Horse Rescue Makes Strides

Saturday, March 1, marked a banner day for Open Gates Equine Rescue of New Gloucester. Co-directors Deb Hutchins and Linda Walker reported that the benefit bake sale, held at Ames Farm Center in North Yarmouth, was a tremendous success. Store customers purchased cheesecakes, Kahlua cakes, homemade pies, cookies, lemon bars, breads and other baked goods. The fundraising organizers wish to thank Rose Stansfield, Darcy Soucy, Denise Corey, Patty Stasinowsky, and Austin Eldridge (and mom) for their baking skills.

Ames Farm Center offered a one-day sale of items that are essential in caring for the horses at Open Gates. “Shoppers purchased water buckets, halters with matching lead lines, and de-wormers. All of those items were badly needed at Open Gates. The crew at Ames Farm Center was wonderful and made the bake sale a lot of fun,” Hutchins said.

In Open Gates news, a family who volunteers at the facility has recently purchased a farm in the area. The family’s hope is to adopt Cleo, an 8-year-old hackney-standard bred cross, and possibly a second horse. Walker said, “Cleo gets very excited when she sees the family arrive at the farm. In the spring, we will have a fence-raising party.”

A new addition to the herd arrived March 2. He is a 3-year-old mini stallion named Joe. Later that week, he was scheduled to get his vaccinations. He will be gelded in May and will be available for adoption in late spring/summer of this year. Maine Equine Wellness Alliance is assisting Open Gates Equine Rescue with the cost of Joe’s care. The money earned from the bake sale will help defray the expense of vaccinations, teeth, farrier and gelding services. The directors said, “It is our feeling that Joe will make a great driving horse. He is smart!”

They added that they are looking forward to getting the horses back out onto the trails once mud season is over. “With all the snow received this winter, it may be a while for the ground to dry up. Think spring everyone. To learn more about our rescue, please visit us at www.opengatesequinerecue.com.”

Shaker Revolutionary War Veterans

Leonard Brooks, former director of the Shaker Library and secretary of the New Gloucester Historical Society, will tell the “war stories” of 17 Shaker brothers that served in the Revolutionary War in Maine and elsewhere. Note that the Shakers are pacifists, so their war service would have preceded the men becoming Shakers.

The talk will also be a history of the war in Maine, including the ill-fated Penobscot Expedition and Benedict Arnold’s march into Canada. There will also be stories of the veterans’ Shaker life, showing how Shakerism took such a solid root in Maine in the 1700s.

This program, sponsored by the New Gloucester Historical Society, will take place on Thursday, March 20, at the Meetinghouse, 389 Intervale Road, New Gloucester, starting at 7 p.m. It is open to the public, and admission is free.

Winter Wonderland

Grab your hats and mittens and prepare to explore an outdoor winter wonderland at a Pineland Farms’ family education program. A guide will talk about how Maine animals survive in the cold months and what makes our state’s winter season so special on Thursday, March 20, from 10-11:30 a.m.

The program is open to all ages at a cost of $5 per person. Buy tickets at The Market and Welcome Center, 15 Farm View Drive, New Gloucester.

Pasta Creations

Learn how to make fresh and flavored pasta dough, and then get creative and make your own fettuccini, lasagna, spaghetti, and ravioli. Dinner will include pastas, sauce, focaccia and salad for $30 per person. This epicurean evening will occur from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, at Connemara Farm, 37 Peacock Hill Road, New Gloucester. RSVP to [email protected] or 926-3672.

Pay Your Taxes Online

The Town of New Gloucester is now accepting credit cards, debit cards and checks as forms of payment to pay your real estate and personal property taxes online. There will be a processing fee to use these forms of payment. In order to process your payment, you will need to know your account number and the dollar amount you are paying, including interest if applicable. Please call the town office at 926-4126, ext. 1, if you need assistance.

Deb Hutchins, on left, and Linda Walker, co-directors of Open Gates Equine Rescue, conducted a benefit bake sale at Ames Farm Center in North Yarmouth on March 1. Open Gates is a nonprofit in New Gloucester that provides shelter, quality care and treatment, rehabilitation, foster care and adoption for abused, neglected and unwanted horses.