Mama Red and Clan are in Trouble

Animal Rescue, Cows, Farm Sanctuary, Mama Red, The Gentle Barn 10 Responses »
Aug 082011

Mama Red and Baby Boy and Baby Girl

It started two long weeks ago with a phone call from my brother, Jamie, on whose farm in South Carolina Mama Red and her one-year-old twins (Baby Boy is beside her and Baby Girl on the ground) as well as her steer from two years ago live.  And when I say “live,” I mean these animals can ride out their days there until they die.  For Mama Red and Baby Girl, this means being able to stay alive vs. at around age 8 or so, being taken to slaughter where they make hamburger out of old mama cows.  For Baby Boy, though, this means being able to live past age two, when he would be considered at his prime for steaks and roasts, etc.

This is unheard of, this freedom to live out their days.  Continue reading »

Farm Sanctuary's Gene Baur Delivers Hope

Animal Rescue, Farm Sanctuary, Gene Baur 6 Responses »
May 052011

Farm Sanctuary's Gene Baur in Nashville

Big words from the leader of the nation’s biggest farm animal sanctuary yesterday in Nashville.  Gene Baur of Farm Sanctuary told an audience of some 50 people packed inside a vegan restaurant, “There’s a shift underway…We’re in the midst of a food revolution right now.”

Meat consumption, he says, is down and has been since 2008, forcing the meat industry to look for international markets.  This, despite numbers that are staggering.  Ten billion farm animals are killed each year for us to eat.  Ninety percent of that number comes from chickens. Continue reading »

Turtle Time Out and Baby Carolina Wrens

Animal Rescue, Bird babies, Box turtles, Carolina wren 7 Responses »
Apr 242011

Four beautiful eggs in carolina wren nest

I know they say your house is blessed if a bird builds a nest in the eaves.  Wonder what it means if the nest is built in MY CAR?

I am so happy to say that, for the second year in a row, a carolina wren mama has chosen to lay her eggs and nurture her babies in a nest in the covered wheel that sits on the back of my Pathfinder.

Look closely now, Folks, and you’ll see four white eggs in the middle of that nest.  See them?  They’re about the size of those chocolate footballs we like to eat at Easter and have reddish speckles on them.  Continue reading »

Farm Sanctuary's Gene Baur In Nashville May 4th

Animal Rescue, Billy O, Cows, Farm Sanctuary, One Good Mama Bone 9 Responses »
Apr 112011

Gene Baur and Opie

Meet Gene Baur and his good buddy, Opie.

Almost two decades ago, according to published material, this cow, then a tiny calf no more than a few hours old, was abandoned and left for dead at a stockyard in upstate New York.  He was a dairy industry discard too weak and sickly to even stand.  He lay helpless in an alleyway, where few signs of life emanated from him — let alone any indication of the magnificent creature he was destined to become. Continue reading »

Introducing You to The Cow Sanctuary

Animal Rescue, Mama Red, One Good Mama Bone 6 Responses »
Feb 212011

Every now and then, if we’re lucky, we run across someone who makes us want to just flat be better.  I’ve run across such a person.  Her name is Helga Tacreiter, and she runs The Cow Sanctuary http://www.thecowsanctuary.org in Bridgeton, New Jersey.  Here is how she introduces herself:

I LOVE COWS. Big, beautiful, breathing cows. I grew to love them when I worked on farms, milking and feeding these peaceful creatures and getting to know their distinct individual personalities. My heart broke each time one of my friends was sent to slaughter, which is the sad reality of farm life. But what could I do? I made their lives as decent as possible while they were in my care, then I had to kiss them goodbye.

Until the storm: a huge spring storm that lasted most of the night, with roaring thunder and lightning bolts hurtling down with deafening cracks.

Continue reading »

My Visit with Billy O Yesterday

Animal Rescue, Billy O 13 Responses »
Jan 312011

Is that a saltine for me?

Here he is, the one and only Billy O.  He’s standing in front of a barn, which keeps him warm on cold nights and dry when there’s moisture and safe when coyotes roam.

I went down for a visit yesterday, armed with a whole box of Saltines.  I’m talking the big box, four packs.  Billy O was near this barn with his eight other goat friends and two cows when we arrived.  “Billy O!” I hollered across the fence and pasture.  He was close to a half a football field away.

But he didn’t come running.  Nor did the others.

Continue reading »

Billy O Has His Position in Goat Pecking Order

Animal Rescue, Billy O 8 Responses »
Jan 102011

So I’ve just heard from Billy O’s new mama, and she reports that he’s “about in the middle of the herd as far as dominance goes.  He has figured out he can boss the younger wethers (neutered males) around and one doe.” There are two other wethers, she says, but she separates them from the rest of the herd.  Ha!  They are so bossy, they won’t let the others in the barn with them.  So separate quarters for them.  Our Billy O, though, is now sleeping in the other barn with his herd.  That’s our boy. Continue reading »

Billy O Had a Very Good Day Today

Animal Rescue, Billy O 4 Responses »
Jan 052011

Those words in the headline — Billy O had a very good day today – kicked off an email last night from Billy O’s new mama.  I jumped for joy.

He’s been gone a week now, and I have prayed and worried and prayed and worried (did I include cried?) that he would welcome his new home.  My biggest fear was that he’d feel I’d sold him down the river, that his coming here was a mistake and that I never wanted him.

Just last Friday, in an email, his new mama wrote: Billy O is still trying to figure out the goat stuff.  He didn’t eat the tree I cut for them or the carrots.  I would say he was not a pet goat until he found you.  Billy O is puzzled, not afraid.  Sometimes he just lays down and watches.  He hasn’t gone out in the big pasture much.  Just hangs around the barn and corral where there are always other goats.

Continue reading »

Billy O is on to a New Life

Animal Rescue, Billy O, Farm Sanctuary 6 Responses »
Dec 292010

Is this where that writer lives who loves animals?

I like to look at the very first picture I ever made of Billy O.  I was in the kitchen making coffee and heard this unfamiliar sound outside.  I looked out the back door and saw this creature with a cocked off head  looking in at me.   In my mind, he was asking, “Is this where that writer lives who loves animals?”

I hope he knows the answer is YES.

After sharing his life with me for four special months, Billy O left out of here a couple of hours ago.  Left in the back of a covered pickup truck, bound for Hohenwald, Tennessee, a tiny community about an hour and a half south of here.   Left with a wonderful lady who loves animals as much as I do — and that’s saying a lot.  Left to go live on a 200 acre farm with nine goats and two cows and I forgot how many horses and two dogs.

Continue reading »

Change in Store for Billy O

Animal Rescue, Billy O, Farm Sanctuary 12 Responses »
Dec 282010

He's always watched.

Billy O has always watched.  He likes to stand on the front porch, near the top step, and look out.  I’ve never known what he was looking for.  But he’s definitely looking.

Tomorrow morning, about this time, he’ll see a new vehicle drive up.  It’ll be pulling a trailer, one small enough for a goat.  Billy O is getting a new home, down an hour and a half south of here in a wonderful town called Hohenwald.

Continue reading »

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