Lenore Braford is founder, volunteer interim Executive Director, and volunteer Shelter Manager at the Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge, located in Pittsboro, North Carolina.
Which makes her (and the sanctuary) my neighbor!
[Support their Kickstarter campaign to build a cow house.]
I visited the Refuge while leading the November 2019 Sick to Fit Retreat with Josh LaJaunie, and we were all struck by the wild and proud spirits of the animals who have been given their “forever home” by Lenore and Paul and the staff and board and volunteers.
Since there are billions of farm animals living and dying in misery every year, obviously a single Refuge can't solve that problem. But by turning the animals who have been rescued and rehabilitated into “ambassadors,” animal sanctuaries across the world are changing hearts and minds about the ethics of eating animals.
When the meat you eat is a commodity, packaged and uniform on the supermarket shelf, it's easy to feel fine about your consumption.
When you've made friends with a turkey, who has now become in your mind a “person” with his own personality and preferences and quirks and fears and desires, you have to think twice about the origin of the flesh on your plate.
Sweet Mama
When you hear the story of the goat Sweet Mama, who escaped from a livestock auction to give birth and and bond with and raise her children after having been impregnated and forcibly separated from her babies at least seven times before, and witness Ace and Ivy living and playing and loving at the Refuge thanks to their mother's courage and determination, you can't lather up with goats' milk soap without acknowledging your complicity in unspeakable cruelty.
Robby the Romantic Rooster
When you witness the resilience of Robby the Romantic Rooster, who fell in love and went into deep mourning when his hen died, you can't eat chicken wings thinking that no harm was done in the making of your game day snack.
Lenore kindly visited Sun Studio to talk about the Refuge, their work, and their philosophy of animal care. Her partner, Paul, is an architect, and designed and built the animal houses based on many hours of research and observation. He made design decisions based on answers to the question, “What do the animals want and need to be happy, healthy, and fulfilled?”
[Click any of the photos below to see them big and adorable.]
- Sweet Mama
- Ivy
- Robby the Romantic Rooster
- Molly
- Jess
- Goat House
- Duck Houses
- Sick to Fit tour
- Kids’ Tour
- Doron and a Goat
- Doron and a Chicken
- Working the Goat House
And here's the video of our conversation…
Looking for Transformational Change?
You know how when you discovered plant-based eating, you basically went, “Holy shit, how come the entire healthcare system isn't totally embracing this as one of the most powerful keys to disease prevention and reversal!”?
That's how I feel now about a psychological approach to transformational change called “Memory Reconsolidation.” Few psychologists have heard about it, and when they do hear the radical transformations it can bring about in a very short time, they're often skeptical to the point of disbelief.
But I've added Memory Reconsolidation work to my own coaching, and can attest to its amazing efficacy. So much so, that I'm devoting the next year to mastering it, studying with the best clinicians and teachers in the world, and then introducing it into health coaching through my trainings.
Right now, I want to triple my coaching practice to get more and more opportunities to do this work. And I'm lowering my fees – a lot – to make it easier for people to work with me.
If you're interested in working with me (and willing to commit to a minimum of 2 months), click the link below to open the form in a new browser tab and I'll get back to you within 3 business days.
Yes, I'm interested in Memory Reconsolidation Coaching.
You CAN Change Other People!
Well, that's what Peter Bregman and I claim in our provocative book of that title.
What we really mean is, you can help the people around you make behavioral changes in their own best interests. If you think you're powerless to help people change, it's because you've been going about it the wrong way.
Discover our straightforward, replicable process here: You Can Change Other People.
Audiobook: Use the Weight to Lose the Weight
Listen to Josh LaJaunie and me narrate our latest audiobook, about how to start moving when you're obese.
It's $10, and Josh and I split it evenly 🙂
Tip Jar
This podcast is not underwritten by advertising, so I can experience complete editorial autonomy without worrying about pissing off the person paying the bills. Instead, I pay the bills, with your help. It's free for those who can't afford to pay, and supported by those who can. You can contribute to the growth and improvement of the podcast by clicking the “Support on Patreon” or “Donate” buttons on the right to help out.
Music
The Plant Yourself Podcast theme music, “Dance of Peace (Sabali Don),” is generously provided by Will Ridenour, a kora player from North Carolina who has trained with top Senegalese musicians.
It can be found on his first CD, titled Will Ridenour.
You can learn about Will, listen to more tracks, and buy music on his website, WillRidenour.com.
Gratitudes
Thanks to Plant Yourself podcast patrons – Kim Harrison – Lynn McLellan – Brittany Porter – Dominic Marro – Barbara Whitney – Tammy Black – Amy Good – Amanda Hatherly – Mary Jane Wheeler – Ellen Kennelly – Melissa Cobb – Rachel Behrens – Tina Scharf – Tina Ahern – Jen Vilkinofsky – David Byczek – Michele X – Elspeth Feldman – Leah Stolar – Allan Kristensen – Colleen Peck – Michele Landry – Jozina – Sara Durkacs – Kelly Cameron – Janet Selby – Claire Adams – Tom Fronczak – Jeannette Benham – Gila Lacerte – David Donohue – Blair Seibert – Doron Avizov – Gio and Carolyn Argentati – Jodi Friesner – Mischa Rosen – Michael Worobiec – AvIvA Lael – Alicia Lemus – Val Linnemann – Nick Harper – Bandana Chawla – Molly Levine – The Inscrutable Harry R – Susan Laverty the Panda Vegan – Craig Covic – Adam Scharf – Karen Bury – Heather Morgan – Nigel Davies – Marian Blum – Teresa Kopel – Julian Watkins – Brid O'Connell – Shannon Herschman – Linda Ayotte – Holm Hedegaard – Isa Tousignant – Connie Haneline – Erin Greer – Alicia Davis – Heather O'Connor – Carollynne Jensen – Sheri Orlekoski of Plant Powered for Health – Karen Smith – Scott Mirani – Karen and Joe Crabtree – Kirby Burton – Theresa Carrell – Kevin Macaulay – Elizabeth Rothschild – Ann Jesse – Sheryl Dwyer – Jenny Hazelton – Peter W Evans – Dennis Bird – Darby Kelly – Lori Fanney – Linnea Lundquist – Emily Iaconelli – Levi Wallach – Rosamonde McAtee – Dan Pokorney – Stephen Leinin – Patty DeMartino – Mike and Donna Kartz – Deanne Bishop – Bilberry Elf – Marjorie Lewis – Tricia Adams – Nancy Sheldon – Lindsey Bashore – Gunn Marit Hagen – Tracey Gulledge – Lara Hedin – Meg from Mamasezz – Stacey Stokes – Ben Savage – Michael K – David Hughes -Coni Rodgers – Claire England – Sally Robertson – Parham Ganchi – Amy Dailey – Brian Tourville – Mark Jeffrey Johnson – Josie Dempsey – Caryn Schmitt – Pamela Hayden – Emily Perryman – Allison Corbett – Richard Stone – Lauren Vaught of Edible Musings – Erin Hastey – Sean Owens – Sagar Naik – Erika Piedra – Danielle Roberts – Michael Leuchten – Sarah Johnson – Katharine Floyd – Meryl Fury – for your generous support of the podcast.
Disclosure
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