The Barnyard Sanctuary, whose mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome farm animals, is looking for a new home. For the last 12 years, the Barnyard Sanctuary has been a place of protection and kindness for many animals. Through no fault of their own, farm animals are sometimes displaced, abused or have caregivers experiencing hardships of their own.
Currently located on 15 acres at 31 Stark Road in Columbia, the sanctuary is providing safe haven for approximately 300 animals. Their future at this location is uncertain as their lease expired some time ago. They were granted a final extension of the lease until July 2023.
This leaves only months for its founder, Tamala Lester, to find a new forever farm for the animals that need the Barnyard Sanctuary. She hopes to find a property that would be able to be self-sustainable for the animals and for the finances of the sanctuary. A property consisting of 150 acres would be ideal as it would allow for more fields for pasture.
Lester described how the animals would be able to be rotationally grazed and have access to this healthy grass. With this increased land, the ability to bale hay for winter feed would serve the animals in a more sustainable way. Being able to produce most of the animals’ food without the need to outsource would be a financial game changer.
It is the true hope of its founder that the sanctuary will be able to acquire a new space and take ownership of the property long term to help sustain the animals. Given that this is a nonprofit, funding is definitely a caveat.
Lester is open to unique arrangements that would best support the sanctuary. Perhaps someone owns a farm that is aging out or needs help supporting their aging elders as well as their farm animals. Another possible solution would be for a sponsor to hold the mortgage for a time so that a capitol campaign could be created to fundraise for the cost of the land and so it would give the sanctuary time to raise needed funds.
With this increase in land, they would have more space to plan public events and offer agricultural education. Additional income streams would emerge to help pay for maintenance costs.
The ultimate goal is to have a self-sustainable farm animal sanctuary that can produce most of its daily needs for feed, staffing and veterinary care.
To learn more about the Barnyard Sanctuary, please visit Barnyardsanctuary.org. To become a volunteer or to help find a new home that falls into a solution mentioned above, please contact info@barnyardsanctuary.org and by phone at (973) 670-4477.
Lester asks that no advertised real estate listings are forwarded, as those avenues are already being looked into. The Barnyard Sanctuary is looking for a unique sustainable solution. Time is of the essence, so if you are an animal lover and know of anyone or can spread this information to others who may know, the animals and at the Barnyard Sanctuary would be forever grateful.
