As we move forward in taking ARK Farms mobile, we are moving through phases of transition.
We started by consulting with our teenagers, the Youth Advisory Board, and ARK Farms veterans to co-create vision for this on-the-go model. For months Sal and I have been travelling to and connecting with partners and locations interested in learning how to facilitate our programs.
Our Memphis team has been ensuring the continued care of our animals while we have worked with our long-time collaborator - Jennifer Dunlap and Animal Response Foundation to find adoptive or foster homes for our animals. Annie and Lily continue to recover and are doing extremely well at ARF while some of our team are regularly assisting with their care.
Sprite and the donkeys were adopted this winter and are thriving in homes where they're able to share the love we have grown to know and enjoy. Molly is enjoying her new foster farm, and she has new donkey friends there too. Many of our winged flock have helped restart a farm in Jackson, TN, and they are settling in well. Fudge and some of the ducks moved across the street with Ms. Beverly, but we all know Fudge does his own thing and is likely in the Ark Farms pond when he feels like it. We plan to continue posting updates on all the animals with pics as I receive them.
With the animals safely moved to new locations, it is time for us to prepare to release our Memphis location, the very first ARK Farms home, to the next part of its story. This will allow our teams the freedom to travel and help us train groups in many locations to empower young people and help rebuild community in the ways we have learned through the last eight years at the farm.
While we are getting the land ready to become what comes next there, the team at EXP Realty is helping us find the next owners.
We know the ARK Farms land is a powerful place in many of our lives. As we team together and restore the space like we always do, getting the farm ready for its future story our hope is that someone with a similar mission would be able to purchase the land so that it can continue to be a special place for people and animals in the community. No matter what comes next in that space, it will always hold stories and memories in our hearts of courage and community being built TOGETHER!
This farm was built with MANY Hands, and it has always been an Us Together Thing – ARK Farms people know what this means. This new phase is no different - we want to hear from you, your thoughts, ideas, and stories. Everything we have learned is being formed into training to build confidence and courage in future programs. We are excited to move into this new phase, and we can hardly wait to see new ARK Farms programs popping up in communities across the country. Join us on our journey forward!