09/05/2026
What is Ayers Family Farm and why does it matter?
Ayers Family Farm is our 33-acre family farm in Bedford, Virginia, and it is the home of Mae’s Haven.
Mae’s Haven was created in memory of our daughter, Juliauna Mae—our Auna—who we lost in 2021 at just 20 years old. Losing her changed every part of our lives, and out of that unimaginable grief came a deep desire to create something meaningful that could bring hope and healing to other people who were hurting.
When I began looking for a farm, I already knew what I wanted it to become. I wasn’t simply looking for property or a place to live. I was looking for land where we could rescue horses, give them a safe place to heal, and then allow those same horses to become part of therapeutic and healing experiences for people.
That vision is what led us to Ayers Family Farm.
I had experienced firsthand how powerful the connection between people, animals, nature, and purpose could be during some of the hardest moments of my own life. I wanted to create a place where someone could come when life felt heavy and find something they may not be able to find anywhere else—a quiet place to breathe, a horse to stand beside, meaningful work to do, people who cared, and a reminder that their story was not over.
Mae’s Haven carries Auna’s middle name because she is at the heart of why this work matters so deeply to us. Her life mattered. Her story matters. And we want the love we have for her to continue reaching people through a place built around compassion, connection, healing, and hope.
Here at the farm, we care for rescued and rehomed horses and other animals, but the animals are only part of the story. We use the farm, the horses, nature, and community to create a safe place for people who are hurting, struggling, rebuilding, or simply need somewhere they feel like they belong.
The horses we rescue often come with stories of their own, and there is something incredibly powerful about watching a horse and a person—both carrying things from their past—begin to experience trust, connection, safety, and healing together.
Over the years, we have welcomed people from our community through partnerships and programs involving Recovery Court, probation services, family services, veterans, domestic violence survivors, at-risk youth, schools, homeschool families, volunteers, and others. People come here to volunteer, serve their community, spend time with the animals, learn, heal, and sometimes simply breathe for a little while.
We also host community events, youth activities, horse-centered healing experiences, volunteer opportunities, weddings and celebrations through Ayers Family Farm, and other gatherings that help support the property and keep this place operating.
Our belief has always been simple: sometimes healing doesn’t happen inside four walls.
Sometimes it looks like standing beside a horse.
Sometimes it looks like working with your hands, walking through a pasture, sitting quietly beside an animal, finding purpose through serving others, or being surrounded by people who care.
And sometimes healing begins with simply realizing there is still a place in this world where you belong.
That is why saving Ayers Family Farm matters so much to us.
We aren’t simply trying to save a piece of property. We are trying to preserve the home where this mission lives, keep our animals together, and protect a place that has become meaningful to so many people in our community.
This farm was purchased with this purpose in mind from the very beginning. The vision was always to create a place where rescued horses could heal alongside people who needed healing too. What we could never have fully imagined was how many people would eventually walk through these gates and become part of it.
Mae’s Haven’s mission is:
Healing horses. Healing people. Restoring hope.
Every person who contributes, shares our story, volunteers, visits, or helps us keep going becomes part of that mission. 🤍
