Farm Sanctuary in Northport Takes Care of Dozens of Animals

Imagine being in charge of 66 animals roaming over 100 acres of beautiful farmland in Northern Michigan. That is not only the job of Cherry and Marty Scott, owners of Black Sheep Crossing, a no-kill farm animal sanctuary sitting on a quiet country road in Northport. It is also the job of Savannah, a Great Pyrenees, who is the self-appointed guard dog of the farm.

Every morning and every night, she makes the rounds of the property, making sure that all of the animals are safe and accounted for. Savannah was raised with goats and is used to guarding animals. When her previous owner got sick and had to sell his goats, Savannah needed a home. Coming to Black Sheep Crossing was a new experience for her. She had never been in a car or a house before. After spending three days in the barn, she had a meet and greet with the other dogs on the farm and quickly decided that inside the house was every bit as good as outside.

Every animal at Black Sheep Crossing has a story including the owner, Marty Scott. Considered a "black sheep" of his own family, he decided to move "out of town" and into the country with his wife Cherry. They found a lovely piece of property with a remodeled farmhouse and some barns in need of repair. Also included in the deal were some goats and also some sheep, including a black one!

Over the years, Cherry and Marty had worked together and ran businesses together but they had separate hobbies. When they bought the farm, they discovered that they both had a passion for animals. Cherry said, "It is just amazing how they've changed our lives and hopefully we've changed theirs." Everybody at the farm seems happy and they all seem to get along fine. When a new animal is introduced, Cherry explains to the regulars how they were all the "new kid on the block" once and that they need to be welcoming - and it seems to work! Many of their animals have also been considered the "black sheep" for one reason or another but now they are lucky to live out their lives at Black Sheep Crossing.

Through vets, animal control, their farrier, and word of mouth, their menagerie has grown from three to as many as 74 critters who came to the sanctuary to live out their lives with dignity. It is an ongoing learning experience for Cherry and Marty - not only in terms of maintenance and care of the variety of animals but the miracles of what they give back to them as well.

The 66 animals on the property include pot-bellied pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, horses, a mule, mini and standard donkeys, guinea fowl, a llama, cats, dogs, birds and a cow. These animals live on six fenced pastures for the large farm animals. Pigs, dogs, cats and guinea fowl roam a four-acre fenced yard. Barns and shelters have been modified to accommodate their different animals. Other amenities include companionship and lots of love and special attention. The sanctuary's mission is to provide food, shelter, medical care and love to unwanted, abused, ill, injured and/or abandoned cats, dogs, birds and farm animals for the remainder of their lives. It is quite an undertaking for Cherry and Marty - a full time job in their retirement years. And it's a beautiful thing to see.

The animals are mostly named after friends and people who live in the town of Northport. There is even a "waiting list" for people who want an animal named after them. If you happen to be in Northport and hear some interesting things about JoAnn Sahs, don't be too surprised because they might be talking about JoAnn Sahs the cat.

Cherry and Marty provide guided tours and hands-on interaction with some of their animals for individuals and groups but encourage people to visit their animals on the website instead of in person as their care and comfort depends on a regular schedule every day.

Please see below on how you can help the sanctuary care for their animals:

1. Send a tax-deductible donation to: Black Sheep Crossing, 12540 N. Kehl Road, Northport, MI 49670. The sanctuary is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization.

2. Wish list: funds, towels and blankets, gift certificates for Hillside Feed & Seed or Lake Leelanau Feed, small animal carriers. Call to schedule a drop off:
231-386-7234

3. Visit the website which will be up soon to learn more about the sanctuary at www.blacksheepcrossing.org