Beyond Sanctuary

02/01/2026

As a family, we are taking the month of February off of social media. We greatly appreciate your understanding 💗. Here’s a Titus pic to get you through the shortest month of the year 💗🤭

01/01/2026

Well... it has been a while! First HAPPY NEW YEAR! Second, apologies for the incredible delay in posting. We've had quite the year!

Where to begin, I would have a hard time deciding. So let's just start with today! Minnesota is obviously getting a lot of attention, and that attention is well warranted. We have experienced a lot of things that have made it difficult for us - personally, business-wise, and regulatory/tax based.

I won't expand on the details here, but do share on my personal page a lot of the goings on of 2025.

Today, the beginning of 2026 gives new hope, new faith, and a mission to get back to basics.

Becoming a GrandPuppent on September 2nd - Titus is very happy to announce that he has TWIN GRAND BABIES! He especially enjoys sniffing little toes and fingers, and also checking to see if we missed changing a diaper. Needless to say, twins has been an amazing experience, difficult yes, but amazing and a blessing.

Now, I have to ask for your help. We desperately need to raise some Hay Funds. Of course no one is going hungry, but we are facing a $9000 Hay payment this month, and are just scraping by personally and professionally so we could provide while we had to focus on family.

We had a beautiful matching gift - and so now I would like to extend that offer which was intended to help us raise more funds. If you can donate this month - it will be of great importance, and we would greatly appreciate it. I know times are tough for all, and as I go through all of the subscriptions or monthly fees I just don't need or use - I am gladly cancelling them one by one! Know that even a $5 donation does matter, and rekindles our resolve.

Please click the link below to donate through PayPal.

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=ATB8WZ3NEGYC8

Donate through Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/BeyondSanctuary

Or send Check or Money Order to:
Beyond Sanctuary
1969 County Road 5 SW
Howard Lake MN 55349

06/08/2025

Winston was a hero this weekend! A baby robin fell from its nest, so we put it back in (with scary ladder skills) It was a very, very crowded nest unfortunately. A different chick (yes crazy avian vets can tell baby birds apart!) fell out the next day 😞. So at least I have plenty of worms in my compost. I’ll try to feed this little one until it can fledge and join the siblings. The parents are awesome and totally seem to know we are helping. No problems taking back the baby, and they sure seem interested in still feeding it, if only I could keep it safe for them. 💗🙏💗 🪺

05/27/2025

We had a wonderful weekend disconnected from phones, barefoot in the garden, and telling Titus how thankful I am that he ran to our house after being hit two years ago. It was a great time of reflection, thanks to our fallen veterans, and grounding. 💗💗💗

05/04/2025

I hope all Minnesota rescues are aware of this situation. We were contacted by this very person wanting to adopt a horse. Thank goodness gut feelings are one of our respected tools to determine potential adopters. Ramie communicated with her via messenger, and just “wasn’t feeling it” - people who know the right things to say, but don’t use the correct terminology tripped the BS meter. But we never imagined this was what was behind the distrust. So disgusting. Unfortunately, these cases need to be shared so that people make sure their animals are safe in others’ care.

Please check references. Please insist on visiting your animals wherever they may be. And please listen to your instincts, and call authorities if needed, even if you feel as you may be overreacting.

https://www.fox9.com/news/minnesota-kennel-owner-charged-animal-torture-9-dogs-dead?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR5NpB-Gm3k_kvgfiHeqChQgWp9tGZXZYSpBLN0M4VbPmsUtfOwUWos_8ByUAA_aem_LU1cNf1qsegFH0FKFPZ9jw

A Minnesota dog kennel owner is facing animal torture charges after authorities removed 18 dogs from her home, nine of which were dead.

05/02/2025

Life goal met! I’ve always wanted to be proficient at hand milking. Apparently this year is my time! I had tried hand milking with our previous milk cow Ginger, and my hands and arms would scream NO! This time I’m not uncomfortable, I’m shedding weight, and gaining muscles! Who knew the work out plan I needed all along was a family milk cow!

04/30/2025

It started out a bit strange for him, but in no time Ghillie was protecting his brood 💗

04/30/2025

It is so fun to watch Ghillie Goose meet his new friends! He’s been alone for a couple years, which makes us sad. He loves us and Vas and Gru (his LGDs) - but a goose needs a goose friend! He didn’t know what to think at first…

04/23/2025

I just can’t with these babies! Can’t get any work done!!! 😍

04/22/2025

I am pretty sure everyone needs to see baby piglets! (Yes there is a runt, and she is gaining!)

04/22/2025

It’s sad when people only criticize without knowledge. To say that we are being cruel to Blossom by allowing a calf to nurse or by milking her is based on ignorance.

Have you ever breast fed a child? Have you ever been engorged or had mastitis? It is absolutely foolish and dangerous to a cow to cold turkey stop allowing nursing or milking. Especially in high producers like Jerseys.

It’s been just over a week! And the change in her condition is amazing. We don’t want her to gain weight too quickly either, but I’m super happy with her progress, and so is she. She loves her routine and we love her.

Anyone who wants to claim we are being cruel to her, should have to watch her want to be milked, enjoy being sung to, and enjoy relaxed farm life, with all of her needs met. Clearly, some have never met an older milk cow that understands the assignment. They thrive on consistency and love. 💗

04/20/2025

Happy Easter! We have BABIES!

One of the fun parts of being on a farm! Spring babies!

I haven’t even talked about the two pigs we took on (much) from Jarvis’ (the turkey) previous farm! We knew the potential was high that Edith (Edie) was already pregnant, but had no idea what her due date would be.

Apparently her due date is EASTER! How cool is that!

My day is just starting off with a bang. A chick I hatched out had its umbilical cord and membranes wrapped around a leg about 20 times! And of course as an overnight hatch, it dried into rawhide! So while I was working to get that off. Winston rushes in and said you didn’t check your phone! There are three piglets out here!

Of course it’s a cold day, threatening rain, and we weren’t expecting this. So we quickly rigged up the Sweeter Heater in her kennel and covered that with an old horse blanket! Insulation, wind break, rain resistant, and private! There are definitely great ways to use old horse blankets!

And now… I shall go hand milk a cow!! 💗💗💗. I love my life.