Many animal rescue facilities are 501(c)3 organizations, receiving money from charitable donations.

These facilities are committed to finding good homes for homeless dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. in their care.

However, there are also other, perhaps not as well known, animal rescue organizations.

One such facility that I have been supporting for several years is Star Gazing Farm.

The farm is located on 4 acres of rolling hills in Boyds, Maryland.

Star Gazing Farm Animal Sanctuary provides a place of refuge and security to abused, stray, and neglected farm animals.

Why farm animals?

Well, they sometimes get abused, too.

All of the animals that live at the farm have been rescued from a variety of situations.

Star Gazing Farm coordinates networking to place abused, stray, and unwanted farm animals in responsible farm homes.

I was fortunate to visit the farm many times when I lived in Maryland.

The animals walk freely around the farm and enjoy it when people come to visit.

I took a liking to DeeDee, a miniature Sicilian donkey, who loved hard peppermint candies and would nuzzle my pocket when I came to visit.

She knew where I kept the stash.

Other favorites were Rocky and Bullwinkle, two very large steer.

All the animals are special.

The farm provides housing for chickens, ducks, geese, sheep, goats, alpacas, cows, pigs, horses, turkeys and llamas.

Star Gazing Farm also provides manure for gardeners.

I visited the farm on a day in early April when one of the areas, fenced in for the steer, had to be mucked.

For those of you not familiar with the term muck, it is removing manure where animals are kept.

That was quite a job.

And a yucky, stinky one, at that.

We raked up several tall piles of the stuff, and people were coming up the long driveway in cars waiting in line to take some home for their gardens.

The farm also provides a bunny motel and sheep, goat, alpaca, and llama shearing.

Check out the Star Gazing Farm website at http://www.stargazingfarm.org/.

There is a lot to see.

You can also donate or sponsor an animal.

Kids love that.

Barn Sanctuary is another rescue for abused and neglected farm animals in Chelsea, MI.

Check them out at https://www.barnsanctuary.org/.