By appealing to individual intellect, creativity and compassion, CAF believes we can awaken people to the plight and grandeur of kindred animals – and ultimately build a deeper understanding of human-animal relationships and a greater respect for basic animal rights.

Can we say “well put,” Tom and Nancy?

I admire Culture & Animals Foundation so deeply for their ongoing support of creative and academic projects that aim to change the world for animals. Foundations like this one, I believe, are among the unsung heroes of our movement. They are behind so much greatness.

If you have a project that you think is up their alley, you need to get on that immediately, because their deadline (the only one for the whole year!) is coming up on January 31. And you don’t need to be a non-profit to apply, either. Previous grants have gone to authors, composers, filmmakers, and performance artists.

Bonne chance.

Animal Welfare Trust

Past grant recipients have included a doctoral student who worked with the FBI to conduct a study on the link between animal cruelty and personal violence, a law student who interned at Neighborhood Cats to draft a model TNR ordinance, and a vet student who developed a program on alternatives to the use of live animals in surgical training in vet school curriculums.

The deadline is March, 2012. If you are in graduate school, or you know someone who is who deeply cares about animals, this is too good an opportunity to pass up.

There are dozens and dozens of job openings at PETA.

As for me, though it was my friend Marisa Miller Wolfson (of Vegucated) who, 8 years ago, showed me some footage of factory farming, effectively turning my long-time vegetarianism into full-fledged, passionate veganism — it was the subsequent week-long volunteer trip I took to PETA that brought my activism into full-swing.

If you’re in the market for a job in animal rights, there are currently 41 openings with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in the U.S. alone. They fit every category you can think of, including administration, media, communications, campaigning, science, and investigations. And the domestic openings span the country — from NYC, to Washington, DC, to Norfolk, VA, to Los Angeles, to even a few telecommuting positions. There are also ample PETA positions overseas, such as in Asia, Australia, India, and the UK.

In browsing around, some of the highlights of these positions included, for me anyway, Media Officers, both in NYC and in DC, a Production Artist in Norfolk, a Celebrity Marketing Coordinator in PETA’s brand-spanking new office in LA, a Translator for PETA Asia, and a Campaign Coordinator in either PETA India or in Japan. There are literally dozens more.

I am, to say the least, in absolute awe of the amount of materials PETA produces, and, as is evidenced by our first paragraph, the amount of  influential changemakers it has created (superstar phenomenon Maggie Q is one of thousands of celebrities who also attributes her animal rights and vegan awakening to PETA). Even though many of them have gone on to have their own spin on their activism and outlook, there is no question as to who was at the root of their awakening.

All of this said, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again (and again and again): You do not need to work for an animal rights organization, or a vegan restaurant, or a vegan PR firm, in order to create change for animals. Truly, one of the most powerful things you can do for animals is to spread the message of non-violence and compassion in your everyday lives in a way that works for you. That is clearly the essence of what we talk about here in Our Hen House. Changemakers come in all shapes and sizes. We hope that the multimedia tools and resources we offer daily help you to figure out what shape and size you are, and how to plug that into animal activism.

But for those of you whose hearts desire nothing greater than a job in animal rights — I get that. I spent years working for AR organizations, including as the campaigns manager at Farm Sanctuary (by the way, they are also hiring) – a job I held very close to my heart, and a position that allowed my activism to grow by leaps and bounds. And, of course, I am lucky enough to write for my favorite publication on the planet, VegNews Magazine (shameless plug: keep an eye out for my article, “Veganism Saved My Life,” in the February 2012 issue). And, as you can see, I started my own advocacy organization. So if there’s one thing I understand, it’s the unrelenting gnawing at your heartstrings that leaves you no other choice but to pursue a career in vegan advocacy and animal rights. Just know that you don’t have to go down that road to change the world for animals. But if you do, I hope that some of the resources we highlighted this week are helpful to you. And I wish you the best of luck in your search, and a happy, healthy, compassionate, changemaking New Year.

So it’s no wonder that so many of those who care about animals are eager to get involved in legal work. Of course, many, many lawyers who care about animals don’t make animal law their career. Instead, they help out animal organizations by doing pro bono work whenever they can. Or, even better, by bringing lawsuits that do good for the animals and make them a lot of money at the same time. But for those who want to do this full-time, there are some opportunities out there. Here are a few current ones:

For law students, an upaid summer internship with an animal protection organization is the most valuable experience that you can get, regardless of whether you ultimately make animal law your full-time career, or your part-time passion. Compassion Over Killing is seeking legal interns for this summer and I can’t think of a better learning opportunity than working with Cheryl Leahy, COK’s general counsel and one of the best and the brightest that animal law has to offer. For more information, contact COK at legal[at]cok.net. The Humane Society of the United States is also seeking interns for their crack legal department.

On the professor front, Lewis and Clark University currently has a few outstanding opportunities. They are seeking a visiting faculty member to teach animal law starting in the 2012-2013 academic year . They are also seeking an administrator (with teaching responsibilities) for their brand spanking new LLM program in animal law. And even if you’re not a professor, if you have an expertise in animal law, don’t hesitate to check out whether you local law school has a course in animal law. If not, you may be just the person they are looking for to start one up.

Careers in Animal Law

Lawyers who want a job practicing law with an animal protection organization have to look to organizations large enough to have a legal department, or at least a general counsel, and these will not always be organizations with a specifically vegan philosophy. But, as long as the job doesn’t involve work that you actually don’t believe in, that can actually present a wonderful opportunity to bring a vegan philosophy into your workplace. These jobs can be hard to find, but they’re out there. One organization that is looking right now is the ASPCA, which wants to fill two remote positions, Legal Advocacy Counsel, which will involve the provision of back-up and hands-on assistance to prosecutors and investigators involved in animal cruelty cases across the country, and State Legislative Director. Another possibility is to look for an opportunity on the environmental side of animal law. For example, Defenders of Wildlife is currently seeking an Endangered Species Policy Associate, and Earthjustice is seeking associate attorneys in its offices in Florida and Alaska.

For further ideas on how to find a job in animal law, or to fit animal law into your career, you might want to check out Yolanda Eisenstein’s new book, Careers in Animal Law.

How you spend your day is how you spend your life.

I realize that it sounds obvious or like simple common sense, but this quote is something I come back to every so often when I need to be reminded that although jobs that are disconnected from my values might be more plentiful (not to mention more lucrative), I know that for me, it’s important to marry the gig that pays my bills with the beliefs that make me who I am, because, to whatever extent I can, I want to spend my days and therefore my life promoting social justice.

If your mind runs in the same direction, there is an incredible opportunity at Vegan Mainstream, which provides marketing services for vegan professionals (bloggers, authors, business owners, entrepreneurs, and so on). And don’t let “marketing” make you think this isn’t a kind of social justice work. Anytime we can bring attention to the amazing folks promoting a vegan lifestyle, we’re changing the world for animals.

The position that caught my eye is Public Relations Outreach Manager. It is a part-time gig (5-10 hours per week) for anyone located in Atlanta, San Francisco, Portland, Washington DC, Austin, Chicago, or Philadelphia. The position’s main responsibility is “getting the agency and its work featured in various press and trade publications as well as distributing and managing releases.”

Vegan Mainstream does fantastic work (for one thing, they run the vegan job board that listed this position), and helping them help vegan professionals spread their products, services, and advocacy is a win-win!

With vegan restaurants popping up throughout the country (and beyond), prospects for chef jobs are, too. Anyone who is interested in creating cruelty-free cuisine should be developing this delicious skill. Not only will it help you to make a mean vegan roast at your family’s holiday meal (well, a kind one, actually), but perhaps that dream of yours — to turn your savvy knife skills and propensity toward made-from-scratch seitan into a career — is not as far-fetched as you’ve been convincing yourself.

Listen closely... Your computer is telling you to become a vegan chef!

Though you should continue to make it a point to consistently search your nearest Craigslist‘s job openings for the word “vegan” (you’ll be surprised by what comes up) — as well as the resources we told you about yesterday, which frequently list chef jobs — here are three possibilities for talented food-lovers who are interested in extending their skills in a compassionate — and paid — direction:

In perhaps what is the most coveted position for anyone looking to become a vegan chef, bestselling vegan cookbook author, powerhouse Isa Chandra Moskowitz (who was featured on our 100th podcast episode), is not only opening a vegan restaurant in her new hometown of Omaha (!), but is looking for a chef to help execute the seasonal vegan menu. The opportunity to work with Isa is one that most compassionate-minded cooks can only dream of. It could definitely be worth a move to Omaha, which, as Isa discussed when she was on our 100th episode, is way cooler than that shocked look on your face implies. (Incidentally, my two previous associations with Nebraska are the thrifting excursion I took there when I was 16 and performing in a play in Lincoln — I got a really cute vintage jacket — and the mention of Omaha in the incredibly depressing but intensely moving Bette Midler song, “Hello in There.” Though these two already put us at 2 for 2 in Nebraska-positive associations, adding a new Isa-flavored vegan restaurant to the mix is nothing short of a vacation-waiting-to-happen.)

For the Canadians among us, there is also a vegan restaurant in East Vancouver searching for a vegan chef (neat, eh?). One thing that struck me about the posting for this job, in addition to their strong leaning toward the organic, sustainable, and natural health realms, was that the employer specifically asks that those interested in the position include in their application their ”motive” (as well as, of course, their “experiences with organic, vegan, and raw foods cuisine”). Though the posting doesn’t explicitly state this, it seems to me that an interest in the ethical and environmental motivations for pursuing this kind of work would only help your chances of getting hired — as long as you can also offer a deep understanding of the healing properties of healthy, vegan food (and, needless to say, talent for cooking). By the way, Vancouver is one of my favorite places on earth, as is evidenced by the journal I kept almost 3 years ago, during my vacation there. I still have dreams of Kitsalano Beach. And with the emergence of new vegan stores like Nice Shoes, you basically can’t go wrong with making British Columbia part of your future.

