Jon and Tracey Stewart's Farm Animal Sanctuary in New Jersey

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Originally published 2019-08-05.

Jon and Tracey Stewart's Animal-Sanctuary Plans in New Jersey

Jon Stewart and his wife, Tracey Stewart, run a sanctuary for rescued farm animals on their own land in Monmouth County, New Jersey, roughly 50 miles from New York City. Called Bufflehead Farm, it opened in 2015 on the couple’s 12-acre property in Middletown, in partnership with the national charity Farm Sanctuary. In 2016 they also bought the historic 45-acre Hockhockson Farm in nearby Colts Neck, with plans for a larger sanctuary and education centre that won preliminary local approval in January 2017.

Below is how the project came about, which animals live there, what was planned for Colts Neck, and what a farm sanctuary actually involves day to day.

From comedy desk to farmyard

Stewart stepped down as host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show in August 2015 after more than 16 years. Within weeks, the couple’s plans for their farm became public. Tracey Stewart’s new role with Farm Sanctuary was announced at the charity’s 2015 gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York, where she said the aim was to create “new advocates, new curious learners, and new leaders” for the movement.

Tracey has been the driving force. A longtime animal advocate, she trained as a veterinary technician and wrote Do Unto Animals (2015), a practical book about understanding and caring for animals at home, in the garden and on the farm. Jon has credited her with his own change of heart, once joking in a CBS interview that he “was so angry at animals” until they met. The couple married in 2000.

Stewart did not stay out of the spotlight entirely. He became a leading campaigner for 9/11 first responders and, later, for veterans exposed to burn pits, whose PACT Act became law in 2022. In February 2024 he returned to The Daily Show as its Monday-night host.

Bufflehead Farm and its residents

Bufflehead started as the family home, with the usual household animals. Early reports listed four dogs, three rabbits, two pigs, two guinea pigs, two fish and a bird. One of the dogs, a three-legged pit bull, became a familiar face in coverage of the farm.

The aim was to take in animals rescued from factory farms, slaughterhouses and neglect cases, and to let them live out their natural lives. Over time the farm welcomed cows, sheep, goats, pigs and chickens. The couple share pictures of the animals on Facebook under the name “The Daily Squeal”, a nod to Jon’s old show.

When the news first broke in October 2015, it spread quickly across animal-welfare and lifestyle accounts:

Planet Green, the Discovery-owned eco channel, offered an early look inside the farm.

Country Living framed it as the couple starting a farm animal sanctuary.

BarkPost, a dog-focused site, highlighted the purchase of the farm itself.

Not every reaction was admiring. Indian commentator Rupa Subramanya mocked the news as part of a wider trend toward vegetarianism, a reminder that diet and animal welfare can become political talking points far from New Jersey.

The Colts Neck plan: a bigger sanctuary with classrooms

In September 2016 the Stewarts bought Hockhockson Farm, a roughly 200-year-old, 45-acre property in Colts Neck Township, a few miles from Bufflehead. Part of the land was already worked by a farmer growing fruit, vegetables and flowers, and Tracey said she intended to keep its farm stand and community-supported agriculture scheme, which supplied dozens of local households.

Gene Baur, the co-founder and president of Farm Sanctuary, shared news of the expansion in April 2016.

The proposal was ambitious. The farm would house animals rescued from slaughterhouses, roadsides and live markets, and offer after-school programmes, school trips, adult lectures and a visitor centre, with a reconstructed barn serving as a lecture hall. At the planning-board hearing Jon joked that he would like to know how much it was going to cost him.

On 10 January 2017 the Colts Neck planning board granted preliminary approval. County planning and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection approvals were still required, and Tracey said at the time that she hoped to open by 2018.

Mother Nature Network reported the green light the following day.

What running a farm sanctuary really involves

Buying land is the easy part. A genuine sanctuary commits to caring for animals for the rest of their lives, and farm animals can live a long time once they are not sent to slaughter: cows can live into their twenties, and pigs and goats well into their teens.

  • Specialist veterinary care. Breeds developed for fast growth or high milk yield often suffer joint, heart and udder problems, so sanctuaries need vets who understand livestock.
  • Staff and routine. Feeding, mucking out, hoof trimming and monitoring health happen every day, in every season.
  • Space and shelter. Animals need pasture, barns, fencing and sometimes separate areas for those who are elderly, injured or do not get along.
  • Long-term funding. Because residents are never sold, money must come from donations, grants and owners like the Stewarts.

This is why many reputable sanctuaries seek accreditation from the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries and limit public visits to protect the animals. When reading about any celebrity sanctuary, it is worth separating announcements and plans from what is actually operating, and remembering that the number and type of animals change over time.

How you can help farm animals near you

The video above is a short report on the Stewarts’ sanctuary project. You do not need a farm of your own to make a difference:

  • Support a local sanctuary with donations, volunteer shifts or supplies such as hay and bedding.
  • Visit responsibly. Many sanctuaries run open days and tours; follow their rules about touching and feeding.
  • Report neglect to your local animal-control service or humane society.
  • Check labels and eat more plants if you want your food choices to reflect your views on animal welfare.

The Stewarts’ story is a reminder that a public figure’s quieter projects can last longer than headlines. Bufflehead Farm grew out of a family home and a shared passion, and it was built to give rescued animals a place to live out their lives.

Sources: WHYY, October 2016: Jon and Tracey Stewart purchase historic Monmouth County farm; WHYY, January 2017: Animal sanctuary receives key approval; CBS News, January 2017; Wikipedia: Jon Stewart. Embedded posts: Planet Green, Country Living, BarkPost, Rupa Subramanya, Gene Baur and Mother Nature Network on X (Twitter).

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