Refuge Farms (www.refugefarms.org)

Every year at this time you’ll see things start happening around Refuge Farms. Not that things aren’t happening during the rest of the year, but in late August and early September, things really begin to start happening!

What kinds of things? Well, the things that we’ve been talking about all summer and now we can’t just talk about anymore! Kathy M., our Operations Manager, kicks it in to extra high gear and watch out! She rounds up volunteer workers from local church youth groups to support her and it starts to fly!

Barns are vacuumed. Yes, I said vacuumed. Pastures are re-mowed. New, fresh, white sawdust is moved in to the barn floors. Fence lines are re-mowed by our CityGirl - soon to be renamed FarmGirl. Feeders are moved over to the slab. Tractors and trailers are parked on the West Lawn. And this is before the volunteers appear on Friday, September 14th!

Then on that weekend, canopies go up and stock tanks are positioned to chill donated pop and water. Bleachers are made out of small hay bales in the corral and PA systems are assembled, tested, disassembled, and then reassembled. Tables and tables of donated goods and services are assembled for our guests to nose through. My legs get tired just writing this blog!

But we do all of this for our Annual Open Barn Event. This year it is our 6th Open Barn. And it seems just like yesterday that I was feverishly calling Andy in Texas…and talking with him immediately before the first ever Open Barn Event. Would people come? What would I say? What if they didn’t get “it”? What if a horse didn’t behave? What if a Human didn’t behave?

Andy words were true and calm and still ring in my ears. “You’ll be fine, Sandy. Just speak from your heart.”

And so I remember those words each year as I stroll down the driveway to start the horse presentations in the corral. Speak from your heart, he said. My heart is full and so I do just that. And the horses know just what to do. And the Humans listen. And from their faces, I can see that some are “getting it”.

We frantically prepare. We get tables organized to sell our t-shirts, our note cards, our affectionately re-bundled printer paper, and our Commemorative pieces. And we celebrate!

We celebrate another year of strangers in the barns. Well, at least they start out that way. They leave as friends. With a hug.

We celebrate another year of kids standing on tiptoes to reach the nose of Big Guy.

We celebrate another year of Gracie working her magic as she soaks in the little hands that must, just must, touch her little body. And then there are those little noses that must, just must, be buried in her hair to smell her. No, to inhale her.

We celebrate another year of gathering in the unwanted ones. The ‘diers’. To do our best to heal them. And then to just stand back and watch as they begin to heal us. That magic that so baffles and mesmerizes and amazes me. That magic that I’ve come to know is here. I no longer have to test it to see if it appears. It’s just here, people. Like the air.

Yes, the Open Barn is a ton of work. On top of our already full schedules but at 12noon on that day, it seems all worth it! We say a prayer for safety and off we go – to celebrate!

The day is full of laughter and tears and hugs and ooohhhhh’s as those of us who have worked so hard in this past year join with everyone else and enjoy. Truly enjoy. It is a day for us to show off! And that we do very well!

We will present horses and tell their stories. We will have horses in stalls and open areas of the barn. And we will have some horses that you can walk right up next to and brush and smell until your heart is content.

And we will have food! Great food, thanks to Applebee’s® of Menomonie! Jeff, the manager of Applebee’s® in Menomonie, donates his staff and food and equipment in support of our Missions. Bless you, Jeff! To all of our joy, Applebee’s® will be here again with their menu of goodies. And people will eat and sit and chat and do exactly what Andy and I had intended. To enjoy the day and the journey of that day.

And then at 2pm our friend, Jeff Hines, will arrive and the excitement goes up another notch! The Live Auction begins!

This part of the day is great! I smile just recalling the auctions of the previous years! Jeff is a great auctioneer and he gives it his all – literally. His time and name are donated to us for this event and we are forever grateful!

And what are we auctioning? Forty-eight (48) baskets of new goods and services that have been donated by local and not-so-local merchants in their support of our Missions of Healing. To just highlight a few items, we have:

• Dog Baskets
• Cat Baskets
• Horse Baskets
• Food Baskets
• Quilts and Quilt Racks
• Tool Baskets
• Pampering Baskets
• Spiderman Baskets
• Fly Fishing Tour Baskets
• Antique Cast Iron Toy Baskets
• Stuffed toys galore!
• Jewelry Baskets (with a diamond bracelet)

I’m sure you get the picture! And speaking of pictures, our Mike Murach – a great Friend of THE FARM – has created his version of our Miss April. An original that so totally reflects the spirit of that horse minister that it takes my breath away! It shows the calmness of her face and the whirl of energy around her! What a piece of art!

Mike has agreed to make one and only one print of this piece. Yes, there’s only one print. And Mike will sign the single print and mark it as "#1 of 1". That, my friends, is Basket #48. And if you miss it, you will regret it, I guarantee you! For more of Mike’s work, you can link to his website at www.MurGallery.com. Thank you, Mike!

If you would like to review our auction baskets, an abbreviated auction book is available here. For those of you who like sizes and ounces and all of the details, a full detailed auction book is available here. And for those of you who would like to bid?! Simply press the "PLACE BIDS" button on the auction listings and our webmaster, Vincent, has developed the system to allow you to place your bids now!!! How cool, eh? Thank you, Vincent!

So, we are busy. Very busy. As usual. But maybe even a bit more, now. Getting ready for the 6th Annual Open Barn Event and Auction. Try to make it! It’s a grand celebration open to you - free of charge. Just as our ministers are available to you all year long.

I’ve gotta go! Kathy M. is here and she’s already working outside!!! See you on the 16th! And Happy Bidding!!!

Enjoy the journey of each and every day,
Sandy and The Herd