For those of you in the Chicago area, there is an opening for a cook at a “juice bar/vegetarian restaurant.” The position is part-time (with the possibility of becoming full-time), so it’s perfect for you midwesterners who are still trying to figure out if a future as a vegan chef is your speed. Plus, you’ll almost certainly need something physically-exerting (which being a cook is) to distract you from the blustery cold winters there (ah yes, I remember it well).

I can’t tell you how many times my friends have confided to me their lingering dreams to be a vegan chef. “If only…” they say, the end of their sentence almost always trailing off into another direction, the one that “reality” so frequently squelches.

Maybe 2012 will finish that sentence for you… and maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Perhaps you can indeed have your vegan cake and eat it too — after you bake it, of course.

Good luck!

While we at Our Hen House are mostly in the business of helping people create change for animals within their everyday lives, regardless of what they do “for a living,” we certainly hope that some of you will make the move into animal-friendly jobs this year. With that in mind, we will spend this week, leading into the New Year, highlighting some jobs that just happen to be looking for talented individuals (like you?) to come fill them.

We are starting the week with news of a whole range of exciting positions, from physician to web designer, that are available with Dr. Joel Fuhrman, one of our very favorite health gurus. The fact that Dr. Furhman is looking for so many people to join his team is proof positive of the exploding success of his approach to health, which is largely based on the health-giving properties of plants. If you are anywhere near Flemington, New Jersey, a dynamic and exciting future may await you there. The positions currently available are:

Full-time family physician or internist – specializing in nutritional and natural methods to join Dr. Fuhrman’s Medical Associates. Candidate must be a practicing nutritarian.

Full-time Motivational/Food Addiction Counselor – PhD, Masters in Social Work or similar degree required. We are looking for a highly motivated, dynamic individual. Experience in nutrition and motivational speaking would be a plus. Job duties will include assessment, result tracking, maintaining compliance and motivating new clients in both corporate and private as well as motivational speaking on nutrition and food addiction at events.

Full-time Video Production Specialist- seeking professional with experience in all aspects of video production – including camera work, lighting, audio setups, editing, encoding. Candidate must possess the ability to manage video projects from conception to production; strong working knowledge of video formats and playback codecs, editing and best practices; proficiency in After Effects, Avid, Final Cut Pro, or Premier Pro. Plan, develop, and execute pre, studio/field, and post production to create a variety of video products for broadcast, DVD distribution, webcasting, and video streaming. Must include a link to your reel along with resume.

Full-time Web Designer – Experienced creative and technical designer to develop a variety of web sites and content adaptable to a variety of screen sizes, i.e. mobile devices – phones and tablets. Proficient in HTML, CSS, Javascript, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Understanding of content management systems, wireframing, user experience, and testing. Manage multiple projects under tight deadlines. Knowledge of current web-design trends and techniques. Must possess strong visual, verbal, and written communication skills.

Full-time Product Manager – Responsible for lifecycle management of products including product planning, development and marketing. Develop core positioning and messaging. Communicate effectively across all areas of the company. Experience with consumer products, specifically food and supplements preferred.

If you are interested in any of these positions, send a resume and cover letter to jobs[at]drfuhrman.com. But if these don’t tickle your fancy, stay tuned to our posts for the rest of the week. With any luck, we’ll come up with something that’s just right for you.

Also on the subject of what to do with the rest of your life, don’t miss our post from last summer, entitled “In the Market for a (Vegan) Job?” Among other things, it talked about incredibly helpful resources for the compassionate job-seeker, like the jobs section of the popular website, Vegan Mainstream. VegNews.com also has a thorough job listings page. And be sure to “like” the Vegan Jobs page on Facebook.

***

Our Hen House: First off, tell us how long you’ve been vegan.

Andy Tabar: I celebrated 4 years vegan in August!

OHH: How did the idea for Compassion Co. come about? And who else is involved?

AT: Compassion Co. is a project that I had been formulating in my head for the past three years or so but . . . it wasn’t until recently that I was in a stable enough position to actually make it a reality. The idea came about because I had become vegan and was looking to buy shirts that related to veganism or animal rights, but I couldn’t find anything that I would actually want to wear — either because the design wasn’t appealing or the message on the shirt didn’t reflect how I wanted to present my views to the world. . . . I wanted shirts that, first and foremost, had beautiful, interesting, aesthetically pleasing designs. I wanted shirts that could be a conversation piece, but didn’t start the conversation about the vegan lifestyle in a negative or hostile place. I also wanted to have a company that followed through with the underlying message of veganism in not only the physical product, but also the production and operation of the company. . . . All of the printing and design work is done by several close friends.

Compassion Calf tee

OHH: Compassion Co. seems to function as social justice work. What are your thoughts about engaging in this kind of “for-profit activism?”

AT: I know a lot of people feel ownership over the term “activism,” and I wouldn’t want anyone that is actually out there rescuing animals or participating in demonstrations to feel their work lessened by being lumped in with a guy selling t-shirts, but ultimately, yes I would consider Compassion Co. a form of activism. The battle for animal rights is one that is fought on many different grounds, and I think that the more aspects of daily life that vegan messages and ethics find their way into, the better. I think if we had to relegate animal rights activism to  .  .  . the non-profit sector, it would just serve to further reinforce the view that veganism is this weird fringe movement.

OHH: I follow your personal blog (expandedcircle.tumblr.com) and am impressed with how thoroughly, accurately and compassionately you address criticisms about veganism there. It seems like compassion is a throughline for you. Can you talk about your approach to vegan advocacy?

AT: The way that I conduct myself when engaging others with issues regarding animal rights and veganism comes from what I have observed over the past few years to be the most effective means of helping animals. Outside of direct action, the simplest and most effective means of helping animals is to adopt a vegan lifestyle and then help others to do the same. I have not once convinced someone to go vegan by yelling at them, shaming them, berating them or even winning an argument against them. I have, however, had more friends than I can count go vegan because they spend time with me, eat the food I prepare, and see how I conduct myself and they realize how easy and rewarding veganism can be. I believe that leading by example is the most effective means of change. . . .

I think that the most important thing we can do as activists is to remember where we were, mentally, 5 years before we went vegan. Would the methods we are employing now help our younger self go vegan? You might think that every meat-eater deserves to be punched in the face, but do you think you deserved to be punched in the face then? Even if you do, would that have made you go vegan?

Cruelty Free tee

OHH: Being fair-trade and sweatshop-free is important to you, too. Can you talk about why and how this fits in with veganism for you?

AT: To me, the two issues are inseparable. Many of the garment workers in sweatshops are being held as slaves or in slave-like conditions. This isn’t something that any vegan would endorse if it were animals, so I don’t see how our stance should be any different when it comes to humans. This is an issue that everyone should be concerned with, vegan or not. . . . The current system of production is really stacked against the consumer that wants to have ethical consideration for animals and humans. Part of my goal with Compassion Co. is to make it just a little bit easier to shop ethically. To me, being vegan represents working towards a larger conscience shift — one that gives proper consideration for humans, animals and the environment, and I don’t see how we could possibly make that shift without embracing the human rights struggle as well.

OHH: Do you have any tips for people interested in started a vegan business/for-profit business venture? Or, can you talk about any of what’s come up since you launched that’s been unexpected or difficult? 

AT: My advice for anyone looking to start a vegan oriented business is go for it. You’re gonna be great, and the world needs you! After that, I’d say you really need to be okay with being broke for a long time. Also, do a lot of research about the business end of things, learn as much as you possibly can, and then try and find out some more because there will always be things that come up that you didn’t anticipate. To be honest, the hardest part for me is the nuts and bolts business end of things. I don’t find it particularly interesting, and I’d rather spend my time dealing with the creative aspect of it, as well as interacting with people. The second hardest part of the whole experience was learning just how expensive it is to do business legitimately and ethically. . . . Ultimately though, the hardest part has just been getting people to see our designs. I have to work really hard to create awareness of the company.

"Not giving a fuck just isn't cool anymore."

OHH: Thanks so much for your time, Andy. We love what you’re doing to change the world for animals!

AT: Thanks for the opportunity to help spread the good word.

We hope you look forward to Saturday mornings as much as we do!

But, as we will both happily confess, the roughly one thousand hours we’ve put into this venture has been well worth it, to say the least. In addition to recently garnering us the title “Indie Media Powerhouse” by VegNews Magazine, our podcast has connected us with our heroes (and yours), including luminaries like Jonathan Balcombe and Gene Baur, well-known personalities like Jane Velez-Mitchell and Rory Freedman, movement icons like Colleen Patrick-Goudreau and Neal Barnard, sanctuary leaders like Jenny Brown and Miriam Jones, vegan fashion gurus like John Bartlett, Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart and Joshua Katcher, animal law intellects like David Wolfson, Rebecca Huss and Steven Wise, and – perhaps our favorite episodes – every day folks who are bringing animal rights into the classroom, the workplace, and onto the radar.

Perhaps what we enjoy the most about our podcast is the unbelievable community that we’ve been able to enjoy as a result of it. Our podcast listeners have become like our extended family, many of whom email us several times a month. As Jasmin’s grandma – an 87-year-old proud vegetarian, and a frequent guest on our show – has observed, listening to an “audio program” (as Grandma calls it), is profoundly different than watching a TV show, where “they do the thinking for you.” We like to think that Grandma is right. There is indeed something distinctly awesome that comes from an audio podcast, both from the podcaster and the listener’s point of view.

