On Small, Local Farms

If the happy meat movement has done anything in addition to making needless killing acceptable, it has glorified the "small, local farm."

Deb Durant of Invisible Voices volunteers weekly at Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary in Maryland, where many of the residents are survivors of small, local (and/or) family farms. Last week, Deb guest posted about goats Jeremy and Lenny over at Stephanie's Change.org Animal Rights blog. I must confess a preoccupation with goats despite never having met one. Their mischievous, playful nature frankly reminds me of my husband, but that's another story. Goats, of course, do not exist to amuse me. But like the human I am, I tend to gravitate toward qualities I appreciate–in humans and nonhumans alike.

Naturally, the photos of Jeremy and Lenny don't disappoint, and I could look at them all day. But these words struck me as much as the photos:

I see the wonder that is life, and I know that there is no taste in the world that can be worth taking life away, whether through death or through exploitation and slavery. Being vegan does not mean I suffer a tasteless world; it is more like a culinary adventure. Veganism is just the start of the ethical considerations that come into play, but it is the cornerstone.

Thank you Stephanie and Deb.