Welfare or Abolition: FARM's President & Founder at AR2011

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Jul 292011

Note: FARM President and Founder Alex Hershaft delivered this presentation on the Paths to Liberation panel during the Animal Rights National Conference 2011. Farm Sanctuary’s Bruce Friedrich provided the opposing viewpoint in support of welfare reforms.

Welfare or Abolition

This summer, we launched a highly effective vegan outreach program called Pay-Per-View. We pay people $1 to watch a four-minute clip of graphic undercover factory farming and slaughterhouse footage. In the past few weeks, we have generated more than 4,000 individual views, mostly at street fairs and rock concerts. The reactions are dramatic: viewers cry and vow never to touch meat again.

But now, this magnificent grass roots effort is facing a serious threat. Is it a devilish scheme cooked up by the meat industry’s marketing types? Well, yes. But, perversely, it’s also a scheme hatched, nurtured, or at least, abetted by the very same organizations that produced these highly effective undercover videos.

Yes, I am referring to the recent welfare agreement forged with the egg industry, that most egregious torturer of animals. It contains vague promises of industry’s support for legislation that would increase cage size in 18 years. However, its biggest impact is to lull caring consumers – the very people we’ve courting, into thinking that the atrocities they’ve witnessed at our PPV booth may be going away. That it’s safe to eat meat again. Consumers are hearing that message, however unintended, because they’re desperately searching for a way to justify and continue their flesh-eating habits.

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Posted by Alex Felsinger at 5:15 pm

Good for the Animals. Good for Your Heart. 9 Sweet Ideas for a Compassionate Valentine's Day!

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Feb 142011

How will you show your love & compassion for animals this Valentine’s Day?

Recently someone said to me that it isn’t even necessarily about loving every single kind of animal. After all, there are probably some animals out there that might not rank high on the cute & cuddly list. Rather, it is about not being cruel to animals. No animal should be tortured, exploited, or killed for our use.  Can we not extend to them at least that much compassion?

Our companion animals are sure to be lavished with attention & perhaps some extra special treats for cupid’s celebration. But what about all the other animals out there who are not quite as fortunate?

Here are a few suggestions for choosing love & compassion for ALL the animals.

A definite vegan fan! Photo credit: www.1111now.com

1 ~ GO VEGAN. For the day, the week, one month… or even better…. a lifetime. It’s the most loving choice you can make for the animals. Spare them a life of suffering & bring peace into your heart.

If you need help or support, there’s lots out there. Check out our site www.livevegan.org OR visit the archive of past issues at www.MeatoutMondays.org for lots of recipes and tips. The FARM Links page can also connect you with helpful Web sites and blogs for your journey. You can also try more vegan products by taking advantage of the great offers for vegan foods for Meatout 2011! Need more support? L.O.V.E. (Living Opposed to Violence and Exploitation) just launched a vegan pen pal program. Check it out!

2 ~ GO CRUELTY-FREE. Do you know what’s in your make-up or what your shoes are made of? Do you know if your shampoo or cleaning products were tested on bunnies or other animals? Shop with cruelty-free companies that don’t test on animals. (*Note that not all cruelty-free products are vegan.) Also, vegan fashion wear and beauty items are easier to find than ever before, so please leave animal ingredients out of your wardrobe and beauty products. You can find vegan/cruelty-free alternatives for just about anything, even ballet slippers! And if by chance you have some of mom’s or grandmom’s old fur coats or wraps, donate them to a program like Cuddle Coats, where those furs can help comfort and rehabilitate an injured or orphaned animal.

3 ~ TALK, SHARE, TWEET, E-MAIL. Find ways to share what you know about animal use and exploitation with others. Send people links to video clips. Share articles, photos, and Web sites.  Mercy for Animals’ new video, Farm to Fridge is a powerful video to share with others. Participate in Meatout this year and you can get a free DVD copy. See details on the Meatout Web site.

4 ~ READ. In order to talk about the animals and share the most thorough and informative information, it helps to be well-informed. Read books about animal rights, veganism, activism, etc. There are so many great ones! Have you read Thanking the Monkey by Karen Dawn? How about Jonathan Balcombe’s Second Nature? Also support vegan and animal rights-related fiction, such as The Tourist Trail by John Yunker. Pick a few great blogs to follow too. Again, check FARM’s Links page for a great list, as well as the blogroll here. And you can visit PCRM’s site for informative health articles.

Chained circus elephant. Photo credit: www.nashveggie.com/blog

5 ~ BOYCOTT. Don’t support circuses, rodeos, marine parks, or other places where animals are confined and exploited for entertainment. Elephants in their natural environment will walk 50 miles a day. Dolphins love to travel through the water at high speeds and may cover up to 100 miles a day! Many of these very social animals are confined in isolation. They are chained, beaten, hurting, and miserable. Speak out and let others know why you oppose these types of entertainment. Check out the movie, The Cove, for more on the slaughter of dolphins as a result of dolphins used in entertainment.

6 ~ GIVE TO KIDS. Help kids connect to the animals in deep emotional ways. Maybe you can take a group of children on a trip to an animal sanctuary. Or maybe volunteer to show a film or slideshow of your own photos from an animal sanctuary. If not, how about giving away copies of great animal-friendly books for children like Our Farm by Maya Gottfried or That’s Why We Don’t Eat Animals by Ruby Roth.

7 ~ ADOPT/SUPPORT. Animal sanctuaries need our support. If you visit one, you’re sure to fall in love with at least one rescued animal. Perhaps you might adopt? Or donate money, free labor, or needed supplies.  And adopting goes for our more typical furry companion animals too. Show your love & compassion for shelter and rescue animals by not buying dogs, cats, and other pets. And shelter dogs and cats need love while they are waiting for a new home too. If you have time, volunteer to visit and walk them.

Bumper, saved by his young friend, Maya. Photo courtesy of Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary

8 ~ GET LOUD & CELEBRATE COMPASSIONATE HEROES! When you hear or read a story about someone who made a compassionate choice – make some noise about it! Celebrate when a young girl in 4H decides to take her steer, Bumper, to an animal sanctuary instead of to the fair. (Story of Bumper, in the book Ninety-Five). Celebrate her parents for supporting her choice! Celebrate when a young girl follows her heart and saves a chicken (Chicklett) versus killing it for a high school class project. Be proud of these compassionate people and be proud of your own compassionate choices. Compassion is COOL!


Portia DeGeneres Hugging Buddha at The Gentle Barn. Photo credit: The Gentle Barn

9 ~ L O V E. If you have a companion animal, love them til you burst. Hug them, talk to them, play with them, treat them, lavish them with your love. If you are fortunate enough to live near a sanctuary, you have lots of hugs to give out & receive.

In fact, check out The Gentle Barn’s Hug A Cow program. The money raised from these delightful hug transactions (donated by a benefactor for each person who hugs a cow) goes to support The Gentle Barn’s programs for at-risk youth where abused farm animals are rehabilitated and then connect with inner-city, at-risk, and special needs youth for a unique form of interactive healing. Plus, everyone who hugs the cows gets joy & healing too!