Our 100th episode is generously being sponsored by MooShoes!

Though we can hardly believe it, our 100th podcast episode airs this Saturday, and — much to our excitement — is being generously sponsored by MooShoes Vegan Shoe Store. MooShoes proudly offers the largest variety of vegan shoes and accessories in the world, and during their 10th birthday party last weekend, we made a nice dent in our holiday shopping! We love MooShoes and are beyond thrilled that they are sponsoring our 100th episode, and offering a $100 gift certificate to one lucky listener.

In honor of our 100^th episode, please help us reach 100 reviews on iTunes! If you listen to our podcast and you like it, please take a minute today to give us a friendly review and 5-star rating on iTunes. As we’re writing this, we have 63 ratings (all 5 stars – thank you!). Can you do us a solid and help us get to 100?

Lastly, remember, our podcast is entirely listener-supported! That means we need your support to keep going. If you want to continue to hear quality episodes, please consider making a monthly donation of at least $10 a month! As our thank you for donating, between now and the end of the year, every person to sign up for a monthly donation will receive a free Our Hen House tote bag! It’s all ethically-sourced and vegan-made (thanks to our friends at Lion’s Share Industries). Thank you for listening, and for helping us to build a strong voice for animals.

And now, announcing the guests for our 100th podcast episode, which, as usual, will go up this Saturday, both on iTunes and right here on our blog. We are elated to bring back 2 of our favorite guests from previous shows, Peter Singer, and Isa Chandra Moskowitz! We promise that you will be enlightened, entertained, and engaged.

Thank you, listener family, for being such rock stars. So many of the questions you ask us are about how we keep going, how we produce so much content, and how — in the face of such despair and adversity all around us, on such an unfathomable level — we remain, nonetheless, indefatigably positive. In addition to clinging on to the knowledge that we all do have the power to make this world a little less cruel — even maybe a smidgeon compassionate! — you are so much of what gives us hope and fuel. Your voices, your stories, your determination, inspires us and motivates us to provide an indie media forum that is, indeed, a place to find our way to change the world for animals. As we approach our 100th episode, let us just say: thank you for listening to our show, and for letting us listen to your stories. We so appreciate you.

I first met co-founder Tracey at last month’s Our Hen House’s Hen Party. Synchronistically, Tracey was the lucky winner of the much-desired Vaute Couture designer vegan coat, which we were offering as our one and only raffle prize. Seemed an appropriate winner, all things considered.

Since I’m a big fan of “for-profit activism,” and of making vegans look and feel gorgeous — and since it’s the season of giving — we are excited to team up with Compassion Couture for a giveaway. They are offering a $50 gift certificate to one lucky winner. For your chance to win, simply comment below and tell us how you respond when someone says “Oh, I could never be vegan…” 

To double your chance of winning, tweet this: “I just entered to win a $50 gift certificate to @CompassionCtre #vegan boutique to support @ourhenhouse. http://tinyurl.com/773gpk2″ And be sure to let us know your Twitter handle in your comment below so we count your additional entry!

Make sure you enter by midnight, EST, on Tuesday, Dec. 13. The randomly-selected winner will be notified by email within 1 week of the contest ending. Good luck!

This holiday season, don’t forget to patronize companies like Compassion Couture, who provide ethically-sourced, vegan goods. When giving a product as a gift that was specifically picked out because of it’s cruelty-free-ness, we also like to include a “Why Vegan?” brochure, so that the recipient has an opportunity to learn the ethical benefits of shopping vegan.

There’s a t-shirt maker up in Vermont who has done just that. Just by making his incredibly popular t-shirts bearing what anyone would think of as the virtuous, and utterly uncontroversial, slogan, “Eat More Kale,” Bo Muller-Moore has managed to get some folks in the chicken torturing business to make total fools of themselves. Nice work!

The marketing whizzes at Chick-fil-A (which, I want to take a minute to note, is an incredibly bad product name — are they trying to misspell “filet”? Is it some kind of play on words? I don’t get it) are, of course, known for their particularly offensive series of commercials in which cartoon cows use signs to encourage people to “eat mor chikin.” Get it? Isn’t that hilarious?!? You see, if you eat more chicken, you won’t be eating beef, and so cows will be spared some of the torture and hideous deaths you’re going to bestow on chickens instead. Ha! And the other thing that’s really funny is that cows are so stupid that they don’t know how to spell! Wow, I am laughing so hard my sides are splitting! This is apparently what passes for humor in the utterly sick world of selling people death. One can only imagine the amount of denial that one must have to enter into about what meat really is in order to find amusement in this travesty.

Eat More Kale

But, I digress…. My focus today isn’t the severe psychological dysfunction that underlies the “humor” in the Chick-fil-A ad campaign. It’s the fact that the folks who run that charming company seem to think they now have the prerogative to prohibit anyone else from telling people to “eat more” of anything other than chicken and have threatened to sue Muller-Moore if he does not stop selling his shirts and turn over his website to Chick-fil-A. No, I am not kidding. Of course, the whole purpose behind trademark laws is to prevent people from confusing one brand with another, thus giving the interloper a free ride on a well-established brand that someone has spent time and money on. So, apparently Chick-fil-A’s lawyers think that people are running to buy “Eat More Kale” shirts from some guy in Vermont because of the incredibly offensive ad campaign depicting cows telling people to” eat mor chikin.” Crazy, right? But apparently they have, with their fancy cease-and-desist letters, scared many other businesses into not encouraging people to eat more whatever.

Bo Muller-Moore

Happily, unlike those other victims of corporate lawyer threats, our trusty Vermont t-shirter is not rolling over. It kind of reminds me of the David and Goliath tale of the McLibel case, where the geniuses who run McDonald’s made fools of themselves trying to sue two English activists who had handed out flyers claiming, among many other things, that McDonald’s was culpable for animal cruelty. If you want to learn the very entertaining story of how that turned out for Mickey D (not well, I can assure you), you should check out the excellent documentary made about that case, which you can watch online for a fee, or you can get from Netflix.

If you are interested in supporting Muller-Moore, you can, of course, buy a t-shirt online. Fair warning — unfortunately, he also sells “Cheese” t-shirts and it appears to be referring to dairy-derived cheese. I wish we could think of a way to sue him for that!

Here is how it will work: During this super-duper episode, we will be devoting a section to answering your questions. These can be questions about us, about Our Hen House, about animal rights in general, or about anything else you want to know. Want to enter for your chance to win a $100 gift certificate from MooShoes? Of course you do…

Send us your questions that you want us to answer on the 100^th episode! Regardless of whether or not we read it on the air, your question is your entry in the contest to win the $100 MooShoes gift certificate!

To enter, simply comment below with your question. To double your chance of winning, tweet this: “I just entered to win a gift card for rad #vegan shoes from @mooshoes_nyc to support @ourhenhouse! You can enter here: http://bit.ly/srH5wj”

Be sure to enter by midnight, EST, on Wednesday, December 7. The randomly-selected winner will be announced on the 100^th episode, which will air on Saturday, December 10. Good luck!

Special thanks to MooShoes for being so insanely fantastic and generous! When we talk about “for-profit” activism – which we frequently do in our blog’s “Money Squawks” section – MooShoes is a perfect example. Much as owners Sara and Erica Kubersky explained when we made a short video highlighting their story, 10 whole years ago, these sisters saw a need for a store that would serve as a vegan hub, and, thus, MooShoes was born, as was an entire community of patrons who valued a compassionate, fair-trade experience. In addition to providing gorgeous, compassionate goods, MooShoes has gone above and beyond, frequently hosting charity fundraisers for animal rights organizations. And here’s a little known fact: 5 years ago, Jasmin worked at MooShoes. Clearly, the problem there was that, as she enmeshed herself in the shoe culture, she spent her paychecks before they were even deposited. Oh, how we adore MooShoes…

We bet you’re wondering who our 100^th episode guest will be! Well, that is still a surprise, but trust us, it will be well worth the wait. Next week on our blog, we’ll give you a sneak peak, so stay tuned.

And now, please, pull up some hay. Let’s get squawking.

In fact, just a week or two ago, you could have caught some music at the Fun Fun Fun Fest, where they had bands ranging from Slayer, Danzig, Hum and Public Enemy to Childish Gambino, Odd Future and M83 to Cannibal Corpse and Eyehategod. Hey, some of these bands are so famous even I’ve heard of them!

But, even more important than the music, they also had a hot dog eating conference. “Yuck,” you say? “How disgusting,” you remark? “Texas, what do you expect?,” you dismissively, and oh-so-foolishly, complain? Well, take it back, ’cause this particular competitive eating fest was all vegan.

i Love Mike Litt

The contest was put on by progressive event organizer, i love Mike Litt, which is devoted to bringing “people together to teach, entertain, and inspire one another.” In aid of that admirable goal is one of the hallmarks of their events, i.e., the “soft promotion” of veganism.

Of course there was some snarky press beforehand (“… veggie dogs — now you’re talking about food that most rational people won’t even eat one of”), but, hey, it’s press. And, in fact, these dogs sounded amazing. No mere mustard and relish for these folks. One dog was garnished with sour cherry relish, soy yogurt and chopped fresh mint, another with fried olives, smoked sea salt and Spanish romesco sauce, and the third with black bean and espresso vegan chili. Yowsa. If the way to not-yet-vegans’ hearts is through their stomachs, these folks are well on their way.

