Ray of Light Farm: a place of healing for people and animals

East Haddam’s Ray of Light Farm is a non-profit farm, animal rescue and animal-assisted therapy provider with a commitment to community involvement.

Animals on the farm include several chickens, turkeys, ducks, sheep, goats, llamas, donkeys, 70 horses and even a donkey-zebra hybrid.

Children and their families are encouraged to visit the animals, and with the help of a farm employee, are welcome to pet them as well.

Damory Rives,who works at Ray of Light Farm, said it works primarily as a “foster barn,” providing food and shelter for animals waiting to be adopted.

Many of the horses on site are rescues. They have been used for the production of Premarin, a drug obtained from the urine of pregnant mares and given to patients who don’t have enough estrogen.  Because the mares are used exclusively for procuring the Premarin, they are usually euthanized when no longer useful.

The Ray of Light Farm takes on these and other rescued animals, which they put up for adoption. Recently, the farm acquired 16 of these horses.

In the community

Aside from being a rescue and boarding facility, Ray of Light Farm also utilizes the animals for therapeutic services. “We aspire to be a ‘healing presence in a wounded world,’” the farm’s Web site states. “Helping animals, helping people – helping them both connect.”

When the farm was founded in 2000 by Bonnie Buongiorne, her main objective was to fulfill  these principals.

Ray of Light Farm offers riding lessons for special needs children and works closely with the Colchester-area special Olympics to make riding lessons available.

There is also a “Tiny Trotter” program for pre-school age children to become acquainted with farm animals and participate in planned activities such as story time and pony rides.

The Farm also has a strong volunteer program, “that acts as therapy by allowing people to get away from the daily grind” said Rives.

One such volunteer is Pat Moon, a local resident and grandmother who works part-time. She brought her granddaughter to the farm, to give the child a glimpse of her own upbringing on a farm.

“It is good to get back to my roots.” said Moon. “I think that it [volunteering] is a great thing to do.”

Winter Wonderland

During the year, the Ray of Light Farm hosts several children’s birthday parties and themed  fundraisers.

And the farm’s second annual Winter Wonderland event will take place on Dec. 13 and 20. Festivities begin at 4:30 with an open house at 4:30 p.m. and a drill team exhibition at 5 p.m.

Between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., visitors will be treated to horse-drawn wagon rides in the woods, a camp fire, hot chocolate and caroling. Admission is $8 per person.

Posted Nov. 28, 2009