Cross-Coast Compassion in Action: A Week of Farm Sanctuary Life
During a time of year when many of us are struggling to beat those winter blues, it may be difficult to see the beauty that exists around and within us. But it is still there, and we may find the peace and healing we seek by taking the time to honor the individuals and experiences that matter most. This week at Farm Sanctuary, we learned important lessons across both coasts, due to some unseasonable weather on both ends. From a glimpse of warmth in New York to rainy Southern California days, we are reminded of all of the good life has to offer when we pause and reflect on the gifts that each day brings — and through it all, we are reminded that compassionate living is always in season.
Last Thursday, Farm Sanctuary friend and Compassion in Action Award recipient Kat Von D invited the Kat Von D Beauty team to our Southern California Shelter to celebrate how living compassionately makes all of our lives beautiful! With her ever-growing line of vegan beauty products, Kat demonstrates how simple it can be to feel beautiful inside and out — to nurture our bodies and souls with choices that support our values without compromising the unique flair we bring to the world around us.
♫Seems it never rains in Southern California♫…but when it does, we’re thankful for friends like Kat and team (here with Farm Sanctuary’s Lindsay Morris at far right)
Kat has called Farm Sanctuary her “favorite charity but also [her] favorite place to be,” having even spent her last birthday volunteering at our Acton shelter, and her dedication regularly inspires us to see how beautiful our lives become when we put compassion first. While shelter work is often hailed as an unglamorous labor of love, Kat puts her heart into cleaning barns, heavy lifting, and various renovation projects — all for these incredible ambassadors for their species, whose journeys inspire all of us to see the beauty in every day.
We gratefully welcomed Kat’s team of 25 compassionate women to our shelter last Thursday for an honest day’s work on the farm. Half of her staff cleaned the barns and prepared fresh warm beds for the animals; the other half piled boulders at the entrance to stave off potential flooding. On top of all of this, we experienced a rare bout of Southern California rain — and as you can imagine, all of that rain and mud did not make this work any easier! But through it all, the team stayed beautiful — with their waterproof makeup on the outside, and their glowing hearts from within.
We are incredibly thankful for their passion and dedication to farm animals on and off the farm…and their beautiful work on behalf of all beings demonstrates what living glamorously is truly all about.
Check out mirrorsandhaze’s vlog to see the Kat Von D Beauty team in action, and learn how compassionate living makes us all beautiful. Want to learn how you and your colleagues can make a difference for farm animals? Click here to arrange a volunteer work party at one of our sanctuary locations!
Back in Watkins Glen, we experienced some spring-like weather, with temperatures creeping into the low 40s for a change. As last week’s icy grip began to rescind, everyone seemed to sense a change in their air — animal and humanimal alike. And despite the mud left in its wake, we’re all developing a spring in our step as we savor this taste of warmer and brighter days to come.
Roger goat and friends take advantage of the *slightly* warmer weather for a hearty frolic on pasture — a beautiful gift from these dreary winter days!
Warmer weather means more time to play with friends! The sheep were especially thrilled with this unexpected break from winter, running laps back and forth across the pasture in excitement!
Susie leads the way, opening up the pasture gates for our friends to explore and frolic to their heart’s desire!
Running laps between the pasture and the barn — some got caught in the middle of all the action!
Others, like Lucky Lady, preferred to watch from the sidelines and allow her friends to come to *her*.
Their neighbors in the goat barn had the same idea; even Archie, one of our older boys, kicked up his heels with delight at this pleasant break from those dreary winter days!
Archie and Tatiana wait patiently as Susie opens the gate to their extended courtyard.
Archie and his friends inspire us to celebrate life’s simple pleasures and to value the beauty that exists within us all!
After an exhilarating run, some of our friends then chose to bask in the sheer glory of the day — and themselves! Warmer days seem to reawaken our spirits and invite us to celebrate the extraordinary moments in otherwise-ordinary days. When we pause to reflect on the beauty that lies within us when we put compassion first, it is incredible to see just how spectacular our lives — and our impact on the world around us — may truly be.
“Look at me, everybody!” Olive shows off her good side, thrilled to present herself as the beautiful individual we all know her to be.
Meanwhile, Liam gets up close and personal with his humanimal friends, eager to share the sheer love of life that’s reawakened in our hearts when we emerge from our pasts and learn to love again.
Speaking of love, warmer times inspire us to likewise reflect on the individuals who warm our hearts…and Valentine’s Day is a wonderful way to celebrate how love — in any and all forms — transforms us all. This year, we’re honoring our rescued residents’ incredible resilience and their ability to thrive in their new lives at sanctuary, thanks to special individuals who help them value and love themselves as the magnificent beings they are now free to be.
Due to their tragic pasts, some animals are unable to love and trust humans again — and that’s okay. At Farm Sanctuary, we will never force ourselves onto an animal to win his or her affection, but rather allow them to live and interact with others on their own terms. Oftentimes, they find special individuals just like them, who help them see the beauty that life has to offer.
Kagan, Jaime, Ian, and Earl were so terrified at the time of their rescue that they refused to even step outside. Their friendship helped them all recover and learn to love and trust again — and they remain the best of friends to this day!
In some cases, as with Kagan, Ian, Jaime, and Earl, companionship helps us open hearts to people once more — and their inspiring transformations likewise inspire us to open our hearts to the possibilities that lie ahead when we put compassion first…for one another, and ourselves.
Farm animals like our rescued residents often have no reason to trust us, but it is so rewarding to see them overcome their tragic pasts and learn to love again — and their love transforms *our* lives for the better as well!
Susie wraps Earl in a deep hug. It is incredible to see how far our friends have come, and how love transforms all of our lives for the better.
Joel (center) and Jordan (right) were each rescued from terrible circumstances; Bob Barker was fortunately born in safety after we rescued his mother from the same place Joel came from. It is incredibly heartwarming to watch these individuals embrace life and love — and they inspire us to value each day as the beautiful gift it truly is.
Senior Shelter Manager Tara Hess says hello to one of her best friends, Grace sheep, while Caregiver Assistant Dana Penman greets a friend behind them. The two took a quick break from med rounds for some TLC with our wooly friends, since love is just about the best medicine we have!
There’s still time to register for our special Valentine’s Day event at our Southern California Shelter — a perfect way to introduce your own loved ones to our special “valentines” and to experience firsthand how love may transform all of our lives for the better. Can’t make it to Acton this year? Check out a new virtual reality video featuring our Watkins Glen residents, and experience the power of love from the comfort of your own home.
When we put compassion first, we all blossom. By supporting Farm Sanctuary’s lifesaving rescue, education, and advocacy work, you help us “weather” whatever comes our way and create a warmer, brighter world for us all.