Many of us activists, advocates, changemakers, people who care, often look to non-profits to lead the charge of social change. At Our Hen House, we like to tout our organization as “a place to find our way to change the world for animals,” and we hope that our resources and rumination result in the fodder needed to inspire everyone to change the world in our own way, as opposed to solely through top-down organizational campaigns.

It’s not often, however, that we expect business enterprises to do much in the way of social responsibility, beyond sponsoring a little league team or throwing their logo on some community event. After all, civic engagement and world change aren’t necessarily in their mission. Not unless they want it to be, believe in it, integrate it, and act on it, as Bonus Gallery has done. According to their website, “We are committed to ensuring that the gallery does more than just business transactions. As such, a minimum percentage of each sale on this site will be donated to a non-profit organization of the artist’s choice. Please see individual pieces for sale to see the beneficiary of each artist’s choosing. In addition, Bonus has its own designated non-profit organizations. For 2011-2012, the organizations are The Vera Project, Out to Pasture Animal Sanctuary, Community for Youth, Three Wings and Food Empowerment Project.”

I think we can all agree that to forge a livelihood as a generative artist is daring, brave, and, well, potentially not very lucrative. In fact, it’s a career path that is famously so not lucrative, that the word for someone who does it is frequently modified with an adjective connoting that they can’t afford food to eat (“starving artist”). That’s why I’m astounded and moved by the generosity of Bonus Gallery. The gallery’s inaugural slate of artists –Dave Vander Maas, Seth Wood, and Matt Gauck  — are not only all vegan, but two of them have selected animal-related and vegan advocacy organizations among those to receive a cut from the sale of their work. If this artistic and noble undertaking excites you as much as it does me, then take note, they are seeking artist submissions.

It shouldn’t surprise me that artists make great activists. After all, both artists and activists start with a vision in their mind’s eye — a vision for, say, a sketch or sculpture, or an advocacy campaign or protest movement — and create something important and compelling from it. So many of us have talents, skills, and hobbies that can be harnessed to effect change. Maybe you don’t see yourself as the person leading the march or the petition drive. But maybe you can be, or have an in with, the small business owner that would support animal advocates in your community by sponsoring an event, or donating funds, goods or services. If we get creative like Bonus Gallery and their artists, we can show the for-profit world how important and rewarding (and mutually beneficial) it is to utilize whatever resources they can spare to support  animal rights work.

Mariann and I fell a little in love with Nathalie when we found her book, “Garlic-Onion-Beet-Spinach-Mango-Carrot-Grapefruit Juice,” which we reviewed on episode 70 of our podcast. This is perhaps — no, not perhaps… definitely! — our favorite ever kids’ book. Even just looking around on her fun and engaging website will make you feel like a kid again.

But when Nathalie told us about “Happy Thanksliving!” — an accessible and affordable coloring zine for all ages (even 32-year-olds) that gently challenges some of the ridiculous and antiquated traditions of Thanksgiving, while also celebrating compassion, deliciousness, open-mindedness, and new traditions — we knew that our appreciation for this Nashville-based artist had reached new proportions.

In a recent email to me, Nathalie explained her drive to create this much-needed zine. “Last week I had one of those cartoon light bulbs appear above my head: ‘Aha! The world needs a vegan Thanksgiving coloring zine!’ So I wrote a celebratory, rhyming poem called Happy Thanksliving!, cancelled my weekend plans, and have been drawing drawing drawing. (While listening to your podcast, of course.)”

(Pardon me for leaving in that shameless plug for our podcast. WHOOPS — there I go again!)

Here’s an excerpt:

There isn’t a turkey on our table
and we’re happy to tell you why -
because turkeys are friends (like cats and dogs)
and feathered friends must fly!

We don’t want our friends in cages,
we don’t want our friends to hurt,
we certainly don’t want to eat our friends,
so instead we’ll dig in the dirt!

Potatoes, pumpkins, carrots, CRUNCH!
Greens & beans, oh my-
Thank you thank you apple tree,
tonight we’re having pie!

It’s time for my annoying (to you) disclaimer: My family’s Thanksgivings are always vegan, because my family is by and large vegan (feel free to throw tomatoes at me in order to express your jealousy in a healthy, Lycopene-laden way). BUT I still think that everyone at my table this year will need a copy of Happy Thanksliving! There are so many things I love about this zine. For one thing, I am thrilled with the fact that Nathalie saw a need for it and, rather than just saying “someone should make that,” took it upon herself to do so. Another great feature is that, in addition to exploring why we shouldn’t eat turkeys or other animals on Thanksgiving (or ever), it includes on the back cover fascinating facts about turkeys (did you know that turkeys recognize each other by their unique voices?!?). And, the icing on the cruelty-free cake is that this zine also gently touches on questions about American history as it relates to Native Americans. Since another zine I own, “Why I Hate Thanksgiving” can be a bit too strident for some of my family members to appreciate, it seems to me that “Happy Thanksliving!” will be the perfect recipe for bringing compassion to the table — both for non-human and human animals. Plus, on the off-chance that I need to escape the table for whatever reason (like if someone gets embarrassingly drunk — even if that someone is me), I can simply hide in the corner and color. What, like that doesn’t appeal to you too?

“Happy Thanksliving!” is just $5 (which includes shipping within the U.S.), consists of 20 black and white pages, is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, and is bound with thread rather than staples (“for the safety of the little ones”). You can purchase your copies on the ThoraThinks store.

I, for one, am grateful to Nathalie VanBalen for allowing me to engage my childlike side, while also giving me entertaining resources to spread the gospel of compassion. This zine is a must-have for both your and your favorite child’s bookshelf. In addition to being able to use “Happy Thanksliving!” as an activist tool, it has inspired me to get creative in using my talents to contribute to the greater good. I hope it does the same for you.

Boo!

For last year’s Halloween party, I went as Ellen DeGeneres — wig and all. As of last week, I’m actually a blonde (see yesterday’s blog post). No wig necessary. A fact that begs the question: if I go as a vampire this year, does that mean that next year I’ll sport actual fangs? Neat-o!

Alas, I won’t be able to make this spooktacular event, as Mariann and I will be speaking at the Boston VegFest that weekend. Oh, and, in the interest of frightful self-promotion, that’s also my birthday weekend (that’s right — I’m a Mischief Night baby — that explains a lot, doesn’t it?). So perhaps you might be interested in scrimping a bit on your costume (DIY costumes are always better anyway) and donating a few of those saved bucks to my Birthday Wish to raise $1,000 for Our Hen House?!  Our Hen House is completely listener and reader supported, so… support! Help us build a strong voice for animals! Thank you!

And on November 2, if you’re in NYC, join us for a Hen Party!

Check it out! I took this photo! It's food -- that GROWS! Let's eat it!

Sounds pretty divine. Understandably, over the past three years, membership had grown from the core group (or should I say “hard-core” group?) of six to 20. At this point, one of the members, Maresa Bossano, decided to take the next logical step, rent a space, charge admission, and make this delicious food available to a wider, and not necessarily vegan, audience. Indeed, at the most recent dinner, a whopping “30 guests sat down at a very long table laid with red and white check tablecloths decorated with bay leaves and candles for an Italian peasant vegan feast… (We didn’t eat Italian peasants, by the way.)” Maresa is now working on plans to open a vegan cafe. Clearly, Hastings is ready and willing to delight in her dream right along with her.

This is inspirational for so many reasons. Let’s dissect this for a moment (this is the kind of dissection that is allowed):

• First, you have a group of vegans who wanted to creatively expand their palates and their food adventures. So they alternated locations and cuisines and created a fun platform to try every food they could re-create in the cruelty-free way. (And as if I need to say it, there’s no such thing as a food that can’t be made without icky and mean meat, milk, and eggs — Meet the Shannons proves that with their veganizing-the-Betty-Crocker-cookbook-adventures.) This kind of supper club is something that anyone can create in their own community. It’s particularly useful in areas that are not as vegan-centric as, say, here in New York City. And it can also create a community and welcome in the veg-curious (let’s win ‘em over with cupcakes!).
• Then, the dinner club grew to such a big number that one creative and eager member hosted a dinner night and charged per head. Reminds me of Brooklyn’s 4 Course Vegan, a weekly communal dinner experience created by Chef Matteo, which aims to provide “a place to gather, to eat, to enjoy, to relax, to converse, and to share ideas.” This concept is also replicable, and a portion of the proceeds can even be shared with various animal rights causes.
• In its next incarnation, due to the wild popularity and success of the Hastings Vegan Dining Club, a cafe — a for-profit “food activism” venture — will soon be in the works. As you know, we’re big fans of for-profit activism like this. If you build it, they (the vegans, the activists, the world) will come.

We heart -- and crave! -- Rescue Chocolate.

Well, here is reason #2043 why we love Rescue Chocolate so much that I can taste the vegan sugar just thinking about it: They are sponsoring an event called Pet It Forward: Dog Art Night at Soho Animal Haven, where, you guessed it, you bring your little Fido and have him create an abstract paw brush painting. You can also design your own dog tag at this unique event, which, incidentally, is in my neighborhood. I might just have to check it out…

Here’s why: BECAUSE RESCUE CHOCOLATE WILL BE THERE! Do you catch my drift? They are a totally vegan chocolate company and they are sponsoring this event that will surely attract most, if not all, non-vegans. And certainly these non-vegans will be hungry (because clearly they are nutrient-deprived — I kid…).

But seriously, it’s chocolate. And it’s really damn good chocolate to boot. What a brilliant way of spreading the message of veganism to animal-lovers who have not yet necessarily made the connection between their love of their dog, and the sentience of farmed animals.

