Date/Time
Saturday, May 18, 2024
9:00am - 2:00pm
Location
Farmaste Animal Sanctuary
Come meet the residents at Farmaste, a Minnesota farm animal sanctuary! Join Farmaste staff and regular volunteers for a day of hard work and fun. To keep a farm sanctuary of this size running smoothly and its residents happy there is a lot that needs to be done. On May 18 we will help with some regular tasks and special jobs that need doing.
With many hands the work will go quickly and allow for great conversations. And the occasional animal greeting will help keep us inspired. Afterwards we will retire, happy and tired, for a fantastic vegan potluck picnic. Bring something tasty to share!
What the day will look like
At 9:00 there will be a guided breathing meditation and introductions. Then, at 9:30, we’ll clean out the barns and spread clean straw. We’ll say hello to any Farmaste residents who are feeling friendly — Pickles the pig usually is! After washing up around 1:30, we’ll have a plant-based potluck picnic.
How do I sign up to participate?
Sign up here!
What is Farmaste like?
Farmaste Animal Sanctuary rescues abused, neglected, and unwanted farm animals and provides them with a safe sanctuary. Residents are respected as someone, not treated as something. Farmaste is located in Lindstrom, MN, less than an hour north of the Twin Cities, near Stacy and North Branch. The exact address will be provided to all attendees the week before the event.
What to bring/wear to the event
Wear closed-toe shoes and clothes you can get dirty. A sturdy long-sleeved top and work gloves for handling straw are highly recommended.
Bring your favorite potluck dish for lunch afterwards! Be sure that it contains no animal products. It would be helpful for you to bring a serving utensil, if appropriate. Individual utensils will be supplied along with plates but you could bring your own to help make the event even more environmentally sensitive.
How this activity helps with mental health
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we are combining taking care of animals with essential self-care. Sanctuary volunteering will give us healthy exercise and community. One participant last year, Cari, put it this way: “It was a great way to stave off compassion fatigue and burnout.” At the same time, we will help provide an environment that supports the sanctuary residents’ mental and physical health.
We encourage you to read personal stories about mental health from NAMI. Healthy exercise, getting enough vitamin D (for example, from sun exposure), and social connection can help us maintain and manage our mental health. Sanctuary volunteering provides us with all of them!
Check out the images and results of last year’s Mental Health Workday at Farmaste
Last year we did a similar event. This blog shows photos of the event along with details on what we accomplished.
Get involved at other Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) events!
Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) hosts many events throughout the year, including Twin Cities Veg Fest, Vegan Recipe Club, cooking classes, potlucks, outreach events, and so much more! If you can’t make this event, or just want to know about other opportunities to get involved with CAA, we’ve got so many ways to connect with the community, enjoy vegan food, and make a difference. Visit our volunteer page to see all opportunities!