Ferme des petits-rêves rescues farm animals and welcomes visitors

Small dreams are coming true at Ferme des petits-rêves near Ste-Anne-de-Prescott.

Marie-Josée Lambert owns the animal rescue farm and operates it with her daughters Émilie and Lea. Lambert purchased the 23-acre property in November 2020. It was formerly owned by Gilbert Lanthier. Lambert takes in animals from farmers who do not have the capacity to look after them.

“We bought in November and opened the rescue,” said Lambert.

A human resources consultant by profession, Lambert previously lived in Vaudreuil before moving to the farm. She had been looking for property to start an animal rescue farm for two years.

“For me, it’s therapy,” said Lambert.

Currently, Ferme des petits-rêves expenses are being paid for entirely by Lambert, who has kept her full-time job. Those expenses include feeding animals and constructing pens for them.

“My pay goes to the farm,” she said.

The farm operates as a registered business in Ontario, but Lambert will take donations to go towards food costs. She is hoping to arrange to receive scraps from restaurants or institutions such as retirement homes for use as livestock food.

Farms require labour, and aside from her daughters, Lambert is relying on others to help.

“I have volunteers helping.”

“Every week, it’s more and more time,” she added.

Cattle, miniature horses, pigs, chickens, and goats are among the animals being housed at Ferme des petits-rêves. Lambert has travelled as far as Kingston to collect pheasants now living at the farm.

“There seems to be a demand for it, definitely,” she said.

Lambert added she is not concerned about running out of space at the farm.

Each weekend, Ferme des petits-rêves is open for visitors to look around and is a popular place for families. There are many baby goats so the kids can play with other kids. Visitors can enjoy snacks and buy packages of food for the animals. The farm is open from 11a.m. to 4p.m. each Saturday and Sunday, and by appointment during the week.

Ferme des petits-rêves is located at 965 County Road 18 near Ste-Anne-de-Prescott. For more information, call 514-754-5664 or go to https://www.facebook.com/Ferme-des-petits-reves .