The Cole Harbour Heritage Farm Museum is an original Cole Harbour farm which has been continuously cultivated for 200 years. It is now run as a community museum but still carries on the farming tradition through its garden tended by summer staff and the Dartmouth Horiticulutral Society, and through its onsite animals (including sheep, chickens, calves, ducks and pigs) kept during the summer season.

Access to our museum and site remains completely by donation, as we strongly believe our heritage and education should be accessible by all regardless of income level.

We're again asking for donations towards the care and upkeep of our onsite animals during our open season. We believe in imparting a love of and respect for farm animals and the many things they provide for us. This is done in part by giving the animals on site a fantastic quality of life. Our determination to ensure the best conditions for our animals, coupled with keeping the animals in an urban environment leads to higher costs associated with rearing them. Thus we're reaching out for assistance to ensure we can continue providing these animals with the care they deserve.

Last year, thanks to the generousity of our many donors, we surpassed our goal by approximately $1500 - which was incredibly fortunate as our farrowing pig, Lucky, became very ill after giving birth and required intense veterinary and staff care for two weeks. The excess in donations allowed us to ensure Lucky made a full recovery and was able to spend the remainder of our season caring for her piglets.

This year, we're hoping to raise $5000 which will allow us to feed all of the animals on site for the season. Anything beyond that will go to helping with other costs associated with the animals such as vet bills.

Donations as small as $5 or $10 can feed a calf for a day, or a pig for 4 days, respectively. Everyone who donates $100 or more will be listed as one of our 2017 Animal Benefactors. Their names will go on a sign which will be hung on a wall in the barn where our animals are housed.

If you would like to help but are unable to donate please consider sharing this campaign on Facebook or Twitter.