One day this week, I was able to ride my bike around Farm Sanctuary’s neighborhood and enjoy a warm summer evening. I visited an old cemetery, rode past an antiquated one room school house, and came upon a group of teenagers playing, running and sliding on a wet, sudsy plastic sheet that was laid out across a wide grassy lawn. I peddled past fields of freshly cut hay and vegetable and herb gardens, and then came to a small farm raising cattle, pigs, goats, sheep and birds for slaughter.  The animals were able to go outdoors and the conditions weren’t as bad as on industrial factory farms, but the place had a distinct smell of death.  It was very different from the peaceful and fragrant plant and herb gardens I’d seen  – and different from the starting and ending point of my tour, Farm Sanctuary. When I returned, people were visiting with and enjoying the companionship of the animals, and others gathered and ate edible wild berries nearby.

After months on the road, I returned to Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY. Late spring and early summer are beautiful times of year to be here.  The grass is growing and the animals are enjoying the warming weather.  I saw pigs running and rooting, sheep and cows grazing and ruminating, chickens wandering, pecking and scratching the dirt - all animals just being themselves free of human tyranny.  This is a place of kindness and peace, and it stands in stark contrast to the violence and insanity of factory farming. When I walked through the parking lot at our “People Barn” on a weekday afternoon, I saw license plates from all over the U.S., representing California, Florida, Washington DC, Ohio, Massachusetts and New York.  Indeed, Farm Sanctuary is a haven for rescued animals from anywhere, and it’s a sanctuary for people from everywhere.

 

This year’s Hoe Down in Orland, California was magical.  People came from across the U.S. to connect with animal friends and be immersed among like minded citizens. The community feeling was palpable, commiserating with colleagues, dancing to live music under a warm starry sky, smiling, joyful.

Vegans comprise a tiny segment of the U.S. population (perhaps 1% or 2%). We can sometimes feel different, like outcasts among the mainstream. But at Farm Sanctuary, vegan is normal, and it’s a beautiful thing. We gain peace and strength from each other.


Gene

 

 

 

I arrived at Farm Sanctuary’s Orland, California farm around 10pm, and the sky was filled with stars. Then the moon, orange and just past full, rose on the east horizon shedding light on these mellow rolling hills.  I slept well and woke to singing birds and flowers alive with bees.

There have been reports about the disappearance of bees, and it was great to see so many thriving here.  The loss of bees is a major problem for agriculture, which needs them to pollinate plants and facilitate agricultural production.  In spite of agribusiness’ ongoing movement to replace natural systems with various artificial technologies, the bees are a reminder that we ultimately depend on nature for our food.

After a leisurely morning, I visited the barns and the rescued farm animals living here, including some truly happy cows.  When I returned to the cabin, I read comments written by people who stayed here, referring to Farm Sanctuary as a “life affirming place” and “an Eden” where visitors feel “renewed” and “energized.”  I couldn’t agree more. Farm Sanctuary is a sanctuary for all animals, including humans.

Gene

After a slew of book events on the east coast, I flew to Chicago, Illinois to speak at DePaul University.  Many in the audience were active in efforts to combat abusive agricultural systems, and I was certainly happy to see members of the crowd wearing Farm Sanctuary t-shirts. 

A discussion came up about a proposal to build a massive dairy operation slated to house more than 10,000 cows a few hours drive outside of Chicago. Citizens concerned about pollution and other problems associated with such an operation are fighting its construction.  The community has banded together, but they face an uphill battle and are worried that the Illinois Department of Agriculture will ignore their concerns, and approve the dairy’s construction.  It was good to see citizens working together to protect their community, and I hope they are successful.

After my talk at DePaul, I took a bus from Chicago to Madison, Wisconsin to participate in a panel discussion at a dairy industry conference.  The event opened with individuals of the University of Wisconsin marching band, and the school’s mascot, Bucky the Badger. Although dairy producers and Farm Sanctuary come from fundamentally different perspectives, I welcome the opportunity for dialogue and greatly appreciated an invitation to speak before more than 1,000 dairy industry members.  We listened to each other and agreed to respectfully disagree on a number of topics.

Thinking of the bigger picture and looking to the future, I urged the assembly to consider alternatives to milking cows, such as producing milk from plants like soy beans, nuts and grains, rather than from animals.  And, in light of the recent, widely publicized exposé of the inhumane treatment of downed dairy cows at a Chino, Calif. slaughterhouse, I challenged the group to adopt an industry-wide position condemning the marketing and slaughter of downed cattle.

Another challenge I posed to this captive audience was the widely held assumption that drinking cows’ milk helps provide dietary calcium to ward off osteoporosis (also known as ‘brittle bone disease’).  I pointed out that although a large quantity of cows’ milk is consumed in the U.S., we still manage to have higher incidences of osteoporosis than those countries that consume far less cows’ milk.

After the dairy conference, I spoke at the University of Wisconsin, Madison to an audience comprised of many individuals sympathetic to the mission and vision of Farm Sanctuary, and a couple people involved in animal agriculture.  The group was highly receptive and we had an informed, respectful dialogue.  Shortly thereafter, a Farm Sanctuary member gave me a ride to the airport for a flight to Los Angeles, and set me up with a delicious tempe salad sandwich.  She brought me fruit and a homemade vegan nut and chocolate brownie-type dessert.  It was made of three kinds of nut butters mixed with powdered sugar, and had chocolate on top, and it was simply amazing.

Gene