New Flickr pics are up with goats galore! 

Muddy Mondays

Hello, Farm fans!

I feel like I'm always either skimping on the 'blog or writing a novella, but today I'll keep it quick and dirty. I feel slightly less guilty as all my favorite 'bloggers seem to be slowing down as well-- maybe it's the summer sun. I'd like to thank Texas for sending us some rain in upstate New York (as improbable as that sounds). It's just another muddy Monday for me and the pigs. 

It's hard to swallow that half of all food produced worldwide is being wasted, according to an article from the Environmental News Service, but to make matters worse is the immense amount of water wasted in that production. 

Of course, this is hardly the tip of the iceberg lettuce. It's pretty infuriating to realize that there truly is enough food and water to sustain this planet's superfluous population, but as with wealth, food and potable water sources and consumption are divided wildly disproportionately.

This is definitely something we will revisit, but I promised quick and dirty.

So, step one toward reducing your waste and carbon footprint is, of course, switching to a plant-based diet. For those of you who may have taken my challenge in an earlier post to heart, let me know how great you feel! 

Step two: composting! Whether you're fortunate enough to live in a city with curb-side compost pick-up, or you want to grow-your-own with a backyard (or balcony) bin, turn your waste into tasty food for the planet.

For tips and tricks to getting your rot on, check out this simple and enlightening guide to composting from grist.org. 

My boyfriend and I are vermicomposting, and sharing our apartment with about 1,500 worms is proving to be a plus-plus situation. They're small, quiet, and they basically excrete gold for your garden. Maybe one day I'll even be hardcore enough for humanure.

So what are you waiting for? Composting is hot!

Localvore

This past weekend was both enchanting and energizing. Venturing out to the Watkins Glen Farmers’ Market on Friday, my housemates and I not only found delicious smelling handmade soaps and super fresh basil and peaches, we made new friends as well. At a stand with a vast array of beautiful greens and nets of garlic, the sellers swiftly identified us as Farm Sanctuary girls (apparently bright-eyed, college-age interns stand out against the usual suspects at the market) and invited us to a vegan potluck at their farm. Six Circles Farm is a small co-op style project run by George Eisman’s (see “Hoe Down” entry) nephew and son where young farmers live and work their beautiful gardens a stone’s throw away from the Finger Lakes.

We were lucky enough to arrive around sunset and sample both the visual and gustatory pleasures of the farm. A bonfire kept us warm against the cool New York night, the fresh apple sauce, quinoa and veggies prepared by our new friends were delicious, and many an open-minded conversation unfolded between bouts of drum-circling. Set against a nearly-full moon, the evening was almost surreal. Our parting gifts as we said “goodbye” were cloves of garlic, the principal product of the farm. We’ve made a point to cook garlic into most everything since.

**

Ithaca’s market, Sunday’s excavation site, was remarkable. Even better, actually, than Austin’s (TX) farmer’s market, it was organized incredibly well and we must have spent hours just walking through the two generous columns of booths. Though some sellers featured the same staples such as potatoes and tomatoes, each stand was invariably unique and the selection was phenomenal. The market is a semi-permanent fixture nestled beside a lake. They have very accessible composting and recycling and seem to require vendors to use compostable containers for prepared foods and drinks in an effort to be a "zero garbage" venue.

Determined to stock at least half of my shelf at Vegan House with local products rather than store-bought ones, I brought home red potatoes from the veganic farmers of “Unexpected Farm” (they directly neighbor Vegan House!), tomatoes from our friends at Six Circles Farm, and okra; the last ¾ pound in all of upstate New York, apparently. I finally gave into the temptation of prepared food as the tempting aromas wafted through the air around me. The problem was deciding what to eat!

Veggie spring rolls and a sesame ball (a roll with sweet red bean paste filling) were a choice I didn’t regret. Discussing the current buzz around bees in front of the local honey stand and a short chat with Gene Baur (see “Hoe Down” for more on our admirable pres.), whom we ran into at a farmers’ market for the second time in three days, made for an interesting and lovely Sabbath. A couple of huge, vegan pizza slices from Pizza Aroma and watching the sun set at Lamoka Lake brought the day to a full-bellied, water colored close.

Well, I’m off to finish my book (reading, not writing) and snuggle down for the night. Here’s to another farm fresh week!

xOx Hugs and Piglets xOx

"Food Animals" in Perspective: A Visit to the Stockyards

I've hesitated on this post because I know the words will not convey the actual experience, but I think it's important.

Thursday we (interns) went to a stockyard where animals are auctioned to slaughter or production (and eventual slaughter). Or, as my Mac defines it: 

     a large yard containing pens and sheds, typically adjacent to aslaughterhouse, in which livestock is kept and sorted.

It was a voluntary trip and our intent was not to intervene, protest, or photographically document what we saw. A camera would have seemed quite inappropriate. The stockyard was small and, in the context of the cruel industry where animals are considered "food" and treated as commodities, not horrific. It was horrible, but I know from documented cruelty cases and first-hand accounts from those who have been there, it wasn't nearly as bad as many larger stockyards.