So get out there and hug some animals. Good for them, good for us. The more love we churn up, the better. All that love FOR the animals and FROM the animals will translate into a kinder world for ALL beings.

Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Hugging!

~ Cindi Saadi for the FARM Blog

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Author & Publicist Maya Gottfried Uses Her Many Gifts to Promote Greater Awareness, Respect, & Compassion for Animals

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Feb 112011

Maya Gottfried is not just a published author, successful publicist, and owner of her own communications agency. She is also a champion for the animals and a creative and inspirational woman. I (Cindi Saadi) recently had the pleasure of interviewing Maya, whose latest book, Our Farm, (Knopf) helps children to experience an emotional connection with farmed animals, over and over again, without even needing to leave their house.

“It was so important for me to get something out into the world that I felt benefited the world and the animals.”~ Maya Gottfried

Maya shares how her personal battle with cancer solidified her desire to get the book out into the world where it could help the animals. And now she continues to make a contribution by donating her time, energy, and skills as a publicist to represent an impressive list of vegan and animal rights nonprofits. Additionally, her work with Cynthia King Dance Studio (see previous blog post) has already proven to be a powerful fusion of the two women’s creativity and activism as they host events featuring a unique blend of Maya’s compassionate poetry from Our Farm and Cynthia’s inspired choreography.

Maya believes in the power of children’s books to encourage imagination and shape perceptions; and she is hopeful that more people in creative fields will join her in helping to change the traditional images of animals in books and other creative media.

And who do we really have to thank for the powerful animal advocate Maya Gottfried has become? Most likely a foster cat named Mabel who came to live with Maya years ago. It was because of Mabel that Maya learned of Farm Sanctuary and really got to know the animals who are now featured in her book! The rest, as they say, is history. Thanks, Mabel!

FARM:  How did the idea for Our Farm come about?

MAYA: As a children’s book writer, I am always looking for ideas. Visiting Farm Sanctuary online and in person, I saw that every animal had a name, a personality, and a story. That really said to me that this was a children’s book, just waiting to be captured on paper. The message Farm Sanctuary was conveying was peace and love. It was a sophisticated message, but not too sophisticated for a child to understand.  The message of the spirituality of the animals and their desire for a peaceful life was one the children would understand and related to. It was such an honor to write this book.

FARM:  Why did you choose to use art versus photography?

"Ramsey" ~ by Robert Rahway Zakanitch

MAYA: Children’s books were my medium and I had been working with artist, Robert Rahway Zakanitch. I love photography and believe both art and photography have their place in the animal rights movement.  But there is a saying that art makes the invisible visible and with farmed animals there is a lot to make visible. Like photography, art allows the personalities and emotional lives of the animals to be shared.  Robert worked from photographs and his art beautifully captured the personalities and soulfulness of the animals.

FARM:  Why is this such an important book for children to read?

MAYA:  I think it helps them to make an emotional connection. Kids love animals and it helps to reinforce that. They might meet animals at a sanctuary and experience that connection, but when they return to the city it is not often reinforced. The book tries to reinforce that natural connection.

FARM:  Tell us about how Our Farm is being featured in Fairfield, CT.

MAYA: Fairfield chose Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer for their 2011 “One Book, One Town” program, and Our Farm was selected as the companion book for children. In March, Gene Baur and I will go to Fairfield for Farm Sanctuary Day where I will speak and also read from the book. Then there will be a vegan lunch and Gene will speak in the afternoon. Anyone who wants to attend can register online. Jonathan Safran Foer will be speaking there too, on another day. I am really excited and hope a lot of families will come out. It will be interesting to hear their feedback.

FARM:  Why are children’s books so important to you?

MAYA: Children’s books have always been closest to my heart. I remember all of my favorites, most of which involve animals. They have a cherished place in my heart and so I wanted to be a part of that tradition. I want to create books that children will remember for the rest of their lives. There is so much in the imagination of a child and so to encourage it and be a part of that is very special.

FARM:  What lead you to the vegan lifestyle?

MAYA: I tried to go vegetarian and finally did it for a year. I wanted to be vegan, but didn’t believe I could do it. When I took in a foster cat, Mabel, I created a MySpace page and “friended” a lot of animal advocacy groups. That’s how I discovered Farm Sanctuary (about 4 years ago). I really got into their Web site and ways to volunteer for them. I didn’t know anything about factory farming, or the pain ducks go through for foie gras, or how chickens were treated. I believed the happy California cow commercials. But once I knew the truth, it was a much easier path. I looked at the photos and read their stories and realized… they were beings. I couldn’t really connect with them when doing things I knew were hurting them and that’s what finally moved me to a completely vegan diet. I knew I wasn’t living my truth. It took a lot of self-examination, even after I knew the facts. There was still such a disconnect between the inner and outer truth. It is so ingrained in us from an early age that meat and dairy are healthy. Coming out of that mindset can take years, but you can still make the dietary changes to a vegan diet and save lives while you continue to do research and sort through your thoughts.

I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon and rectal cancer when I was 36. While going through chemotherapy, Gene Baur told me about The China Study. Once I read it, my commitment to veganism was even more cemented from a health perspective. I also had an appointment with one of the co-heads of the holistic department at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and he told me I should be vegetarian. I was already vegan, but I was so happy to hear that was his first piece of advice to a patient with cancer. So I tell people that if you don’t believe me, and you don’t believe all the books, believe what the people at Sloan Kettering are saying.

There is so much data supporting the fact that animal proteins facilitate the growth of cancer in the body. I really believe that going vegetarian and vegan may have slowed and prevented the cancer from becoming stage 4.

FARM:  How did your cancer play a role in your writing Our Farm?

Maya Gottfried with her cats, Lucian (L) & Bunny (R)

MAYA: When I found out I had cancer, I could not help but wonder what the outcome could be. It was so important for me to get something out into the world that I felt benefited the world and the animals. I had wanted to write the book before the cancer, but the cancer really made me want to make sure I got it done.

FARM:  What do you think the animal rights movement needs more of?

MAYA: I think more writers and artists are needed to help reshape the image of animals in children’s books and we need to make headway with major children’s book publishers that have great distribution and marketing support. There is something normalizing for omnivores when a vegan or animal-friendly product comes from a place they are familiar with. Many of the children’s books with farm animals have a subtle message that the animals are being raised for food. This is part of where the image of the idyllic farm comes from. I think we are just beginning to chip away at that traditional image in children’s books.

In addition to this, I feel that vegan and animal rights issues need to be more normalized and put into the mainstream. There is amazing vegan media, but the mainstream media is very important for reaching people who are not looking for something new or different. And it is happening. For example, Gene Baur has appeared on CNN’s Headline News Network and NPR On Point did a big feature on veganism.

