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From Animal Farmer to Rescuer: Cheri Vandersluis of Maple Farm Sanctuary - P2/2
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Esteemed viewers,
welcome to
Animal World:
Our Co-Inhabitants.
Today’s show features
the second and final part
of an interview with vegan,
Cheri Ezell-Vandersluis,
who runs the love-filled
Maple Farm Sanctuary
along with her husband
Jim Vandersluis.
The Sanctuary has served
as a caring refuge
for animals since 1998.
Jim’s family
practiced dairy farming
for many years
on the very same
48 hectare plot of land
on which the Sanctuary
is now located.
Like all dairies,
the operation
repeatedly cycled through
the heartless processes
that are associated with
meat and milk production.
After meeting Jim,
Cheri joined
her goat milking business
with his dairy farm.
Deep within both felt
a profound connection
with animals, but at the time
blocked this love
in their hearts
because their actions
were leading to the deaths
of goats and cows.
Following an awakening
of compassion
in their souls,
Cheri and Jim took
the life-affirming step
of closing down
their dairy farm
and turning it
into a sustainable refuge
to house and care
for the area’s abandoned,
abused and homeless
farm animals.
We’re not killing
anything anymore.
We’re growing food
for everyone,
for all people,
for the children
that are starving,
for everyone!
And we’re becoming
non-violent and I think if
they thought about it enough,
the dairy farmers
and the beef farmers
might begin to embrace
such a culture,.
The couple,
now a mommy and daddy
to some 100 animals
living free
in their animal village,
are both vegans.
When Jim and I
made the decision, I knew
I was going vegetarian first
and then vegan, but I
didn’t expect my husband,
who really didn’t know
much about that,
to make that big change.
But much to my surprise
he said, “Why are you
going to cook
any differently for me?
I want to be vegetarian too.”
So first we started
being vegetarian,
but very quickly
we switched over to vegan
because of all of
the dairy product issues.
We were so closely
connected to the dairy issue
that we knew
we couldn’t continue
with the dairy also.
So it was a very quick
transition from
vegetarianism to veganism.
Both Jim and I
have felt much better,
as far as our stamina,
and our mood.
It’s almost like
being more peaceful
and I think that’s
in combination with
what we’re doing
and what we’re eating.
There’s just a peace
about it.
We do feel healthier
most definitely!
Jim’s family has had
a history of heart disease
and he was kind of
worried about that
but I’ve checked
his blood pressure
and it’s right down there
and he seems to be
in good health.
He says he feels better,
he’s lost weight and
he feels more comfortable
at that weight.
But all in all the diet
has made us feel better
in many different ways.
Cheri Ezell-Vandersluis
encourages all those
involved in
animal agriculture
to embrace a bright
and promising future
by leaving the industry and
taking up a constructive
and loving occupation
that does not involve
hurting animals.
I know we’re not the only
ones who have changed.
I know that there are
a lot of dairy farmers
out there and beef farmers
that are afraid of people
like us that say,
“Veganism is the way to go.”
They’re really afraid
that we’re going to
destroy their business,
their lifestyle.
And I’m not personally out
to do that.
I want to see them
improve their lifestyle.
I want to see their land
be improved upon.
I don’t want to see
all the chemicals sprayed
to get rid of all the flies
that are
all over the livestock,
the beef cows out
in the feed lots.
I don’t want to see
all the feed lots;
I don’t want to see
all the slaughterhouses.
We don’t need all of that.
If all that land could be
transitioned into
growing food for humans,
then we would truly be
making progress.
It would still
support the farmers.
Other farmers have done it.
And if we can do it,
other farmers can do it.
They can still farm.
They're working
with the Earth.
That’s what farming is
all about, the Earth,
and being good stewards
of the land.
And by having dairy cows
and beef cows, we're not
being good stewards
of the land.
We're destroying the land.
We're chopping down
rainforest.
We're putting up feedlots
and spraying chemicals
to get rid of the flies and
we're killing ourselves.
So, I just hope
that the livestock folk just
look at what they're doing
and think a little bit
that maybe we do have
some good reasons to go
towards a vegan based diet.
After these brief messages,
we’ll meet some of
the intelligent and lovely
animal co-inhabitants of
the Maple Farm Sanctuary.
Please stay tuned
to Supreme Master
Television.
We still grow hay for
the sanctuary animals.
What we produce is not
sprayed with chemicals
and we don't use
a chemical fertilizer.
We take the feces
from the animals here,
compost it and then
spread it back on the land.
Welcome back to
Animal World:
Our Co-Inhabitants for
our program spotlighting
the Maple Farm Sanctuary
in Massachusetts, USA
which once was
a dairy farm,
but now serves as
a safe refuge for animals.
Cheri Ezell-Vandersluis
and Jim Vandersluis now
live with peace of mind
because they have changed
their profession and
found their life mission,
which is helping to
protect our vulnerable and
innocent animal friends.
