Sunshine, Stories & So Much More

Oh, where to begin? We’re making it a goal to share more regular updates here at Toni’s Ponies—there’s always so much happening, and taking time to reflect (and celebrate) is important. Plus, we love keeping you all in the loop!

Summer So Far...

Our summer has been absolutely packed—and it’s been so good. Since early June, we’ve been hosting our weekly Pony Play activity hour, and it’s been a hit! Each week, we welcome about 15–20 kiddos and their families for story time, bracelet making, coloring, sensory activities, and of course... pony brushing and loving! Our minis—Princess, Remi, and Missy—have been soaking up all the attention.

We’ve also been lucky to welcome some incredible new volunteers—shoutout to Bernie, our storytime superstar! We can’t say it enough: our volunteers are the reason all of this is possible. Rain or shine, they show up early to turn the farm into a joyful space for kids to play, learn, and connect.

Just last week, we had a super special Pony Play featuring local authors Kristen Varner and Jennifer Mann, who joined us to share their books Horse Trouble and The Riding Lesson. Huge thanks to our friends at Saltwater Bookshop in Kingston for helping make that happen—thank you, Madison! You can support them (and snag those wonderful books) by visiting their shop or checking them out online: 👉 Saltwater Bookshop – Kingston, WA

We still have 5 Pony Play days left! Come on out to the farm and experience the fun!

The Yard Sale Hustle

The week before that was our annual yard sale—one of the most labor-intensive (but rewarding!) weeks of the year. We spent days unpacking, sorting, organizing, and hauling everything out. No rain this year (phew!), though we did have some of the hottest days on record.

Thanks to everyone who donated, helped us set up and tear down, and came out to shop. All items are donation-based, and every dollar goes back to supporting the ponies. We didn’t quite meet our “fill the barn” goal, but we got a solid start—and we’re deeply grateful.

A quick note on donations: We love receiving your gently used items, but we’ve learned that large or hard-to-donate items can become costly to dispose of. If Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity won’t take them, we’re often left with dump runs—which adds up fast. Next year, we may need to be a little more selective with what we can accept. Thank you for understanding!

Bike Raffle 

We’d like to give a heartfelt thank you to Russ and Penny Koons for their incredibly generous donation of the 2009 Honda Goldwing that we recently raffled off. Russ and Penny aren’t just amazing neighbors—they’re truly outstanding people, and we’re so grateful for their support. You might recognize Russ from the 4th of July parade, where he proudly rode the Goldwing before donating it to our cause. (And yes, we were in the parade too—rocking a sea of pink!) The raffle was a huge success, and we were thrilled to draw the winner. If you missed it, head over to our Facebook page to watch the video of the drawing and see who took home this fantastic bike. Thanks again, Russ and Penny—you made this all possible!

Vet Day = Pony Wellness Day

We recently had our annual vet visit with the amazing Dr. Toby. He helped us with dental work for a few of our horses and also gelded our sweet Timber. It was a smooth and productive day, and as always, we’re incredibly thankful for Dr. Toby’s calm, informative approach.

A big thanks to everyone who donated to help offset the cost of this visit—your support keeps our herd healthy! If you'd still like to contribute, you can do that here.

On a Personal Note

We also want to share something a bit harder. Just before the yard sale, Toni’s partner Andy was unexpectedly diagnosed with colon cancer. He’s had surgery to remove the tumor and will soon begin chemotherapy. It was a shock to us all, and while Andy is in good spirits—watering tomatoes and tending plants like always—it’s been a lot.

This will naturally affect the pace at the farm. If our response times slow down or things look a little different, we hope you’ll understand. Toni is juggling a lot, but we’re still here, still moving forward, and always grateful for your support.

What’s Coming Up?

We’ve still got plenty of fun ahead:

📍 National Night Out – Poulsbo | August 5 

🌞 Picnic with the Ponies | Late August – details soon! 

🕺 DISCO Gala | Nov 8 | Start planning those sparkly outfits! (Check out Lucky Star for ideas!) If you or someone you know would like to donate items for our silent auction, we’d love to hear from you.

The Thrift Shop... It’s Happening!

The thrift shop we’ve been dreaming about? It’s really happening. A few things have shifted, but we’ll be announcing the new location and grand opening date very soon. Stay tuned!

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Whether you volunteer, donate, show up, or simply cheer us on—we couldn’t do it without you.