Photo credit: Jennifer and Mandy Reutter |
Dear Friends of Rosie's, It has been an incredible year at Rosie’s Farm Sanctuary, thanks to every one of you.
It is pretty amazing how much hope and joy a sanctuary can bring, not just to animals but also to people. I am an eternal optimist, but over the past year I have found it hard to be hopeful with all of the devastating news around the world. When I am at Rosies, I forget about all of the negative news. Instead, I become distracted by the silly antics and affection of all of our rescued animals. I open the main gate and am immediately swarmed by our gang of goats demanding food and scratches. I then hear Mama, one of our mini horses, neighing loudly to get my attention because she also wants treats and love. Before I can even make my way over to her, the cows call out to me. They make me laugh because they actually sound more like elephants than cows. And the pigs… don’t even get me started about the pigs! They are hilarious. They are all so proud of the fact that they can “sit for treats” now. One by one, the piggies all sit in hopes that I will give them watermelon, apples, melons or anything actually. They are indiscriminate. This warms my heart and nothing feels more important than caring for and loving these animals.
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It is not just the animals who are cheering me up. It is all of you. Your support, involvement, positive words, donations, and offers to volunteer, restore my faith in humanity and give me hope for our future. When I speak to people (both older and younger) around the sanctuary, I hear stories of how being at the sanctuary cheers them up, too. It just feels good to be around happy and free animals. Sanctuary is not just for them. It is for our community as well. We get to be nourished and safe and accepted at Rosie’s Farm Sanctuary. Rosies is a place where everyone is someone.
We have had enormous growth this year. We welcomed well over a thousand people to Rosies to attend tours and events, as well as to volunteer. A special shout-out to Jason for leading so many tours this year — which was a surprise line item to his job description. |
This year, we were covered by the press several times, including The Washington Post, Maryland Matters, Animal Outlook and Sentient Media. We had a bunch of Dodo episodes about life at Rosies and rescues we made. And, our social media numbers started to climb this year (a special thank you to Carrie Frey, Jason Bolalek and Shivani Nelson). We received hundreds of sign-ups for our newsletter, before we even started it! It is evident that people are looking to help and looking for feel better about life. We also built a new website and have some great responses to it.
On the animal front, we took in pigs, sheep and birds this year. These animals are thriving and fully integrated with the rest of our residents. We started an informal foster program: a lonely and neglected duck, who we helped find sanctuary; and an energetic puppy, who found his dream home with a wonderful family. We also welcomed in little Velvet, Jason’s pittie-mix puppy, who is developing lots of friendships of her own at Rosies. We formed a new Board with members Carrie Frey, Craig Waldman, DJ Rosenthal, Peggy Cusack, Shivani Nelson, and Michele Waldman. I am looking forward to their strategic guidance and input as we continue to grow our little sanctuary. |
Looking forward to 2024… we are planning on offering more school and educational programs, a Spring Open House, even more tours and experiences for people to get to know the animals, and to continue working on advocacy. We also plan to continue striving to reach more and more people through social media and conferences in order to expose the truth about the cruel realities of animal agriculture. We aim to inspire compassion in the hearts of all people and heal the wounds between farmed animals and humans.
I am so grateful for your support of Rosie’s Farm Sanctuary. I created this sanctuary with the dream of building community. Rosies is your sanctuary, too!
Warmly, Michele |
A Big Thanks to our Community |
From volunteering to bringing us produce and pumpkins, from donations of blankets for the piggies to growing our social media platforms four-fold, we are completely in awe of our wonderful community!
And a continued thanks for your financial support, which allows us to take the best care of our resident animals as well as give us the ability to achieve our mission of a compassionate world through education and advocacy. If you are in a position to do some end of year giving this season, we deeply appreciate any contributions great or small and your dollars do indeed save lives!
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Have You "Herd?": Advocacy and Outreach - by Michele |
Farm Sanctuary’s Sasha Prasad-Shreckengast showing Jason Bolalek how to use the camera for the PTSD Study |
Many of you have surely seen the adorable new face at Rosie's: Marty the potbelly piglet. Marty arrived on December 14th from North Carolina, escaping from a harrowing domestic violence situation.
In July 2023, I learned that Farm Sanctuary’s Research Team had an ongoing investigation into whether rescued farmed animals experienced symptoms of PTSD. Some of you may be aware that I am a licensed Psychotherapist, specializing in PTSD. As this is a major field of interest for me, I reached out on behalf of Rosie’s Farm Sanctuary and asked if we could participate in the study. I am excited to share that our new piglet, Marty, is officially in the study.
The study does not require any intervention or change in Marty’s lifestyle. He will merely be observed on camera, during his daily activities. The study explores whether farmed animals, who have histories of trauma, exhibit symptoms of PTSD. It also assesses the impact of living in sanctuary on PTSD and whether these symptoms subside over time.
We are honored to be working with Farm Sanctuary in this study to help people understand more about the emotional world of farmed animals. We also hope that this will bring about increased legislation to protect animals. Find out more about the Farm Sanctuary PTSD Study ›› |
Compassion Corner - by Sanctuary Manager Jason Bolalek |
One of my jobs here at Rosie’s is giving tours, something I enjoy and take pride in. It is truly heartwarming to witness the joy and wonder on people's faces as they interact with our gentle and charismatic residents, species they normally would never come into contact with. From cuddling with Moose or Mickey, or giving tummy rubs to Dani & Sunshine, each encounter creates a connection that is both memorable and transformative.
As I guide visitors around the sanctuary, I embrace the opportunity to educate and enlighten them about our food system and about the power of veganism. It is a chance to share the stories of our animal residents, their journey from suffering to safety, and the profound impact our choices have on their lives. Through engaging discussions and thought-provoking experiences, I aim to create a safe space for visitors to learn and reflect on the ethical, environmental, and health benefits of a vegan lifestyle.
Witnessing the transformation in people's perspectives is so rewarding. Many visitors leave with a newfound understanding and a desire to make conscious choices that align with their values. It is immensely gratifying to know that I have played some small part in inspiring others to embrace compassion and make a positive change in their lives and the lives of animals. Giving tours at Rosie’s is not just a means to share the beauty of our animal residents, but also a powerful platform to advocate for them. It is my passion to create a world where animals are respected and cruelty-free choices are embraced. Through these tours, I hope to empower individuals to become ambassadors for change and to promote a kinder and more sustainable future for all beings. Come visit us!!
~Jason |
Come Visit, Come Volunteer! |
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Come get to know our animals and learn more about compassionate living! We offer community or private tours. |
| | We need help with all aspects of running the sanctuary and organization, and we'd love your help or special skills! |
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Rosie's Recommended Recipes
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These delicious spiced molasses cookies from Love and Lemons are perfect for the holiday season and cold, wintry days!
Ingredients - ½ cup unsalted room temperature vegan butter or soft (not melted) coconut oil
- ⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
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⅓ cup unsulphured blackstrap molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
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½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon water, more if necessary
- ⅓ cup cane sugar, for rolling
Instructions - Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Add the molasses and vanilla and mix again.
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In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, cardamom, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing after each addition. Mix in the 1 tablespoon water.
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Use a 2-inch cookie scoop to scoop the dough and use your hands to roll it into balls. If the dough feels dry, mix in 1/2 tablespoon additional water. Roll the cookie dough balls in the sugar and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Press down slightly on the tops of the balls and bake for 10 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and cracking on top. Remove and let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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