Thanks, Evita, for the overview of Oprah’s show. My family was vegan for 4 years, but we just recently started incorporating a small amount of organic poultry into our diet. I was very impressed to see how humanely these animals are treated. They even drink spring water! Truly the way nature intended. I’m very grateful to the farmers out there who choose to respect these animals and treat them with dignity.

I also wanted to add another dimension to the debate about factory farming, and that’s the environmental impact it has. It’s devastating! Here’s an article about how factory farming is impacting climate change — http://prime.peta.org/2008/09/change-your-diet-change-your-world%E2%80%94aarp-suggests-eating-less-meat

Thanks again for the great post!

@EMILY – Thank you for letting us all know about that site. I personally have not heard of it before and am glad you made me aware of it.

@HANLIE – Yes, I don’t think most people realize that there is such a powerful energy transfer in so many ways in our world and has such profound effects on us.

And you’re so right about the energy/karma connection.

Oprah has done a wonderful job of bringing this conversation to the mainstream, and highlighting farmers who choose an alternative to the factory model. Jude Becker, one of the featured farmers (who is accredited by Animal Welfare Approved) had a great quote: “Something about it just makes me feel good. The positive energy from the animals translates to me,” he says. “I think it translates into the food as well.”

If you consume ANY animal products visit the Animal Welfare Approved website to search for high-welfare options on our online database (and to check out Jude’s farm profile). Farms accredited by the Animal Welfare Approved program raise animals according to the most stringent animal welfare standards, on pasture and allowed to express their natural behaviors. Visit (www.AnimalWelfareApproved.org) for more info. Thanks for posting and keep up the good work!

It’s amazing how easy it is for us to believe anything, even when compassion and common sense point in another direction. I was raised in northern Illinois, deep in farm country, and it never occurred to me then—NEVER (and I’m as big an animal softy as there ever was)—that there should be a different way to do it. Thankfully, I expanded my horizons!

Oprah is an amazing light for us all, isn’t she. Thank you SO much for sharing this episode for the rest of us! Your heart and passion shine through, and you teach us all!

Even though we do have a TV, we barely watch it, the odd nature show and the odd Oprah show really when the topic resonates with my being. I think it is very beneficial to avoid TV for so many reasons…I do not want to get off topic here and make an article of it – but it gives me a good idea for a future post :)

It appears as if Oprah’s 21 day vegan diet this spring had more than just an effect on her waistline!

I particularly loved the way you said this: We put our dogs in satin lined coffins when they die and buy our cats Halloween outfits and yet we do not have the decency to give humane treatment to the animals that are feeding us? I don’t know about you, but something just does not make sense to me there.

How true!