Ewe-nique Conservation: Fundraising for Runamuk's Sheep!

Hi, my name is Samantha Burns─farmer and steward at the Runamuk Acres Conservation Farm in Maine. I am fundraising on behalf of my sheep, so that we might purchase a much-needed fence energizer and cover the cost of our annual winter hay investment, which would allow us to continue our conservation efforts.

What is Runamuk Acres?

Our farm is an important part of our local community. Together with my 17yo son, Runamuk produces fresh eggs and vegetables, lamb, baked goods and insect hotels─all of which we sell from our on-site farmstand.

Runamuk offers a farmstay bed-and-breakfast through AirBnB and a remote campsite listed with HipCamp. With a network of trails running through a protected 40-acre forest, we invite the public to come to the farm for walking, snowshoeing, birdwatching, and more.

Extreme Rains in 2023

After extreme rains drowned last years’ crops, I had to close down the farmstand and Runamuk has struggled to recover financially. Through the long winter, it was either heat the house or pay bills and the farm got even further behind. However, I seek help not for myself, but for my sheep─that we might continue our environmental efforts here.

The mission of the Runamuk Acres Conservation Farm is to promote the well-being of beneficial insects and soil microbial life on our 53-acre farm and ecologic reserve. Learn more about our conservation efforts on our website!

The soils on our farm are sandy, low in nutrients and organic matter. When we bought the property in 2018, the grasses on the field were sparse and it was a sad place, only being hayed annually to keep the forest from overtaking it. Since we’ve introduced the sheep and employed rotational grazing, we’ve seen the field become a veritable jungle of grasses, forbes and wildflowers. Runamuk now supports a diversity of wildlife and has become a driving force for the local ecosystem, benefiting the larger ecoregion of Western Maine.

This is all thanks to the service our flock of Finnsheep provide. Not only are they stimulating the growth of the grasses through the act of grazing, they’re fertilizing the soil and promoting carbon sequestration in the process. These sheep are on the front-lines of climate change, doing their part every day to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the natural world.

Ambassadors for farming, our sheep are super-friendly and love visitors. Local customers to our farmstand enjoy seeing the flock, and guests to our farmstay bed-and-breakfast appreciate the opportunity to get up close and personal with livestock. In this way, Runamuk is able to help people experience a little taste of farm-life, bringing them one step closer to understanding where their food comes from.

It’s all very important work, but without an influx of funds, I’m afraid I will have to sell the flock.

Here’s how donations will be used:

*$200 for the new energizer (incl. taxes)

*$2200 for our 2024 winter hay.

*Remaining funds to cover GoFundMe's processing fees.

To learn more about the Runamuk Acres Conservation Farm, please check out our website. And to follow the story of this lady-farmer, check out my blog and other writings!

Samantha Burns at Substack

Support Runamuk's Sheep in Conservation Efforts

Farmers across the state of Maine struggled last year, due to extreme rainfall during the spring and summer seasons. At Runamuk, having to close the farmstand for the season meant losing an important income stream and we got behind on bills. As a single mom and solo-farmer, I don't have the support of a partner when it comes to farming or finances. Yet, NOT-farming is not an option for me.

For the last 15 years I've shared my farm-journey with the world in my blog and through social media. My story has been an inspiration to others near and far and I often receive emails, notes and cards in the mail from people thanking me for the work I do. Seeing my accomplishments gives them hope─especially women and moms like me. It gives them hope that they might lift themselves out of their own difficult situations to live a life of independence and meaning. Their belief inspires me to keep going, even when farm and finances are overwhelming.

This year is already shaping up to be a hundred-times better than last. I'm confident I can get the utilities caught up on my own, but I need help to cover the cost of a new fence energizer and our winter hay purchase. Without your assistance, this valuable community program may come to an end before we've really had a chance to make a difference. Please donate today to support these sheep and their conservation efforts at the Runamuk Acres Conservation Farm.

Thank you for reading and for your kindly consideration. Your donation supports local agriculture and wildlife conservation─literally at the ground level. If you’re able to, please donate to help my sheep to keep doing this important work. If you can’t afford to donate, you can still support this farm just by sharing this post with your friends and family.

Much love to you and yours.

Your friendly neighborhood farmer,

Sam

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