Getting to Know Some Goats and Pigs at Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary

Pigs! Chickens! Goats! Cows!

On our summer trip, my family and I visited the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. While were there, we learned a lot about the hardships faced by farm animals, and we got to meet and pet and play with some pretty amazing characters!

Our tour guide, Scott, taught us a lot about the suffering farm animals face in our modern animal agriculture system. We saw veal crates, hen cages and other artifacts. We learned about the strong bond between mother animals and their babies (did you know that a mother hen can communicate with her chick while its still inside the egg?!), and the relationships among animals. Seeing the hens playing together and the goats hanging out together and the cows nuzzling each other was one of the best parts of the tour.

My favorite part of the experience was interacting with the animals. Right when we got there, we were greeted by two goats who were just hanging out. There were chickens and turkeys walking around. Once the tour started, though, that's when we really got to meet some of the feathered and furry residents of the sanctuary.

It turns out, pigs LOVE to get their bellies rubbed. 

Our trip was full of beautiful and exciting experiences, but both of my boys will tell anyone who asks that visiting Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary was the high point of the vacation. If you find yourself in upstate New York, I strongly urge you to visit. If you want to donate to a good cause, check 'em out for that, too!

Happy Cooking!
Kim

My new book,  Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.