FARM:  What are you doing now aside from your writing?

MAYA: I love writing and doing publicity and so I have started my own cruelty-free communications company, Girl and the World.  I didn’t set out with an intention of forming an agency. It started as informal conversations of how I could help someone and just grew from there. In addition to my for-profit clients, I have a number of wonderful vegan and animal rights nonprofits that I work with free of charge. I think it is important to be of service and I find it fun to get involved with other people’s inspiring projects.

I also serve as Director of Communications for Cynthia King Dance Studio and Cynthia King Vegan Ballet Slippers. I love working with Cynthia. It’s an amazing opportunity to use my skills to help animals and work closely with someone who has been advocating for the animals through the arts for a long time. She has also been very supportive of my book.

FARM:  Tell us about the events you and Cynthia King are doing together to promote Our Farm.

MAYA: We recently had a book reading/dance event and it was great. Lot of kids and their families came out. I read from Our Farm and Cynthia danced with the kids. They danced like a pig or other animal and it helped them to emotionally connect with the animals, which is at the core of veganism and activism. Even some of the parents danced and everyone enjoyed the vegan food. There was a great energy – very joyous. The NY Daily News also mentioned it, which was great!

Then during Cythina King Dance Studio’s February show, Our Farm will be featured in a performance called “Sanctuary Suite.” I will read from the book while dancers perform pieces inspired by the book and choreographed by Cynthia.

FARM:  Who are your clients for Girl and the World?

MAYA: Right now I am representing Our Hen House, an all media nonprofit clearinghouse for all things in the realm of animal advocacy and protection; Regal Vegan, chef Ella Nemcova’s company which produces Faux Gras; Victoria Moran, a bestselling vegan author and spiritual health expert; Joshua Katcher, the creator/author of The Discerning Brute blog; and PINNACLE: Reinvent the Icon, an initiative to recreate the “No Fur” pin and educate the style-savvy about the cruel realities of fur in fashion.  I also offer public relations support to the nonprofit Animals Asia.

It’s fulfilling to play a role in what these cruelty-free organizations are doing.  I had my own public relations agency 10 years ago, and although I was happy with the work I did, I felt drained at the end of the day.  Now I feel so good at the end of the day! Besides the rewards of working to help animals, it’s a particularly exciting time to be representing vegan and animal rights endeavors in the media because the media is taking more of an interest.

Artwork by Robert Rahway Zakanitch

Learn more about Our Farm at the book’s Web site. And learn more about Maya’s other books HERE. Stay tuned for the Girl and the World Web site, to be launched shortly! Also, check out a recent article about the animals of Farm Sanctuary written by Maya for AOL Pawnation. Join Our Farm on Facebook and follow Maya on Twitter (@Mayabidaya). You can also reach Maya by e-mail at maya@girlandtheworld.com.

~ Cindi Saadi for the FARM blog

Posted by Cindi at 3:32 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cynthia King: Advocating for animals through the power and beauty of dance & the compassion of a cruelty-free ballet slipper.

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Feb 042011

Every day Cynthia King raises awareness about cruelty to animals and about the importance of living vegan. She is not an animal rights organization. She doesn’t have an animal sanctuary or operate an animal protection group. No, her thing is dance. And she reminds us that a person need not work in an animal-related organization to make a remarkable difference for the animals.

As a well-known and respected dancer, instructor, and choreographer, and even a creator of Cynthia King Vegan Ballet Slippers, the only readily available vegan ballet shoes, she has the ears (and toes) of many students. What she models for them and for her community, in her life and through her vegan studio, is compassion for all beings. Her activism blends beautifully into her life as she uses her creative gifts and talents as a powerful vehicle for sharing the vital message of compassion.

Cynthia King's dance students visit Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. Copyright Photo by Amy Way

“Knowing an animal suffered and died in order for me to dance,
just didn’t work for me. The shoes allow me to dance in good conscience.” ~ Cynthia King

From a recent performance piece exposing the exploitation of animals in the circus to a revelatory piece titled, “Dinner,” part of the February 19th show, “Dinner” and Other Dances at Kumble Theater in NYC, Cynthia King is taking on serious issues with creativity, beauty, and courage.

Just talking with Cynthia on the phone was invigorating for me (Cindi Saadi). Her energy is contagious! One might think that running a successful studio, which includes designing costumes and sets, plus volunteer work and a family would leave her running on empty. Quite the contrary, Cynthia is energized by the amazing opportunities she has to be both creative and compassionate and to make a positive difference. Thank you, Cynthia, for sharing your energy and passion with us in this inspirational interview.

FARM:  Tell us about your journey to becoming vegan.

CYNTHIA: I first made the connection when I was 10 years old and discovered what was really on my plate. I eventually read more about the ways animals are abused. It took a while to put together, but I eventually did. My family and I are vegan and although the common perception is that it is hard to be vegan, I don’t think it is. Being vegan is about not torturing animals or causing them to suffer. The point is, there is no need to be cruel to animals and no reason for an animal to be tortured or used for food or anything else. For me, the health and environmental benefits are extras. It’s about not being mean.

Cynthia King's dance students visit with the animals at Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. Photo by Roan Pastor

FARM:  How are you incorporating animals and the message of compassion for animals into your dances?

CYNTHIA: We do a lot of ballets and dances about animals. For years I have done pieces that celebrate the way animals move. For kids it’s great, they can hop like a bunny, float like a butterfly, gallop like a horse, or slither like a snake. And when we talk about the way animals move, we talk about them in loving, kind ways. I work with kids so much and I find it offers a nice opportunity for teaching them about not being cruel.

Rehearsal for Exposé. Photo by Amy Way

Recently I have been doing more serious pieces with the kids.  Last year we did an exposé about animals and entertainment. Children were in cages like the animals at the circus. “Circus go-ers” let them out to do a desperate dance. I talked with the young kids about cats and dogs since they know cats and dogs. Then I talked with them about circus animals. I reminded them of how hard it is to learn to dance – even though they want to and the animals in the circus don’t want to be there.

We’re very excited about our February show, “Dinner” and Other Dances. During the “Dinner” piece, dancers will play the animals on a plate and will get up and dance like the ghosts of their former selves – reminiscing about what it was like to be alive.

I feel like I am really living my message. It has all come together, but it has also taken time. The school needed to stand on its own first. Now my school is thriving and I have the support of the dance community. So it is time to really get more serious and daring.

FARM:  How did you come to create vegan ballet slippers?

Cynthia King's Vegan Ballet Slippers

CYNTHIA: I am not a shoemaker and never really wanted to be one. But I needed vegan ballet slippers! Knowing an animal suffered and died in order for me to dance just didn’t work for me. I also needed a shoe I could recommend in good conscience to my students. So I got materials and went to a dance shoemaker who was able to make a pair. Then I just needed to find a way to make a thousand of them. It was a challenge, but it wasn’t insurmountable, especially after I had one pair made. I found my way as I went, picked people’s brains, sent out samples, and the first shoes were ready in 2003 (a year after the studio opened). Then I kept tweaking the materials until I got one I really liked. Now we have split-sole ballet slippers, canvas on top and synthetic on the bottom, and they are the only ones made. It was hard getting the better material and the split-sole, which came out about a year ago, but now adult dancers are wearing them much more.

