Wow, I cant believe no one has responded to this thread yet!  What an awesome experience!  I am new to VegWeb so have been really looking through the forums and this caught my eye.  While I live in Northern Minnesota for the last 17 years, I grew up and lived in Columbus Ohio until I was 21.  I just went back to visit last November and was glad to see my Grandma one more time as she passed away in January.  

At any rate what a great blog you have going there.  I think volunteering like that, doing something meaningful and seeing how much work it really is to keep up a farm or sanctuary like that makes us appreciate the people who do this on a regular basis.  And just getting your hands dirty and getting intimate with these animals, seeing their individual personalities brings the reality of just how intelligent and sophisicated these animals really are...much more than commodities.  I met a friend of my sisters that had a pet pig.  It was so smart, so full of personality.  I just shutter to think of the abuse these animals are subjected to.  I'm so happy for you that you had the guts to get out there and do this.  

I really want to volunteer somewhere.  They need help down at the soup kitchen.  I want to serve there.  I have an apple tree in my yard and every year I pick about four large grocery bags and give them to the soup kitchen as well as other bags to neighbors, friends, our church.  But I want to do more.  Right now I am trying to find a second job (I was layed off in January and found a part time job but its not enough to live on) so I dont want to commit until I have something to work around but on the other hand it might be a good idea to volunteer until I find that second job, just to feel useful and make good use of my time instead of isolating and feeling stressed and depressed.  
I have volunteered in the past but nothing to write home about.  I volunteered at a monastary in the garden picking produce and spent two hours chopping rhuebarb.  I did this twice a week for a summer.  I also have volunteered at the public library and have done meals on wheels for a year.  I would love to spend time with an older person taking them to appointments and listening to their wonderful life experiences.  They have so many stories to tell.  I just dont know where to even begin.  Thanks for the inspiration!