Funds raised for family who lost barn, horse in fire
Most of the horses were in the pasture when mid-morning blaze broke out
SCOTSBURN, N.S. — A GoFundMe page has been started to help a family who lost their barn and a stallion in a fire March 1. Tulach Ard Farm in Scotsburn is owned by the MacKenzie-Baird family. The fire started mid-morning March 1 while the family was away and quickly spread through the entire building, sending smoke billowing that could be seen from miles away. Scotsburn Fire Chief Tim Van Veen said wind and the fact that it was on a hill made the fire spread quickly and was fuelled further by hay in the building. There were 15 horses on the farm at the time of the blaze, but fortunately most were in the pasture. A 16-year-old stallion named Impeccable (a.k.a. Junior) was killed in the fire, however. Dan Baird said his sister Megan Baird and her partner Greg MacKenzie had bought the farm from his parents and were planning to continue to use it as a Standardbred Horse Nursery. The horses they raised later become harness racers. The stable that burned contained 20 horse stalls along with various pieces of farming equipment and personal belongings. The barn had not been insured at the time of the fire. The displaced horses are temporarily being housed at Sumac Farms. Dan Baird said friends of the family started the GoFundMe as a way to help them rebuild and to alleviate the immediate costs associated with the fire. He said the family is trying to process everything, but he believes their plan will be to rebuild. The goal for the GoFundMe page (www.gofundme.com/ tulach-ard-farm) is $50,000.