FARM:  What kind of reception are your vegan slippers getting?

CYNTHIA: Well, it was very exciting recently to have Vogue contact us to get the shoes for Natalie Portman’s photo shoot. Emily Deschanel also requested them for a scene in the TV show, Bones.  And next they will be used in a Vogue UK photo shoot. Generally though, we sell them online, in catalogs, in certain stores, and there is now overseas interest in them. The shoes are worn exclusively by a few dance companies and there are a lot of belly dancers wearing them!

FARM: What has been most important for you about creating vegan ballet shoes?

CYNTHIA: They allow me to dance in good conscience and with more joy. Symbolically, I am not stepping on someone. Literally, I am not stepping on dead skin. No one had to suffer and die for me or my students to dance, and I am not supporting something evil. They are also great conversation starters for getting to a very important message.

FARM: What it is like having a vegan studio?

CYNTHIA: Wonderful, especially now that I have some people on my staff who are also vegan. My studio is completely vegan. No one can bring in anything that is not vegan and we help them find alternatives. I also have a lot of vegan literature in the studio, including some fairly graphic pieces. It was the graphic, more shocking info that helped me when I was younger. I think teenage years are a great time to reach kids about animals and they share a lot with each other online. For the younger kids, I often feel I am planting seeds and modeling compassion, even in little ways such as “relocating” a spider! Hopefully the message gets through.

Guest dancers and musicians will perform in our February show and they must also wear and use vegan clothing and equipment.  For tappers, there are synthetic tap shoes. For drummers, there are synthetic heads. We also do not use any feathers.

We also do unique types of vegan events, such as a recent book reading/dance event with Maya Gottfried, author of Our Farm. This great event featured Maya reading from her book while I led the children in animal dances. There was music from another vegan performer, plus vegan treats for everyone. (See below for info about a special performance in the Feb. show featuring Maya & her book, Our Farm.)

It was also great taking eight carloads of dancers and some of their families to Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary for a giant photo shoot for the vegan ballet slippers. All the kids were there in their tutus, mingling with the animals.

FARM:  What do you think the animal rights movement needs more of?

CYNTHIA: I think politicians need to be held more accountable and follow through with certain legislation. We need more people getting legislation written, supported, passed, and enacted. Changes can happen from within the system. It’s hard work and perhaps not glamorous, but it’s really important. We need to raise money to support certain candidates, rally as voters, and just get involved.

FARM:  What’s on the agenda for Cynthia King’s Studio and Vegan Ballet Slippers?

CYNTHIA: I want to continue expanding the school and get the shoes into the mainstream market as much as possible. As I expand the school, I’d like to have more time to work on choreographing for the kids and adults.

Cynthia King

I encourage you to visit the Cynthia King Dance Studio Web site, Cynthia King Vegan Ballet Slippers, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter (@CynthiaKingCKDS).  Or if you live in NY, check out the wide variety of classes available. See recent coverage of Cynthia’s studio from the NY Daily News and The NY Times, and don’t forget to check out the February 19th show, “Dinner” and other Dances, held at Kumble Theater in Brooklyn, NY. The 7 p.m. show will also feature a special performance, “Sanctuary Suite,” featuring Maya Gottfried who will read from her book of poetry, Our Farm, as the dancers perform an Our Farm-inspired dance, choreographed by Cynthia. A portion of the proceeds from the show will benefit Farm Sanctuary.

~ Cindi Saadi for the FARM blog

Posted by Cindi at 3:29 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Join Julie Beyer & The Vegan Project for a Whole Food Challenge

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Jan 132011

Are you up for a WHOLE FOOD CHALLENGE?

You eat a vegan diet and do your best to eat in a healthy, compassionate way. But are you getting everything your body needs? Specifically, are you getting enough micronutrients?

Micronutrients? What, exactly, are they and why do we need them?

I found myself inspired and educated by a recent blog post, “You Don’t Need to Count Calories,” written for The Vegan Project, by Julie Beyer, whole foods chef, instructor, and founder of For the Love of Food.

Julie is taking 7 Vancouverites, including the ladies of The Vegan Project, on a healthy food adventure, a 7 day whole food challenge! Her article (above) introduces one of the many benefits of integrating whole plant-based health into our everyday diet and explains why we might feel hungry and lack energy – even if we ate a lot of food!

Ok, so back to the micronutrients…..

Aside from protein and carbohydrates, Julie notes that our bodies need micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients) in order to function normally. When we eat processed and refined foods that are devoid of these micronutrients, our bodies respond by saying they are still hungry as they continue to try and meet that micronutrient need.  Eating processed/refined foods also robs our bodies of our existing micronutrients. Julie illustrates with the example that we need micronutrients to process glucose and other “fuels”. If we don’t have enough micronutrients, our body’s own supply will become depleted. Micronutrient deficiency leads to free radicals, cell damage, and quite possibly, disease.

The good news? When we DO get these powerful little nutrients from a whole foods lifestyle, we feel satisfied after eating less, we have more energy, glowing skin, balanced emotions, and overall improved vitality! We also find an increased capacity for healing! So – are you up for the challenge?

Below is a little information about both Julie Beyer and The Vegan Project. For the 7-day challenge, Julie is providing participants with menu plans that contain nutritional information, flavor combining education, and mini-challenges to help them ‘Discover their Inner Everyday Chef.’ I’ll be checking in with them after Whole Food Challenge 2011 to see how it went. For now, you can find updates (including funny mishaps!) from each of the participants on The Vegan Project’s blog and on Julie’s blog.

Julie Beyer, BA is a Whole Foods Chef for the Everyday and Instructor in Vancouver, BC. She is studying to become a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and has spent 4 years researching and applying holistic nutrition to successfully overcome “incurable” diseases. She has a talent for food preparation and is passionate about inspiring others to a path of wellness with the foundation of a whole foods lifestyle. She helps to make whole foods EVERYDAY… easy, affordable, quick, convenient, and delicious! Her passion for a healthy, whole foods lifestyle is contagious! She is the owner of For the Love of Food. Check out her new site for lots of resources and info about classes, etc. (Please note she is currently transitioning to this new site and so there’s lots more to come.) You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

The Vegan Project is an enthusiastic team of three compassionate veg-curious women (Bridget Burns, Jen Hanover, and Jessica Grajczyk) who after learning about the disheartening impact of the meat and dairy industries on our health, the environment, and the animals – decided to explore veganism. Since Sept. 2009, they’ve been exploring everything vegan and documenting their experiences on their upbeat blog to help others on their vegan journey. Their site is packed with helpful resources and tips ~ all shared with a smile! You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

~ Cindi Saadi for the FARM Blog

Posted by Cindi at 11:02 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,

12 Ways You Can Help the Animals in 2011

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Dec 302010

As animal advocacy nonprofits are in the direct business of helping animals, supporting these organizations (financially and/or as a volunteer) is always an effective way of benefiting the animals.  So we’ll start our list with No. 1) Direct Support and go from there with 11 more ideas for how you can make a difference for the animals in 2011.