Let’s all learn a lesson here. Animal shelters, and events that happen at them, are perfect places to share delicious vegan food — whether it’s through our vegan food companies, or just by making some scrumptious vegan cupcakes. Be sure to provide the recipe, of course, along with a “Why Vegan?” brochure.

And now, of course, I’m craving chocolate…

I could not pass up the opportunity to score this week’s deal, and I just had to share it with you. This week, for $12.00 (normally $20.97), you get not one, but three “Win Every Argument With the Reason to Go Vegan” keychains! Can you stand it? It’s from R2VG, or, Reasons to Go Vegan, which has the cutest website I’ve seen in a long time. According to VeganCuts:

Being vegan is pretty easy, but listening to excuses for animal exploitation can be really hard. “I love cheese too much” or “I buy free range eggs” doesn’t cut it. To do a good job of defending veganism, you really need to know your stuff. Even if you’ve read a lot of books and articles, it’s helpful to be able to call on some quick facts. That’s why the Reasons to Go Vegan keychain is so awesome. Small enough to fit in your pocket or bag, you can carry the nine Reasons to Go Vegan cards with you wherever you go. And because part of being vegan is promoting veganism, we’re selling the keychains in packs of three. Keep one for yourself and pass the others on to friends or even strangers.

Cuuuuuute. And activisty!

I must say, I dig this little keychain! Don’t tell them, but in addition to keeping one for myself, I plan on giving one to my mom and one to my grandma, because although they are veg (Mom is vegan and Grandma is vegetarian, mostly vegan — we’re working on it…), they know next to nothing about the issues. While I’m okay with someone going vegan simply because they know that it’s just WRONG to consume the byproducts and products of animals, I do think it’s also important to know your stuff. Hopefully, in addition to the ample books I’ve given them, this keychain will be a Cliff’s Notes of sorts.

Plus, people frequently comment on my keychains — like when I’m at the bodega or the laundromat or the library. I sometimes wear my keys around my wrist, thanks to an ugly pull-y type bracelet-y thing that’s attached to them. So now, I’ll have another reason besides convenience for carrying my keys for all to see. I’ll be spreading veganism by way of my keychain. How rad am I?

They make great stocking stuffers, too, and, if you’re like me, you’ve already started your holiday shopping! Neurotic, I know, but I can’t help it.

It expires in 3 short days! What are you waiting for? Snag the deal!

That’s why we are so excited about the new class-action lawsuit against the dairy industry filed by dairy consumers (yes, sadly, they’re the only ones who can bring such a lawsuit) alleging that various dairy companies and trade groups, including the National Milk Producers Federation, Dairy Farmers of America, Land O’Lakes, Inc, and Agri-Mark, Inc., combined to fix the price of milk through their trade group, Cooperatives Working Together.

The lawsuit, which was filed yesterday in federal court in California, alleges that between 2003 and 2010, more than 500,000 cows were slaughtered by the defendants in a concerted effort to reduce the supply of milk, and thereby inflate its price. This added up to over $9 billion in extra profits for the defendants.

Cheryl Leahy

One of the best things about this lawsuit is the way it began. It was the legal department at Compassion Over Killing, headed up by the fabulous Cheryl Leahy, that initially theorized, researched and developed the case. However, given the nature of the case, it ultimately had to be handled by a private firm specializing in antitrust. As a result, the plaintiffs are now represented by the class action law firm of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, LLP, which, if it is successful, stands to earn some very big bucks.

This kind of synergy — animal protection groups thinking up ways to go after agribusiness to reduce the money that it’s making off of animal-based foods and private law firms happy to take on potentially enormously profitable lawsuits — is beyond exciting.

If you want further detail about the case, you can find it on COK’s website. And if, by any chance, you happened to purchase milk or milk products from 2004 to the present, and you’re willing to admit that, you want to get in on this. (Yes, pretty much everyone in the country other than long-term vegans are potential plaintiffs in this lawsuit.) You can call the firm at (206) 623-7292 or email them at CWT[at]hbsslaw.com.

Photo at top of blog courtesy of VINE Sanctuary. 

Not Josh. But kinda like him...

If you are still wondering why you KNOW you KNOW Josh, but you can’t quite place it, it must be from hearing about the 600-mile bike ride that he took a couple years ago — from his home in Portland, all the way to the Orland, California location of Farm Sanctuary. It was a fundraiser for Farm Sanctuary, and he documented his journey in the book, 600 Miles to Goat, which we eagerly reviewed. To complete this Josh Hooten shrine of a paragraph, we also chatted with Josh about the ride. Our main fundamental question: What was he thinking?!?

Well, whatever it was, he thought it again last year, when he embarked on yet another lengthy bike ride, also to benefit animals. Maybe he was just thinking, What can I do that’s awesome  and unusual that will help the cause that is nearest to my heart? 

Whatever it is that went through his mind and inspired him to ride, here we are again, approaching September (sorry, I won’t say that again), and Josh Hooten’s calves are aching. And by calves, I mean the muscles on his legs, not the rescued calves who will be cheering him on during his third bike ride to raise much-needed funds and awareness for their plight. Truth be told, his leg-calves certainly have reason to be aching: He is currently preparing for his 100-mile ride. Yet again. And you’ve got to hand it him… His aim is to raise $15,000, all going to three extremely worthy causes. Go Josh.

Also not Josh.

Josh, along with fellow bikers Megan McClellan, Jordan Lyon Mackenzie King, Lisa George, and Phillipe Kozub (a triathlete!) will be leaving from Lighthouse Farm Animal Sanctuary in Scio, Oregon. From there they’ll be riding to Out to Pasture Sanctuary in Estacada. Finally, the team will be heading back to Portland, where Michelle will hopefully be waiting with ample foot cream and a few vodka tonics (the diet of champions). In addition to the $15,000 going toward these two sanctuaries, the money they raise will also go toward a third charity, Hope Animal Sanctuary.

To stay on top of Josh and the gang’s happenings, “like” the Facebook page they created for the journey: Ride to the Light: Three Sanctuary Century, and follow them on Twitter at @ridetothelight. You can also check out the official website they set up for the ride. You can even join Josh and his teammates on the ride if you’d like — that is, if you think you can hack it. (This, by the way, falls into the category of Things I Will Never Do.)

But most importantly, you can support these changemakers by helping them reach their goal of raising $15,000. And you can spread the word about this incredible feat that this inspiring group of activists will be undertaking this September, for a third glorious time. Pedal yourself silly, my friend. See you when the cows come home.

The fabulous folks at VegNews told us that just by voting, these are the fabulous prizes you will be entered to win;

Grand Prize: VEGAN CARIBBEAN CRUISE
Get ready to embark on an all-expense paid vegan vacation of a lifetime. You and one very lucky guest will sail on the breathtaking Italian luxury liner Poesia for a weeklong cruise with Holistic Holiday at Sea. Nourish your mind, body, and spirit as you traverse the clear-blue waters of the Carribbean, enjoying stops at St. Thomas, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas. While on board, enjoy artfully prepared organic vegan cuisine, morning yoga, cooking classes, educational seminars, evening parties, and so much more. In addition, you’ll enjoy dinner at the stunning all-vegan Sublime restaurant in Fort Lauderdale before setting sail. Bon voyage!

First Prize: YEAR SUPPLY OF COCONUT BLISS ICE CREAM
Imagine taking a bite of one of the richest, most decadent vegan ice creams available. Now, imagine having this indulgent dairy-free frozen dessert in your freezer 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for an entire year. With flavors like Chocolate Walnut Brownie, Ginger Cookie Caramel, and Pineapple Coconut, Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss is perfect for sundaes, milkshakes, or just right out of the carton. This coconut-based ice cream will leave you in a state of bliss, guaranteed.

Second Prize: VEGANTREATS DESSERT PARTY
Did someone say Peanut Butter Bomb Cake? We did, and we’re offering an entire party’s worth of cake, brownies, cookies, cannolis, doughnuts, sticky buns, and more from VeganTreats bakery just in time for the holidays. Think platters of Tahitian Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies, White Chocolate Pretzel Brownies, and Marshmallow Cream Doughnuts (and that’s just the beginning). One lucky winner will receive three dozen of VeganTreats’ very best, plus free tote bags, t-shirts, and buttons for the ultimate vegan dessert party. Let’s just say you’re going to need a lot of almond milk for this shindig.

Third Prize: VITAMIX BLENDER
Make silky-smooth soups, refreshing smoothies, and the perfect cashew-cheese sauce with a state-of-the-art Vitamix blender, a favorite of the VegNews staff. With a motor that packs some serious horsepower and blades spinning at upwards of 240 miles per hour, the Vitamix’s power and performance can’t be beat, and neither will the ice cream, bisques, and piña coladas you make with it (send photos!). This industry-leading culinary contraption is a must-have in every vegan kitchen.

Plus, Weekly Giveaways! CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE BOXES
Trust us, you’ve never tasted vegan truffles like these. Premium Chocolatiers’ 30-truffle boxes feature classic, decadent flavors such as “milk” fudge, coffee, Grand Marnier, raspberry, and salted caramel made with the company’s own soymilk-based pareve chocolate. Whether you’re spending the evening hosting a dinner party or simply relaxing at home, you will want these luxurious truffles by your side. (five winners)

So you can imagine how elated I was to hear from the lovely folks at Handbag Heaven, an online vegan handbag store, after they read the Why? section of our website that specifically pertains to clothing (fur, leather, and wool). When they gave me the skinny on Handbag Heaven, my immediate reaction was HOW THE HECK DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS ALREADY?! All of their bags are extremely affordably-priced (everything is between $10 and $85) and most importantly, free of animal products. They’ve also managed to penetrate some major mainstream magazines, including being featured in People Style Watch, O! Magazine, Everday with Rachel Ray, Redbook, and Woman’s World.

