OberRun Farm

06/09/2026

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05/01/2026

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IS YOUR DONKEY GOING THROUGH A SCRUFFY, BALD, PATCHY PHASE? 😬

It’s a horrible look—I know.
But this time of year? Totally normal.

Unlike horses, which tend to shed more evenly, donkeys often look like a chicken going through a full molt. Their coats can remain ragged, thin, and patchy for weeks as they transition from winter to summer.

Temperature swings don’t help either. When it goes from warm to cold again, donkeys will often hold onto that last bit of winter coat for warmth.

And just to make it more confusing, every donkey sheds on its own schedule, no matter what the calendar says.

So what should you do?
Honestly… not much.

As long as the skin isn’t raw, infected, or covered in scabs, this is usually just an aesthetic phase.

If your donkey is rubbing a lot, check for lice.
Lice are most common in cooler months (fall through early spring) because of the thicker coat. They can worsen patchiness and itching, so it’s worth ruling them out.

If lice aren’t the issue, then you’re just in the “ugly stage,” and it will pass.

What helps:

Regular grooming (as often as you can)
Use a rubber or metal curry comb
Be gentle—many donkeys don’t like their loose coat being pulled

You may notice small scratches in bare areas from rubbing. Keep those clean, and if needed, a light topical antibiotic ointment can help protect the skin.

Before you know it, that rough coat will be gone and replaced with a sleek, healthy summer coat.

And then… come late August or September…
they’ll start growing it all back again 😄

Feel free to share this post to help other donkey owners who might be wondering what’s going on with their donkey's coat.

02/20/2026

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02/18/2026

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Regarding my recent post about the dilemma at Bob & Crystal Rilee Park: I’ve been dwelling on the injustice of it all. Why must we battle again for this park? Why don’t people follow the rules anymore?

The Rilees generously shared their farm with equine trail riders and hikers. Upon their passing, their specific directions were clear — this property was to be granted explicitly for horsemen and hikers to enjoy. Their land. Their wishes. They recognized horses and bikes do not mix on a trail.

Some say, “We must share our trails.” My reply is this: here in Oregon, there is an abundance of trails for bike riders. But there is no balance. There are few public trails exclusive to equine use … Rilee Park in Newberg is one of them.

You may not be a trail rider and feel this battle isn’t yours. But hold your horses: zoning laws can change with little notice. Your favorite arena or fairgrounds could be next.

In my local area, the arenas at Yamhill County Fairgrounds have been in the county’s crosshairs for countless years. Polk County Fairgrounds is making news for losing funding by this June. Oregon’s premier showground, the Oregon Horse Center, is increasingly surrounded by encroaching subdivisions. And let's not forget that we are also losing our exclusive horse camping sites - built by horse people!

How informed are we about the gradual loss of our exclusive horse areas? And do we care enough?

There’s a 1970 song that struck me even as a teenager, “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell. Her words ring true:
“You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”

If you’ve enjoyed the peaceful trails at Rilee Park, write.
If you are a trail rider, write.
If your horse has ever been startled on a trail by a bike rider, write.
If it is wrong to renege on a previously-honored agreement, write.

We have only until tomorrow to submit emails to the Chehalem Parks & Recreation board members. The CPRD board members’ contact information: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

The meeting will be February 26, 6p, at 125 SE Elliott Rd., Newberg, OR to decide the future of this rare equine-exclusive public trail park.

Protect your paradise, horsemen.

02/14/2026

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CPRD's largest and most forested nature park is near the top of Parrett Mountain and is part of the District's 325-acre parcel of farmland and scenic forest between Newberg, Sherwood, and Wilsonville. There are approximately 12 miles total of both loop and out-and-back trail segments open to hikers....

02/06/2026

We have fertile hatching 🥚’s available for 2026. Cream Crested Legbar (blue eggs) or Olive Egger (green eggs).

02/01/2026

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01/28/2026

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OREGON — DO NOT SIGN IP28, also known as the "Peace Act."

This one is personal for me.

I am a hunter. My husband is a career fishing guide. And this is how we provide for our family.

My husband doesn’t just “like to fish.” He runs a guide business that supports our household and gives families the opportunity to experience the outdoors together — dads taking their kids out for their first catch, moms making memories, visitors falling in love with Oregon’s natural beauty.

My hunting isn’t about trophies. It’s about food, stewardship, tradition, and responsibility. Like thousands of Oregon families, we rely on these practices both economically and culturally.

That’s why Initiative Petition 28 (IP28) is so alarming.

This measure would dramatically expand Oregon’s animal abuse statutes in ways that could criminalize hunting, fishing, farming, ranching, wildlife management, pest control, and more. It’s being sold as an “animal rights” initiative, but Oregon already has strong animal cruelty laws. This goes far beyond that.

Families like mine could be turned into criminals for simply living our way of life.

You don’t have to hunt to oppose this.
You don’t have to fish.
You don’t have to live rurally.

You just have to believe that people shouldn’t be criminalized for feeding their families, providing honest work, and practicing self-sufficiency.

Right now, IP28 is in the signature-gathering phase. They've already collected 92,088 signatures of the required 117,173. If this radical group meets their goal, it will appear on the November 2026 general election ballot.

PLEASE DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING RELATED TO IP28!
And please help spread the word — most people have no idea what this initiative actually does.

I’m just one Oregon mom. One hunter. One wife of a fishing guide.
But there are thousands of families like ours across this state.

This is insane. Period.

01/19/2026

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A farmer, Bobby Heathcote, was attacked by a feral pig while working alone in a remote paddock. The 200-pound boar knocked him down, and Bobby knew he was in mortal danger—feral pigs can easily kill humans with their tusks.

Before the pig could strike, Bobby's donkey Noddy charged between them. Donkeys naturally hate canids and suids, viewing them as predators, but Noddy's intervention was remarkably strategic.

He kicked the pig repeatedly with his powerful hind legs, stomped with his front hooves, and used his body to shield Bobby.

The battle lasted several intense minutes, Noddy refusing to retreat despite the pig's dangerous tusks. Finally, the injured pig fled. Noddy stood over Bobby until he could stand, then walked beside him back to the house.

Bobby required stitches but survived because of Noddy's fearless protection. Veterinarians treated Noddy's minor injuries—superficial cuts from the pig's tusks.

Bobby calls Noddy his "guardian angel with long ears," and their bond deepened immeasurably. Noddy continues protecting the farm's livestock, but Bobby knows he owes his life to the rescue donkey he'd adopted years earlier, proving rescue works both ways.

12/17/2025

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Democrats in Salem are getting ready to wipe out proven, hands-on education programs like Oregon FFA and ag education while protecting plenty of other pet projects and carve‑outs. At a time when they are willing to spend tens of millions on initiatives such as electric-vehicle subsidies and new bureaucracies, they are proposing to phase out FFA support grants, agricultural summer grants, and CTE programs that actually change students’ lives.

FFA serves over 15,000 Oregon students, with statewide participation up more than 50% in six years, while students log over 600,000 hours a year in real-world ag projects. These are the exact kinds of programs Oregon should double down on, not dump.

If Democrats move forward with this budget, it will be crystal clear: they will fund almost anything before they fund FFA and career‑ready education for our kids.

Add your name to tell the Joint Ways and Means Committee to keep funding Oregon FFA, Summer Ag Education Grants, and CTE Pathways Grants by signing here today:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfzDdpArklJtalRzpuaQ8-3QHbevo5q_lrIzU8VjjEfF7MfWQ/viewform