Jon Stewart

Just when I thought I couldn't love Jon Stewart any more than I already do I found this article on One Green Planet  www.onegreenplanet.org 
I had seen his interview with the founder of Farm Sanctuary Gene Baur but didn't realize that he and his wife Tracey are big supporters of this organization, which I also support, and that Tracey is also vegan.


Jon Stewart’s leanings toward a greener world and fair treatment of animals is pretty well known. Did you see the episode where he positively destroyed New Jersey Governor Chris Christie over vetoing a popular gestation crate ban? How about his thorough interview with Farm Sanctuary founder Gene Baur?  Or even the segment where he took on poaching?
Though the playbook for his reporting style likely reads, “A. Place tongue firmly in cheek. B. Explore all sides C. Mercilessly skewer,” he’s almost universally lauded for being the voice of reason in an age of scaremonger journalism and corporate pandering by “news” networks. Oh, how we will all miss him.

Please…please, don’t go….

Salon

With the announcement that he will be leaving The Daily Show at the end of this season, speculation as to what’s next for the comedian has encircled him. While it’s still up in the air what kind of future magic he’ll deliver, and in what medium, the only thing we do know is that he’s going to greener pastures. Literally.
As it turns out that he and his wife Tracey have reportedly decided to purchase a farm in New Jersey. It’s a good thing too, considering that they boast a family that consists of two children, four dogs, two horses, two pigs, three rabbits, two guinea pigs, two hamsters, one parrot and two fish. ”All rescues,” Tracey says of her enormous brood. “Except for the children.”

This is a moment of zen if we’ve ever seen one.

You see, Tracey – a former vet tech – is not only a vocal and steadfast animal advocate herself, she’s the Editor-in-Chief of the online parenting magazine Moomah, whose April 2015 issue is entirely dedicated to veganism.
Makes sense since she’s vegan herself! Even so, why would she devote an entire issue of her magazine to the subject? “Being vegan myself, I think it can only benefit others to at least ponder what life would be like on a diet filled with fewer animal products,” she writes.

How else do you think she has all that energy for kid crafting? 

While reports are circulating (though are unconfirmed) that their intention behind purchasing the farm might, in fact, be to house more rescues in a sanctuary type set up, it wouldn’t be entirely surprising. After reading Gene Baur’s first book “Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food,” Tracey reached out to the organization in order to offer support and began taking her children to visit the animals at their various locations. She even went so far as to gift all of the couple’s guests Adopt-a-Farm Animal sponsorships last Thanksgiving!
“The joy of interacting with animals as friends instead of using them for human consumption is life-changing,” says Tracey. “A trip to Farm Sanctuary should be on everyone’s to-do list, but you can also bring a little bit of sanctuary home when you sponsor an animal through the Adopt a Farm Animal Program.”

Wasn’t Snow White the one who hung out with all the animals? So fitting.

The couple are such supporters of the organization that two sheep were named Jon and Tracey in their honor and the pair recently had a little sheep of their own named Hazleton. She’s even taken educating people about animals a step further by penning a new book coming out October of 2015 titled “Do Unto Animals,” which promises to be a humorous and insightful look into the secret lives of animals and a guide for how to live alongside them. A portion of the proceeds will go to, you guessed it, Farm Sanctuary.

This happy mama was aptly named after another happy mama.

While the loss of Stewart from a half-hour comedy show that has turned out to be a better source of news than most other network programs on air still stinging, it serves as a slight balm to picture him awash in the love of rescue animals on an idyllic farm in America’s Garden State. Maybe his next show can be a family oriented glimpse into his life with Tracey and their animal friends? We can dream … we can dream.

My Pet Goat

My daughter surprised me this Christmas with the adoption of Erika, a goat from Farm Sanctuary.
Here is Erika's story from the Farm Sanctuary website: 

Erika’s surprise rescue story: In February 2013, Animal Control officers rescued more than a dozen sheep, one goat, and a calf who were struggling to stay alive on bread scraps from a backyard butcher in the Los Angeles area. The bodies of victims who had already perished lay nearby. Once we heard of this case, we welcomed the group and took them into our care. Most of the animals were transported to our Northern California Shelter, leaving only Claire (the rescue’s sole goat) and Felicity (her dear sheep friend) to reside at our Los Angeles sanctuary. On March 12, during their evening rounds, Southern California Shelter caregivers discovered that Claire had just given birth to a daughter, who we have named Erika. The arrival was a surprise, but a very happy one. Erika was tiny and bursting with life!
Personality: Erika is still young, so she is very curious and playful. And at times, she is quite demanding! Having been born into a sanctuary setting, Erika will never know cruelty. She has been treated as a princess since the day she was born and never hesitates to ask for what she wants — sometimes very loudly.
Erika has two moms: Erika has the luxury of being raised by not only one, but two mother-figures — her mother, Claire, and her Aunt Felicity, who is a sheep. The two watch over Erika carefully. Erika spends every afternoon playing on the hillside or snoozing in the sun — with her “Moms” close by.
Her favorite part of the day: This little goat is happy anytime food is near! Erika knows her feeding times and will announce them at the top of her lungs!

Victoria and Raphael

Here are 2 turkeys I'm sponsoring through The Farm Sanctuary. Their names are Victoria and Raphael.

To learn more about Farm Sanctuary and maybe sponsor one of their many farm animals go to their website: http://www.farmsanctuary.org/