2 ~ Stay informed. Read the latest, as well as the classic animal rights and vegan health-related books so you can pass along that knowledge to others. Watch videos & films and share them with others. You might even start a book discussion group. See this article about how one Connecticut town is reading Jonathan Safran Foer’s book, Eating Animals (while the selection for younger readers is Our Farm, by the Animals of Farm Sanctuary). Or host a screening of a powerful film such as The Cove or Peaceable Kingdom at your local library or other community building.

3 ~ Spend time WITH the animals & SHARE your experiences with others. Nothing is quite as powerful as your personal story. Visit animal sanctuaries, roll up your sleeves and volunteer, sponsor an animal, and take lots of photos or video to share online.

Liz Longacre of Your Time Travels meets the elephants! Photo by Jaime Careathers

Let other people see these beautiful animals and hear about your experiences with them.

You could even make your next vacation one that involves helping the animals too. (See Your Time Travels for vacations involving volunteer projects benefiting the animals.) Aside from monetary support, animal sanctuaries often have wish lists. See if one near you needs something you can donate.

4 ~ Commit to sharing a minimum number of animal rights/vegan advocacy books/DVDs this year. It’s a great way to spread the message. Instead of loaning out your books ~ buy copies to give away. You can also donate copies of important books to your local library, coffee shop, hospital, or community center. Check with the publisher ~ they may have special bulk offers for people who are purchasing books for donation.

5 ~ Prepare a vegan meal for a community group or business. Take a delicious vegan lunch and educational materials to your hair salon, parent’s group at school, doctor’s office, fire station, etc.

6 ~ Utilize your personal talents & gifts for the animals! Do an inventory of your skills and gifts and see how you can help the animals in a unique and creative way. Are you an artist? Do you make videos or write music? (See Etsy’s Vegan Etsy Team and Etsy For Animals. Or visit sites such as Our Hen House’s ‘Art of the Animal’ section for news about creative endeavors for the animals.) Maybe you are an up and coming vegan chef? Or maybe you enjoy speaking, coaching, or teaching? Dedicate time in 2011 to using your gifts for the animals! They need YOU! Reach out to others who do what you do and create a supportive network.

7 ~ Have a list of ready-to-share vegan resources (vegan cookbook titles, vegan blog sites, product suggestions, etc.). Concrete resources are critical for someone transitioning to a vegetarian or vegan diet. FARM’s Meatout Mondays is an effective resource as it includes recipes with easy-to-find ingredients, as well as product information, health articles, and inspirational stories. Sites like www.LiveVegan.org, www.TryVeg.com, Healthy Happy Life, and This Just In from VegNews are just a few sites loaded with resources. Offer to help a friend by having a vegan cooking get-together and sharing your recipes and tips.

It’s also important to have resources available for your local restaurants, stores, and cafeterias so that when you ask them to serve vegan options, you can provide them with very specific information. Several sites (i.e. Compassion Over Killing, Mercy For Animals, FARM Underground) have guides available online and manufacturers will often send you flyers to give to your local stores.

8 ~ Join the conversation. Get involved with your favorite organizations, vegan businesses, and vegan/animal rights bloggers on Facebook, Twitter, their blogs, and other social networking sites. Share their information with your network. Drive more people to these great organizations, businesses, & bloggers with your comments and postings. See the FARM Links page for a sampling of animal rights and vegan blogs, organizations, businesses, and more. And don’t forget to join FARM on Facebook and Twitter!

9 ~ Add your voice to the pro-animal blog community. Start your own blog and help spread the word about compassion for all beings and the many benefits of living vegan. If you REALLY get into it, you might consider attending the Vida Vegan Conference, the first ever vegan blogger conference, to be held in Portland in August 2011.

10 ~ Raise awareness in your community with a letter. Write letters to the editor of your local paper regarding animal rights issues, health issues related to consuming animal products, and environmental concerns associated with animal agriculture. Many animal rights organizations have letter-writing programs (such as FARM’s Letters Program) that you can be a part of. You can also speak out for the animals by adding comments to relevant online editorials.

11 ~ Think before you speak! Be thoughtful about what you say, write, and do.  As an animal advocate you are part of an important and well-scrutinized cause. Strive for effective advocacy and ask yourself if your words and actions are more likely to help or hurt the animals.

12 ~ Celebrate success! Celebrating is an important part of any effective venture. Take time to celebrate and acknowledge individuals and organizations working hard on behalf of the animals. Highlight what’s working well and we’re sure to see more of it! Let the world see that important changes are happening NOW for the animals. And don’t forget to acknowledge yourself for the energy and passion you put into making life better for the animals.

Sweet Red asks, "How will YOU help the animals in 2011?" ~ Photo by Cindi A. Saadi

2011 offers us a great opportunity to honor and serve the animals with our time, gifts, talents, energy, and love. How will you help to make 2011 a beautiful & victorious year for the animals?

~ Cindi Saadi for the FARM blog

Posted by Cindi at 6:33 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Christmas Day at an Animal Sanctuary

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Dec 232010

Have you ever wondered how the animals at an animal sanctuary spend Christmas Day?

I (Cindi) spoke recently with Terry Cummings, co-founder/director of Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, Maryland who gave me a glimpse of what Christmas day is like for the animals at the sanctuary.

To sum it up in just two words….. Peaceful & Treats!

In contrast to Poplar Spring’s busy Thanksgiving celebration where hundreds of people come out to enjoy a vegan feast WITH the turkeys and all the other residents of the sanctuary, Terry said the animals generally enjoy a very quiet Christmas day.

Just as many people look forward to digging into their stocking on Christmas morning, the animals also anxiously await special holiday treats! After all the morning chores (i.e. cleaning & feeding) have been done, Terry and her husband, Dave Hoerauf (co-founder/director), gather together with the farm manager and a merry group of volunteers to head out into the cold and deliver treats to all the animals.

Poplar Spring pals, Bobby & Parker, snuggle up for a nap. Bobby is using Parker as a bit of a pillow! Both are content! Photo by Cindi Saadi

According to Terry, the pigs are not big fans of the cold, and so once they have ventured out to eat and do their business, they run back into the barn where they burrow into the hay and snuggle up next to each other for a nap.

Instead of sugar-plums, the pigs are likely dreaming of apples and that’s just what the jolly crew of Santa’s elves will bring them!

The horses and cows are not nearly as phased by the cold. They will venture out of the barn and wait for their favorite treat. No cookies and coconut milk for them, they want carrots! And lots of carrots they shall have!

