2017
The animals of Winterpast Farm Petting Zoo drew record crowds tonight (Dec 23) at the second night of Live Nativity at Hayes Barton Baptist Church in Raleigh.
Tonight Farmer Mary went with an all white theme with sheep CHARLIE BROWN and his pregnant wife, CINDY LOU and goats THOMAS and his pregnant wife, BUTTERCUP. MABEL and CLAIRE the mini donkeys stay all three nights in the barn but Farmer Mary picks a pair of goats and pair of sheep to accompany them.
Last week Farmer Mary and her daughter took two sheep for the two nights of the annual Live Nativity of St. francis United Methodist Church in Cary. Do you recognize them as shepherds (of their own sheep!) here?
Lifepointe Church in Willow Springs had a two night roadside Live Nativity with BETSY the goat and CINDY LOU the sheep.
CHARLIE BROWN and sweet young CAITLINN the baby goat assisted with a Live Nativity at Faith Harvest Church in Raleigh. Farmer Mary enjoyed being a shepherd for the morning.
First night of the annual three night Live Nativity at Hayes Barton Baptist Church in Raleigh. Donkeys MABEL and CLAIRE will be there each night and the two goats and two sheep may vary. For the first night the sheep were CHARLIE BROWN the ram and his pregnant wife VALENTINE. Goats were THOMAS and his pregnant wife BETSY.
2016
Sunday, December 11-Richland Creek Community Church in Wake Forest from 9am-1pm
Farmer Mary and her daughter, Elizabeth were shepherds for their own flock this morning at Richland Creek Community Church. Good reminder of the shepherds who were “watching their sheep by night” on a very special night many many years ago.
December 13-St. Francis UMC in Cary
Farmer Mary and her daughter took CHARLIE BROWN the sheep and CATY the goat tonight to a Live Nativity at St. Francis United Methodist Church in Cary. Located at the corner of Kildaire Farm Road and Penny Road. (2965 Kildaire Farm Rd)
Tomorrow night there is a Free hotdog supper starting at 5:30 and the Live Nativity runs from 6-8. Take a break from holiday shopping and come eat dinner and view the angels and wisemen and shepherds (Farmer Mary and daughter Elizabeth!) and the animals.
Sunday December 18-Richland Creek Community Church in Wake Forest 9am-1pm
Wednesday, December 21
Hayes Barton UMC in Raleigh 5-8pm
Thursday,December 22
Hayes Barton Baptist Church in Raleigh 7-9pm
Saturday December 24
St. Philip Lutheran Church in Raleigh 4pm
Hayes Barton Baptist Church in Raleigh 7-9pm
Hayes Barton Methodist
Old pics. Can’t remember the name of this church. Donkey was not ours, but so cute! Baba black sheep was just a baby!
Below pics from an indoor Live Nativity at Crossroad Fellowship Church in Raleigh where Farmer Mary served and took animals for many many years.
Barnabus was out new baby donkey.
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Farmer Mary and her daughter never mind dressing up. This was a drive thru Live Nativity at a church in south Raleigh.
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2013-first time at Hayes Barton Baptist Church in Raleigh
Sunday (December 22 2013) afternoon Farmer Mary, three of her four teens and several others from Hayes Barton Baptist Church convinced MABEL the donkey that going for a ride in a borrowed horse trailer wouldn’t be so bad. CLAIRE, the littler donkey, loaded up easily with a few carrots to encourage her. While the loaded trailer waited in the driveway at Winterpast Farm the smaller animals were loaded into Farmer Marys car…JESSE and JAMES, the six month old baby goat twins were in the back seat along with DANIEL the lamb in a crate. Daughter, Elizabeth, sat in the passenger seat with BA BA, the black lamb, in her lap.
On arrival at the church, MABEL was disinclined to leave the trailer and needed much encouragement (shoving, pulling, carrots…). Once in the temporary barn she and CLAIRE settled right in eating hay and grass. The sheep and goats were tethered in front by the campfire and started in on the hay and grass. Both the black and the white animals showed up nicely in the low light with the wheatstraw underneath.
At Hayes Barton Baptist
Farmer Mary used to live on Aycock Street in Five Points and used to stroll her baby, Ben, up to see the Living Nativity each year. Ben is now a senior at NCSU and Mary (now “Farmer Mary”) lives on ten acres by Falls Lake where she has created an animal sanctuary petting zoo. Families and groups visit the farm to meet, pet, hold and feed the animals which include a m, goats, sheep, emu, peacocks, ducks, chickens, mini donkeys and lots of bunnies and guinea pigs. Farmer Mary takes animals to schools, churches and to community events. She hosts Birthday parties, meetings, bonfires, campouts and other events at the farm and also rents pets by the week. This recycling of existing pets allows her to feed all the former pets who find their way to Winterpast Farm. Farmer Mary also takes her animals to private homes for Birthday parties and other celebrations (for all ages!)
Farmer Mary is happy to talk with churches about renting animals for events. Farmer Mary can usually deliver animals and is happy to dress up and take part of the Live Nativity, indoors or out.
Texting is always the best way to get in touch with Farmer Mary. 919-244-1800
Please text only between 8am and 10pm. Farmer Mary will not return texts made at other times.