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Meet Blossom—Farmaste resident and jumping queen!
June 16, 2023
When Blossom arrived at Farmaste Animal Sanctuary in July 2020, she was extremely anxious and wary of humans. It took time and patience for her to build trust with her caregivers. Through consistent care, Blossom has made significant progress in overcoming her fear. She has become more comfortable with her caregivers. She now allows them to give her occasional scratches and pets!
When Blossom arrived at Farmaste in July 2020, she was extremely anxious and wary of humans. It took time and patience for her to build trust with her caregivers. Through consistent care, Blossom has made significant progress in overcoming her fear. She has become more comfortable with her caregivers. She now allows them to give her occasional scratches and pets!
One of Blossom’s greatest joys is being a part of her goat family. She has formed a strong bond with her herd and finds comfort in their presence. Recently, she was introduced to her stall-mate, Lilibet, and their friendship has blossomed. They enjoy playing together and have become inseparable.
Join our upcoming tour of Farmaste so that you can meet Blossom and her friends! CAA is organizing a tour on Saturday, July 8 from 3- 4 pm. The tour costs just $15 to help with support of the residents. We can take only 20 people so act now!
At Farmaste, Blossom has found safety, love, and companionship. She is now able to express her playful and energetic nature. Her favorite activities are jumping (up to 8 feet high!), high-stepping through the field, and basking in the sun. She also takes her role as a tester of the enclosure seriously, ensuring that her home remains secure.
Blossom is slowly but surely embracing her new life. Her journey is a testament to the transformative power of compassion and the resilience of animals.
There are also opportunities to volunteer with Farmaste. You can help with such things as barn cleaning like we did on our recent CAA/Farmaste Work Day. It’s very rewarding to sweat for the animals.
Batch Cooking | July 2023 | Vegan Recipe Club
June 12, 2023
Continue your vegan cooking journey with the July installment of CAA’s Vegan Recipe Club. The cookbook selection for July is The Vegan Week by Gena Hamshaw. We will get together online on July 18 from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm to discuss several recipes from this helpful cookbook. The book focuses on doing weekly food prep to save time and effort during your busy week. The recipes from this practical and delicious guide to vegan meal planning can help.
Whether you’re a novice or an experienced cook, the CAA’s Vegan Recipe Club welcomes everyone interested in exploring vegan cuisine. Participants make three recipes from popular cookbooks each month and then share their reflections with the group. Enjoy the process, savor the flavors, and have fun connecting with like-minded individuals who share your passion for plant-based cooking.
The publisher describes the book from Full Helping blogger Gena Hamshaw: “Home cooking can be a challenge when life gets busy. Meal prep is the fix for having flavorful, nourishing meals to rely upon all week long. Gena, a longtime vegan with a demanding schedule, prioritizes nutritional balance as well as taste in this hands-on meatless primer. The Vegan Week will teach you how to batch cook varied, colorful, and comforting meals over the weekend, whether you have three, two, or even just one hour of time to spare.”
“This book is a roadmap to eating vegan food regularly, incorporating it into daily life even when things are hectic. Thanks to meal prep techniques and recipes, you won’t have to choose between the demands of your schedule and your desire to prioritize taste, nutrition, and the joy of eating homemade food.”
In the recipe club this month we will discuss these recipes from The Vegan Week, 2022 by Gena Hamshaw.
- Tofu Feta – pg 31
- Tempeh Chorizo – pg 40
- Ginger Pear Upside-Down Cake – pg 215
optional:
- Tempeh Chorizo Sweet Potato Hash – pg 91
- Fig Cookies – pg 114-116
- Soy Curls Gyros – pg 197
You may download the recipes using the link below or pick them up at East Lake Library, 2727 E. Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406. If you would like contactless pick-up, please call the library during open hours and request curbside service.
Download July recipes here. View additional information and previous recipes here.
Thanks to Henry Patterson of Compassionate Action for Animals for facilitating the Vegan Recipe Club meetings!
