Photos/update re: Animal Place tour last weekend

June 2, 2006

Hi folks

We had a wonderful tour followed by a Vegan Food Party picnic-style last weekend at Animal Place.

We took a bunch of photos and I've uploaded them to share with all of you. If you also took pics and want to share, send 'em over.

http://www.bayareaveg.org/gallery2/main.php

Having grown up in the suburbs, visits to sanctuaries like Animal Place or Farm Sanctuary have been the only times I've really had interaction with pigs, goats, and other animals more commonly raised for "food". For me, as I'm reading The Pig Who Sang to the Moon, the trip seemed especially meaningful as the book talks about the emotional world of factory farmed animals, and shares their stories. If you haven't read the book, and even if you're not attending our 7/22 discussion, I'd recommend checking it out.

I know our tour filled up pretty quick, but as I've said in just about every message about our special tour, Animal Place has regular tours every month for the next few months, plus special events like cooking classes and events for carnivores.

When you visit, and you're encouraged to bring treats for the critters, who do expect them, especially the pigs!, I would especially recommend that you bring grapes for the chickens. You pluck a few and toss them out. The chickens run for them, and then -- on every occasion -- the chicken picked up the grape and ran, as if she was going for an imaginary touchdown. Who would have ever thought that chickens love grapes?! Thank you to Doug who brought grapes and shared them with the rest of us. (After you register for the tour, AP sends suggestions on what foods the critters like.)

It's very difficult to photograph a chicken running with a grape, but Chris managed to get this photo just as she picked it up:

http://www.bayareaveg.org/gallery2/v/animalplace06/IMG_3048-closeup.jpg.html

For nearly everyone on our trip, it was their first time to Animal Place. So, if you've never been to Animal Place, I would highly recommend and encourage you to visit -- and bring a friend or two! In fact, if you're going, post to the list and see if anyone wants to join you.

Animal Place website

http://AnimalPlace.org

We'll definitely plan to do this trip again next year. You can add a review / read other reviews of Animal Place in the Ultimate Guide:

http://www.bayareaveg.org//ug/display.htm?id=114

Cheers,

Tammy

Bay Area Vegetarians

P.O. Box 371215

Montara, CA 94037

415-57-VEG-57 (578-3457)

http://BayAreaVeg.org