Stuck in Vermont: Neglected Animals Find a Home With Era MacDonald at Merrymac Farm Sanctuary in Charlotte 

All the animals at Merrymac Farm Sanctuary in Charlotte have stories to tell. You can read their heartbreaking tales of neglect and abuse on the farm’s website and social media channels. Luckily, the animals are in a better place now: Merrymac provides them with a safe, loving, forever home.

Merrymac director Era MacDonald, a lifelong animal lover, founded Merrymac in 2016 and formalized the sanctuary as a nonprofit this past spring. She cares for more than 100 animals with the help of a squadron of volunteers and donations from supporters. Each horse, sheep, goat, pig and turkey has a name, and donors can choose to sponsor an individual animal.

Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger met featured
Merrymac Farm in a 2018 “Stuck in Vermont” video about youths from the King Street Center working with horses. That episode highlighted the sanctuary’s focus on education, which now regularly includes Open Barn Days to introduce the public to rescued animals.

In her latest episode of “Stuck in Vermont,” Sollberger returned to the farm,
where she spent Thanksgiving morning meeting the volunteer crew and the
assorted collection of animals. Among other highlights, she watched the turkeys
and pigs enjoy a special holiday meal that included cranberries and sweet
potatoes.

The farm will hold Winter Wonderland Open Barn Days on Friday, December
8, and Saturday, December 9. Tickets can be purchased in advance.

Filming date: 11/23/23

Music: The Mini Vandals, “Milk”

This episode of Stuck in Vermont was supported by New England Federal Credit Union.