Every year The Gentle Barn rescues two turkeys from the Thanksgiving table. This week Jay headed out with Chelsea, a teenage supporter of The Gentle Barn, and her mother, Kim, to save two for this year. Chelsea became a vegan animal supporter at an early age. Now 15, this is her second year helping rescue turkeys for The Gentle Barn from Thanksgiving. The three of them went to a place that had turkeys for slaughter and had expected to receive two turkeys at the front of the property. The man, trying to prove that the two turkeys we were taking were female, brought a third turkey that was twice the size to illustrate the difference between male and female. After seeing this third turkey, they didn't have the heart to send him back knowing he would go to slaughter, so this year The Gentle Barn took all three. Ideally we wanted females, because our male turkey, Sir Fancy Pants needs to be the only show-off in the barnyard, but after looking into the males eyes, how could we possibly leave him behind to be killed? So all three were loaded into the car and driven home to their new home at The Gentle Barn.

The turkeys went straight into quarantine so that we can make sure they are all healthy and don’t bring any disease to our existing flock. They will stay in quarantine until cleared by our vet. During this time, we will get to know them and they will get used to good food, clean water, kind voices and gentle hands. They had been raised in cages so their feet have never touched the ground before. Now they love nesting in the soft straw, eating the all-you-can-eat buffet, drinking fresh, clean water, receive all the vitamins and minerals they need through Sun Chlorella Superfood and stretching their legs in the open spaces. Once they are deemed healthy, they will come out of quarantine and join our barnyard family, hopefully, just in time to be the guests of honor at our Gentle Thanksgiving event on Thanksgiving Day, November 28th, and become part of the flock where you can visit them every Sunday from 10AM to 2PM.

Please join us in celebrating a gentle thanksgiving this year. Animals should not have to die in order for us to rejoice. Either join us for our gentle thanksgiving on November 28^th at 4 PM, or have a gentle thanksgiving at your home. There are so many delicious plant based dishes you can make that you and your loved ones will surely enjoy. Tofurkey and Gardein both make yummy, turkey substitutes that taste great and harm no one. Join us this year in celebrating life and kindness and peace for all!