The goats and the sheep will also be out enjoying the cold weather. And although the goats enjoy a good carrot, Santa knows what they really want…. PoPcoRn !

Introducing the VERY charming, Rocky the goat! Photo at Poplar Spring by Cindi Saadi (Rocky's biggest fan!)

Like little kids with candy, the goats and sheep will excitedly gobble up popcorn and animal crackers, with, of course, a few carrots on the side!

And what about the chickens and turkeys?  You’re  most likely to find them in the warm barn – especially if there is snow on the ground, which Terry said they do not like to put their feet in!

A delicious combination of corn and grapes is what our feathered friends will get from Santa’s bag!

Truth be told, Opal would prefer HUGS to treats! Photo at Poplar Spring by Cindi Saadi

With their treat bags empty, the Christmas delivery crew will return to the main house where they will warm up with treats for the humans…. hot cider and delicious vegan cookies.

Deb Durant volunteers at Poplar Spring and has enjoyed Christmas day with the animals. In her 2008 blog post, she talks about spending a good part of the day with the pigs (extra belly rubs for the holiday!) and notes that their religion appears to be happiness!

Terry and the sanctuary crew are praying for a snow-free holiday! She welcomes anyone who would like to come out and volunteer on Christmas Day. There will be plenty of joy to share with the animals ~ just like every day! If you are interested, please contact Terry by Dec. 24th by e-mail (info@animalsanctuary.org) or phone 301-428-8128.

Who can resist Chelsea? What a sweet face! Photo taken at Poplar Spring by Cindi Saadi

Animal sanctuaries like Poplar Spring need our support each and every day to continue their vital mission and to give more animals the opportunity to experience peaceful lives.  If you live close to a sanctuary, check into the many ways you can help out on site. If you are not fortunate to live near a sanctuary, find out about offering your financial support. You can sponsor an animal with a monthly donation, or donate whenever you can. Go to www.sanctuaries.org for a listing of animal sanctuaries or do a Google search as newer sanctuaries may not have been added to the list.

The sheep at Poplar Spring enjoy hanging out together. Photo by Cindi Saadi

Many sanctuaries also have gift shops with items ranging from sweatshirts to books, and even calendars featuring the sanctuary residents.  The 2011 Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary calendar is available now (see the preview on www.lulu.com) with photos by Deb Durant. Order 1-9 copies by Dec. 26 and get a 25% discount by entering the coupon code, FLURRY. Order 10 or more copies by Dec. 26 and get a 30% discount with the coupon code, BLIZZARD.

For more about farmed animals and farmed animal sanctuaries, see our recent blog post about the book, Ninety-Five, which features several of the amazing residents of Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary.

Here’s to all the sanctuaries and their dedicated staff and volunteers for making life so sweet for these priceless beings.

~ Cindi Saadi for FARM

Posted by Cindi at 4:26 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

Ninety-Five Offers a Rare Journey into the Extraordinary Hearts & Lives of Farmed Animals

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Dec 212010

Ninety-Five: Meeting America’s Farmed Animals in Stories and Photographs
Editors: Marilee Geyer, Diane Leigh, and Windi Wojdak
www.novoiceunheard.org

A Review by Cindi Saadi ~ for the Farm Animal Rights Movement Blog

Meet Justice.   A steer who calms and comforts frightened new residents at the animal sanctuary (Peaceful Prairie in Colorado) where he lives and who has an entourage that oddly enough includes a white swan.

Justice ~ the perfect ambassador for Ninety-Five. Photos of Justice by Windi Wojdak for No Voice Unheard

Justice’s uplifting story is one of courage, healing, and compassion, and is one I will never forget. It is just one of the many moving stories in the book, Ninety-Five: Meeting America’s Farmed Animals in Stories and Photographs, edited and published by the nonprofit organization, No Voice Unheard.

We often hear figures cited such as… 58 billion farmed (land) animals are raised and killed each year for human consumption. But the human mind has trouble grasping numbers like 58 billion. And once we start talking in these types of numbers, the value of the individual can get lost. It becomes harder to relate to the individual chicken or pig or cow or goat who is an unfortunate one of the billions.

Meet Peapod & hear his story. Photo by Davida Gypsy Breier for No Voice Unheard

But what if you got to know one of those pigs or chickens or cows or goats? What if you heard about their love stories and friendships? What if you learned about their bravery, compassion, loyalty, and pure will to live? What if you could experience their personalities? How much could this intimate knowledge of the animals alter your perception of the billions? Would they still be just numbers, or would they be individuals with lives that matter?

With the book, Ninety-Five, editors Marilee Geyer, Diane Leigh, and Windi Wojdak set out to help readers get to know farmed animals, like Justice, on a very intimate level. The desire is for people to see what the animals are really like when permitted to live their lives and just be who they are. In addition to cows, pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, turkeys, rabbits, ducks, geese, and of course, Justice’s pal, the swan, readers also get an introduction to fish and other farmed sea animals. After all, no voice is unheard.

Meet beautiful Olivia! Can you tell she is not camera shy? Photo by Bob Esposito for No Voice Unheard

The editors carry out the mission of Ninety-Five through a compelling collection of inspirational stories and intoxicating photographs contributed by a variety of individuals with a shared commitment to the animals. From the animal-loving editors, to sanctuary owners, staff, and volunteers, to activists and veterinarians, to still more animal-loving photographers and writers, the energy and compassion of many people (and animals, of course) gives the book a vibrant beauty and a cherished quality.

Although traditional books about farmed animals are critical tools for raising awareness and providing needed information, many are difficult to read, with raw descriptions and images of misery and pain. Although each of the animals in Ninety-Five has been rescued and many have physical and emotional scars from their past experiences, the book is instead filled with healing, hope, bravery, compassion, peace, forgiveness, and love. You WANT to turn the page! You can’t wait to drink in the next big-as-life photo of a gorgeous animal, looking you square in the eyes, and then read his or her unique story.

Bumper lives in peace, thanks to the love of a young girl. Photo by Davida Gypsy Breier for No Voice Unheard

Though important facts and figures are shared in the book, the real power of Ninety-Five is the compassionate, beautiful, and stirring way the message is conveyed by the animals themselves and in a way that leaves you wanting more. The message is revealed through photos that allow you to look into the eyes of these brave and loveable animals and see into their souls. And it’s shared through stories that give you a lucky glimpse into their hearts.

One point made clear by the animals themselves is that the belief that sentience is farmed out of these billions of beings is most definitely not true! From heartwarming to heartbreaking to humorous to uplifting, the stories told are journeys that allow you the honor of experiencing the depth of the animals. The animals in the book serve as ambassadors for the billions of animals not fortunate enough to end up in a loving sanctuary. You are left humbled by their purity, loyalty, forgiveness, peacefulness, and compassion, and are inspired by their courage and love.

