Serenity Farm Virginia

08/28/2026

We are profoundly sad to share that our little lamb, Snapdragon, has passed away.

This was so sudden, our hearts are broken. He was a happy little guy on Tuesday and by Wednesday he was gone.

Our vet diagnosed severe anemia caused by a barber pole worm. Because this parasite has developed resistance to dewormers, Snapdragon's preventatve care did not protect him.

Mantra and her two girls were examed and found to be mildly anemic. They all received dewormer, Vitamin B, and an iron supplement.

We are keeping a close eye on this little family.

08/13/2026

Happily munching on pipevine. ❤️🦋🐛

08/13/2026

🐛 This is exactly what we hoped would happen! 🦋

Three years ago, we planted native pipevine at the sanctuary. We waited…and waited…and this summer our patience paid off: pipevine swallowtail caterpillars have found it!

And as you can see from the photos, they are hungry.

Pipevine is the host plant for the beautiful pipevine swallowtail butterfly. The butterflies lay their eggs on pipevine, and when the caterpillars hatch, the leaves become their food. Those chewed-up leaves might not look like a gardening success at first glance, but to us, they are something to celebrate.

Native plants do so much more than add beauty to a landscape. They provide the food, shelter, and habitat that native insects and other wildlife need to complete their life cycles. Sometimes it can take a few years for the wildlife to discover what we've planted which makes moments like this especially exciting.

We are very happy to share our pipevine with these little friends. The holes in the leaves mean the plant is doing its job.

Now we'll be watching for the next chapter: chrysalises and, eventually, pipevine swallowtail butterflies!

08/07/2026

Shea is such a devoted friend. ❤️

08/05/2026

Daisy loves her edible bed.

07/30/2026

Love animals? We could use your help!

Serenity Farm Virginia is looking for a few dedicated volunteers to join us on weekday mornings to help care for our rescued animals.

Whether you can volunteer one morning a week or several, we'd love to have you on our team! Shifts are 2–3 hours and include feeding the animals and cleaning stalls. No experience is needed. We'll teach you everything you need to know. All you need is a willingness to work, to get a little dirty, and have a heart for animals.

Volunteer Details:
Must be 18 years or older
Weekday morning shifts (2–3 hours)
Volunteer one morning a week or more
Feeding animals and stall cleaning
Training provided. No previous experience necessary

Every stall cleaned and every meal served makes a real difference in the lives of the animals who call Serenity Farm Virginia home.

If you would like to become part of our volunteer family, we'd love to hear from you!

💚 Apply today at https://serenityfarmva.org/
📍 Berryville, Virginia

07/28/2026

07/25/2026

At Serenity Farm Virginia, we love seeing hornworm damage on our tomato plants. It means ecosystem-based gardening is working the way it should.

Nightshade plants like tomatoes are a vital food source for hornworm larvae, which transform into sphinx moths. Those moths visit our night-blooming flowers and, in turn, become food for night hunters, from bats to whip-poor-wills.

When we step back and let nature take control, amazing things happen.

07/19/2026

Bees love Partridge Pea. It is also a food source for Cloudless Sulpher, Orange Sulpher, Sleepy Orange, and Little Yellow butterflies. This native plant self sows and is easy to grow. The seed pods explode when mature so plants pop up several feet away!