When Jenifer Vickery went off to college, she couldn’t afford to care for her horse and gave it to a neighbor. They had a contract stipulating the horse’s care, which Vickery says wasn’t honored.
“She went to slaughter,” she recalled. “It left an indelible mark on me.”
Decades later, Vickery founded Tomten Farm and Sanctuary, which moved to Haverhill from Massachusetts about three years ago. Since then, the nonprofit sanctuary for horses and other farm animals has gained a loyal following.
Last weekend, I drove up to Haverhill for a visit and got to meet some of the people and animals that make the sanctuary hum, starting with Vickery herself, formerly a regular on the show horse circuit.
“I traded in ribbons for rescue,” Vickery said, as horses gathered at the edge of a pasture.
Next Sunday from 12:15-3:15 p.m., the public is invited to tour the sanctuary, and those interested should RSVP by emailing tomtenfarmandsanctuary@gmail.com.
Visitors can get to know the animals that pass through or find a permanent home on the farm, as well as the stories behind them.
One that I met was Pippilottaspotslongstocking, Tomten’s first resident. He gave my hand a sniff and signaled his approval, letting me pet him on his side. He’s one of the oldest animals at the sanctuary, and his kind nature belies his background.
“We outbid the kill buyer for him at auction,” Vickery said.
While a mouthful, the name Pippilottaspotslongstocking was quite appropriate for the farm’s first guest. Swedish author Astrid Lindgren, who created the character the character Pippi Longstocking, also wrote the beloved children’s book that’s the farm’s namesake. The Tomten, based off a poem by Viktor Rydberg, is a tale about a creature that lives on a farm and looks after the animals and humans while they are sleeping, an image Vickery has always loved.
Vickery introduced me to a few horses, instructing me how to approach them with a palm out and open so they could give me sniff before I reach out pat them.
“We just let them connect with us first,” Vickery said. “We don’t want to make it all about us. It’s us and them as a partner.”
Another horse I met, Fern Raventail, came from an auction like Pippilottaspotslongstocking. Her sweet disposition makes her a favorite.
Whenever Tomten reps attend a horse auction, they try to bring home two types of equine: one that can be adopted and another that would stand no chance of finding a home.
But auction is only one of the ways animals find their way to Tomten. Some are surrendered by owners, some come from other rescue or welfare organizations, and others come from family-run farms in the area, including a couple of retired dairy cows.
Also making their home at Tomten are donkeys, goats, ponies, sheep, hens, geese, ducks and pigs. There’s also the Black Cat Inn, which houses feral and barn cats. Vickery said she makes a point of adopting black and tortoiseshell cats, as they’re often the most overlooked at animal shelters. The affectionately named Fat Face made multiple visits to check in on my visit.
For those involved in animal rescue, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the number of animals in need and the desire to save them all. But Vickery is very aware of the resources Tomten has and the number of animals the organization can help.
When taking in an animal, Tomten is committing to caring for that animal for the rest of its life, which means “saying no when you want to say yes” to other animals.
“I’m very aware of every animal here,” Vickery said. “We never want it to be about the numbers.”
Instead, it’s about providing the best quality of life for each animal in the sanctuary’s care.
“These animals have a big responsibility of being ambassadors,” Vickery said as cows Gideon, Greta GarMoo and Marilyn MOOnroe approached the fence to greet her.
Near the pig pen, the now-famous Grover trotted up to the front. Tomten made the headlines last fall when it rescued the young pig from the Lakes Region. He was part of a petting zoo at a farmstand and was slated for the slaughterhouse before people advocated to save him.
The biggest challenge for the organization is “financial management and time management,” Vickery said. The organization is run by a board of directors and numerous volunteers.
Vickery herself owns a dog training business in Boston called The Pawsitive Dog and works full time. If she can’t be at the farm to care for the animals, another board member fills in.
It costs about $319 per day to run the sanctuary. Last year, expenses were $116,000 and funded mostly by private donations. “We’re becoming sustainable,” she said.
The biggest expense for the farm is hay, which cost $29,000 in 2018.
“Almost everyone on the farm eats hay,” Vickery said.
Currently, another barn is being built on the property.
“This is going to allow us to do a lot of education and expand our volunteer opportunities,” Vickery said of the barn, which she’s funding herself.
Volunteering for the organization is a multi-step process, which starts with a tour and a couple of “down and dirty workdays.” Volunteers are also required to attend two education sessions.
“Those are all about learning animal behavior and training,” Vickery said. “We take the safety of the people and the animals safely.”
Volunteering for Tomten is a multistep process, which starts with a tour and a couple of “down and dirty workdays.” Volunteers also are required to attend two education sessions.
“Those are all about learning animal behavior and training,” Vickery said. “We take the safety of the people and the animals safely.”
But Vickery said the training and expense is well worth it to give the farm’s animals a home and to help people understand their plight.
“We really believe if you love animals, you’re welcome here, and change happens through education, not judgment,” Vickery said, emphasizing that Tomten is an animal welfare organization, not an advocacy group. “It’s not just teaching other people; it’s other people teaching us.”
Editor’s note: For more information about Tomten Farm and Sanctuary, visit tomtenfarmandsanctuary.org. Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