Join Zoom Meeting: Vegan Recipe Club Tuesday, July 18, 2023, 6:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 815 7424 7392 Passcode: 467109 Dial by your location: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
2023 Farmaste Work Day and Picnic: Hard work and good times!
May 31, 2023
On March 27, over 20 folks from CAA joined Farmaste staff and regular volunteers for a day of hard work and fun. To keep a farm sanctuary of this size running smoothly and its residents happy there is a lot that needs to be done. This weekend we helped with some regular tasks and special jobs that needed doing. Together, we unloaded and stacked 228 bales of straw, installed 15 fence posts, cleaned 2 barns, and cleared pathways!
With many hands the work went quickly and allowed for great conversations. And the occasional animal greeting helped keep us inspired. Afterwards we collapsed happy and tired for a fantastic picnic. Burgers and brats were supplied by CAA, with other dishes brought by participants.
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we combined taking care of animals with essential self-care. Sanctuary volunteering gave us healthy exercise and community. One participant, Cari, put it this way: “It was a great way to stave off compassion fatigue and burnout.” At the same time, we helped provide an environment that supports the residents’ mental and physical health.
Farmaste Animal Sanctuary founder Kelly Tope told the gathered volunteers that farm sanctuaries do important work for their residents and to raise awareness, but don’t have capacity to care for even 1% of the animals currently slaughtered each year. Upcoming CAA outreach events are important, easy ways to share information about animal agriculture practices with other Minnesotans to help change our society as a whole! Video outreach reduces participants’ average meat consumption, and changes their attitudes towards meat and animal products.
Saturday, June 10: CAA @ Explore West St Paul Days: Information | SignUp
Saturday-Sunday, June 24-25: CAA @ Twin Cities Pride Festival: Information | SignUp
Farmaste rescues abused, neglected, and unwanted farm animals and provides them with a safe sanctuary. Residents are respected as someone, not treated as something. Farmaste is located in Lindstrom, MN, less than an hour north of the Twin Cities, near Stacy and North Branch.
P.S. One of the participants, David Smith, took time after pitching in for work day to use his artistic talents to capture an image of Phoebe and the farm. He generously donated the painting to Farmaste and it will be featured in their November auction.
Get to know Taylor Borgman, CAA Volunteer
May 26, 2023
Taylor was searching for animal advocacy groups in Minnesota in 2015. Researching online, she discovered the Twin Cities Veg Fest and CAA. Since then, she has attended CAA events and volunteered at several, including:
- CAA student group events at the University of MN
- Twin Cities Veg Fest
- The Vegan ThanksLiving Potluck
- The Vegan Chili Cook-off
- And currently, the Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge
She loves how friendly and welcoming the CAA community is. Taylor also appreciates the shared passion for ending animal abuse and the slaughter of farmed animals. Attending local events makes it easy for her to connect with others and continue being a voice for animals.
Spring Farm Sanctuary is back!
May 19, 2023
A year ago we reported that Spring Farm Sanctuary was in transition. It’s founders, Robin Johnson and Buck Weber had decided to retire and move the resident animals to Odd Man Inn sanctuary in Tennessee.
They began the transition last summer and moved the pigs and the goats to Odd Man Inn. In the process they have had a change of heart and decided to continue the sanctuary on a smaller scale. As you will read below, they still have their cows and birds. And have even added a couple!
Robin and Buck have shared the following with us and on the Spring Farm social media:
Herbivorous Butcher | June 2023 | Vegan Recipe Club
The CAA Vegan Recipe Club cookbook selection for June is The Herbivorous Butcher Cookbook by Aubry & Kale Walch. Join us online on Tuesday, June 20, from 6:30 — 7:30 PM to discuss some recipes.
If you are curious about vegan cooking, this club is for you! Participants make three recipes from popular cookbooks each month and then share their reflections with the group. Novice to expert cooks are welcome, as are interested non-cooks. Registration not required.
