HEEFS May 2018 newsletter
/Your donations...hard at work at HEEFS!
The very generous donations we get from our supporters are what allow us to keep our barn doors open and provide food, shelter and medical care for all of our residents. Because Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary relies 100% on donations to operate, we are thankful for every dollar we receive and we carefully ensure that not a cent is wasted. After we are sure that all of our residents' needs can be met, we sometimes have a little left over for special projects that help enrich the lives of those who call HEEFS home.
Keeping it fresh!
Being in Canada with our extremely cold winters and hot, humid summers, keeping our produce at the peak of freshness for our residents has been a challenge...until now!
Some of the monthly and one-time donations we receive from our very generous supporters has been used to purchase this three door fridge storage unit. This unit, located right in our barn, and will allow us to keep our fresh fruit, veggies and medications that require refrigeration, at the perfect temperature year 'round. With all of this temperature-controlled space, we'll have less spoilage and more nutritious food for our esidents to enjoy.
Personal space takes on a whole new meaning at HEEFS
At Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary we are always balancing the need for our residents to have their own safe and secure space with their need to mix and mingle with friends and just run free and play. That's why we have different pastures for different residents and a gate and fencing system that allows us to expand and contract the space for each pasture, as needed.
Recently, we've updated our gate systems in the goat and sheep field so that we have better space management for the residents that call that area home.
Using some of the generous donations we have received, we split our current mixed goat and sheep pasture into two parts - one side for goats and one side for the sheep. We also included some smaller areas that can be gated off when we are doing health checks or when we need to pen one or more of our residents for their health or safety.
Another benefit of our new gate system is that we are better able to rotate our pastures which is really helpful when we need to seed one area or when we would like to give the grass some time to grow.
Volunteer Spotlight
"Volunteers are not paid - not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless." - Author Unknown
This month's volunteer spotlight is on YOU! Yes...YOU! We are always looking for fun and enthusiastic people to join our incredible team of HEEFS regular volunteers!
What do our volunteers do?
Our regular volunteers get involved in just about every area of running HEEFS from barn maintenance and resident feeding to office work and groundskeeping. We have jobs for every skill level and physical ability! Sure...some of our work is physically challenging, but some of it is downright relaxing! And all of it involves lots and lots of resident interaction and snuggles.
If this sounds like something you'd like to do, and you can commit to one or more days a week, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Kathy Fischer at kathy@happilyeveresther.ca
Want to try it once?
If you're not sure about committing to a regular volunteer schedule, you can always come out for one of our volunteer workdays and give it a try! Check out our volunteer workday schedule.
Don't forget our tour days!
We know that volunteer workdays aren't for everyone, but we'd still really love to meet you! Why not come out for a Sanctuary tour? Sign up for a tour day today!
Get to know Michelle
Our sweet Michelle is a Shetland sheep who just turned 12 on April 4. She arrived at Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary, with her sheep friends, Shaaaaun, Obaaama, Doug and the late Baaarbara, when they were no longer able to be cared for in their former home. Although she has a gentle nature, Michelle can be a bit shy. If you want her full attention it's always best to be carrying some of her favourite treats with you - kale and apples. Like all of our sheep, Michelle will be sheared in June so that she can be comfortable over the hot summer while she grows her coat back in for winter.
Hey it forward...in style!
NEW - Hay it forward bracelet!
Just in time for Mother's Day (and also perfect for every other day!!)
Our Hay it Forward bracelets are each one-of-a-kind and made with love by some of our amazing volunteers using the twine from the bales of hay in our barn.
You can purchase the bracelet on it's own and, included in your purchase, will be the donation of one bale of hay for our barn...Or we'll send you a Hay it Forward bracelet for free when you donate 12 bales of hay to HEEFS! Also...you can get the Hay it Forward bracelet with the donation 12 bales of straw!
The Esther Scanner update!
We're so excited to be able to tell you that the Esther Scanner Fundraiser is off to a great start! But we still have a long way to go before the Pegaso scanner is in place and ready to help large animals get the diagnosis and treatment they deserve.
You can read all about the Esther Scanner and help us reach our goal by making a donation today! Don't forget to check out our fun donation perks, too!
Try this today!
Esther’s Tomato Lox
Yields: 16 Tomato Lox pieces
Ingredients
1 medium ripe Tomato, sliced into 8 (1/4”) slices
1 Tablespoon (15ml) filtered cold pressed Flax oil
1/2 teaspoon (2ml) liquid smoke
Smoked salt to taste
Capers, drained, to taste
Fresh Dill, to taste
3 Thinly sliced red onions, sliced into smaller pieces
2 Lemon slices, quartered
Instructions
1. Place the tomato slices on a plate. Remove most of the tomato seeds with your fingers. Discard the tomato seeds or dry them to plant tomatoes in your garden.
2. Transfer the tomato slices onto a flat dish. Brush flax oil on top of each tomato slice. Brush the liquid smoke on top of each tomato slice. Cover and refrigerate the marinating tomatoes for 30 minutes.
3. Remove the marinated tomato dish from the refrigerator. Leave the tomatoes in the marinade. Slice each tomato in half. Sprinkle smoked salt onto each tomato slice. Add the thinly sliced red onion pieces, capers, fresh dill and quartered lemon slices.
4. Add your favorite nondairy cream cheese to an Esther Approved toasted bagel. Add the Tomato Lox, red onion, capers, dill, lemon slice quarters and additional smoked salt. Serve
Find more delicious recipes at Esther's Kitchen