Rudy looking adorable! Ready to play... Photo by Davida Gypsy Breier for No Voice Unheard

And if there is any question, the book’s underlying message is right up front, in the title. Although some might think it is the number of animals featured in the book, ninety-five is commonly cited as the average number of animals spared in one year by eating a vegan diet.

I have many favorite stories from the book…. Justice’s is one of them. As is the love story of Louie and Libby, a hen and a rooster whose affection for and commitment to one another is deeply moving. And who could forget Gilly, the hen who serves as the inspiration for the book? Or the sweet sheep, Marcie, whose ability to forgive and trust humans again is inspirational. Or the silly antics of the playful goats like, Jeremy and Lenny. The list goes on – they are ALL my favorites!

And just when you think the book is over, it isn’t! There is a colorful cast party at the end of the book that gives readers yet another opportunity to learn more about each animal in the book. No on is left out. Each animal’s story matters.

Meet Brave Francine! Photo by Davida Gypsy Breier for No Voice Unheard

Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to visit an animal sanctuary, meet the animals in person, and hear their stories from the people who care for them.  Ninety-Five allows more people to experience the animals in a personal, life-affirming way and to see them as sentient souls with lives that matter.

By living a vegan life, we can spare more animals. By supporting sanctuaries we can help them to rescue more animals and to continue to share their stories. By supporting organizations like No Voice Unheard that publish books like Ninety-Five, we can give more people a thought-provoking and compassionate experience of the animals. The book is a beautiful, one-of-a-kind, intimate presentation of farmed animals in all their glory and depth. It’s a long-awaited treasure that should be shared widely and enjoyed often!

Beautiful Bosey the Cow ~ in silhouette....Photo by Derek Goodwin for No Voice Unheard

No Voice Unheard has special pricing offers, including a great package deal for individuals interested in donating copies to libraries, schools, coffee shops, other institutions, and/or policy makers. You may also be interested in their other books, One At A Time: A Week in an American Animal Shelter, by Diane Leigh and Marilee Geyer and Thought to Exist in the Wild: Awakening from the Nightmare of Zoos, by Derrick Jensen, photographs by Karen Tweedy-Holmes. Visit No Voice Unheard online or call them at 831-440-9574. You can also reach them by E-mail at info@novoiceunheard.org.

Posted by Cindi at 7:40 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

One woman's passion for animals becomes a unique travel company

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Dec 102010

One trip to Thailand, one week of volunteering with rescued elephants, and the life of a corporate attorney was changed forever.

Liz Longacre gets to know a baby elephant in Thailand! Photo by Jaime Careathers

“I realized I wasn’t living the life I should be living and that I wanted to do things that were more in line with this type of experience,” said Liz Longacre of the recently launched Your Time Travels (YTT), a unique travel company she created for everyone who wants to make the world a better place for animals.

Interested in going to Costa Rica, Argentina, St. Martin, or maybe Tanzania? Want to help some sea turtles or an array of other animals while you are there? Or maybe you just want to see the animals in a way that is safe and enjoyable for everyone?  Liz’s company is the one for you! YTT arranges trips consisting of a creative combination of exciting or relaxing vacation activities, meaningful volunteer experiences with animal welfare projects, and responsible ways of enjoying and learning about animals in their natural habitats. You will return refreshed, inspired, and you’ll have plenty of amazing stories to share with others.  YTT also offers vegan/vegetarian vacation planning, travel itineraries focused on US animal sanctuaries, and help with traveling with your own animal companion.

I (Cindi Saadi) recently spoke with Liz to get the real behind-the-scenes scoop about her new adventure. As her clients return, we hope to share some of their experiences here on the FARM blog. (For more about Liz and Your Time Travels, visit www.yourtimetravels.com ~ see additional contact info at end of this article.)

FARM (Cindi): Tell us more about what inspired you to start Your Time Travels.

LIZ: I went to law school without really knowing what I would want to do with my law degree and I ended up going to work for a corporate law firm. I was working 12-14 hour days and was not happy. I knew I wasn’t being true to myself.  In a way, I’m glad I was unfulfilled as it forced me to get to know myself, my passions, and what would really make me happy.

I knew my passion involved animals, but wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with that. I began packing my limited free time with activities like volunteering at an animal shelter, photography classes, and other activities that spoke to me creatively.

Then I planned our honeymoon trip to Thailand. I have a fascination for elephants and wanted to spend time volunteering at an elephant sanctuary that I had researched.  My husband (then fiancé) Jaime, was on board, albeit a little skeptical.

“After that trip I realized…. I love animals, I love volunteering, and I love travel. I asked myself, ‘How can I take those three things and make a life?’”

Elephants at the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand. Photo by Liz Longacre

FARM: What was it like volunteering at the elephant sanctuary in Thailand?

LIZ: The abuse of elephants in Thailand is severe and it’s part of their culture. Young elephants endure a horrible process (the pajaan) of breaking their spirits so they can be working animals. They are tied up for several days, beaten, deprived of food and water, and basically tortured so they will obey their trainer. Sanduen “Lek” Chailert, the extremely brave local woman who started the Elephant Nature Park wanted to make a difference for these incredible animals. We were only there for a short time, but we learned so much about what animals go through in the name of tourism.

The nice thing about volunteering with animals is that it is something you can do easily and for a short time and still be of help to the organization. We mainly did maintenance work, such as cleaning the enclosures, preparing foods, and feeding the elephants and several other types of animals, but just being there was incredible. We also met a lot of amazing people from all over the world who had also come to volunteer.