In the interest of supporting vegan companies, let me share my handbag insight with you, since Handbag Heaven might be just what you’re looking for — even if you didn’t realize you were looking. On your next handbag shopping spree, you could go the “patent leatherette” route (like my winter bag of choice), or, for those of you who are into more natural fibers, Handbag Heaven offers bags in hemp as well as cotton. The bag that I was lucky enough to receive from Handbag Heaven is the Echo Messenger Bag in orange/red (pictured to the left), and according to the tag, it was “handmade by village women” in Nepal. As soon as I got this fantastic present, I immediately switched over my more wintery fake leather bag for this more summery, bright one. I love it. It’s light, has a pocket on the inside and — my favorite functional feature — a zipper to close it. Most messenger bags like this tend to be wide open, with just a flimsy flap to keep the thieves away. This one is much smarter than that, and even though it’s fun and funky, it’s not so over-the-top that my early-30′s self is mistaken, once again, for a college student.

There’s so many other cute ones, too. There’s clutches (like the Caroline Lace Clutch pictured on the right) and evening bags, shoulder bags and satchels, totes, oversized handbags (which is ideal if you want to ditch that backpack for something more stylish), and even a nice wallet selection.

When I questioned the wonderful marketing guru, Danielle, over at Handbag Heaven, regarding the vegan-ness of their products, here was her response:

“Our products fall into three categories. The first is those that are vegan and come with certification detailing that fact at purchase. All of our Urban Expression handbags fall into this category. The second category are our cotton/hemp handbags, which are also vegan but do not come with certification… The third category are bags that are made with animal friendly materials, but which contain a small amount of glue. We’ve contacted our suppliers to confirm that this glue is vegan, and while they believe that it is, we cannot confirm it with certainty. For that reason, we classify those bags as vegetarian friendly. Our tech department is currently working on separating our handbags into the above categories in our navigation menu so that our visitors can easily find what they are looking for and be reassured that they are getting a product that is line with their personal beliefs. We hope to have it in place shortly.”

Sounds groovy to me, Handbag Heaven! I’m a big fan of the efforts they are going to to ensure that the products are vegan, and I also appreciate the navigation menu that will make this process easy-peasy.

And now, you too can have your own bag from Handbag Heaven! Since we are such big fans of for-profit activism (companies that offer products that reflect vegan values), we would love to hear from you about some of your favorite for-profit vegan companies, and what, specifically, you like about them. It can be that you love Food Fight Grocery because they are unabashedly hardcore animal rights activists. It can be that you just adore MooShoes because you got your favorite stiletto or winter boots there, and every time you visit their store you are inspired — both fashion-wise and activism-wise. Or perhaps your favorite for-profit vegan company is a food establishment, or maybe even something else entirely. There are so many amazing companies that cater to cruelty-free living. What are yours, and why? Tell us in the comment section below!

In one week, on Friday, July 22 at midnight EST, we will use a random number generator to pick the winner, and the winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to Handbag Heaven. The winner will be notified the following week. Only one entry per person. We look forward to hearing about your faves!

After being involved in a car accident that caused him to tragically lose his leg on Christmas Eve 2002, the precious dog who would become known as Tiny Tim (after the inspiring Charles Dickens character) found his way to the North Shore Animal League, and eventually to John’s home and heart. As these little creatures frequently do, Tiny Tim inched his way into John’s world in capacities that John never thought possible, and now, Tiny Tim’s legacy lives on.

John founded The Tiny Tim Rescue Fund so that much-needed money and awareness can be raised about shelter dogs in life-threatening situations who are relying on our help. According to the website, “The money raised by the Tiny Tim Rescue Fund goes to providing these dogs with medical attention, foster parents and, eventually, a loving forever home — a place all pets deserve.”

The clothes that are part of the chic Tiny Tim collection feature the dog’s silhouette, and, in addition to supporting this vitally important cause (since a percentage of the sales from the collection are funneled into the Fund), also allow stylish wearers the added benefit of displaying their advocacy for all to see. I have no doubt that the striking design will spur conversations that will lead to opportunities to enlighten others to the plight of dogs in dire situations and the heroic work of those fighting to rescue them.

Let me just add that John Bartlett is one of my favorite activists ever. His love for Tiny Tim opened his eyes to issues affecting all animals — from shelter dogs, to animals exploited by the fur industry, to farmed animals. As he explained when we interviewed him, John intends to use his platform as a designer to change the world for animals, whether that means publicly boycotting fur and encouraging other designers to follow suit, to proclaiming in mainstream media that he “wants to be a 100% vegan designer,” to using his clothing line (and one might say life line) to speak up for dogs in shelters. John Barlett is as true blue as they come.

Check out John’s heartwarming video below for more about the Tiny Tim Rescue Fund.

TINY TIM RESCUE FUND from j bartlettny on Vimeo.

Of course there are several theories on vegan dating. As Jasmin has pointed in out in her “vegan sexuality” guest blog for Crazy Sexy Life, there are arguments in favor of the dating-as-a-recruitment-tool theory, so the more carnivores (at least the ones with a possibility of transformation) on your dance card, the better, and arguments in favor of the why-would-I-date-someone-who-doesn’t-understand-the-best-part-of-me? school. But regardless of your theory, no one should have to stoop to dating someone who doesn’t at least respect your decision to eat compassionately.

Veggie Love

Well, if you are heterosexual and in California’s Bay Area (of course!) you will have the opportunity on August 3 to speed date without wasting any of your precious 3 minute sessions sniffing for meat breath and wondering whether to mention your strong feelings about gestation crates. Organized by event-planner Karine Brighten, Veg Speed Dating, which will be open to vegans, vegetarians and the veg-curious, will allow participants to separate the dating wheat from the chaff without any possibility of bacon jokes. Love is definitely in the air.

So is advocacy, since putting together this kind of fun event is also a community-building, love-building undertaking. I’ve got to hand it to Karine Brighten, whose company, Karine Brighten Events, specializes in eco-friendly “green” happenings. I love that she saw an opportunity here to fill a void, and decided to use her skills to cater to the veg community. Now, all we need is the queer variety of Veg Speed Dating (not that I’m in the market).

But, tiny tangent for a moment: we travel kind of all the time, and without question, some of the best vegan food we’ve had has been in random places like Dallas, Kansas City, Philadelphia, and Atlanta. But yeah — NYC has a concentrated amount of veg restaurants, more than any other place on the planet I’d say. And even though we’ve had top-notch vegan food in other cities (I was just dreaming about Kansas City’s FüD the other day), that certainly doesn’t discount the exquisite edibles we are privy to right here in the urban jungle we call home.

Not to point out the obvious, but Candle 79 and Candle Cafe are at the top of that list. Clearly, the Upper East Side-located “Candles” are a vegan destination worldwide. With Candle 79′s delectable entrees including Seitan Piccata (my fave), or Basil-Pine Nut Baked Tofu, you just can’t go wrong when you treat yourself to a special night out at Candle.

And once you get to know the owners — Joy Pierson and Bart Potenza — you will be that much more in love. Joy and Bart shared their story with us on our podcast last year, and though I don’t want to spoil it for you because I really think you should listen, let’s just say that they started Candle after winning the lottery! They are literally living your dream, I’d bet — to win the lotto and then start the most successful vegan restaurants in the world. Joy and Bart — as well as the rest of the Candle team, like dear sweet Benay Vynerib who basically runs the show there — are tried and true animal activists, too, donating so much of their time, money, and efforts to changing the world for animals.

Though you could accurately say that this is for-profit activism at it’s finest, the truth is, they extend their advocacy well beyond the for-profit world. As just one example, Candle 79 partnered with the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food, as well as NYC’s Department of School Food and Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, spearheading a pilot program in Harlem that provided healthy vegan food to the students, which was complemented by an entire educational program regarding nutritious, compassionate food choices.

And now — and OMG I’m so happy for you — Candle Cafe is introducing gourmet vegan frozen meals at Whole Foods locations nationally! According to the press release, “New Candle Cafe Frozen Meals follow the restaurant’s mission to better the individual and the planet by serving delicious vegan cuisine rooted in eco-friendly practices and compassion for animals. Candle Cafe frozen meals share the restaurant’s compassion by proudly sponsoring The Humane Society of the United States and Farm Sanctuary.”

So not only are the Candle people bringing their scrumptious, cruelty-free cuisine to a Whole Foods location near you, but by purchasing their products, you will also be supporting the noble animal advocacy efforts of two incredible organizations. Plus, you’ll have what I’d say will be one of the best meals of your life. You just wait…

Four Candle Cafe Frozen Entrees are available:

• Seitan Piccata with Lemon Caper Sauce — Seitan in a traditional Italian sauce, 9 oz. single serve entrée, made with organic brown rice and spinach
• Ginger Miso Stir-Fry – Tofu and vegetables in a ginger miso sauce, 9 oz. single serve entrée, made with organic brown rice and tofu
• Tofu Spinach Ravioli — Tofu spinach ravioli in a classic tomato sauce, 9 oz. single serve entrée, made with organic pasta and tofu
• Mac & Vegan Cheese — Spiral pasta in a creamy vegan cheese sauce, 9 oz. single serve entrée

Candle Cafe frozen entrees are sold in 9 oz. trays, with a suggested retail price of $5.99.  

