Look what glorious devastation our goats inflict upon donated Christmas trees. The tender needles are delicious, but even more important is the challenge and mental stimulation they get from meticulously stripping the trees down to the bark.

Handsome Hawthorn. Look at that magnificent profile and wool like clouds on a stormy day! 😍

Sometimes on cold days it looks like all of our pigs have fled to the Bahamas, but they’re actually just buried cozy and deep in the bedding we give them! It’s a combination of wood shavings, blankets, and hay that they rearrange until it’s just right.

Hey did you all see that Formula 1 movie?

It has been brutally cold for the past week and our residents haven’t been able to spend as much time outside, so we’ve been constantly brainstorming to come up with enrichment ideas to keep their bodies active and minds stimulated.

Unbothered. Moisturized. Happy. In My Lane. Focused. Covered In Snow. Flourishing.

The new minis, Wesley and Clementine, had a big week! They were finally able to get all of their vaccines, an important first step to moving them out of the quarantine barn. Here’s our wonderful vet Dr. Alex bonding with them.

Eloise and Gertie popping into your timeline to say hello!

We’ve had lots of people drop off their Christmas trees for the residents this past week! They love them when they are fresh and tender (but won’t eat them if they’re too dead and dry), and it is good enrichment for them to strip the delicate needles off. 🌲

There’s really nothing we can do to adequately thank our staff who have been working extra hard this week with icy conditions and power outages, but we did have a little appreciation lunch for them yesterday with delicious vegan Mexican food and homemade cookies!

Rumi looking over the back of her mom, Tessa. They are never far apart in the pastures all day, and sleep in side-by-side stalls at night so they can always see each other. 💕

We've had an emotional day reflecting on all the growth we experienced in 2025. We're grateful to every one of you for being a part of it!

We wish for all of you to have a happy, peaceful, and simply beautiful 2026. 🥰

Many people ask us if Savannah goes to high-end salons to get her bangs styled, but the truth is that she's just naturally chic.

We reached our end-of-year fundraising goal!! We didn't know if we could do it in such a short period of time, but we underestimated just how generous our wonderful community would be. We don't have adequate words to thank you all for this! 🥳

We are incredibly close to hitting our goal for our matching donation fundraiser- can you help us cross the finish line?! donorbox.org/end-of-year-...

This is Dudley! He is a perfect example of why sanctuary is so important. He has survived illnesses and injuries that likely would have ended his life in the agricultural industry. But because he lives with us he is a healthy and happy boy today! 🧵

This is Tiz. He is one of many unfortunate victims of the horse racing industry. After winning his owners almost $300,000 throughout his career he was handed off from one home to another until he arrived here last year suffering from a long list of painful, debilitating ailments. 🧵

NEW PATREON POST: a year end round-up of some of our 2025 accomplishments. 🥳 www.patreon.com/posts/2025-y...

This is baby Phoenix shortly after she was born here. Like many of our residents, Phoenix (and her mom, Ember Jane) would not be alive if Merrymac didn't exist. 🧵

This is Fluffy. She came to us after her owners passed away and nobody took care of the goats they left behind. One by one all of the goats passed away until only Fluffy was left. Fortunately someone from the town finally noticed she was there and started bringing her food and water. 🧵

Check out the wingspan on Walter! He was found wandering loose as a piglet by a couple in Middlebury, VT. They loved him and wanted to keep him, but he just kept getting bigger and BIGGER until it was clear he needed a home better equipped for a pig his size. 🧵

Midnight check on our babies. We are having an ice storm so everything is coated in a layer of dangerous ice. I will never tire of feeding Honey who was rescued from severe neglect/starvation in 2023. Olivia and Gladys are now housed next to her. They were rescued in March of 2025 from neglect.

We are about 1/3 of the way to our matching goal, which is so exciting but there is still a long way to go! Little Eloise the piglet is one of the many residents we have here who would likely no longer be alive if we didn't exist. donorbox.org/end-of-year-...

Our two Highland girls, Savannah and Babs. It has been bitter cold the past few days and our Highlands are the most unbothered by it! They've got those luxuriously thick winter coats. 🧥

Little Clementine came here because her 97 year old owner could no longer care for her. She is elderly, nearly blind and has no record of vetting so she needs extensive dental, hoof, and medical care. Can you help us meet a $12,500 matching goal to help animals like her? donorbox.org/end-of-year-...

New Patreon post: we were getting sentimental looking at baby photos of some of our residents! www.patreon.com/posts/then-a...

Please enjoy Gertie and Eloise making their bed. 😂

We have a HUGE opportunity right now thanks to a very generous matching donor. Between now and New Year's Day we need your help to get as close as possible to raising $12,500 to start 2026 with $25,000! donorbox.org/end-of-year-...

A kiss from Tiz to Casper. 🤍🤎

We have a HUGE opportunity right now thanks to a very generous matching donor. Between now and New Year's Day we need your help to get as close as possible to raising $12,500 to start 2026 with $25,000! donorbox.org/end-of-year-...

Ducky and Zydin looking so handsome in their winter coats! 🧥

One of the costs associated with running a sanctuary that some people might not consider is all of the spaying and neutering we have to do. As a true sanctuary we are dedicated to preventing breeding of any kind, and this year @microsanctuary.bsky.social helped us with that financial burden!

Savannah loves to play with trees!

It’s possible to survive with only food, water, and shelter, but to really thrive we also need fun and mental stimulation. Pigs are no different! We don’t just feed our pigs, we like to give them enrichment activities like these boxes. 📦

We are so fortunate to have the absolute BEST volunteers! Thank you to everyone who came out in the snow this morning to help staff with the feeding and other chores! ❤️

Sweet little Savannah hopes you are having a warm, cozy, happy, and peaceful evening. ❤️

Have you met our new minis, Westley (white) and Clementine (brown/white)? These adorable senior best friends joined us last week after their owner was no longer able to care for them. Can you help us get some supplies they need? www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...

Little Pie. 💕 She is one of our smallest goats but she's also the loudest when she sees the hay cart coming!

We just want to thank everyone who sent Cheerios this week! Our residents love them and they're so important for enrichment. Tucker would like to send special thanks to the delivery driver who left the boxes on the ground so he could raid them. 😂

Thumbelina with a thought from James Harriot. 💫

Brave little Ash. She is one of the group of sheep we took in last spring and out of all of them she was by far the most fearful of people. She loves her herd but she's still working on trusting human - which is understandable! We will give her all the time she needs to feel comfortable.

We have a HUGE announcement that we've been working toward for over a year - we are now a GFAS accredited sanctuary! 🥳 www.facebook.com/GFASsanctuar...

Our new senior minis are too adorable. 🥰 Right now they are still in the quarantine barn because they’ve had no recent vetting. We need to make sure they are free of all communicable parasites and viruses before incorporating them with our residents.

We are so ready to welcome back the light!

We strongly advise against trying any funny business here at the sanctuary because our security guards Bert and Ernie keep a very close eye on everything.

Tessa (L) and her daughter Rumi. Tessa was saved by another rescue from a kill pen in TX while pregnant with Rumi. They are never apart - spending all day outside playing together then settle down in side-by-side pens at night. A beautiful part of sanctuary is being able to keep families together!

Eddie has a magnificent sploot for you this afternoon.

Put your troubles away and take a peaceful Highland break with Wallace and Babs. ❤️

Do you want to send a holiday surprise to your favorite resident? Check out our wishlists! They're full of treats, toys, and important "boring" stuff too like vitamins and meds. Chewy: www.chewy.com/g/the-merrym... Amazon: a.co/4VXKis0 Tractor Supply: www.tractorsupply.com/SharedWishLi...