For my birthday this year, I asked my Taster to take me to visit the Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge. What a great choice! We interacted with so many stellar beings, from the friendly staff to a little rooster who let me hold him. I’m thinking about our trip because I’m going to their annual Benefit for Animals tomorrow, where you can bid to have me cook you dinner as one of the silent-auction prizes.
The sheep committee greeted us as we started the tour. Such personalities!
We fed the sheep through the gate to their house and pasture. They can knock you over in their eagerness for noms.
This sheep enjoyed getting a good scratch from Natalie, our tour guide. Refuge founder Lenore Braford is in the center. I apologize for not using the animals’ names in this post. Natalie and Lenore knew the names of everyone, down to the smallest chicken.
The tour featured another of my interests: creative architecture. Lenore’s husband, Paul Drake, designed all the buildings to make the animals happy and comfortable. For example, goats like to climb and eat, so he drew up this feeding ladder.
The goats can also romp around a spacious pasture and climb on rocks for a better view. The Refuge is on 20 acres of pasture and woods between Chapel Hill and Pittsboro, North Carolina.
We learned that turkeys communicate in part through the color of their wattles. This tom sported a lovely shade of blue.
These two turkey friends stick close to each other at all times. Best bird friends!
This is what the housing part of “free range” should look like. The chickens can go outside to the pasture to see the sky and eat bugs. They enjoy perching on the rafters and ladders in their home.
During our visit, these two ducks shared this pond and the duck house. They paddled along the edges together.
Request your own tour of the Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge here or look for a sanctuary near where you live. It’s great fun and a moving experience for families, school groups, scout troops, and any group working for a kinder world.
Recipes and food news
Subscribe for recipes, tips, and news.
