa, and my body isn’t very fast anymore. I guess I’m a bit like my daddy. I need special care every day, but I still have a great appetite and love watching the action in the bunny room. I wanted to ask you for a few things to help make me more comfortable?

Naturally, the first thing I need are these cookies: https://tinyurl.com/fenugreek-cookies-for-dexter They have fenugreek in them which is very healthy!

As you may know, being a senior citizen yourself, our digestions are not quite what they used to be. There is a very nice supplement that we rabbits can eat every day to help our little tummies stay in order. https://tinyurl.com/benebac-for-dexter

Now, my bedding has to be changed every day and sometimes twice a day. They always try to give me these really soft little pillows so my feetsies are comfy. But sometimes they are in the wash. (I think we only have 2). It would be so wonderful to always have a fresh pillow on hand so that I can rest like a little prince. https://tinyurl.com/pillows-for-dexter

Santa, would you please send someone to sponsor me? I can’t promise how long I will be around, because I’m very very old, but I am still cheerful and greet every day with a very, tiny little hop of joy to be alive!

https://shop.stargazingfarm.org/product/dexter/

Bye bye for now Santa,

Dexter
Star Gazing Farm
16760 Whites Store Road
Boyds, MD 20841

For a list of other things our animals have asked you for, you can visit https://santa.stargazingfarm.org/wishlist/

22/12/2024

Well now hello there Santa. We haven’t met yet. You might think you don’t want to meet me because of my name, but it’s a nickname from my old life. Ah, those days of peeing on my beard to attract women. Sigh. They could detect me from miles around. I fathered several babies, two of whom live with me at the farm now. Not that they ever listen to anything I say. Old Pa has no wisdom to impart to such young whippersnappers.

It’s true, I had a few dalliances when I first arrived here with Miriam (an old gal but game) and Caroline (she never left the fence that, alas, separated us from having a true romance). But they insisted here that I get educated (they called it “tutoring”) and I learned the error of my ways. I’ve gone back to my wife Esme (mother of my children). I think some congratulations are in order?

See, we were living at this place where the guy who was supposed to give us food didn’t exactly show up all the time. Some people around the neighborhood got their panties in a twist about it and so the whole gang of us got deported. It’s OK, I’m cool with this new joint – free food all the time and beautiful women.

Now: first things first. I am petitioning the social security administration to get a formal name change to “Sweet Pete”. They keep returning my letters saying that they don’t handle goat cases. Can you help me out?

Santa, it’s dark here in the winter time. And our feeding spot is dark. We have one of these lights in there already, but there is none at the entrance and let me tell you, when it’s feeding time there is a huge rush like at Macy’s on Black Friday. It’s craziness. We really need another light: https://tinyurl.com/light-for-stinky-pete

So I’m a little goat. My children are little goats. My wife is a little goat. Little goats like to play on, in and all around structures. We like to climb and jump and generally cause a ruckus. Someday … someday we would like to have a Noah’s Ark like this one: https://tinyurl.com/noahs-ark-for-stinky-pete It would also be a good place for the occasional secret tryst, if you get my drift.

Back to reality: Snacks. we need snacks. Ginger snaps, animal crackers, or these AMAZING looking dried pumpkin treats. It says they are for dogs, but forget that. Dogs won’t eat those, but we WILL! https://tinyurl.com/pumpkin-treats-for-stinky-pete

Hey Santa, a few people have sponsored me this year and let me tell you that it is a real honor. But … I’m in a competition with Jean-Claude to see who gets more sponsorships. I’d really like to win!

https://shop.stargazingfarm.org/product/sponsor-stinky-pete/

Good chatting with you Santa, and see you again I hope!

Your friend,
Stinky Pete
Star Gazing Farm
16760 Whites Store Road
Boyds, MD 20841

Check out what my other friends have asked for! https://santa.stargazingfarm.org/wishlist/

21/12/2024

Hiya Santa,

Did you know that I came here as just a pipsqueak of a goat with my best friend Vinnie? We climbed trees and got into all sorts of nonsense, as any really good goat will do.