“It was more living than I had done in a long time!”
~~~~~~~

FARM: Why is this type of service/company so important to you?

LIZ: I love animals and always have. People, myself included, love to be around animals, which is why they are such a large part of tourism. But they are abused and exploited in so many ways. The tourism industry often does not have the animals’ best interests at heart, it’s all about profit. I wanted people to be more aware of how animals are treated in tourism (not to mention the trauma they experience when being captured from the wild). There are better ways to interact with and enjoy the animals, such as through volunteer work. It’s also far more educational to view animals, i.e. dolphins, whales, or safari animals, in their own natural environments versus in captivity.

You can learn so much after just a few days of volunteering and then share that knowledge with others. You may not be saving the world, but it has a great give it forward effect.

Liz & the raccoons in Costa Rica. Photo by volunteers.

FARM: What goes into setting up these various trips?

LIZ: I do a LOT of research to make sure the organizations people will volunteer with are legitimate. I personally volunteered with each organization I launched with. I also researched all of the sight-seeing and vacation attractions for each trip.

FARM: Tell us more about the types of trips you are offering now.

LIZ: Currently we offer trips in Costa Rica, Argentina, and St. Martin. We also offer Safari trips in Tanzania and I am promoting certain cruises, including a yearly vegan cruise.  A Thailand trip will be available soon, as well as resource itinerary guides for visiting U.S. animal sanctuaries. We also arrange hotel stays for people who want to travel with their own pets within the United States. I hope to eventually offer a volunteer trip in India and continually grow from there.

FARM: What are some examples of places where people will volunteer?

LIZ: Currently our volunteer trips include volunteering at wildlife rescue centers, volunteering to protect endangered sea turtles, volunteering at a center that breeds endangered Macaws, and volunteering to help street dogs and cats.  I really want to grow our opportunities for helping street dogs and cats as that is a serious problem in many countries. And of course eventually there will be opportunities at elephant sanctuaries!

FARM: What are other examples of ways people can responsibly enjoy the animals?

LIZ: People can see animals in their natural environments through safari trips. We currently offer safari trips in Tanzania, dolphin and whale watching trips in Costa Rica, and also penguin observation in Argentina.

Liz gets to know Benjamin the kinkajoo

FARM: Does your company also arrange for the “vacation” portion of the trip?

LIZ: Yes, my company offers a WHOLE service with structured trips. You are picked up from the airport and transported to the various locations. You are always with a local guide and using local guides also keeps money in the local communities. They can also take you off the beaten path and offer you opportunities to experience local culture.  And don’t forget, these are VACATIONS too! Part of our service is to arrange for your entire trip, not just the volunteer time. For example, St. Martin is a beautiful island. There are so many things to do and see. You can have a FUN vacation and still help the animals.

FARM: Where do people stay while volunteering?

LIZ: It depends upon each situation. In remote locations, volunteers will stay on site and pay a modest sum for their lodging.  Other places have home-stay arrangements with local residents, adding even more to your entire experience.  In other cases, staying at a hotel is the best option.

Feeding the babies! Photo by Liz Longacre

FARM: What other resources does your company offer?

LIZ: We will be providing itinerary guides for people interested in creating a trip that includes spending time at a US animal sanctuary.  We will also offer resources for people who want to travel with their own animals, as well as guides for vegans & vegetarians in terms of restaurants, bed and breakfast options, etc.

FARM: Who are your trips best suited for?

LIZ: They are for anyone who is interested in helping the animals or enjoying and learning about them in responsible ways. I believe it is important to educate everyone about the animals.

FARM: What part of your work do you enjoy the most?

LIZ: I love that I get to spread a message that is so important to me. I also really enjoyed scouting out these initial volunteer sites. Traveling alone was very empowering. I felt very brave going to remote locations and felt like I was taking control of my life in ways I never had before.

Getting feedback from people who have made changes as a result of things they have learned from my experiences is also amazing. My first client will return soon and I am anxious to hear about her experiences.  The Web site and blog have also been very enjoyable. I love writing and connecting with people.

FARM: What was your path like to becoming a vegan?

LIZ: I have been a vegan for about 10 months and was vegetarian for about 12 years before that. While working at the law firm, I was sort of in a bubble, not exposed to as much information as I should have been. So I did not know a lot about factory farming and didn’t understand why consuming dairy was just as bad as eating meat….until I saw an undercover video and saw the abusive practices that dairy supports. Once I saw one video, I started looking for more. I love animals and wanted to be sure I was not doing anything to cause an animal harm. Once I saw the videos, it was a no-brainer and I became a vegan.

Liz makes yet another adorable friend!

FARM: How does your husband, Jaime, feel about your new business venture?

LIZ: He also has a very strong entrepreneurial spirit and has been extremely supportive. I am very blessed, I could not have done a year of research without his support. I value his advice and consider him to be my “co-counsel” on just about everything. Although he was initially a little skeptical about our Thailand trip, it ended up being one of the best experiences of his life as well, and so he definitely sees the value in this work.

FARM: What’s on tap next for Your Time Travels?

LIZ: My creative juices are really flowing lately and I have lots of ideas for new trips, plus creative projects, such as my own line of vegan travel products.

Come see Benjamin in Costa Rica soon! Photo by Liz Longacre

For more information about Liz and Your Time Travels, visit www.yourtimetravels.com. You can also connect with Liz on her blog, www.yourtimetravels.com/blog.  And you can reach her by e-mail at liz@yourtimetravels.com. You can also find YTT on Facebook.


Posted by Cindi at 8:23 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Special Toast To Our Friends ~ The Turkeys

Uncategorized 2 Responses »
Nov 252010

“One turkey became my personal protector when I was trying to clean a barn and was continually accosted by a particularly rude and aggressive bird. Each time the aggressor would begin to close in on me, my hero would waddle over and get between me and his barn-mate. It was remarkable, and it happened over and over (turkeys are very persistent). What made this scene even more touching was the fact that these toms suffered from bumble foot, abscesses on the footpads that resemble corns, a common occurrence in domesticated turkeys. Between their grotesquely large breasts and inflamed feet, turkeys walk very awkwardly and with a lot of effort. I was very touched that such an effort was made on my behalf.“

This is an excerpt from an Alternet.org article, Turkeys Are Our Friends, written by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau (founder of Compassionate Cooks).

In the article, she also recalls a particular turkey who enjoyed “hugging” her.

“…a particularly friendly turkey became known for her propensity to hug. As soon as you crouched down, she would run over to you, press her body against yours, and crane her head over your shoulders, clucking all the while. It’s amazing how so generous a hug can be given by something with no arms.”

Opal is a perfect example of a turkey who loves to be loved. Opal narrowly escaped slaughter and is living the peaceful life at Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, MD.  She very much enjoys being petted. In fact, I (Cindi) watched as she chose to be petted by adoring children and adults instead of eating the special Thanksgiving meal provided for her and the other birds at the sanctuary.

I read an online comment recently where the writer said that although wild turkeys can be clever, domesticated farmed turkeys are stupid.  There definitely are differences between wild and farmed turkeys. Wild turkeys can fly and run fast. Turkeys like Opal can barely walk, in fact many can’t. Wild turkeys are generally brownish, gray, or iridescent green, red, and bronze in color. Domestic turkeys are usually white.

But stupid? The first story above seems to negate that statement. These are birds who can reason and remember. They are even willing to risk their own safety to help another. They are also very affectionate. A turkey may not look, sound, or feel like your family dog or cat, but he or she is just as loving. They will sit comfortably in your lap and even purr when content. People who have adopted turkeys describe scenarios where their turkey sits on the couch with them to watch television. Perhaps the turkeys’ greatest downfalls are also some of their most charming attributes in that they are curious and trusting.

But my favorite adjective used to describe these sentient birds is BRAVE. They endure hideous conditions that would drive most anyone mad, and yet when they have the good fortune to be rescued, they are brave enough to trust again.

So today, on a day when the turkey is traditionally “celebrated” in a cruel fashion, I raise my glass of vegan wine to these brave birds and look forward to a Thanksgiving day where ALL turkeys are respected, honored, fed as dinner GUESTS, and of course, hugged.  Cheers to ALL the animals! ~ Cindi with FARM

Posted by Cindi at 6:00 pm Tagged with: , , , , ,
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