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Farm Sanctuary's Annual Hoe Down Draws Hundreds

Watkins Glen, NY- August 16, 2004 - Over 200 animal advocates from across the U.S. gathered at Farm Sanctuary's Watkins Glen shelter on August 7th and 8th for its annual Country Hoe Down. The event featured shelter tours, hay rides, educational presentations, a barn dance and a camp fire. Guests had the opportunity to meet and interact with pigs, cows, chickens and other rescued farm animals.

This year's Hoe Down highlights included a special viewing of a new documentary, entitled Peaceable Kingdom, which was filmed at Farm Sanctuary. Subjects of the film, including Howard Lyman, author of Mad Cowboy; Jim Mason, author of An Unnatural Order; and Peaches Gillette, Director of a children's after-school program about compassion and diversity spoke to a full house. James LaVeck and Jenny Stein, award-winning filmmakers who produced and directed Peaceable Kingdom, were also on hand to discuss the making of their new film.

This inspiring weekend allowed guests to connect with the animals at Farm Sanctuary, including Pearl, a small goat who had been found blind and being trampled at an auction house, and Alby a 2,500 pound steer who was rescued as a young calf from a veal farm, where he had been starved nearly to death. Hoe Down participants were able to spend time with individual animals and learn about their unique personalities.

Guests also enjoyed healthy and tasty vegan food (made with no animal products), such as Wild mushroom and sun dried tomato pesto tetrazinni, with roasted garlic, fresh basil and cherry tomato lemon capellini; Mediterranean potato salad; and chocolate chunk bars. Everyone realized that food made without animal products not only helps the animals, but also is delicious.

About Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is the nation's leading farm animal protection organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked to expose and stop cruel practices of the "food animal" industry through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, public awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and refuge efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, Calif., provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals, who have become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating visitors about the realities of factory farming. Additional information can be found at www.farmsanctuary.org or by calling 607-583-2225.