I lost my best friend last year to a bad disease and I still miss him, but I have two new friends here: Caroline, who is very naughty, and Gilbert, who is very nice. Santa, I’m 11 years old now and I have a pretty bad arthritic condition. Oh, I get around well enough (especially for good-night cookies at the back door, my favorite time of day). But I need a bit more TLC.

It’s going to be getting very cold, Santa. Usually I don’t need a coat. I snuggle up with my friends in the deep straw and under the heat lamps and I’m fine! But I feel that this year I’d do better with a bit of stylish covering. I’d need a size large. https://tinyurl.com/coat-for-tony

To go along with my fashion statement, I could really use a collar. Gilbert and Caroline both have collars. (most goats need collars because they are always doing something naughty and need to be led away). Here is a very cool one (size 18-26): https://tinyurl.com/snazzy-collar-for-tony

Getting down to brass tacks, though, Santa! I think with your living at the North Pole you probably understand the physics of freezing. In particular, freezing water. Scientific research, however, has yielded the most amazing thing: heated water buckets! We are low on these, and they are such a blessing for us and our human caretakers on those blustery, arctic days. https://tinyurl.com/heated-bucket-for-tony

Santa, I’ve had some truly wonderful sponsors over the years! Why, I remember one lady who showed up with a full bag of fig newtons (she bought the store out) because she knew I loved those. Please send me more cookie-bearing sponsors this year!

https://shop.stargazingfarm.org/product/tony/

I hope that you will have a bit of time off soon to enjoy with the lovely Mrs. Claus and please don’t work those reindeer too hard!

Your pal,

Tony
Star Gazing Farm
16760 Whites Store Road
Boyds, MD 20841

20/12/2024

Oooh Santa Santa! Who are you? Everyone is talking about you but it seems to me you are very large and very red and very far away.

Bilbo, silly, don’t you know about Santa Claus? He’s the nicest person on the planet.

He is? Then why is he so big and far away and why that silly beard?

Bilbo! Don’t insult the man! He helped us get to this farm and out of the animal shelter. Remember that? People passing us by every day, back and forth, back and forth, never even glancing in our direction. Remember?

Ummm. Maybe.

OK then, Bilbo, this is our chance to tell him what things we might need for Christmas.

Brucie, what is Christmas?

(Brucie shakes his little head, as much as any guinea pig can shake their heads).

Bilbo, let’s go! Let’s ask him for what we want, ok?

Dear Santa, please forgive little Bilbo. He’s got a good heart but has a lot to learn about the world. So Santa – did you know that guinea pigs love to play hide and seek? We saw this little red barn and thought, AHA, that would be so much fun to hide in! https://tinyurl.com/hideout-for-b-b

Wait – Bilbo just said he likes this one, too, because he can chew on it and it smells like the fields of hay! https://tinyurl.com/timothy-hideout-for-b-b

We also love to chew! Look at this really yummy lollipop made of hay! https://tinyurl.com/hay-pop-for-b-b

Santa, Bilbo said he heard the rabbits talking about sponsors. We don’t know what those are but the rabbits really like them, so we do too!

https://shop.stargazingfarm.org/product/bilbo-and-brucie/

We are both very very cute, but we are still a bit shy so we’d love for a special someone to come and visit with us and hold us close under their chin. That is the coziest feeling ever!

Bye bye bye Santa!

Brucie and Bilbo
Star Gazing Farm
16760 Whites Store Road
Boyds, MD 20841

19/12/2024

Oopsie. And this, folks, is our life here. (Petey extricated himself without any damage to himself. No comment on the fence).