Still, what I witnessed was nearly unbearable. The atmosphere was one of utter stress and panic. From their rigid postures, the torment in their eyes, their confused and terrified bellowing, it was impossible to deny the anguish these animals had already experienced in transport and their consciousness of the dangers to come. 

The grown cattle, newborn calves, goats, pigs and sheep were all irreverently ushered, one-by-one, to the auction show floor where they ran in frightened circles around the pen, desperately 

trying to find an escape. Heightening the trauma were two workers with shepherds canes, corralling and sometimes striking the animals to keep them "in line." The auctioneer stated the animals' genders and weights and began the bidding. The calves, if male were generally sold for $40-$80, the females, if impregnable, for around $500. I had to walk out, overwhelmed, after watching a few animals being manhandled in the auction ring, but the other interns told me that after I left a sheep jumped over the gate and ran toward them, desperate for a way out. The animal was grabbed by the fur and ears and put back in the ring. 

Out in the pens with the calves, we were face-to-face with their unmistakable pain and confusion. Days old at most, the newborns were taken from their mothers before their umbilical cords had even fallen off. They walked awkwardly, still babies wobbly on their legs. The ones who were amazingly not frightened of us (considering the cruelty they had already been shown by human hands) soaked up the affection of soft strokes and comforting whispers, all we could give to them before they moved on to the fate of being slaughtered for veil or beef. 

After a moment of being stroked on the head or behind the ears, the little ones would begin trying to nurse on hands, knees, shirts-- whatever they could reach. It was very painful, the powerlessness of having nothing to offer; not milk, nor the comfort of their mothers who they'd known for only hours before being torn away. The milk that was supposed to be theirs is instead destined for the cereal bowls and cheese sandwiches of humans, the only mammals to consume the milk of another animal (with the rare exception of surrogate mother animals who "adopt" abandoned babies of another species).

It was a sad day. The saddest part is that this dystopian reality exists in the "food animal" industry every day, whether we see it or not. More often than not, it's hidden behind a facade of "happy cows" as logos on dairy products or children's stories where farm animals frolic merrily on Farmer Joe's green pastures. The concrete, cruel truth could not be further from what these images lead us to believe. 

**

To provide some emotional relief, I will contrast the above with a parting image of a day at Farm Sanctuary. Yesterday some of the other interns and I went to the cow pastures to hang out with the special-needs herd. They are remarkable, loving creatures and I've had no greater joy this week than hand-feeding them apples and looking into their joyful, doe-like eyes. So far from the fear and desperation in the stockyard animals, the animals at Farm Sanctuary radiate love and peacefulness. Their ability to trust and befriend humans after all they've experienced is absolutely inspiring.  

Cattle pictures coming soon!

Farm Sanctuary, Week 2

Happy Tuesday! Tuesdays for a Farm Sanctuary intern mean “Ed. Lunch,” where our coordinator, Don, makes delicious vegan meals (accommodating for the wheat sensitive!) and we learn about some aspect of Farm Sanctuary and the work the organization does at large. Last week was our introduction video and tour and this week we actually talked to my boss, head of the communications department, about communications and media as they relate to the org. We covered a lot of ground over Don’s sweet and comforting apple cobbler (w/soy ice cream, of course).

 One of the topics at lunch was how so many environmental organizations are unwilling to publicly (and sometimes individually) make the connection between climate change and “food animal” agriculture, or factory farming. Whether optimist, pessimist, realist, publicist, activist, environmentalist – we have a finite amount of time in which to turn this carbon-spewing bus around.

 So, my challenge to you: If you’re not ready to switch to a completely plant-based diet, try going at least one day a week without eating meat, eggs, or dairy. But be careful, there are some addictive side effects to eating like a vegetarian: moments of clarity, unexpected bursts of energy, feelings of inner peace, and an enlarged (proverbial) heart with room for all creatures.

Pics

Some of my pics are now up on Flickr. I will update as I go, but for now, enjoy!

Quick Links For Busy People

It's a fresh saturday morning and I'm the only one awake, so I was happy to spend some time in the kitchen with Moby. You can hang with this musical prodigy/vegan for a few minutes too on Epicurious. If you're really in a time crunch, just watch/hear his thoughts on veganism (video 4). 

If you're too busy for Moby but never too busy for an on-line survey, won't you head over to VegNews' Veggie Awards site and vote for Farm Sanctuary in the categories "Best Non-profit" and "Best Sanctuary"? If you're so inclined, you can write in Farm Fresh Fem for your favorite weblog, but I also suggest SuperVegan and VeganYumYum. 

x o x Hugs and Chickens x o x

Links

If you tried links on "Hoe Down" and they didn't work, please try again. Everything should be corrected!

Lowdown on the Hoe Down

This post is about a week overdue and I apologize for making a new ‘blog and immediately going M.I.A., but it’s been a dizzyingly tiring week and I’m adjusting to a new sleep schedule. I will post more links, pictures and updates this weekend, but first things first – the Watkins Glen, N.Y. Farm Sanctuary 2008 Annual Hoe Down! After my orientation and tour I delved into helping out as the Farm commotion was pretty much divided between Pigs (Iowa rescue) and the Hoe Down.

