Farm Animal Sanctuary Whispering Acres

Janine Smalley hugs Henry the troublemaker. Smalley’s mug is printed with “Who rescued who?” by Amy Barnes

The Open Gate

by Amy Barnes

“There were not going to be any goats,”at least for a while, said Janine Smalley, laughing, as she glances at her husband, Scott.

No goats at first because the farm-animal rescue was not supposed to grow as fast as it did, Janine said.

Scott stands in the barnyard of the 1 1/2-year-old sanctuary as chickens, geese, pigs, goats, turkeys, guinea fowl, and a duck mill around him, and he chuckles somewhat wryly.

As fate would have it, their car broke down and stranded them on the property for the entire day. There was no turning back.

Meet more of the residents and read more about the path that led Janine and Scott Smalley to Whispering Acres and how it got its name in the November 2021 issue of Joy of Medina County Magazine.

Patsy Swine and Hennifer Lopez photo by Janine Smalley