Winterville-based nonprofit Sweet Olive Farm Animal Rescue is kicking off the summer with a fundraising event celebrating its 15th anniversary. The community is invited to the farm on Saturday, May 31 from 4–7 p.m. to enjoy its natural beauty while supporting its continuation and making a difference in the lives of the animals.
The event is a testament to the farm’s mission to be “a safe and welcoming space” for all. Guests can enjoy tours of the farm, games for children and adults, lemonade and a Kona Ice truck, a DJ spinning tunes and vegan hot dogs that are included with the price of admission. Each $45 entry ticket also includes a raffle entry, with additional raffle entries available for sale.
Sweet Olive has a goal of raising $50,000, says co-owner and CEO Kat Howkins, which would fund the general maintenance and upkeep of the farm. Infrastructure repairs like fencing end up being very costly and one of the farm’s greatest needs.
Of course on a sanctuary with a surprisingly harmonious mix of farm and exotic animals—alpacas, zebu cattle, pot-bellied pigs and hogs, horses, an emu, a peacock, turkeys, ducks, geese, chickens, sheep, goats—vet bills run up quite a charge, too. During Flagpole’s interview with Howkins, she received a call from the UGA School of Veterinary Medicine, which was in the process of X-raying their recent rescue Timothy, a goat attacked by a dog. When Timothy returns to the farm, he’ll be bunk mates with Lambo, the farm’s special needs sheep who has trouble walking.
Howkins shares that there are a number of newer additions to the farm that people may not have seen yet. There’s a new pig named Blossom who came from Save the Horses rescue, two goats named Mickey and Joey from Gainesville required to move by an HOA, and a babydoll sheep from Decatur. Although many of the rescues come from animal control, there are also many that are owner surrenders.
“People are always saying, ‘How do you know all these animals’ names?’ And I say, well, you know, people got these animals and they love them and they gave them names. And then they had to, for one reason or another, give them up,” says Howkins.
Neighborhood HOAs often dictate the types of animals that can be kept on residential properties and are a common source of people having to surrender their pets. Sometimes people just aren’t prepared to care for a farm animal as a pet, and it ends up being a poor fit.
“It doesn’t make these people any less attached to their animals. Some people are like, ‘Well, they just shouldn’t have gotten it.’ I do agree you need to do some research before you go get a farm animal to bring into your yard. But it’s our goal just to be compassionate with the people that have to relinquish their animal as well as the animal,” says Howkins.
A lot of the time when Sweet Olive receives a call from a pet owner, they’re looking for advice and solutions to keep their animal when possible, says Howkins. She also helps connect people with other rescues, whether it’s an organization that specializes in wildlife or cats and dogs. Sweet Olive does not adopt out its animals, so new rescues become permanent members of the family.
Sweet Olive’s Texas Longhorn, Cheyenne, was previously a model. As a baby Cheyenne was used as a prop in photoshoots, particularly alongside newborns. It didn’t take long for Cheyenne to outgrow her modeling gig, and at one year old she was returned to the dairy farm she came from. Sadly she was not going to survive on the dairy farm, and Cheyenne found a home at Sweet Olive.
Although Sweet Olive owns 30 acres, Howkins explains the farm currently occupies about 10 of those acres. There is plenty more land to expand on, but the farm is currently near capacity for the amount of animals it can take care of properly to maintain the quality of life that is so meaningful to Sweet Olive. There is a team of volunteers that feeds, waters and checks on each animal every day.
Summertime also means the kickoff of Sweet Olive’s various summer camps for children ages 6–12. Groups meet daily to help with chores around the farm, enjoy creative outlets, participate in craft workshops and play teambuilding games. Camp fees also directly benefit the general upkeep of the farm.
Since its nonprofit status in 2015, Sweet Olive has worked with the community and school groups to provide educational opportunities. School groups, homeschoolers, teachers and parents are invited to the farm to learn about the care and feeding of farm and exotic animals, but they also learn the stories behind the animals, how they came to the farm and why they’re not suitable pets. Educating the community about these types of animals is a step toward lessening the number of animals that end up in rescues.
For more info about Sweet Olive or its events, visit sweetolivefarm.org.
WHO: SOFAR Fundraiser
WHEN: Saturday, May 31, 4–7 p.m.
WHERE: Sweet Olive Farm
HOW MUCH: $45
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