The Hoe Down is officially August 2-3, but the 1^st was all preparation. Though a great deal of my time was spent on manual labor and serving food, I did catch some of these speakers and events:

* Bruce Friedrich (PETA) presented “Animal Rights: Social Justice for the New Millennium.” Though I have qualms with some of their tactics, PETA definitely does some good work and Friedrich was entertaining, tongue-in-cheek, heart-on-sleeve informative.

* Susie Coston, national shelter director for Farm Sanctuary, narrated a slideshow of Sanctuary residents and their stories supplemented with general information on the “food animal” industry. Susie is incredibly passionate and knows the names, stories and personalities of every animal at the Sanctuary. She’s pretty fearless and amazing.

* George Eisman gave a lecture on vegan nutrition and led a brief nature walk, “Wild Edibles,” where he showed us how to identify edible “weeds” and raved over their nutritional value. Eisman also has a self-launched “dairy isn’t necessary” campaign. And, well, it’s not.

* Herbivore clothing/magazine entrepreneur, Josh Hooten, gave a hilarious intro to his presentation, “We Can’t All Wear the Big Chicken Costume: Effective Activism Your Way,” where he demonstrated that we really can’t all wear the chicken costume – by wearing a “hot cop” costume instead. Unfortunately, I was assigned to tasks during this presentation but had a great conversation with him at his merchandise stand. Bonus: the proceeds from his merch sales at the Hoe Down all went back to Farm Sanctuary. I picked up a “Wings are for Flying, not for Frying” sticker and was glad he didn’t bring any “Cow Hugger” shirts, since I’m on a budget and would have been far too tempted to splurge.

* Captain Paul Watson, a self-proclaimed pirate and founder of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, took the bold stance of saying Yes, I am an animal rights activist and I care more about animals than people (paraphrased). Former Greenpeace activist, Watson now takes his own approach to bringing justice to the sea and its inhabitants.

Farm Sanctuary’s own Gene Baur, founder and president, and Jeff Lydon, executive director, also gave short, inspiring speeches (incidentally, both are tall and inspiring).

Saturday night concluded with a barn dance (in the People Barn) DJ’ed by Farm Sanctuary’s own “Big Daddy Don.” The music was utterly undanceable but it was fun watching others “get piggy with it” and “bust a mooove.” Yes, I really did just write that. It’s what farm life does for your sense of humor.

Persistent attendees insisted on keeping with the bonfire tradition in spite of the rainstorms of the day and succeeded. Stragglers, intellectuals, and walking bottles of vegan wine gathered around the cozy but smoky clearing and deep conversations that would be forgotten the next day abounded over the strumming of a single acoustic guitar.

I truly wish everyone could have experienced this weekend—I think, acknowledging the title of Gene’s book, it truly would have changed a lot of hearts and minds.

(Farm Fun with Fragments) FS Day 1

My first official day on the farm was quite excellently exhausting.

After orientation with the other new residents and a Colbert style round of "Better Know an Intern," I realized I'm not alone in leaving my job, my boyfriend, my cat and my security at the gate to pursue my passion and find out more about who I am. Our stories had some major similarities in spite of the divisions in age/geography/personality and I think I'll really get along with this group of passionate vegan femmes (I know, it's a vegan miracle!). Plus, one of my Canadian housemates likes to cook and I already know we'll get along well.

Because I did so much today, I'll give you the sentence fragment abridged version: licked by cow, nuzzled by sheep (allergic to wool but shockingly no reaction), giant pig belly rubs, tiny piglet watch (mission: help mama pig keep premies safe and warm), still smitten over chickens, met FS staff, helped prepare for hoedown weekend (folder stuffing, lifting, stairs, weeding, sun, more lifting, more stairs...), five minute meals, happy in spite of oncoming migraine.

Oh, and the gift shop has Uncle Eddie's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies, which will likely get me through several more farm-filled days.

That's it for now--I will have pics up soon, probably through flickr. Right now I'm a "possibly maybe" for yoga at 8:30 a.m. and a "right on" for FS President Gene Baur's presentation at 10:15.

I hope you're all doing well cityside and I promise my posts will be witty and farm-fresh-fem-fun-filled (or at the very least, bepictured) in the near future (after I get some sleep).

P.S. - How do all these people not know Flight of the Conchords?! Why? Just because their rhymes and records, they don't get made?

Chicken dance

Well, I didn't wake to the roosters, but I surely heard them once I was awake. Last night one of the house cats made her way to my top bunk and kept me company (I miss my kitties!)  so I could get a solid five hours before getting up absurdly early to secure a shower before my seven housemates. I'm not completely a morning person, but the palette of colors outside the window at dawn was worth it. Everything is so absolutely green or gold.

The chickens are hilarious. I stepped on to the porch to see what all the commotion was about and found about 20 hens, one full-sized immaculately white rooster, and a tiny yellow rooster with black tail feathers whose cry sounds more like a funny little song. His name is Pedro and he is quite bold, especially at feeding time. I thought there would be a riot when the shelter staff told the feathered crowd that feeding time was over. 

For now, I'm city-girl-giddy over just about everything.