Animals

Our flock of 30 hens is a mixture of breeds. Some of the chickens were rescued from factory farms where their conditions were deplorable. Others were rescued from the streets and still others from people who could no longer care for them. The children at the Farm love to care for the hens, gather their eggs, and feed them greens from the garden. The hens lay eggs in a variety of colors and the children learn that no matter what color the eggs are on the outside, they are all the same on the inside. A favorite morning snack for the pre-schoolers visiting the Farm is hard-boiled or scrambled eggs. The teens favor deviled eggs.

Carmen is a teenage miniature donkey, who once lived on a breeding ranch in Bend, Oregon, but was culled from the herd because she could not carry a foal to term. Fortunately for her a previous volunteer from Forget Me Not Farm was visiting the ranch and heard her story. Carmen’s owners were planning on taking her to the auction yard, but our volunteer convinced them she deserved to live a comfortable life in California. Carmen is our Farm Ambassador – always observing the other animal’s antics, always staying on the sidelines, and never causing any problems. In fact, you might not notice her if it weren’t for the way she quietly sidles up to you and gently puts her head under your hand for an easy pet. The children learn a lot by watching how she gets what she wants without being demanding.