The publisher’s description of this month’s cookbook: “From the Guamanian brother-sister duo (Aubry and Kale Walch) behind the acclaimed and beloved vegan butcher shop, The Herbivorous Butcher, here are 75 innovative recipes for plant-based meats and standout vegan dishes. The Herbivorous Butcher Cookbook offers achievable recipes for making meat substitutes at home, as well as recipes for delicious dishes using those homemade meat substitutes (or store-bought substitutes if you’re in a pinch!).”
Afro-Vegan | May 2023 | Vegan Recipe Club
The May meeting of the Vegan Recipe Club will be on Tuesday, May 16 from 6:30-730pm. The cookbook selection for May is Afro-Vegan by Bryant Terry.
This cookbook was named by Bon Appetite magazine as one of the best vegetarian cookbooks of all time! In it, renowned chef and food justice activist Bryant Terry reworks classic dishes of the African Diaspora.
If you are curious about vegan cooking, this club is for you! Each month participants make three recipes from popular cookbooks then share their reflections with the group. Novice to expert cooks are welcome, as are interested non-cooks. Registration not required
Breaking News: Supreme Court Sides with Animals in Historic Prop 12 Decision!
On May 11, 2023 the U.S. Supreme Court sided with animals, upholding Prop 12 despite fierce industry challenges.
It’s an enormous step forward for animals.
Prop 12 was passed by voters in California, and requires that all meat sold in California meet animal welfare standards.
Specifically, it says that pigs, calves and hens raised for food need to have enough space to turn around.
It’s far reaching because it impacts the living standards of animals across the country whose bodies might end up on California grocery store shelves.
Help us increase the impact of this decision in Minnesota by signing our petition for a moratorium on factory farming. If you’ve already signed, please share the link with a friend by hitting the “Like” or “Tweet” button below or texting the petition link to a friend.
Prop 12 happened in California because voters signed a petition putting the measure on the ballot.
Our petition is the first step in educating Minnesota legislators and the public on the issues. We already have over 200 signatures and want to have at least 1,000 to share.
Thanks for being one of the people who helps make change happen!
CAA Student group and partners protest U of MN experiments on kittens: 36,000 petitions delivered
May 2, 2023
On April 28, a protest against cruel kitten experiments was held at the University of Minnesota. CAA’s University of Minnesota student leaders, Lady Freethinker, The Animal Rights Coalition, Feline Rescue, and other concerned community members made their voices heard. They delivered over 37,000 petition signatures to the University of Minnesota.
A hardy bunch of protesters chanted their way from the student union to the president’s office. They were inspired by student leaders who outlined the horrific experiments. Protestors were able to deliver the large stack of petitions to staff to convey to the absent president. View the recording of the live Facebook feed or Instagram feed to experience the event as it happened!
Marchers encountered many prospective students and visiting families on tours. Visitors had an opportunity to hear about issues they might then raise with the University. The high visibility from the protest along with the power of those 37,000 voices could have a positive impact.
Wholesome Minnesota supports successful student initiatives
May 1, 2023
Over the past year, CAA’s Wholesome Minnesota program has focused on working with student environmental groups. The education, support and empowerment we offer has helped jumpstart great progress! Plant-based school meals are being instituted and students are educating their peers on the issue.
Wholesome Minnesota began meeting with environmental groups at two Bloomington High Schools. Discussions have covered the environment, inclusivity and the connection to plant-based eating.
The students have been particularly interested in plant-based nutrition and cooking. Wholesome MN and Support and Feed partnered to provide their meetings with vegan food. This included meals from The Herbivorous Butcher, J. Selby’s and HEAL.
Students have dedicated themselves to educating other students about plant-based foods. They presented their “Inclusive Lunch Proposal” to the Bloomington Public Schools School Board. The students’ voices were heard! Kennedy High School now has black bean burgers on the menu three times a week and a salad bar every day.