I just love Candle… I JUST LOVE CANDLE! They are truly epitomizing the meaning of providing vegan food to the masses. Their mission of advocating for animals is loud and clear, and their reach is far. Oh, and their food is insane. As in, delectable. Have I mentioned that?

Visit Candle Cafe’s website, and also check out the Candle Cafe Foods Facebook page.

See the bottom of this blog entry for a chance to win a copy of this delicious book.

We are big fans of Christine’s work, and got the full story of how she founded her school when we chatted with her last year on our podcast. In addition to recognizing the importance of making delicious vegan food so that people who are not yet enlightened to the yumminess of a vegan diet can become awakened to all its glory, what we love about Christine is that, by founding the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, she started her own animal-friendly business. One might call that “for-profit activism.”

She’s doing all kinds of good things there in the Garden State. In her copious free time (ha), Christine managed to write a recipe book, The Natural Vegan Kitchen, which I bought for my mom for this past Mother’s Day. I must admit that my gift was not entirely selfless; I leafed through the pages before passing it on, and tried out a few of the scrumptious recipes myself. Mom didn’t  seem to mind that there was a little avocado smear on a few of the pages. I can personally attest that Christine’s recipes are absolutely heavenly, as well as accessible and wholesome.

Christine agreed to talk to us all about her new cookbook, and how she incorporates animal advocacy into her work. She even shares one of her favorite summer-friendly recipes with us. And keep reading, because at the bottom of this post you’ll see how you can win your very own copy of The Natural Vegan Kitchen.

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Our Hen House: What was your vision for your new cookbook, The Natural Vegan Kitchen?

Christine Waltermyer: I wanted The Natural Vegan Kitchen to make plant based cuisine doable, nourishing and delicious for both beginners and folks more familiar with vegan cooking.  I have a love affair with whole, natural and unprocessed ingredients, and want to share that passion to help people feel fantastic on a vegan diet!

OHH: How do you use your cooking school, and now your book, as an extension of your animal advocacy?

CW: I think one of the main reasons people shy away from going vegan is that they mistakenly think they will be sacrificing taste.  So my form of animal advocacy is to show people how delicious vegan cuisine can be.  I love nothing more than giving out food samples in a cooking class and seeing someone experiencing that ah-ha moment of “Hmm…this is really good.  I think I could eat like this.”

OHH: When you were on our podcast, you told us about the plans for this book, which was at that point still just a glimmer in your eye! I remember you mentioned that you were not planning on having the word “vegan” in the title, but your publisher was insistent that it be there. Can you tell us more about that, and what your publisher’s rationale was?

Photos from Natural Kitchen Cooking School, by Diana Branski

CW: Yes, I loved being on your podcast!  At the time when my publisher and I were talking about possible titles for the cookbook, I was very excited to hear that the term “vegan” had become the hot buzzword.  It was getting many more hits online than just “vegetarian.”  I’m really happy that we went with it.  Book Publishing Company has been incredible to work with!

OHH: One thing I appreciate about your recipes is that you center them around whole foods, as opposed to making them heavy with seitan and fake meats. Though I love fake meat, I have recently rekindled my own love affair with vegetables! Tell us a bit about your decision to focus so much of your cooking on healthy, whole foods.

CW: Thanks Jasmin!  Yeah, as yummy as the fake meat tastes (and I do include some seitan in The Natural Vegan Kitchen) it can be hard for some people to digest. So I decided to focus on foods that are whole, real and minimally processed since I think this is the healthiest way to eat.  I know I began my journey as a junk food vegan and felt lousy.  So I hope that people reading my book will learn from my mistakes and enjoy wholesome, balanced meals that will keep them super healthy and energized!

OHH: Is The Natural Vegan Kitchen accessible to non-cooks?

CW: Absolutely!  This is a great book for beginners and non-cooks because the recipes are simple and easy to follow.  We have a glossary in the back that defines many of the ingredients used throughout the book that might be new to some people.

OHH: What about non-vegans? Do you hope that this book will land in the hands of the veg-curious, and ultimately enlighten them to the deliciousness of cruelty-free cuisine?

CW: That would be wonderful!  I love reaching non-vegans & the veg-curious, and many people who take my classes and Chef Training Program are in that category. The way I see it, even if people are not totally vegan, if they at least begin to reduce their meat consumption it still saves animals’ lives and planetary resources. A gradual approach in a supportive atmosphere seems to work well for a lot of people I’ve worked with over the years. I’ve had many students announce that they will never go vegan, and through some kind of magical osmosis, they announce one day that they’ve gone vegan — without me trying to convince them of it!  I always try to meet people where they are and educate them in a compassionate way. Food seduction is where it’s at for me!

OHH: For our readers who might be toying with the idea of creating a vegan cookbook of their own, is there any advice you have to offer?

CW: Keep a journal and write down all of your best culinary creations.  If you’re an intuitive chef who doesn’t like to measure (like me!), this will be a challenge, but well worth the effort. Also, when it comes to finding a publisher and writing the book proposal and query letter, I recommend hiring an experienced cookbook coach to guide you through the process. I found Robin Robertson, the goddess of vegan cookbooks, to be an invaluable resource for me. I could not have done it without her guidance.

OHH: When it comes to food as activism – meaning, anything from hosting vegan feed-ins to encouraging vegan options in school cafeterias to writing letters to the editor in response to food articles – do you find that there is one particular route that is most effective? Or is it different strokes for different folks? Does any kind of food activism speak to you loudest?

CW: I always find a direct sensory experience of delicious vegan food to be a powerful tool for activism. Of course, sending in yummy recipes to newspapers is a great idea too, but cooking for people is powerful. You can’t believe the success I’ve had with feeding folks killer vegan chocolate chip cookies! I’m a fan of short sound bites, so as someone is sinking their teeth into some yummy morsel I’ve made, I’ll say “So you really can have your cake and eat it too. Everyone wins with this way of eating. You’ll feel and look better, it saves animals’ lives and it’s better for the planet.” I love presenting veganism in a really positive way, making it upbeat and all about decadence and fun. That’s just what feels right for me.

OHH: Is there a recipe from your book that you can share with our readers?

CW: Here’s a nice one for the hot summer months.  You don’t have to cook a thing, just wrap and roll!

Basil Summer Rolls (gluten free)

Makes 4 rolls

Delight your guests with these beautiful, delicious rolls. They look especially lovely sliced on a diagonal and arranged on a party platter.

Peanut sauce

2/3 cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter

3 1/2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar

2 tablespoons wheat-free tamari

2 tablespoons gluten-free brown rice syrup

1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, crushed (1 teaspoon)

1/8 teaspoon crushed red 8 pepper flakes (optional)

1/4 cup water

Rolls

8 rice paper rounds (8 inches in diameter)

1 cup sliced ready-made baked marinated tofu

1 cup whole fresh basil or mint leaves

1 cup seeded and sliced cucumber

Directions

To make the sauce, combine the peanut butter, vinegar, tamari, syrup, ginger, garlic, and optional red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Gradually add the water, stirring constantly, until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

To make the rolls, fill a shallow bowl or pan with warm water. Soak 2 rice paper rounds in the warm water for 30 to 60 seconds, until pliable. Remove from the water and put on a plate. Use 2 rice paper rounds for each wrapper, as this will help to prevent them from tearing. Place a few strips of the tofu, a few basil leaves, and a few slices of cucumber in the center of each wrapper. Top with a few teaspoons of the Peanut Sauce. Fold the bottom edge of the wrapper over the filling, and then roll the wrapper tightly around the filling. Fold in the sides midway and then continue rolling. Transfer the roll to a plate and cover with dampened paper towels (to keep the rice paper from drying out). Make 3 more rolls in the same manner. Slice the finished rolls in half on a diagonal. Serve with the remaining Peanut Sauce for dipping.

Note: Basil Summer Rolls can be made 6 hours in advance. Wrap them in dampened paper towels (to keep them from drying out), put them in a storage container, and refrigerate. Slice the rolls just before serving.

Per roll: calories: 444, protein: 24 g, fat: 24 g, carbohydrate: 33 g, fiber: 3 g, sodium: 847 mg

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Want a chance to win a copy of The Natural Vegan Kitchen by Christine Waltermyer? Comment below and tell us what your favorite kind of food activism is. This can include anything from vegan feed-ins, to writing letters to the editor in response to food-related articles, to making delicious vegan cupcakes for your office and sharing them, to anything else that uses vegan food as a way to change hearts and minds. You must submit your answer by midnight EST on July 4, 2011. One lucky winner will be randomly selected using a number generator. Only one entry per person please.

You might think to yourself, then, “What could I need from the Our Hen House Etsy Shop in the summer months?” Well, I’m here to tell you that we have a host of fun new items, including some that will be of interest to any thrifty vegan year round. Look good on your summer excursions with some of our hand-made vegan jewelry. Accessorize your outfit on breezy days with a cute knit scarf. Here are some of my favorite items:

• This beautiful, handmade, green, black and gold pendant necklace would add a nice accent to your summer dress.
• Wear this “Ruffles” 100% cotton scarf, by Beth Begany, on breezier days, and everyone will be jealous. It’s made exclusively of cotton from recycled t-shirts.
• If you have a furry friend who is fond of catnip, consider getting him or her one of these adorable knit catnip mice (or buy a whole bunch!). I momentarily field-tested a few of them with one of my neighborhood felines, Fuff, and I can report that they appear to be thoroughly enjoyable.
• I can’t write a summer post about the Etsy shop and fail to mention this little tiki parrot necklace. Someone needs to buy this to wear on their next tropical vegan vacation. It just has to happen.

