During the first part of August, I did various presentations in the Finger Lakes region of New York State near Farm Sanctuary’s flagship shelter and headquarters. It started with our annual Hoe Down, which is held in Watkins Glen the first weekend in August. We had a capacity crowd and nearly 300 participants enjoyed moving presentations and time on the farm with the animals. After dinner, we danced and talked around the campfire late into the night, soaking in positive vegan vibes.

After the Hoe Down, I spoke at a Barnes and Noble Bookstore in Rochester, NY where it was great to see old and new friends. I then gave a presentation at a Peaceweavers’ event on Thunder Mountain in nearby Bath, NY. The Peaceweavers espouse a vegan lifestyle and conduct retreats and workshops aimed at promoting compassion, awareness, health and healing. It was wonderful to spend time with fellow vegans whose vision is so closely aligned with that of Farm Sanctuary. It is a joy and inspiration to be around so many good hearted people working to create a kinder world, especially when they’re in our own backyard.