Jim bought the farm
to carry on the tradition.
And the tradition
has changed a little bit.
He gets to love
the animals now.
He gets to care
for the animals.
He doesn't have to
worry about them
going to slaughter and
having miserable lives.
We get to reach our heart
out to these animals
and love them
and care for them and
do the best that we can
for them right now.
But we get to love
the animals a lot more,
that’s the important thing.
We get to embrace them,
we get to talk to them
and not feel guilty that
“I’m forming a bond and
it’s about to be broken
in a week.”
The bond stays forever.
Jonathan Calabria,
a yoga instructor and
a Maple Farm Sanctuary
board member, believes
in peaceful living and thus
follows a vegan diet.
He tries his best
to get the word out
about why
this compassionate way
of eating is so wonderful.
I really thrive on this diet.
And I don’t believe
I’m special; I don’t believe
that I have this
special genetic makeup
allows me to be vegan.
I’m a pretty regular guy
brought up
on a very heavy meat diet
and now I don’t feel a need
for that at all.
He now introduces us
to a new friend
from the haven!
Hey, this is Pidge,
she’s a real sweet chicken.
And she really loves
to be held.
She doesn’t usually
get outside, so she is
feeling a little nervous.
But she can still see
her sanctuary, you know.
Hey, honey, it’s alright.
Yes. Beautiful bird.
Cheri took us around
to meet some of the other
joyful residents of
the Maple Farm Sanctuary.
Kali the Brown Swiss calf
is one of
the most recent arrivals and
is a truly cheerful youth.
Receiving plenty
of tender loving care
in her new home,
Kali is now
one of the happiest cows
in Maple Farm.
She’s full of life
and warmth and
comes running for petting
whenever there’s a visitor
to the Sanctuary.
She’s just the light
of our life right now.
She is the most gentle
Brown Swiss Cow.
She’s doing really well
and she’s a happy girl.
She loves to play.
Jonathan the pig is
a splendid fellow
who loves the Sun.
He has a warm personality,
is quite jolly and
is good friends with Kali.
He was brought
to the Sanctuary when he
was only four months old.
Jonathan is a pig
that we originally got
in very serious condition.
He had an umbilical hernia,
and we had to
have him have surgery.
The vet donated her time
to help Jonathan out
and saved his life,
and he started out
maybe this big,
and now you can see
how large he is and
he still continues to grow
and he’s quite a happy pig;
he’s quite the boss pig.
Other members of
the Maple Farm family
include Smokey the cat,
Ivan the Icelandic horse,
Cassie the cow,
Lucky the miniature pony,
Tara Anna the sheep,
goats Sid and Chloe,
and many more.
The different species of
animals at the Sanctuary
live in harmony
with one another.
Most of the people that
come to the sanctuary
are animal lovers, and
they’re very interested
in what we do.
And they want to visit
with the animals and
experience the animals.
Some want to learn
about the animals.
Some are willing
to muck out the stalls,
bless their hearts.
And feed them treats.
And there are others that
help to chop up the produce
that we get
from Whole Foods
and get that for the pigs
and the goats.
And we have
some elderly animals that
need to eat the softer foods.
So these volunteers help
with all of that.
Even if they’re vegan
or vegetarian,
they still haven’t had
the experience with the cow
or the goat or the calf.
They haven’t had that
one-on-one experience.
So it does help make
the further connection.
Before we say
our farewells
to our friendly host and
the warm residents of
the Maple Farm Sanctuary,
let us find out what
Cheri Ezell-Vandersluis’s
vision is for the world’s
animals and people.
My hopes and dreams
are that we can all live
in peace and
that there is no violence
and that we are no longer
consumers of the flesh
and that we are
only consumers of that
which we were meant to eat,
which are plants.
We salute Jim and
Cheri Vandersluis
of Massachusetts USA
for making the noble and
wise decision to switch
from dairy farming
to operating
a caring shelter for animals.
Their selfless heroism
and ongoing efforts
to save lives
are truly inspirational.
For more details on
the Maple Farm Sanctuary,
please visit:
Compassionate viewers,
thank you for joining us
today for Animal World:
Our Co-Inhabitants
on Supreme Master
Television.
Coming up next is
Enlightening Entertainment,
after Noteworthy News.
May all hearts
be awakened so that
the animals are treated
as brothers and sisters.
For this year's
World Environment Day,
the United Nations
has chosen the theme
“Many Species.
One Planet. One Future.”
As animal agriculture
continues to devastate
our ecosystems,
this theme highlights the
importance of embracing
the compassionate
plant-based diet
in order to secure
our planet's future.
Agriculture alone has
changed the landscape
of the planet more than
any other driver.
So I would advocate
getting off of the meat diet,
that it really
is not sustainable.
Learn more about how
a vegan diet promotes
this year's World
Environment Day theme,
Wednesday June 2,
on Planet Earth:
Our Loving Home.
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