It’s official: Farm Sanctuary’s wooly friends are naked. Each year in the spring, we bring trusted shearers to Watkins Glen and Acton to help with this vital part of sheep healthcare. Here are some photos of their new ‘dos!

Norman’s ears twitched at the distant mooing. Standing up to his full height of 5’5” from ground to shoulder, the dark brown steer craned his head towards the horizon. They were coming: his new herd. It had been nine years—nearly his entire life—since Norman had last lived among other cows. He threw back his head and gave a joyful bellowing moo. “I’m here,” he seemed to say, “and I can’t wait to meet you!”

It was a Saturday in New York City and two separate but urgent situations were each unfolding: In one part of the city, rescuers were caring for chickens freed from a common religious ritual sacrifice. Farm Sanctuary, in collaboration with local activists, had already planned to take in a few birds rescued from this first case. That same day, though, other people discovered birds who’d fallen from a truck bound for a Brooklyn slaughterhouse. By the end of the day, we’d be arranging to help 41 chickens in need.

Missy pig, born on Halloween, had a grim and haunting start to life. She spent her days alone in a solitary pen—a nightmare for pigs, who are social beings and grow distressed without friends, enough space, and stimulation. People didn’t pay much attention to her, either. Now we know that Missy is a friendly and affectionate pig who enjoys attention (and deep belly rubs); however, the farmers who owned her didn’t see her as a friend but as a means of production.

Chrissy Tracey on recipe development, family history, and positivity

Chrissy Tracey on recipe development, family history, and positivity

Every year in the United States, the $40 billion dairy industry uses over 9 million cows for their milk—and slaughters 3 million more for food. The only way they can do this is by turning living beings into commodities, like a shaft of wheat or a quart of oil. How does that work? This is the story of the lives that the industry has turned into machines for milk and cheese.

Most teens can’t wait for their first set of wheels. Tyler’s car search took a very different turn after checking out a pop-up sale and finding a ram––the sheep kind, not the truck kind.