18/12/2024

Mon cher Saint Nicolas,

C’est moi, the Jean-Claude and how happy indeed I am to meet you once again. I am pleased to report that my preeminence as most handsome animal on the farm persists, and is doubted by no one. Eh bien, but how could it be? You, Santa, have not the elegance of the Jean-Claude but you are a kindly person who dresses well, and that accounts for a great deal. Monsieur Santa, may I please ask you for just a few tiny little things this year?

Did you know that llamas do not really lick? Oh, occasionally the maladapted one may try to lick someone or something, but we consider this to be very outré. Non, we much prefer to delicately nibble. Therefore, the salt blocks which you have so generously donated to the large cows do not suit us. No, they do not at all. What we require is something more delicate, plus raffiné. You see, this very finely ground salt would be just perfect for me. I cannot say for my colleagues Pearl, Marguerite and Dingy, but I suspect they may share my sentiments. https://tinyurl.com/loose-salt-for-jc

Monsieur – may I provide a brief lesson on the toilet habits of camelids? Eh bien, you see we are not like the impossibly messy cows who simply plop their enormous waste in piles everywhere so that those less careful may step in them. Nor are we like the sheep, who walk while pooping. M***e, that is a terrible sight. Mais non! We have our own private toilets. We designate a few spots on the farm and then use these exclusively. They must be cleaned up regularly, but, hélas, the shovels, they do not work so well. This is a very fine and handsomely decorated ‘pooper scooper’ exclusively designed for llamas and alpacas. This will enable the people who serve us to greatly enhance the sanitation of our WCs. https://tinyurl.com/pooper-scooper-for-jc

C’est tout, monsieur le Santa! Ah, except may you please send to me a sponsor or several sponsors? If they shall bring me the baby carrots, I will be glad to engage in polite conversation with them.
https://shop.stargazingfarm.org/product/jean-claude/

It has been a pleasure, my dear sir,

Jean-Claude
Star Gazing Farm
16760 Whites Store Road
Boyds, MD 20841

Star Gazing Farm is a farm animal sanctuary in Maryland.

17/12/2024

Hiya Santa! It’s me, Mamie. Santa, so you remember how cute I am!? I can run around and around in circles and then jump up on you and knock you down. Sometimes I’m kind of a noisy little dog. And very nervous. But very cute. (Santa, please remember my history: I was locked in a cage for many years being forced to have babies over and over again. I know I have some PTSD from that.)

I love love love my people, but I hate hate hate it when they aren’t paying attention to me. I don’t know why I’m so anxious, because I know they love me and they DO pay a lot of attention to me. As I get older, though, I am able to reflect a little on my own self. I try to meditate with my mom every day. (but usually I just fall asleep).

So I thought, why not try better living through chemistry? I read this article that said these calming chews are top rated (A+). I’d be willing to try them out to see if it takes the edge off of my anxiety. https://tinyurl.com/calming-chews-for-mamie

I can tell you, also, that I do love chewing on bones. There is something incredibly soothing about chewing. These bones are just messy enough to annoy mom and just yummy enough to keep me busy for hours and hours. When I finish with them, she stuffs them with peanut butter and now THERE is a good project. https://tinyurl.com/chewbones-for-mamie

Santa, I loved meeting you last weekend. You are so big and kind to animals. I noticed, though, that the humans were having some difficulty staying awake. It seems that their coffee carafe BROKE! Now, I do sneak some coffee myself from time to time (don’t even start about how that makes me nervous), so I can understand why the humans need easy access to their caffeine. This type of carafe would be very good for them! https://tinyurl.com/coffee-carafe-for-mamie

Santa, I honestly can’t remember the last time someone sponsored me. All the big dogs seem to get the attention, but that’s really unfair. That’s anti-short-dogism. So please send me someone who will want to come and play with me!

https://shop.stargazingfarm.org/product/mamie/

Santa, I wish you came more than once a year – would you come in the summertime? That would be so much fun! You can jump in the pool with me, wheeeee!

Love you Santa,

Mamie
Star Gazing Farm
16760 Whites Store Road
Boyds, MD 20841