Episode 158: “Each species is a masterpiece, a creation assembled with extreme care and genius.”

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Welcome to the 158^th episode – and the 3^rd anniversary – of Our Hen House, featuring Peter Brandt.

In today’s episode, we settle back into our normal routines here in the Big Apple, which includes summer rolls at Soy and Sake, karaoke with some inspiring vegan entrepreneurs, teaching animal law to a group of fresh new faces, and shopping for real estate in surprisingly quaint and vegan-friendly pockets of the city. We’ll give you the skinny on all of that, as well as talk about the 30 Day Shred, inappropriate crushes, and Defiant Daughters – a forthcoming anthology centered around the groundbreaking work of Carol Adams, in which Jasmin has written a chapter. Have we mentioned that the book will benefit Our Hen House?

Today marks the 3^rd year anniversary of Our Hen House! We have indeed brought you a new podcast episode every single week since we started in January 2010, and today we’ll chat about some of those early day adventures — and misadventures. (For a blast from the past, howzabout settling in and listening to Episode 1 –but please don’t hold it against us)?

We’ll also discuss an amusing piece written on the animal agriculture blog, Meatingplace. We think you’ll join us in chuckling about how we animal activists were described. And we’ll talk about how the media is reacting to glimpses into what goes on behind closed doors for animals. We find it oddly hopeful.

Joining us today is Peter Brandt, the Senior Attorney for Farm Animal Litigation with the Humane Society of the United States’ Animal Protection Litigation section. Peter will talk to us about the Pork Check-off litigation, a compelling case recently brought by HSUS involving allegations of misappropriation of tax-payer funds by the meat industry. Whether you’re a lawyer like Mariann, or a layperson like Jasmin, you’ll want to listen up.

For our review, we will give you a taste of Freekehlicious, the amazing grain that you have got to try. We’ll tell you why!

All that, vegan banter, and of course, current events from the world of animal rights.

This week’s news items include:

• “Should We Sit Down With HSUS in Common Cause” from AgWired
• “New Hampshire Ag-Gag Bill Faces Opposition in House” from VegNews
• “Herd of Secret Drug Goats Discovered at Biotech Ranch” from PopSci
• “Fort Bragg Expects to Stop Using Goats for Trauma Training” from Hispanic Business
• “Flesh choice: A meat-lover’s guide to giving it up” from Grist
• “How to Go Vegan” from The New York Times Blog
• “Mayor Rahm Emanuel Endorses Rip Esselstyn’s Vegan Plan” from Ecorazzi

“Each species is a masterpiece, a creation assembled with extreme care and genius.” -Edward O. Wilson

You can listen to our podcast directly on our blog (below!) or you can listen and subscribe on iTunes! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it on iTunes, and don’t forget to leave us a friendly comment! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Don’t forget – we’re reader and listener supported. Plus, we offer some fantastic thank you gifts for your donations. Thank you for helping us to create quality content, and for helping us to bring you a new, hour-long (and then some) podcast episode each week!

Here’s to another 3 glorious years!