Handmade Green, Black, and Red Pendant Necklace

Look for these items, and more, on the Our Hen House Etsy Shop. I’m sure you already know that 100% of the proceeds from the shop go directly to expanding Our Hen House’s multimedia capabilities. And don’t forget that Our Hen House is always on the lookout for vegan artists who have one-of-a-kind items that they’d like to donate to the shop!

Don’t let the sizzling summer sun make you forget all about Our Hen House! Sure, you’ll be going outside more, visiting the beach, having picnics in the park — but shop at the Our Hen House Etsy Shop, and you can carry a reminder of us wherever your travels take you, and support our work in the process! We’ll see you outside.

"Ruffles" 100% Cotton Scarf by Beth Begany

Knit Catnip Mice by Beth Begany

Handmade Tropical Bird Necklace

Founded by Helga Tacreiter in 1988, The Cow Sanctuary provides lifelong refuge to animals who are victims of animal agriculture. This is heroic work. But the thing that struck me particularly when I heard about this wonderful place is the extremely creative way they fundraise. They sell cowches! And by cowches, I don’t mean the run-of-the-mill Ikea or Jennifer Convertibles kind.  The cowches that The Cow Sanctuary offer are “lush and furry life-size soft sculpture floor pillows.” They are made in likeness to a real cow resident of The Cow Sanctuary, and can be made in several sizes, including newborn, yearling, or adult. A purchase of a cowch will run you between $300-$800. (Note: According to the website, they’re not tax-deductible.)

I already told Mariann that if we ever move out of our tiny apartment and into a real house, a cowch will be our first purchase. I just love them. Helga also makes plush rat dolls and sells them for $10 each. What a fun and funky way to support this heroic endeavor. And hats off to Helga for not only devoting her life to saving animals and raising awareness about their plight, but also for pursuing this innovative way of fundraising. Something tells me, too, that if your friends were visiting and they saw a cowch in the middle of your living room, a thought-provoking conversation would almost certainly ensue.

And there are so many stories you could tell, once that conversation got started. For example, one of the thirteen cows lucky enough to call The Cow Sanctuary their home is Bianca, who was born on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania. But Bianca couldn’t get pregnant — and therefore could not produce milk — so the disgruntled farmer agreed to sell her to to a young mother who lived near the farm. This young mother’s children, who had passed by Bianca on their daily walks, fell in love with her, and thanks to Mom’s persistence — mixed with Bianca’s lack of, as the farmer saw it, economic value — Bianca has now been at The Cow Sanctuary for over ten years.

The Beatrice Cowch

That is just one of the happy stories that has come from this magical place. Of course, sanctuaries are in and of themselves at the heart of our movement. They not only provide rehabilitation and refuge for, in the grand scheme, a select few — giving those ambassador animals a second chance — but they also are at the cornerstone of advocacy. When people learn the stories of animals, and are exposed to their sentience — their brave, social and funny ways — and their inherent appreciation of their lives, it’s harder to turn away. Sanctuaries also provide a haven for us animal activists, allowing us to press “reboot,” and to remind ourselves why we fight so hard for animal rights.

Of course, the fact that Pattycake is totally vegan means it is already doing more than its part to save the planet, since animal agriculture is a top contributor to climate change (more than the entire transportation sector combined) and so much other environmental degradation. But, admirably, Pattycake is taking it further, and “reuses flour bags, cardboard boxes and more,” plus, recycles everything, including jelly jars, cans and plastic buckets.

Sugar Cut-Out Cookies from Pattycake Bakery

Though I was disappointed that the article did not include the blatant and yet still under-reported connections between animal agriculture and climate change — and the enormous strides Pattycake is taking for the planet just by being vegan — I was nonetheless thrilled to see a vegan business being honored in this way.

And it got me to thinking. (Uh-oh…)

With green this and green that on everyone’s minds of late, for those of you with vegan businesses — particularly those of you who, like Pattycake, also practice environmentally responsible behavior beyond just providing vegan goods, why not exploit — I mean use your greenness to your advantage? Meaning, if there is a contest in your community for the greenest business, or if there’s an article in your local paper about environmentally-responsible business practices, jump on that green-wagon! Point out, whenever possible, how eco-friendly you truly are, and then tell them why. If you’re following in Pattycake’s footsteps (which are much bigger than their nearly non-existent footprints), then you: 1)recycle, 2)reuse glass jars, 3)perhaps compost, and 4)never contribute to the wastefulness of animal production! I can see possibilities “in” to these green circles in so many ways, including by writing letters to the editor pointing out that you’re a vegan business owner (again, pointing out the green benefits inherent in that); entering those green business contests; advertising in eco-centric publications, both online and in print (ah, the irony…); and simply offering resources at your establishment connecting the dots between veganism and sustainability.

But don’t just talk the talk. Like Pattycake, make sure that you’re not doing wasteful things like using styrofoam, forgetting to recycle, overdoing packaging, yadda yadda yadda…. The last thing we need is  to be perceived as planet-hating but animal-loving vegans. For many of us, our veganism goes deeper than just an understanding that animals should not be exploited. It extends to the earth, too, of course.

So if you are indeed walking the walk, make it known! Get attention for your vegan business. If it’s a food business, make sure people know how delicious and how eco-friendly it is. If you can get yourself recognized in the world of greensters, like Pattycake did, more power to you.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to figure out how I’m going to get to Ohio to try me some of those scrumptious-looking Pattycake delectables…

Because of the near impossibility of getting a license to have a food truck in New York (why can’t it be as easy as it is in Portland?), pop-up restaurants have been, well, popping up more and more in this city that never sleeps. It’s refreshing to see a cruelty-free take on it, and with the almost exclusively organic menu featuring such yummies as Hot Water Cornbread, Cajun Mac & Yease, and Fire-Roasted Polenta Quinoa Cakes, you can bet that Wildflower will quickly catapult the already-successful Chef Howell to wild popularity, if not foodie fame. Reservations are available here, and the seating is limited, so get on that.

Waffles will be on Wildflower's Sunday brunch menu

I’m so particularly pleased to see that Chef Howell’s funding came from Kickstarter. As we’ve mentioned in the past, using Kickstarter to fund our vegan dreams is hugely beneficial for our movement in particular. It allows us to latch onto the grassroots and community power we’re known for in order to get the funding we need to create a massive shift in society, one pop-up restaurant, movie, or other creative and compassionate endeavor at a time.

First is the Animal Art Adoptathon benefit for the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center, happening this weekend at the Englert Theatre and Chait Galleries in Iowa City. According to Press-Citizen.com, “More than 90 local artists of all ages have donated 130 pieces of art to the event depicting animals, animal center issues, animal welfare promotion or the human-pet bond.” The article goes on to say that one of the missions of the foundation is to foster humane education. This is no small event, either. In the past two years, the organization has raised more than $10,000 in donations. The Animal Art Adoptathon opens this evening, Friday, June 3, from 5-8. More info about the event (as well as a sampling of the art) can be found here.

"Forever Home" by Laurie Haag, one of the pieces at the 2011 Animal Art Adoptathon Benefit

The second artistic event to benefit animals that caught my eye is actually, lucky for me, a monthly occurrence here in New York City. “De-Flea Market for Animal Rescue” is a monthly arts and crafts market that raises money for a different (dog and cat) animal charity each month. (If you’re interested in getting your animal charity involved, email Lynne at lynnevon[at]msn.com.) The charities are able to vend free of charge, and aside from the money raised from the sales of the crafts, even more funds are raised via the raffle. The June event, which is coming up on June 12 in NYC’s East Village, will benefit Kitty Kind, a non-profit cat rescue and adoption organization. Since I personally can Never Have Too Many Crafts on hand, you will likely find me there, stocking up on presents for my friends (and, okay, for myself too).

Not to go too off-course from the point of this blog entry, which is to support and/or organize creative events like these that raise much-needed awareness and money for dogs and cats via artistic means, I simply have to say…. Though neither event specifies, I’m sure hoping that the food offered at both events is exclusively vegan. I’ve certainly shown my support at dog and cat charity events, only to find that farmed animals were on the menu — a sad irony that never feels good (especially for the dead animal).

After writing that paragraph, I decided to google around and see if there was, in fact, a vegan dog and/or cat charity out there, and happily happened upon California’s St. Martin’s Animal Foundation, whose website proudly states: “Finally, we would like for all of our supporters to know that S.M.A.F. stands up for all animals by promoting a vegan lifestyle. We believe that all animals, have the God given right to live out their lives in peace and harmony. Throughout the year, we make every effort to spread this message of compassion and peace at our various fundraisers and adoption events.”

My arm is famous.

Well, this week, the Vegan Cuts deal features Our Hen House tote bags, a deal we think is clucking fantastic! If you’ve been paying attention, you know that our tote bags are ethically-sourced and vegan made from recycled soda and water containers — created in collaboration with the gorgeous people at Lion’s Share Industries (using artist-extraordinairre Razi Bhatti). Our bags (which are made in the USA) are more ethical than most people.

And this week, thanks to the magic of Vegan Cuts, if you’re in the US or Canada, you can score your very own for just $15, which includes shipping and handling. The bags tout our tag line, “A place to find our way to change the world for animals,” with “ourhenhouse.org” just below it. The design itself is folk-art inspired, with some animals frolicking about. Suitable for men or women, the colors are black, yellow, and white. I’ve been told that the oversized bags are the perfect size to hold a laptop, and in addition to supporting our mission to mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, carrying these stylish bags will also allow you to wear your vegan pride on your shoulder for all to see.

Get in on it.